PONTIAC GRAND AM 1999 Owners Manual

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5-19 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools
The equipment you'll need is
in the trunk. Pull the
carpeting from the floor of
the trunk. Turn the center
retainer nut on the compact
spare cover counterclockwise
to remove it.
Lift and remove the cover. See ªCompact Spare Tireº
later in this section for more information about the
compact spare.
Turn the wing nut
counterclockwise and remove
it. Then lift off the spacer
and remove the spare tire.
Remove the jack and wheel wrench from the trunk.
Your vehicle's jack and wheel wrench are stored in a
foam tray. Remove the band around the jack.

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5-20
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A) and wheel
wrench (B).
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire
1. Remove the wheel nut caps (you may need to use the
wheel wrench to loosen and remove them, if your
fingers do not fit into this small area).
2. Then use the wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel
nuts. Don't remove them yet.

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5-21
3. Position the jack and raise the jack head until it fits
firmly into the notch in the vehicle's frame nearest
the flat tire. Put the compact spare tire near you.
CAUTION:
Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
CAUTION:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned can damage the vehicle and even
make the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal
injury and vehicle damage, be sure to fit the jack
lift head into the proper location before raising
the vehicle.

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5-22
4. Raise the vehicle by rotating the wheel wrench
clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground
so there is enough room for the spare tire to fit.
5. Remove all of the wheel nuts.
6. Remove the flat tire.
7. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.

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5-23
CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
8. Replace the wheel and
nuts with the rounded
end of the nuts toward
the wheel. Tighten each
nut by hand until the
wheel is held against
the hub.

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5-24
9. Lower the vehicle by rotating the wheel wrench
counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.
10. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a crisscross
sequence, as shown.
CAUTION:
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts. If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have
the nuts tightened with a torque wrench to
100 lb
-ft (140 N´m).

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5-25
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
NOTICE:
Wheel covers won't fit on your compact spare.
If you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.
Storing the Flat Tire and Tools
CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
Store the flat tire in the compact spare tire compartment.
Place the tire in the compartment, then secure the
adapter and wing bolt. Place the cover and nut on top of
the flat tire. Store the jack and wheel wrench in the
foam tray.

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5-26
A. Nut
B. Wing Nut
C. Extension
(If Equipped)
D. AdapterE. Wrench
F. Jack
G. Tool Tray
H. Flat Road Tire
Storing the Spare Tire and Tools
CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
The compact spare is for temporary use only. Replace
the compact spare tire with a full
-size tire as soon as you
can. See ªCompact Spare Tireº in the Index. See the
storage instructions label to replace your compact spare
into your trunk properly.

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5-27
A. Nut
B. Cover
C. Wing Nut
D. AdapterE. Wrench
F. Jack
G. Spare Tire
Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when your
vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check the
inflation pressure regularly. It should be 60 psi (420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your spare tire
is correctly inflated. The compact spare is made to perform
well at speeds up to 65 mph (105 km/h) for distances up to
3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you can finish your trip and have
your full
-size tire repaired or replaced where you want. You
must calibrate the tire pressure monitor system after
installing or removing the compact spare. See ªTire Pressure
Monitorº in the Index. The system may not work correctly
when the compact spare is installed on the vehicle. Of course,
it's best to replace your spare with a full
-size tire as soon as
you can. Your spare will last longer and be in good shape in
case you need it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don't take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts of your vehicle.

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5-28
Don't use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don't mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won't fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won't fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains too. Don't use tire chains on your
compact spare.
If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don't want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as ªrockingº can
help you get out when you're stuck, but you must
use caution.
CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you're
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don't
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.