flat tire SATURN RELAY 2007 Owners Manual

Tires............................................................ 462
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 463
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 466
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 469
High-Speed Operation............................... 471
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 472
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 473
Buying New Tires...................................... 474
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 476
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 477
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 478
Wheel Replacement.................................. 478
Tire Chains............................................... 480
Accessory Inator...................................... 480
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 483
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 484
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 485
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire....................................... 488
Secondary Latch System........................... 495
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 497
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 500Appearance Care........................................ 501
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 501
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 502
Leather...................................................... 503
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 504
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 504
Weatherstrips............................................ 504
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 505
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 505
Finish Care............................................... 505
Windshield, Backglass, and
Wiper Blades......................................... 506
Aluminum Wheels...................................... 507
Tires......................................................... 507
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 508
Finish Damage.......................................... 508
Underbody Maintenance............................ 508
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 508
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 509
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
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(E) Tire Ply Material:The type of cord and
number of plies in the sidewall and under
the tread.
(F) Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG):
Tire manufacturers are required to grade
tires based on three performance factors:
treadwear, traction, and temperature resistance.
For more information seeUniform Tire Quality
Grading on page 477.
(G) Maximum Cold Ination Load Limit:
Maximum load that can be carried and the
maximum pressure needed to support that load.
(A) Temporary Use Only:The compact spare
tire or temporary use tire has a tread life of
approximately 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and should
not be driven at speeds over 65 mph (105 km/h).
The compact spare tire is for emergency use
when a regular road tire has lost air and gone at.
If your vehicle has a compact spare tire, see
Compact Spare Tire on page 500andIf a Tire
Goes Flat on page 483.
Compact Spare Tire Example
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{CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make 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 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 needed, to get all the
rust or dirt off. SeeChanging a Flat Tire
on page 484.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it
is time for new tires is
to check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following
statements are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more
places around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through
the tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or
snagged deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage
that cannot be repaired well because of the
size or location of the damage.
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Each new wheel should have the same
load-carrying capacity, diameter, width, offset
and be mounted the same way as the one
it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts or wheel nuts, replace them only
with new Saturn original equipment parts. This
way, you will be sure to have the right wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels,
wheel bolts, or wheel nuts on your vehicle
can be dangerous. It could affect the
braking and handling of your vehicle,
make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have a collision
in which you or others could be injured.
Always use the correct wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts for replacement.Notice:The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake cooling,
speedometer or odometer calibration,
headlamp aim, bumper height, vehicle ground
clearance, and tire or tire chain clearance
to the body and chassis.
SeeChanging a Flat Tire on page 484for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You cannot know how it has
been used or how far it has been driven.
It could fail suddenly and cause a crash.
If you have to replace a wheel, use a new
Saturn original equipment wheel.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you are
driving, especially if you maintain your vehicle’s
tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it is
much more likely to leak out slowly. But if you
should ever have a blowout, here are a few tips
about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire will create a drag
that pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take
your foot off the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel rmly. Steer to maintain lane
position, and then gently brake to a stop well
out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much
like a skid and may require the same correction
you would use in a skid. In any rear blowout
remove your foot from the accelerator pedal.
Get the vehicle under control by steering the
way you want the vehicle to go. It may be very
bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to
do maintenance or repairs is dangerous
without the appropriate safety equipment
and training. The jack provided with your
vehicle is designed only for changing a
at tire. If it is used for anything else, you
or others could be badly injured or killed
if the vehicle slips off the jack. Use the
jack provided with your vehicle only for
changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to
use the jacking equipment to change a at
tire safely.
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Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes at, avoid further tire and wheel
damage by driving slowly to a level place.
Turn on your vehicle’s hazard warning ashers.
SeeHazard Warning Flashers on page 182
for more information.{CAUTION:
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The
vehicle can slip off the jack and roll over
or fall on you or other people. You and
they could be badly injured or even killed.
Find a level place to change your tire.
To help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake rmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart
while the vehicle is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain
in the vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle will
not move, you should put blocks at the
front and rear of the tire farthest away
from the one being changed. That would
be the tire, on the other side, at the
opposite end of the vehicle.
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To remove the compact spare tire, do the following:
A. Hoist Shaft
B. Hoist Assembly
C. Retainer
D. Compact Spare TireE. Extension
(Chisel End)
F. Folding Wrench
1. Attach the folding wrench (F) to the
extension (E) and insert the chisel end on
an angle through the hole in the rear bumper
and into the hoist shaft (A).2. Turn the folding wrench counterclockwise to
lower the compact spare tire (D) to the
ground. Continue to turn the wrench so the
compact spare tire can be pulled out from
under the vehicle.
3. Tilt the retainer at the end of the cable to
remove the compact spare tire, so it can
be pulled up through the wheel opening.
The hoist is used to store a full-size or a at
road tire under the vehicle. SeeStoring a
Flat or Spare Tire and Tools on page 497
for more information.
4. Remove the compact spare tire from the cable.
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If the compact spare tire will not lower, check
under the vehicle to see if the tire is hanging
loose and the cable end and spring under
the wheel plate are missing. If so, the secondary
latch system is engaged. SeeSecondary Latch
System on page 495.
To continue changing the at tire, see
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire on page 488.Removing the Flat Tire and
Installing the Spare Tire
Your vehicle may have aluminum wheels. If so,
you will see exposed stainless steel wheel
nuts. Use the wheel wrench to loosen all of the
wheel nuts. Do not remove them yet. Or, your
vehicle may have steel wheel covers. To remove
the wheel covers and wheel nut caps, loosen
the plastic nut caps with the wheel wrench in a
counterclockwise direction. If needed, you
can nish loosening with your ngers. The plastic
nut caps will not come off. Use the at end of
the wheel wrench and pry along the edge of the
cover until it comes off. The edge of the wheel
cover could be sharp, so do not try to remove it
with your bare hands. Do not drop the cover or lay
it face down, as it could become scratched or
damaged. Once you have removed the wheel
cover, use the following procedure to remove the
at tire and install the spare tire.
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Secondary Latch System
Your vehicle may have an underbody-mounted tire
hoist assembly equipped with a secondary latch
system. It is designed to stop a tire from suddenly
falling off your vehicle if the cable holding the
spare tire is damaged. For the secondary latch to
work, the tire must be stowed with the valve
stem pointing down.
Your vehicle uses the underbody tire hoist
assembly to store either the compact spare or
a at road tire. SeeStoring a Flat or Spare
Tire and Tools on page 497for instructions on
storing the spare or at tire correctly.{CAUTION:
Before beginning this procedure read all
the instructions. Failure to read and follow
the instructions could damage the hoist
assembly and you and others could get
hurt. Read and follow the instructions
listed next.
{CAUTION:
Someone standing too close during the
procedure could be injured by the jack.
If the spare tire does not slide off the jack
completely, make sure no one is behind
you or on either side of you as you pull
the jack out from the spare.
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5. Grasp the compact spare tire with both hands
and pull it out from under the vehicle.
6. Reach under the vehicle and remove the
folding wrench and jack.
Have the hoist assembly inspected as soon as
you can. You will not be able to store a spare or
at tire using the hoist assembly until it has
been repaired or replaced.
Storing a Flat or 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.
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