If your vehicle has plastic wheel nut caps, loosen them by turning the wheel wrench counterclockwise. The wheel nut caps are designed to remain with the center cap. Remove the center cap.

If the wheel has a smooth center piece, place the chisel end of the wheel wrench in the slot on the wheel and gently pry it out.

1. Do a safety check before proceeding. See Changing a Flat Tire for more information.
2. With the DOWN side facing you, use the ratchet and wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel nuts. Do not remove them yet.
3. Assemble the jack and tools:

Front Position




4. Front Flat: Assemble the jack (A) together with the jack handle (B) and ratchet (C) as shown. Be sure that the ratchet has the UP mark facing you.

Rear Position




5. Rear Flat: Assemble the jack (A) together with the jack handle (B), jack handle extension (C) and ratchet (D) as shown. Be sure that the ratchet has the UP mark facing you. To assemble the jack handle and jack handle extension, use the art and text following.



6. Connect the jack handle (B) and jack handle extension (C) together and press the retention clip (arrow) so it engages.

Front Position





Rear Position





Position the jack under the vehicle as shown.

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.




7. Raise the vehicle by turning the ratchet clockwise. Make sure the UP mark faces you. Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground so there is enough room for the spare tire to fit.




Remove all the wheel nuts.

8. Take flat tire off of the mounting surface.

Caution: Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose after time. The wheel could come off and cause an accident. When changing a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from places where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, 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. See Changing a Flat Tire .





Remove any rust or dirt from the wheel bolts, mounting surfaces and spare wheel.

Caution: Never use oil or grease on bolts or nuts because the nuts might come loose. The vehicle's wheel could fall off, causing a crash.





Put the wheel nuts back on with the rounded end of the nuts toward the wheel. Tighten each wheel nut by hand until the wheel is held against the hub.

9. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle counterclockwise. Lower the jack completely.

Caution: Wheel nuts that are not tight can work loose. If all the nuts on a wheel come off, the wheel can come off the vehicle, causing a crash. All wheel nuts must be properly tightened. Follow the rules in this section to be sure they are.

Caution: If wheel studs are damaged, they can break. If all the studs on a wheel broke, the wheel could come off and cause a crash. If any stud is damaged because of a loose-running wheel, it could be that all of the studs are damaged. To be sure, replace all studs on the wheel. If the stud holes in a wheel have become larger, the wheel could collapse in operation. Replace any wheel if its stud holes have become larger or distorted in any way. Inspect hubs and hub-piloted wheels for damage. Because of loose running wheels, piloting pad damage may occur and require replacement of the entire hub, for proper centering of the wheels. When replacing studs, hubs, wheel nuts or wheels, be sure to use GM original equipment parts.

Caution: Incorrect or improperly tightened wheel nuts can cause the wheel to come loose and even come off. This could lead to a crash. 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 the proper torque specification. See Capacities and Specifications for wheel nut torque specification.

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. See Capacities and Specifications for the wheel nut torque specification.




10. Use the wheel wrench to tighten the nuts firmly. Turn the wheel wrench clockwise and in a crisscross sequence as shown.
11. Put the wheel cover or the center cap and plastic wheel nut caps back on. Remove any wheel blocks.

Have a technician check the wheel nut tightness of all wheels with a torque wrench after the first 100 miles (160 km) and then 1,000 miles (1600 km) after that. Repeat this service whenever you have a tire removed or serviced. See Capacities and Specifications for more information.