Your vehicle may have center caps if equipped with aluminum wheels.

To remove the wheel center cap, use the flat end of the wheel wrench and pry them off at the pry off notch. Do not drop the cap or lay it face down, as it could become scratched or damaged. The wheel nuts are hidden behind the center cap.

Your vehicle may be equipped with wheel covers. To remove the wheel covers and wheel nut caps, do the following:

1. 
   
   

   Loosen the plastic nut caps with the wheel wrench in a counterclockwise direction. If needed, you can finish loosening them with your fingers. The plastic nut caps will not come off.

2. Use the flat 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, center cap, or wheel nut caps, use the following procedure to remove the flat tire and install the spare tire.

1. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts. Don't remove them yet.

Jack Placement - Front Tire




2. The diagram shows you where you should place your jack to change a front tire. Use the bolts (A) as a guide when positioning the jack lift head (C) near the rear edge of the front wheel opening (B).

For jacking at the vehicle's front location, put the jack lift about 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) from the rear edge of the front wheel opening in the cutout of the rocker panel molding.

Jack Placement - Rear Tire




3. The diagram shows you where to place your jack to change a rear tire. Use the notch (B) as a guide when positioning the jack lift head (A) near the front edge of the rear wheel opening (C).

For jacking at the vehicle's rear location, put the jack lift head about 4 inches (10 cm) from the front edge of the rear wheel opening in the cutout of the rocker panel molding.

4. 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.




5. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle clockwise. Raise it far enough off the ground for the compact spare tire to fit underneath the wheel well of the vehicle.
6. Remove all wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.

Caution: Rust or dirt on a wheel or other parts to which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts become loose and eventually the wheel could come off and cause a crash. Always remove all rust and dirt from wheels and other parts.





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

7. Install the compact spare tire.

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.





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




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

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 your dealer/retailer for the correct 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.





Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a crisscross sequence as shown.

Notice: Wheel covers will not fit on your vehicle's compact spare. If you try to put a wheel cover on the compact spare, the cover or the spare could be damaged.

Do not try to put the wheel cover on your compact spare tire. It will not fit. Store the wheel cover in the trunk until you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.