If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard warning flashers.

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 firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in P (Park).
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear - not in N (Neutral).
4. Turn off the engine and do not restart while the vehicle is raised.
5. Do not allow passengers to remain in the vehicle.

The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and change a tire.

The jack, wheel wrench and jack handle are stowed in the rear left corner of the luggage compartment.

1. To open the jacking tool storage compartment, turn the knob counterclockwise. Open the cover two inches and pull the entire cover towards the front of the vehicle.




Turn the jack screw to remove the jack from the clamps. If the screw is too tight, use the jack handle to loosen it.




2. The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), jack handle (B) and wheel wrench (C).

The spare tire is mounted on your tailgate. Your vehicle may be equipped with either a soft, vinyl cover or a hard cover.

Hard Cover




3. To remove the hard cover from the spare tire, insert your key into the wheel lock and pull the wheel lock off.



4. Using the wheel wrench, remove the wheel cover nut. Gently pry the spare tire cover off the wheel.

Vinyl Cover




5. If your vehicle is equipped with a vinyl cover, unzip the cover to find the wheel lock. Insert the key into the wheel lock and pull it off.
6. Using the wheel wrench, remove the wheel nut under the lock.



7. Remove the remaining wheel nuts with the wheel wrench.
8. Remove the spare tire from the mounting bracket and place it near your flat tire.

1. If your vehicle has wheel nut caps, remove them by turning the wheel wrench counterclockwise.



2. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts but don't remove them yet.

Front Wheel Location





Rear Wheel Location




3. Under the vehicle near each wheel, there are knobs in the vehicle's frame. Raise the jack two inches (51 mm) before positioning the jack. Raise the jack lift head until it fits firmly onto the knobs nearest to the flat tire.

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 cause personal injury and damage to the vehicle. If you try to use the jack when it hasn't been raised at least two inches (51 mm), the jack may not hold up the vehicle, and you or others could be injured. To help avoid personal injury and vehicle damage, be sure to open the jack at least two inches (51 mm) before you fit the lift head into the proper location.




4. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground so there is enough room for the spare tire to fit underneath the wheel well.



5. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.



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

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.

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.

7. Place the spare on the wheel mounting surface.



8. Reinstall the wheel nuts with the cone-shaped end of the nuts toward the wheel. Tighten each 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.




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

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. When you reinstall the full-size wheel and tire, you must also reinstall the plastic nut caps.
11. Tighten the plastic nut caps by hand. Then tighten them one half turn with the wheel wrench. Do not overtighten the nut caps or they may break.

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.

1. Store your vehicle's flat or spare tire by mounting it on the tailgate.

Notice: Ensure that the wheel balance weight is on the lower left section of the tire in order to allow proper installation of the spare wheel cover.

2. Put the top two wheel nuts back on with the wheel wrench.
3. Put the spare tire cover back on, if equipped. Using the wheel wrench, put the wheel cover nut back on.
4. Put the spare wheel lock back on, if equipped and lock it.
5. Put the jack, jack handle and wheel wrench back into the storage area.

To stow the jack, place it in the storage bracket and turn the shaft clockwise until the jack is securely held in place. Reinstall the trim cover by inserting the cover tabs into the slots. Push the cover closed and turn the knob clockwise to secure the cover.

1. Wrench

2. Jack Handle

3. Jack

Caution: Make sure the tire is secure. Driving with the tire not properly secured could injure pedestrians or damage the vehicle.