Chevrolet Cobalt Owners Manual: Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire (SS Model)

The SS Model has larger performance brakes than the base model. The compact spare tire will not clear the front brakes.

Do not use the compact spare tire in the event of a front flat tire.

You must use the rear tire to replace the front flat tire.

To change the rear road tire:

Rear Tire Changing Procedure

1. Do a safety check before proceeding.

See Changing a Flat Tire for more information.

2. If your vehicle has plastic wheel covers, use the wheel wrench to loosen the plastic wheel nut caps.

Once the plastic wheel nut caps have been loosened with the wheel wrench, you can finish loosening them with your fingers. The plastic nut caps do not come off.

3. If necessary, use the flat end of the wheel wrench to pry along the edge of the rear wheel cover until it comes off.

Store the wheel cover in the trunk until the flat tire is repaired or replaced.

4. Use the wheel wrench to loosen all the rear wheel nuts. Do not remove them yet.

Notice: Make sure that the jack lift head is in the correct position or you may damage your vehicle.

The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.

5. Position the jack lift head at the rear jack location nearest the rear tire. The rear location is about 4 inches (10 cm) in front of the rear wheel opening.

6. Raise the jack head until it fits firmly in the vehicle's frame, where the notch is located, nearest the flat tire.

7. Put the compact spare tire near the rear tire.

WARNING:
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.

WARNING:
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.

8. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground so there is enough room for the compact spare tire to fit under the vehicle.

9. Remove all of the
wheel nuts.

WARNING:
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.

10. Place the compact spare tire on the wheel-mounting surface.

WARNING:
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.

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

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.

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

WARNING:
Wheel nuts that are improperly or incorrectly tightened can cause the wheels to become loose or come off. The wheel nuts should be tightened with a torque wrench to the proper torque specification after replacing. Follow the torque specification supplied by the aftermarket manufacturer when using accessory locking wheel nuts. See Capacities and Specifications for original equipment wheel nut torque specifications.

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.

5-Wheel Nuts

13. 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.

To change the front flat tire:

Front Flat Tire Changing Procedure:

1. Perform a rear tire change by removing the rear tire and installing the compact spare tire in the rear wheel location. The rear road tire will be used to replace the front flat tire. See Rear Tire Changing Procedure in this section.

2. Do a safety check before proceeding.

See Changing a Flat Tire.

3. If your vehicle has plastic wheel covers, use the wheel wrench to loosen the plastic wheel nut caps.

Once the plastic wheel nut caps have been loosened with the wheel wrench, you can finish loosening them with your fingers. The plastic nut caps do not come off.

4. If necessary, use the flat end of the wheel wrench to pry along the edge of the wheel cover until it comes off.

Store the wheel cover in the trunk until the flat tire is repaired or replaced.

5. Use the wheel wrench to loosen all the wheel nuts on the flat tire. Do not remove them yet.

6. Position the jack lift head at the jack location nearest the flat tire. The front location is about 8 inches (20 cm) behind the front wheel opening.

Notice: Make sure that the jack lift head is in the correct position or you may damage your vehicle.

The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.

7. Raise the jack head until it fits firmly in the vehicle's frame, where the notch is located, nearest the flat tire.

8. Put the tire near the flat tire.

WARNING:
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.

WARNING:
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.

9. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground so there is enough room for the compact spare tire to fit under the vehicle.

10. Remove all of the
wheel nuts.

9. Raise the vehicle by turning the jack handle clockwise. Raise the vehicle far enough off the ground so there is enough room for the compact spare tire to fit under the vehicle.

10. Remove all of the
wheel nuts.

WARNING:
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.

12. Place the tire on the wheel-mounting surface.

WARNING:
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.

13. 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.

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

WARNING:
Wheel nuts that are improperly or incorrectly tightened can cause the wheels to become loose or come off. The wheel nuts should be tightened with a torque wrench to the proper torque specification after replacing. Follow the torque specification supplied by the aftermarket manufacturer when using accessory locking wheel nuts. See Capacities and Specifications for original equipment wheel nut torque specifications.

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.

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

5-Wheel Nuts

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.