Spare tire Warning

[Ron Vroom]

There seems to be a problem with the secondary locking mechanism on all GM trucks that have the spare tire under the vehicle. You do not find this out until you need to access the tire in an emergency. This problem is documented in all GM forum sites but there is no recall or notice. People find this out when they really need the tire to fix a flat and no amount of forcing it will release it. The fix is a new winch assembly for $175.00-$250.00 to get the tire off and fix the problem after the frustration at the side of the road. This happens on Excalades, Yukons, Silverados, GMC, Chevrolets equally. If you never have to change a flat you would never know.

My friend had a blow out on his Tahoe during a fishing trip in remote Canada and he was unable to lower his spare. He was rescued by another fisherman who had a spare. I recently purchased a 2003 Suburban with an underbody spare, so I decided to check the spare out, and likewise I could not lower it. After looking at some YouTube videos about this problem, I was able to get the secondary safety latch released using a floor jack and lower the tire. I did not have to buy a new winch and cable because I soaked the latch mechanism in muriatic acid to remove the corrosion and I then soaked it in transmission fluid and sprayed it with lithium grease. It works fine now and releases to lower the tire but you can be sure I will exercise this thing every year and before a trip as well as check the tire pressure.

 

[Surface Tension]

  Thanks for the reminder to check the spare tire Ron.

 

 

[Walleyehooker]

I try to drop mine down at least once a year and spray lube it up and just to check that it isn't flat or even gone. Being under the rig and a catch all for salt etc. is just a problem waiting to happen. Thanks for the reminder as I havnt checked mine in a while

[RebelSS]

Good points. Always good to air up and check that spare. Guess I should do it. 

[ozzie]

A few years ago I was leaving my office and I heard a thud as I was accelerating...I looked in my rearview mirror to see the car behind me run over my spare tire!!  the cable had rusted through causing the tire to simply fall off.  The bad part was the lady hit my tire ruining the rim but luckily did no damage to her vehicle!!  lesson learned

[BobT]

Good reminder. I wonder if the place where I have my truck serviced includes lowering it to check the pressure in the spare when they check the rest of the truck? I'm quite certain the valve stem is up if I recall the last time I looked at it.

[Ron Vroom]

A few years ago I was leaving my office and I heard a thud as I was accelerating...I looked in my rearview mirror to see the car behind me run over my spare tire!!  the cable had rusted through causing the tire to simply fall off.  The bad part was the lady hit my tire ruining the rim but luckily did no damage to her vehicle!!  lesson learned

That is interesting because that situation, (the cable breaking), is exactly what the secondary safety latch is supposed to prevent. The latch must have corroded keeping it from spreading the hook open when the tension on the cable released.  Had there been a serious injury, I think GM or whoever the Mfg. was, would be looking at a good lawsuit because this problem is well known.

[delcecchi]

Isn't it funny. Toyota had several recalls for the same problem. 

http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/toyota-recalls-370000-sienna-minivans-spare-tire-problem

But government motors skates?

[Jeremy airjer W]

1. Yes this is a very common problem for GM

2. NO, your spare tire is likely not lowered to check the pressure when the vehicle is in for service. If the valve stem is accessible I personally will check them. If it is upside down, buried behind plastic, or an upside down donut spare..... forget it. If its in the trunk buried under the the donations you meant to drop off at goodwill 3 years ago, it is also not going to get checked.  If you ask for it to be checked when bringing it in for service I, again, will personally make sure it happens.

3. Lowering, checking pressure, lubricating at least once a year is a good idea.

4. Just about every car that comes into the shop with the spare on has a flat spare. Yes they drive them in flat!

[BobT]

What is the best way to lubricate the system? Can it be accessed to lubricate it internally?

[Jeremy airjer W]

This is how it is suppose to work.

I have noticed throughout the years that the spare tire will sometimes "stick" to the frame. Meaning you go to lower the tire and the mechanism drops but the tire stays in the same place until you grab it and pull down. At this point tension is removed from the center release button and when the tire drops the secondary latch engages. You first thought id to continue to lower the tire. What you should do is raise the latch back up so that the tire is again tight against its mounting area. The secondary latch should again release. Then attempt to lower the tire.

The secondary latch, in theory, should only engage if tension from the cable is lost (the cable breaks).

In this video you can see how the secondary latch is disengaged using the special tool, but this is the same thing that the cable and spring should do.

 

[Ufatz]

I will pass all this along to my 77 year old hunting pal,  who drives a brand new Tahoe-at my urging. I' sure he will be delighted to know how easy it is to release his spare if (God forbid) he ever needs it.  Who cooks up this goofy shyt anyway.  Ya know,   normal humans are supposed to be able to operate these things.

Ever read any of the road test reports on some of the new M-Benz cars?   Even the test guys can't figure out how some of the stuff in the dash "stack" are supposed to work. They just gave up.

Sure wish I had my PV544 Volvo back!  Ha Ha Ha!