For 1990-2009 cars

Your vehicle has an underbody-mounted tire hoist assembly that has a secondary latch system. It is designed to stop the spare tire from suddenly falling off your vehicle. For the secondary latch to work, the spare must be installed with the valve stem pointing down. See Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools.

Caution: Before beginning this procedure read all the instructions. Failure to read and follow the instructions could damage the hoist assembly and you and others could get hurt. Read and follow the instructions listed next.

To release the spare tire from the secondary latch:

1. Check under the vehicle to see if the cable end fitting is visible.
2. If the cable end fitting is not visible, proceed to Step 6.

If it is visible, first try to tighten the cable by turning the wheel wrench clockwise until you hear two clicks or feel it skip twice. You cannot overtighten the cable.

3. Loosen the cable by turning the wheel wrench counterclockwise three or four turns.
4. Repeat this procedure at least two times. If the spare tire lowers to the ground, continue with Step 5 under Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.
5. Turn the wrench counterclockwise until approximately 6 inches (15 cm) of cable is exposed.
6. Stand the wheel blocks on their shortest ends, with the backs facing each other.
7. Place the bottom edge of the jack (A) on the wheel blocks (B), separating them so that the jack is balanced securely.
8. Attach the jack handle, extension, and wheel wrench to the jack and place it (with the wheel blocks) under the vehicle towards the front of the rear bumper. Position the center lift point of the jack under the wheel.
9. Turn the wheel wrench clockwise to raise the jack until it lifts the tire.
10. Continue raising the jack until the tire stops moving upward and is held firmly in place.
11. Remove the jack handle and insert the hoist end of the extension through the hole in the rear bumper.

Turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise one turn or until the wheel retainer assembly is disengaged.

12. Reinsert the jack handle into the jack. Lower the jack by turning the wheel wrench counterclockwise. Keep lowering the jack until the spare tire slides off the jack or is hanging by the cable.

Caution: Someone standing too close during the procedure could be injured by the jack. If the spare tire does not slide off the jack completely, make sure no one is behind you or on either side of you as you pull the jack out from under the spare.

13. Disconnect the jack handle from the jack and carefully remove the jack. Use one hand to push against the spare while firmly pulling the jack out from under the spare tire with the other hand.

If the spare tire is hanging from the cable, insert the hoist end of the extension into the hoist shaft hole in the bumper and turn the wheel wrench counterclockwise to lower the spare the rest of the way.

14. Tilt the tire retainer at the end of the cable and pull it through the wheel opening. Pull the tire out from under the vehicle.
15. If the cable is hanging under the vehicle, turn the wheel wrench clockwise to raise the cable.

Have the hoist assembly inspected as soon as you can. You will not be able to store a spare or flat tire using the hoist assembly until it has been replaced.

To continue changing the flat tire, see Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire.