2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual - Page 512

Secondary Latch System Your vehicle has an underbody-mounted tire hoist assembly equipped with 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 on page 5-110. To release the spare tire from the secondary latch: 1. Check under the vehicle to see if the cable end is visible. If the cable is not visible proceed to Step 6. {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. 2. 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 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 of Removing the Spare Tire and Tools on page 5-95. 5. If the spare does not lower, turn the wrench counterclockwise until approximately 6 inches (15 cm) of cable is exposed. 5-106