2004 Chevrolet Express Van Owner's Manual - Page 331

Notice: If you drive away before the spare tire or secondary latch system cable has been reinstalled, you could damage your vehicle. Always reinstall this cable before driving your vehicle. {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 below. To release the spare tire from the secondary latch, do the following: Secondary Latch System Your vehicle has an underbody mounted tire hoist assembly equipped with a secondary latch system. It's designed to stop the spare tire from suddenly falling off your vehicle if the cable holding the spare tire is damaged. For the secondary latch to work, the tire must be stowed with the valve stem pointing down. See "Storing the Spare Tire and Tools" later in this section for instructions on storing the spare tire correctly. {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 the spare. 5-81