1984 CHEVROLET CAVALIER steering

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1984CAVAUER
OWNER'S MANUAL
This manual should be considered a permanent part of this vehicle. It
should stay with the vehicle when sold, to provide the next owner
with important operating, safety, and maintenance information.
All information, illustrations and specifications in this manual are
based on the latest product inforination available at the time of
printing. We reserve the ripht to make changes at any time without notice. For vehicles sold In Canada, substitute the name "General
Motors
of Canada limited" wherever the name Chevrolet Motor Di­vision appears in this manual.
Table of Contents
Section Page
Before Driving Your Cavalier ............... : .. : ................... 1-1
2 Starting and Operating ........................................... 2-1
Steering Column Controls ............................... 2-7
Floor Controls ....... ....................................... 2-18
Instrument
Panel ............................................ 2-23
Other Controls and Features ................................. 2-35
3
In Case of Emergency ............................................ 3-1
4 Appearance and Care .............................................. 4-1
5 Service and Maintenance ......................................... 5-1
6 Specifications and Service Station Information ...................... 6-t
7
Index and Service Publications .......................... ........... 7-1
ii

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The time to be most on guard is when leaving the vehicle:
1. Park in a lighted spot when you can, and fully close all windows and
any roof panels.
2 .
Lock the steering column and take the keys:
• Turn the key to "Lock" while depressing the key release lever (if so
equipped) and remove the
key. This locks the ignition and both
steering and shift controls , unless your manual transaxJe vehicle has a key release lever . In thai case . Ihe shiH control is not locked. The key can be removed only when the ignition is locked.
• II you must leave a key wilh the vehicle. leave the square-head key
only. Take the oval-head key with you. This will help prevent unwanted
entry into your vehicle or any locked compartment at a later date. Be
sure to
lock the glove box since the remote release button allows the
hatchback.
tailgate , or trunk to be opened even though the ignition key
has been removed .
3. Keep items that may appear to be of value out of sight and locked up
when possible.
4 .
Lock all doors.
KEYS
Two different keys are provided for the locks on your vehicte. The key code is
stamped on the "knock-out" plug in each key head.
• Key with square heed -for ignition lock only.
• Key with oval heed -for all other locks .
tDENTtFYING
IGNITION LOCK
For vehicle security:
DOOR LOCKS & ALL OTHER LOCKS
•
Record the key code numbers, then knock the plugs out of the keys.
• Keep the key codes in a safe place (such as your wallet) . NOT IN THE VEHICLE.
If the original keys are lost. duplicates can be made using the key codes.
Stamped on the key
is a letter indicating the proper key blank needed if
duplicates are required . Contact any GM dealer or a locksmith .
If you park in an attended lot. leave only your square-head ignition key. Lock
your glove box and take the oval-head key with you. This will help prevent illegal entry into your vehicle or any locked compartment.
It's a good idea to carry an extra key to the door in your wallet or purse, should you accidentally lock your regular keys In the vehicle. To help
protect your Vehicle and its contents against theft, General Motors has
des igned in anti-theft features which would also make jf: inconvenient and
possibly expensive to enter the vehicle if you are locked out.
1-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Frequent short trips, excessive idling and use of the air conditioner in cool
weather (when "vent" would provide adequate comfort), all can contribute to
decreased fuel economy .
The careful attention you give your vehicle as far as maintenance and repairs
are concerned will also help fuel economy . Proper engine and air cleaner
maintenance, lubrication intervals, wheel alignment and tire inflation pressures, when closely adhered to, will pay dividends in improved fuel economy as well as longer vehicle Irte.
Fuel Selection
Use only unleaded gasoline meeting the octane ratings given under "Fuel Requirements " in this section of the manual. Unleaded gasoline must be used
for the
emission control system to operate properly . Leaded gasoline will
damage the Computer Command
Control system oxygen sensor (if so equipped) and affect emission control. Using leaded gasoline can also damage
other parts of the emission control system and could result in loss of emission warranty coverage.
STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS
ANTl-THEFT STEERING COLUMN LOCK
The anti-theft lock (;gnifion) on the right sidecf the st_ing column has live
positionS :
DRIVING TO REMOVE KEY.
POSITION ~~ DEPRESS KEY SWITCH OFF AND S . . RELEASE LEVER
~"!~·\'1-1 ~\\\-=~"
I! ACCES~RY~) , STARTING ~ OPERA. TING ... -HAZARD ENG E 'CCESSOR~sl 0 WARNING J.. KEY RELEASE , ONLY FLASHER \P' ... ~ ,LEVER '.' .'
• Accessory-You can use some electrical accessories when the engine is
not ruming . To engage this position, push in the square-head key and turn
the top of the key 10ward you.
•
Lock- Normal parking position. It locks the ignition and prevents normal use 01 the st_ing wheel and shill controls. The ignition key cannot be turned
to "Lock " and removed until the shift lever is moved to "P" (Park) on
automatic
transaxle models (shift to "Reverse" on manual transaxle
models).
II you have a manual transaxle, "Lock" prevents normal use 01
the steering wheel. The ignition key cannot be turned to "Lock" without
pressing down
the key release lever.
• Off-You can turn off the engine without IocI controls.
• Run-Normal operating position.
• Start-Cranks the engine .
2-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CAunOM: tf you need to tum oft the ... whikt the vehicte ls moving, turn the key only to "Oft." DO NOT depreSS the key release lever while turning the Ignition off._This
wln ·lock the steering column and result in loss arability to steer the vehlete.
If you have trouble turning the key to unlock the ignition, first be sure the key is
pushed in all the way . Then , try to turn the steering wheel as hard as you can .
in the direclioo the
wheels are tUrned . At the same ti me , turn the ignition kay
w~h as much eftort as you can apply with your hand. Do not try to use a tool of
any kind to
apply more force on the lock knob , as tnis could break the knob.
NOTICE: Do not park, idle, or operate your vehk:le over combustible materials, such
as grass or leaves . They couki touch the hot exhaust ay8tem and ignite.
Parking
CAUTION: Before the driver leaves this vehicle, to reduce the risk of personal injury ... resun of vehicle movement:
1. Firmly apply the parking brake.
2. Shift the automatic transtixle to Park or the manual tranSlale to "Reverse."
3. Tum the kef to "Lock. " On vehietn wrth manual transaxle$, __ ~ the key reiease tever and tum the key to·'Loclic. " .
4. Remove the key (the chime ia designed to remind you).
To reduce the chance of persona' injury and/or vehicle damage due' to engine overheating , never lellVe the engine Idling without an alert driver present. If the engine ahoukl overheat, as indicated by the Erlgine Coolant Temperature light Of gage,
Immediate action 1a required to correct the concIUon. Continued operation 01' the engine . enn FOA -A SHORT TtME may resutt In a fire.
TURN SIGNAL AND MULTI-FUNCTION LEVER
The turn signal lever on the left side of the steering column also controls headlight low-beam and high-beam, the windshield wiper/washer, and the
optional Cruise
Control. (See Cruise Control operatiOn in this section .)
• TUI'fI Si!Jnal -MOve the lever up .to the second stop to signal a right turn.
Move
~ down to the second stop to signal a left turn. When the turn is
completed, the signal will cancel and the lever will return to horizontal.
TURN SIGNAL
• MOVE UPWARD R.H . TURN
• MOVE DOWNWARD L.H. TURN
LANE CHANGE
• MOVE UPWARD TO 1S T STOP·CHANGE
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT LANE
• MOVE DOWNWARD TO 1ST STOP ·CHANGE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT LAN E
2-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • Lane Change Signal -In some turns, such as changing lanes, the steering wheel tS not turned far enough to cancel the turn signal. For convenience, you can flash the turn signal by moving the lever part way (to the first stop)
and holding it there. The lever will return to horizontal when you release it.
A green light on the instrument panel is designed to flash to tell you that the
front
and rear turn signal lights are working. If the light stays on, but does not flash, check for burned-out turn signal bulbs. If the green light does not come
on when
you move the lever, check the fuse and indicator bulb.
However, if you ordered a trailertowing·optiOil.·in which extra wiring was added to attach the trailer lighting, a different type of flasher was installed. In this
case, the green light will continue to flash even if a turn signal bulb burns out.
Therefore, you must regularly look at the front
and rear turn signal lights to be
sure they are working.
• Headlight Beam Changer -With the headlights on, pull the lever toward you until you hear a click, then release it. The lights will change from Iow­
beam to high-beam or from high-beam to low-beam. When the high-beams
are
on, a light will appear on the instrument panel.
HEADLIGHT BEAM CHANGER
(HEADLIGHTS ON)
PULL LEVER
TOWARD YOU
• Standard Windshield Wiper -The standard Windshield wiper system
con
ols are on the band marked "WIPER" on the turn signal lever.
• For a single wiping cycle, turn the band toward you. Hold it there until
the wipers begin
Wiping, then release.it. The wipers will stop after one
cycle. For several cycles, hold the band in place as long as needed.
• For steady wiping at low speed, turn the band away from you to the
first stop. For high-speed wiping, turn the band to the next stop. Turn
the band back to
"OFF" to turn off the wipers.
• Delay Windshield Wiper -The optional delay windshield wiper system lets you vary the wiper speed from a 16-second delay between sweeps up to
the normal
low and high speeds of the standard wiper.
• The Delay wipers work the same as the standard wipers, except for the
delay feature. To use the wipers with a delay between sweeps, turn the
band on the turn signal lever to
"ON."
• Turn the "Delay" band away from you to control the amount of delay. The
wipers will move more often the closer the band is to "LO." Turn it fully to
the first stop for steady wiping at
low speed.
• Windshield Washer -To spray washer fluid on the windshield, pUSh the "paddle" on top of the turn signal lever. (This will also turn on the low~ speed wipers.) The spray will continue as long as you hold in the paddle.
After using the windshield washer
on the standard wiper system, turn the band
back to "OFF" to turn off the wipers.
2-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine For the best compromise between vehicle pertormance and fuel economy ,
upshift the transaxle as recommended in the chart.
Shift at the highest vehicle speed listed unless you have reached cruising
speed. (Cruising speed is a relatively steady speed whi ch includes slight variations in speed to allow for road andtrattic conditions.) For cruise , use the
highest gear for that speed.
MANUAL TRANSAXLE RECOMMENDED SH IFT SPEEDS IN MPH (Km/h) Engine$ & Accelera tion Shift S lllee! Crl.liM Shift S eed Trltn$ilxles 1 to 2 2to 3 3 to 4 4to 5 1102 2103 3104 4105 2 .0LUI E ng. Code P IS ,S 4. 20 ·25 "40 4-",,,", 124) (40) 164) (32401 (43.64) (M I9 ) 4.tOAxle 2.0L L4 EI1Q. Code P IS 26 4. 4S 20·25 27-40 35-45 5-Speed (24) (40) (64)
(72) 132·40) 143-64) (56-12) (MY7) 3.83 Axle
If vehicle speed drops below 20 mph (30 km/h) , or if the engine is not running .
smoothly , you should downshift to thE. next lowest gear. You may need to
downshift two or more gears to keep the engine running smoolhly or for
satisfactory performance .
Upshift Indicator Ught
H your vehicle has a manual transaxle. there may or may not be a "SHIFr" light · on the instrument panel. After the engine is warmed up, this light Will
corne on if you can get better fuel economy by shifting to the next higher gear
H conditions permit. !)est fuel economy can be achieved by acceleratingslQwly .
and shifting to the next higher gear when the "SHFT" light comes on.
Sale operation 01 the vehicle mayrsquire shifting differently lhan indicated by
the
"SHFT" light to adept to weather. rDild . or
affle conditions .. The ·"SHIFT '·
light should be ignored when downshifting or when hardaccelerallon Is required for satisfactory performance.
Downshifting one or more gears may be required to keep the engine .running
smoothly or
to maintain satisfactory performance ;
POWER STEERING
N the power steering assist system goes out because the engine has stopped
or the assist system has failed. the vehicle.can still be steered . However ; much greater effort Is needed . especially in sharp turns or at low speeds;
nL T STEERING WHEEL
The optional lilt steering wheel can be tilted up above normal position to
provide additional roorn for entrance and exit as
well as selected driving
positions
below normai height. The tilt control lever is located on the left side
of the steering column just behind the turn signal lever. To operate pull the
lever towards you and move the steering wheel to your· desired position then release the lever. This permits individual selection of Ihe mostcornfortable
positions for all driving cond itions . On longer trips the steering wheel position may be changed to help minimize tension and fatigue.
2-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When_ going up or down hills. it ~ ~ tor the vehk:1e to toM 011 to gain apHCI (.,.rticu"Y when towing I trailer), even though the Cruise Control is enpgecL • this happens while going up hin, merely depress the accelerator pedal to maintain the speed desired. If going down a hili steep enough to cau .. thl vehie'" to gain speed, depress the brake pedal •• which will both dl .. ngage the Cruise Control and help .lOw the vehicle. In addition, when going down a steep or lang grade . the transaxle shoUld be shifted into I lower gear to help control vehicte speed •• see "Descending A Grade " in "Starting and Operating," Section 2.
HORN
The horn on your vehicle is actuated by firmly pressing on the ped in the
center of the steering
wheel.
HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
The hazard warning flasher is covered in "In Case of Emergency," Section 3.
FLOOR CONTROLS
BRAKING SYSTEM
The regular braking system is designed for braking performance under a wide
range of driving cond~ions even when the vehicle is loaded to ~ lull rated
vehicle toad capacity .
CAUTION: Driving through water deep enough to wet brake components may cau .. the brakea nat to work .. welL -M a reaul, the vehIde wi. not aIow down .. the usu.I _, ond M may pull 10 "'" right Of ..... _ 0"'-""'11 to "'" _ tor _ .-.os,
-'1 "'" ...... lightly 10 check __ .... "-'" apply the blakes. At the .. me time ""' .. .... torw.rd apeed, with. plenty of clear apace ....... to the .,..,. II1CI to the sidea. Do this-unUl the brIkaI return to notmIt. Always do __ driving 1hrougII_ to help _ "'" _ oI ........ lnjuty.
Brake Warning lJg/rt
The brake system warning light is covered in the '.' lnstrumentPanel" section.
Vacuum Power Brakes
• the engine stops, do not pump the brakes. The system is designed to stop the vehicle with reserve power assist n the brake pedal is held dOwn. This
reserve is
greatly reduced each time you apply and release the brakes. II,
when you turn the atMring wheel during braking, the vehic:1e does not turn, don't push as hard on the brake pedal •.
Without power assist the vehicle can still be stopped by pushing much harder
on the brake
pedal. however. the stopping distance may be longer.
Brakes (Except ,Parking Brake)
H the brake pedaJ goes down farther than normal, ~ may be due to a lack of
adjustment of any rear drum
brakes. To find. out if this is the case. drive
backward and forward a few times. applying the brakes firmly when going in
each direction.
See your dealer n pedal height dOes not retum to normal, or there is a rapid
increase in pedal travel whether or not your vehicle has rear drum brakes. This
could be a sign of brake trOUble.
NOTICE: "FtidInsI the brake" by resting yow i0oi on thl brau pedal when you do not Intend 'to brake CIIf1 overhMI: the brIkM and ...... out the brake InInga and p..ts faster. , ThI. mIIy alSo dllNlge the brakes Mtd will wasta fuel.
2-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This optional gage is located in the instrument cluster. If the gage shows that
an overheat condition exists-as indicated by pointer moving beyond the
center of the band immediate action by the driver is required. If an overheat
condition is shown, see "Engine
Cooling System Overheating" in "In Case of
Emergency,"
Section 3 of this manual. The coolant temperature indication will VaIY with air temperature and operating conditions. The ignition must be in
"Run" for accurate readings. Prolonged driving or idling in very hot weather
may cause the pointer to move beyond the center of the gage. Make a practice
of scanning this and other gages
while driving, especially in hot weather and!
or when the
vehicle is under load.
CAUTION: II the Engine Coolant Temperature Gage shows an overheat condition or you have other reason to suspect the engine may be overheating, continued operation of the engine EVEN FOR A SHORT TIME may result in a fire and the risk of personal injury and/or severe vehicle damage. Take immediate action as outlined under "Engine Cooling System Overheating" in "In Case of Emergency," Section 3.
Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage indicates the pressure at which oil is being delivered to
the vaIiOUS paIls of the engine requiring lubrication. Pressures registered by
the gage may
vBIY according to outside air temperatures or weight of oil being
used. Oil pressure of a cold engine being operated at a given speed will be
somewhat higher than when the engine is at normal operating temperature at
the
SaIne speed. Prolonged high speed operation on a hot day at the given
speed will
resuH in somewhatlower oil pressure readings. Readings of 205 to
275 kPa
(30 to 40 psi) may be considered normal during moderate road
speeds of 35 to 40 mph (55 to 60 km!h) with the engine at proper operating
temperature. Gage readings which are consistently high
or low under these conditions may indicate lubrication system and/ or engine malfunction.
Light Switch
The three· position light switch controls the headlights, taillights, paIking lights,
sidemaIker lights,
instrument lights and dome lights.
Instrument light intensity can be varied by turning knob clockwise or
counterclockwise. Full counterclockwise position turns on interior light.
The headlight circuit is protected by a circuit breaker in the
light switch. An overload on the breaker will cause the lights to "flicker" on and off. If this
condition
develops, have your headlight wiring checked immediately. The
headlight beaIn changer is located in the Turn Signal Lever; for operation see
Section 2 under heading "Turn Signal and Muiji-Function Lever."·
Headlight High Beam Indicator Light
The headlights of your vehicle have. high and low beams to provide you with
proper nighttime visibility for most driving conditions. The
"low" beams are
used during most city driving. The
"high" beams are especially useful when
driving on daIk roads since they provide long range illumination. The headlight
beam indicator light (located on the speedometer face) will be ON whenever
the high beams or "brights" are in use. The turn
signal lever controls the
headlight beaIns and is described in "Steering Column Controls."
2-24