1986 CHEVROLET CORVAIR Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine operating, except the GEN-FAN indicator rna)' flicker
when
engine is idling.
CAUTION: If either of these indicators light
while .
car is being. -driYen, immediately follow the
procedure outlined .vnder "EMERGENCY OPER­
ATING INSTRUCTIONS," so car may be driyen
to the nearest service facility.
BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT
This dual purpose indicator light operates as
follows:
With parking brake applied the red light will light
when
the ignition switch is turned on.
As a dual service brake system warning, the red
light will come on when the brake pedal is depressed
if low pressure has developed in either the front or
rear brake system. Have your authorized Chevrolet
dealer locate and correct the trouble immediately.
EMERGENCY OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
(To be followed if either
TEMP-PRESS or GEN-FAN indi­
cators
light while car is being
driven.)
1. Set heoter FAN and HEAT
controls to full "ON" positions.
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(If equipped with air conditioning, turn air condi­
tioning
COOL switch to OFF.)
NOTE: After setting the heater controls, leave
them in that position until cause of trouble is
corrected.
2.
Stop the car a -s , soon as driving conditions permit.
furn ignition
key to OFF to stop engine but turn
key
back to·-PNso heoter blower will continue
to
cool engine.
3. Check for broken fan belt or belt off pulleys or
engine low oil level. If only GEN-FAN indicator
is lighted, belt is not broken or off pulleys and en­
gine oil level is satisfactory, car can be driven at
slow speeds; however, generator must be checked
and serviced as soon as possible.
4. If trouble is found to be a broken fan belt or belt
off pulleys, wait approximately five minutes, start
engine and drive car at no more than 25 miles per
hour until TEMP-PRESS indicator comes on, then
repeat Step 2.
NOTE: The GEN-FAN indicator will stay on until
fan
belt is installed.
5. Repeat Step 4 as necessary until facility is reached
where fan belt can be installed.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine All important driver controls have been located to
be within reach of drivers properly restrained by both
a
seat and shoulder belt, and accessible during driving
operations.
Each important
control is clearly labeled to provide
rapid identification if its function is not readily apparent.
Lighting and Signal Devices-Numerous lighting and
signal devices are provided to enable safe operation in
darkness and other conditions of reduced visibility. Head­
lamps provide the necessary general illumination ahead
of the vehicle. Parking, side marker and tail lamps iden­
tify
as near as practical the extremities of the vehicle
from the front,
rear and both sides, with color coding
which identifies front (amber) from rear (red). Taillamps
also
incorporate reflectors, to facilitate recognition of
parked or otherwise inoperative vehicles by other drivers
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CONTROLS
GLOVE COMPARTMENT
after dark. Stop lamps give a steady warning light to
the rear of the vehicle to indicate the ~river has applied
his foot to the brake pedal with the presumed intention
of slowing or stopping the vehicle. A lamp illuminates
the rear license plate to assist in identification. Backup
lamps provide general illumination behind the vehicle
when the shift
lever is in the reverse position which also
provides a visible signal to other vehicles and pedestrians
that the vehicle is operating or about to operate in
reverse.
CAUTION: It is the owner's responsibility to check al/
lamps, signaling systems and warning lights frequently
to be sure they are working properly. Head/amp aim
should
be checked periodicol/y. It is important that any
malfunctions be corrected promptly for your safety, and
for the safety of others.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine FULLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE FOR DOME LIGHTS
LIGHTS INSTRUMENT
AND TAIL
LIGHTS
LIGHT CONTROL KNOB
TURN TO VARY BRIGHTNESS OF INSTRUMENT
PANEL LIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS
The three-position light switch is operated as shown.
The
head lamp and parking lamp circuits are protected
by a circuit breaker. An overload condition will cause
the headlights to "flicker" on and off. If this flickering
condition
is experienced, the headlamp circuit should
be checked by your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer.
HEADLIGHT BEAM SWITCH
,"High and "low" headlight beams are controlled
by
the floor button at your left foot. The indicator,
located
in the speedometer aial, will light up when the
high beams are in use . Always use "Iow beam" when approaching or following other cars.
DIRECTIONAL AND LANE CHANGE SIGNALS
The ignition switch must be in the "on" position in
order for the directional signals to be operational.
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The directional signal lever
is located on the left side of
the steering column imme­
diately
under the steering
wheel. The lever is moved
upward to signal a right
turn
and downward to sig­
nal a left turn. Lamps on
the front and rear of the car
transmit this signal to other
motorists and pedestrians.
In a normal turning situation such as turning a corner,
the turn signal lever is cancelled and returns to the neutral
position automatically
after the turn is completed. In
some driving situations such as changing lanes on an
expressway, the steering wheel is not turned back suffi­
ciently after completing the turn to automatically cancel
the turn signal lever. For convenience in such a turn, use
the lane change feature of this directional signal system.
This feature allows the driver to move the directional
signal lever
part way in the direction of the intended
gradual turn and hold it there. The lever returns to the
neutral or cancelled position when the driver releases his
hold on the lever.
A green light in the instrument cluster flashes to
indicate
proper operation of the front and rear signal
lamps.
If the indicator light remains on and does not
flash, check for a burned-out
signal lamp bulb. If the
indicator fails to light when the lever is moved, check
the fuse and indicator bulb.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the system is not functioning properly, a legal hand
signal should be given, since failure to indicate a turn
is considered a moving traffic violation in many states.
Always signal for a turn
at a reasonable distance before actu 'ally making it.
HAZARD WARNING FLASHER
In the event your car is
disabled or you stop for
any reason on the highway,
the
hazard warning system
which flashes all four turn
signals should
be used to
warn
other drivers that your
vehicle
is a traffic hazard.
The system is activated by
pushing
in on the button
located just
below the steer­
ing wheel on the right side
of the steering column. Use this system only when your
vehicle
is a traffic hazard.
FOOT CONTROLS Foot controls consist of the dimmer switch (the op­
eration of which is covered on page 16), the clutch
pedal (manual transmissions only), the brake pedal and
the accelerator pedal.
CLUTCH PEDAL The operation of the clutch pedal has been fully
covered under
"Driving with the Manual Transmissions"
on
page 9. Its operation is the same whether your car
is equipped with the 3-speed or the 4-speed transmission. Excessive
clutch
wear can be caused by letting up the
clutch abruptly
rather than smoothly, and by "riding" the
clutch-that is, letting your foot rest on the clutch pedal
while driving .
CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT
Clutch adjustment should be checked and adjusted
periodically as necessary to compensate for clutch facing
wear. To check, depress pedal.by hand until resistance
is felt. Free travel of pedal should be approximately
one-inch;
if very little or no free play is evident, clutch
adjustment
is required.
BRAKES
The service brake system is designed for braking per­
formance under a wide range of driving conditions
even when the vehicle
is loaded to its full rated vehicle
load. Driving through deep water may affect brake per­
formance. To assure normal operation after being wet­
ted, service brakes must be dried. To dry them quickly,
lightly
apply the brakes while maintaining a slow for"
ward speed with an assured clear distance ahead until
brake performance re'turns to normal.
Brake System Warning Light
The service brake system is designed so that in the
event of a hydraulic fluid leak,
in one-half of the sys­
tem, the other half still provides some braking action.
A dual purpose brake system warning light is
located at the extreme left side of the instrument panel.
When the parking brake is applied and the ignition
17 .

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine switch is turned to the "ON" position, the warning light
glows red to indicate to the operator that the parking
brake has not been fully released. This also indicates
that the brake warning light is operational. If the light does not come on, have your Corvair Dealer correct
the trouble as soon as possible. The other function of
this light is to indicate a malfunction in the regular braking system. In the event of broken brake lines,
major brake fluid loss, air in the brake lines or a pres­
sure deviation between the front · and the rear wheel
brake lines, the light will come on and stay on while
braking .
In this event, the vehicle should not be driven
until
the cause has been determined and, if necessary,
corrected.
Automatic Brake Adjusters
All Corvair models are equipped with self-adjusting
brakes which eliminates periodic brake adjustments. The
self-adjusting mechanism
is actuated, as needed, when­
ever the car is moved in reverse and the brakes applied.
It is possible, however, for excessive brake pedal travel
to
develop if the required reverse movement with a
brake application does not take place during a pro­
longed
period of stop and go forward driving. Should
this occur,
the car should be driven backward and for­
ward with the brakes applied at the end of each direc­
tional movement, until the brake pedal travel is back to
normal. If this procedure fails to restore normal pedal
travel, or if any abnormally rapid increase in pedal
travel is experienced, immediate inspection should be
made by your Authorized Chevrolet Dealer. Care should
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be exercised to assure that full brake pedal travel can­
not be obstructed by improper floor mats or other inter­
fering material under the pedal.
PARKING BRAKE
The parking brake operates by cables on the rear
wheel brakes independent of the regular foot brake hydraulic system. The brake system warning light will
be "ON" whenever the parking brake is not fully re­
leased and the ignition switch is "ON". Never drive the car with the parking brake engaged. .
Pull the parking brake lever as far as possible to
engage the brake. The lever will remain in the applied
position until released. To release, pull the handle to­
ward the steering wheel, depress the "trigger" and
allow the handle to return to the released position. CAUTION: When leaving the car unattended, always
fully apply the parking brake.
WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WASHER
The windshield wiping
system operates at (2)
speeds and is designed to
wipe clear
designated areas
of the windshield under
most inclement weather
conditions. The windshield
wipers work
electrically and
are not affected by engine
operation.
Exposure to the "ele­
ments" tends to "wear out"
OFF~ON

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine the rubber in the wiper blades. Check the blades periodi­
cally and replace them whenever they show signs of
streaky or otherwise poor wiping action.
Pressing
once on the windshield wiper and washer
knob will cause the washer to squirt a measured amount
of water or other cleaning agent onto the glass and will
at the same time turn on the wiper. The wiper must
then
be manually turned off, when the washing process
is completed.
Water or cleaning agent needed for operation of
the windshield washers is carried in a plastic water jar
attached to the dash panel withiri the luggage compart­
ment. Keep the
washer jar Ailed to a level 2 inches below
the top of
the jar.
CAUTION: Be sure to have the fluid level in the washer
reservoir
checked regularly, with special attention to
keeping the reservoir fil/ed during periods of heavy use.
GM Washer Solvent should be used as directed to pre­
vent freezing
damage and for better cleaning of the
windshield under
aI/ conditions. Do not use radiator anti­
freeze as this will cause paint damage.
In the winter, fill the washer jar only % full to allow
for expansion if the solution freezes. In freezing weather,
pre-warm the windshield using the heater defrosters before using the washers.
DIRECT AIR HEATER THe Direct Air Heater uses engine cooling air to
heat the interior of the car.
Operation of the controls is
given below.
FAN-Controls blower speed.
Blower must not be op­
erated unless HEAT lever
is depressed.
HEAT=Controls the amount
of hot air to the system.
NOTE: When shutting off the above control lever, pull fully up until the lever snaps into the latch position.
DEF-Diverts heated air to the defroster outlets.
The windshield defrosting
and defogging system
assists
in providing good visibility through desig­
nated areas of the windshield under most inclement
weather conditions. For immediate operation of the
vehicle, the windshield should
be scraped clear.
OPERATION FOR MAXIMUM COMFORT
• MINIMUM HEAT REQUIREMENTS-During spring and
fall in areas where climatic conditions are less severe,
depress the HEAT lever only as required for your
comfort.
NOTE: In Dir~ct Air Heauirs vapor m.ay collectwhen vehicle stands for long periods, keep the HEAT lever in OFF position for the first few ml!lutes of engine operatIon. This will reduce the tendency for moisture to condense on windshield. 011 spilled on engine shroudIng may cause odor in passenger compartment. To avoid discomfort, the cause of any odor should be traced and promptly corrected.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • MAXIMUM HEAT REQUIREMENTS-Depress HEAT lever
to extreme down position.
If heat becomes exces­
sive, pull up HEAT knob to desired position.
Additional rear seat
compartment heat may be
obtained by opening the
heater outlet located in the
seat riser.
Heater Operating Tips
The Direct Air Heater receives air from the air inlet
louvers below the
rear window. Clean snow from this
opening
and surrounding areas before operating the
heater.
Operate the heater for several minutes before turn­
ing on the defroster. This will clear the system of moisture
and help prevent windshield fogging.
Keep
all windows and vents closed to reduce drafts,
and noise.
Quicker defrosting may
be obtained when the rear
seat heater outlets are closed.
AIR CONDITIONING
The optional air conditioner provides controlled con­
ditioned air at each of the three dash panel mounted
outlets.
Air conditioner
and heater are two separate units
with a common control
housing-The air condition con­trols function as follows.
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COOL -Depress the COOL
lever as required to pro­
vide the desired condi­
tioned air temperature
through the dash outlets.
COOL lever must be de­
pressed past detent be­
fore cooling fan will
operate.
FAN-Vary the fan switch as
necessary to satisfy com­
fort requirements. The FAN
switch must be turned ON to at least "lOW" speed
during all cooling operations.
AIR-For maximum cooling capacity during periods of
extreme heat and humidity, and when first turning
on the system, the air lever should
be in the full
"UP" position. Depress lever to satisfy needs under
less
severe cooling requirements.
AIR CONDITIONER OPERATING TIPS
Always operate the Air Conditioning System with all
windows
and vents closed to eliminate drafts, wind and
road noise. The cover plate furnished should remain
installed over the engine air recirculating slot during
the season when cooling
is required. This plate should
be removed, and stowed, when outside temperatures are
continuously below 60°F.
For the best system operation at altitudes over 4000
ft., do not operate with control set to maximum cooling.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CHEVROLET "ALL TRANSISTOR" RADIOS
••• AM Radios
of the station selector knob allows use of front, rear or
both
speakers .
The
left hand control knob is the "on-off" switch and Five push buttons allow station selection. To preset,
volume
control. At its base is the tone control wing knob. pull the push button "out" as far as it will go, tune in the
The right
hand knob is the manual station selector. With desired station manually and then push the button fully
the optional rear seat speaker, a wing knob at the base "in." Repeat for each push button .
To operate the radios, the igni­
tion switch must
be in "ON" or
"ACC" position.
For best AM operation the an­
tenna should be fully extended.
• • • AM/FM Radio
This set receives clear static-free FM broadcasts as well as standard AM
programs. Move the slide bar to select AM or FM reception. Controls are the
same
as in Manual and Push Button radios. FM broadcasts may be received
as far as 25 miles from the sending station, depending on the power of the
station
and existing terrain. Push buttons may be set for AM, FM or both .
• • • Stero Tape System
The optional stereo tape player system provides pre-recorded stereo music
for your enjoyment. The system consists
of a 4-channel, a-track tape cartridge
and front and rear radio speakers.
To play your stereo, the ignition switch must be in the "ON" or "ACC"
position. (Radio must be turned on.) To operate the system, insert a tape
cartridge (label side up) and engage fully.
The four player controls should be adjusted as follows:
1. Vol.-Tape Push. Push and release knob to select desired program. Adjust
volume
as desired.
2. Tone ... .
..... Adjust as desired (Bass-Treble).
3. Balance ...... Adjust relative volume levels of the two stereo channels
in the system.
4. Front-Rear .... Adjust to balance volume of front and rear speakers.
When the unit
is left unattended, pull the tape cartridge slightly away
from the unit (rack) approximately one inch, to avoid possible roller damage.
Store tapes in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight and with tape end
of cartridge in the upright position.
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