1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER steering

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want
to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock”
in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead
of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation.
You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless
you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to
do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers.
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it.go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged.
You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later
on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way
to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
You can tow your vehicle behind another vehicle for use
at your destination. Be sure
to use the proper towing
equipment designed for recreational towing. Follow the
instructions for the towing equipment.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Front
(With a Dolly)
€
7
m
Follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. Open the fuse panel on the driver’s side of the
instrument panel. Remove the fuse labeled
CLSPCM.
This will keep your battery from draining while towing.
4. Turn the ignition key to OFF to unlock the steering
wheel, see “Ignition Switch’’ in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 5. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead position
6. Release the parking brake.
When you
are finished towing, make sure you replace
the CLS/PCM fuse in the instrument panel fuse block.
with a clamping device designed for towing.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Front
(Four-Speed Automatic
or Five-Speed
Manual Transaxles Only)
You may tow your vehicle with all four wneels on the
ground
if you have a four-speed automatic or a
five-speed manual transaxle. Follow these steps:
r
m
.
*-
Follow these steps:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition key to OFF to unlock the
3. Open the fuse panel on the driver’s side of the
instrument panel. Remove the fuse labeled
CLS/PCM. This will keep your battery from draining
while towing. steering wheel.
4. Shift your transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
5. Release the parking brake.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not
exceed
55 mph (90 km/h), or your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
When you are finished towing, make sure you replace
the CLS/PCM fuse in the instrument panel fuse block.
4-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving
is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform (and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes,
start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help
you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re
a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making nrns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky
or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -- IO Iontinut I I
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
When
your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key OFF. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed
for towing service. Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be
in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
A CAUTION:
I
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t
use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
5-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If a Tire Goes Flr Changing a Flat Tire
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly.
If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,”
here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front
tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop -- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next
part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
If a tire goes rlat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
I
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transaxle shift lever in
PARK (P), or shift a manual transaxle to
FIRST
(1) or REVERSE (R).
3. lbrn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks
at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
5-21

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re
stuck, but
you
rr t use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat.
That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 kdh) as shown
on the speedometer.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth,
you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking your, vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear (or
with a manual transaxle, between
mRST (1) or
SECOND
(2) and REVERSE (R)), spinning the wheels
as little as possible. (If your vehicle has the Enhanced
Traction System, shift back and forth between
REVERSE
(R) and FIRST (1) or SECOND (2),
spinning the wheels as little as possible.) Release the
,accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
5-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2.2L Engine (Code 4)
When you open the hood, you’ll see:
A. Coolant Surge Tank E. Brake Fluid Reservoir
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir F.
Hydraulic Clutch Fluid Reservoir (if equipped)
C. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick (if equipped)
G. Air Cleaner
D. Engine Oil Fill CapDipstick H. Battery
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir