1996 CHEVROLET CAVALIER brake fluid

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and
more enjoyable.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain
roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some
of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down
a steep or long hill.
If you don’t
shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when
you go downhill.
0
0
e
e
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills
or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center
of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer.
See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on
this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine
oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered
in this manual, and the Index will
help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good
idea to review these sections before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Towing A Trailer (Except Models
with 2.4L Engine and 4-Speed
Automatic Transaxle)
Do not tow a trailer with a Cavalier if your vehicle is:
0 a convertible model.
equipped with a 2.2L (Code 4) engine.
equipped with a manual transaxle or a three-speed
Your Cavalier is neither designed nor intended to
tow
a trailer.
automatic transaxle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking Things Under the Hood Hood Release
1
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure
you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any
underhood electric fan.
A CAUTION:
- -
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start
a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto
a hot engine.
The following sections tell
you how to check fluids,
lubricants
and important parts underhood.
1
To open the hood, first pull
the handle inside the
vehicle.
6-6

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

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2.4L Engine (Code T)
When you open the hood, you’ll see:
I
A. Coolant Surge Tank
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap
C. Engine Oil Dipstick
D. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
E. Brake Fluid Reservoir
E Hydraulic Clutch Fluid Reservoir (if equipped)
G. Battery
H. Air Cleaner
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
6-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking the Fluid Level
0 Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine .
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
0 With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever
in PARK (P).
running.
in PARK (P).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
Then, without shutting
off the engine, follow these steps:
1. If you have a
three-speed
automatic
transaxle, the
handle on the
transaxle dipstic .k
is a red ring. Pull
out the dipstick and
wipe
it with a clean
rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
3. Check both sides of
the dipstick, and
read the lower level. The fluid
level must be in the
cross-hatched area.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
6-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Chevrolet dealership Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions here, or you could get
a false reading on
the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come
out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be sure to
get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle fluid.
Check the fluid level only when your engine is off, the
vehicle is parked on a level place and the transaxle
is
cool enough for you to rest your fingers on the
transaxle case. Then, follow these steps:
1. The manual transaxle
dipstick
is located
below the brake
master cylinder,
near the
rear of the
transaxle case. Flip the
handle
up and then
pull
out the dipstick
and clean it with a rag
or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way and remove it.
6-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder
reservoir
is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak.
If you add fluid
when your linings
are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work
is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down. The first
is that the brake
fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is
leaking out of the brake system.
If it is, you should have
your brake system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your brakes won’t work well, or won’t work
at all.
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is hot
enough.
You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See “Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
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