
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check  your  mirrors,  glance over your  shoulder,  and 
start  your  left  lane  change  signal  before  moving  out 
of  the  right  lane  to pass.  When  you 
are far  enough 
ahead  of  the  passed  vehicle  to see  its  front  in  your 
inside  mirror,  activate  your right  lane  change  signal 
and  move  back  into  the  right  lane.  (Remember  that 
your  right  outside  mirror  is convex.  The  vehicle  you 
just  passed  may  seem 
to be  farther  away  from  you 
than  it really  is.) 
Try not  to pass  more  than  one vehicle  at  a  time  on 
two-lane  roads.  Reconsider  before  passing  the 
next  vehicle. 
0 Don’t  overtake  a  slowly  moving  vehicle  too  rapidly. 
Even  though  the  brake  lamps 
are not  flashing,  it may 
be  slowing  down  or  starting  to turn. 
following  driver  to get ahead  of  you.  Perhaps  you 
can  ease  a  little  to the  right. 
If  you’re  being  passed,  make  it easy  for  the 
Loss of Control 
Let’s  review  what  driving  experts  say  about  what 
happens  when  the  three  control  systems  (brakes,  steering 
and  acceleration)  don’t  have  enough  friction  where  the 
tires  meet  the  road  to  do what  the driver  has  asked. 
In any  emergency,  don’t  give  up.  Keep  trying  to  steer  and 
constantly  seek  an  escape  route  or area  of less  danger. 
Skidding 
In a skid,  a  driver  can  lose  control  of  the  vehicle. 
Defensive  drivers  avoid  most  skids  by  taking  reasonable 
care  suited  to  existing  conditions,  and  by  not 
“overdriving”  those  conditions.  But  skids  are  always  possible. 
The  three  types  of skids  correspond 
to your  Chevrolet’s 
three  control  systems.  In  the  braking  skid,  your  wheels  aren’t  rolling.  In  the  steering  or  cornering  skid,  too 
much  speed  or  steering  in  a  curve  causes  tires  to  slip  and 
lose  cornering  force.  And  in  the  acceleration  skid, 
too 
much  throttle  causes  the  driving  wheels  to  spin.   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you’re  using  a  weight-carrying  hitch,  the  trailer 
tongue 
(A) should  weigh 10 percent  of the  total  loaded 
trailer  weight 
(B). If you  have  a  weight-distributing 
hitch,  the  trailer  tongue 
(A) should  weigh 12 percent 
of  the  total  loaded  trailer  weight 
(B). 
After  you’ve  loaded  your  trailer,  weigh  the  trailer  and 
then  the  tongue,  separately,  to see if the  weights  are 
proper. 
If they  aren’t,  you  may  be  able to  get  them  right 
simply  by  moving  some items  around  in  the  trailer. 
Total  Weight on Your Vehicle’s  Tires 
Be  sure  your  vehicle’s  tires  are  inflated  to  the  upper 
limit for  cold  tires.  You’ll  find  these  numbers  on  the 
Tire-Loading  Information  Label  at  the  rear  edge 
of the 
driver’s  door,  or  see  “Loading  Your  Vehicle’’ 
in the  Index. 
Then 
be sure  you  don’t  go  over  the GVW limit  for  your 
vehicle,  including  the  weight  of  the  trailer  tongue. 
Hitches 
It’s  important  to  have  the  correct  hitch  equipment. 
Crosswinds,  large  trucks  going  by  and  rough  roads  are 
a  few  reasons  why  you’ll  need  the  right  hitch.  Here 
are 
some  rules  to  follow: 
0 The bumpers  on  your  vehicle  are not  intended  for 
hitches. 
Do not  attach  rental  hitches  or other 
bumper-type  hitches  to  them.  Use  only  a 
frame-mounted  hitch  that  does  not  attach  to 
the  bumper. 
0 Will  you  have  to  make  any  holes  in  the body  of  your 
vehicle  when  you  install  a  trailer  hitch?  If  you  do, 
then  be  sure  to seal  the  holes  later  when  you  remove 
the  hitch.  If  you  don’t  seal them,  deadly  carbon 
monoxide  (CO)  from  your  exhaust  can get  into  your 
vehicle  (see  “Carbon  Monoxide”  in  the  Index).  Dirt  and  water  can, 
too.   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle 
Try  to  have a Chevrolet  dealer or a professional  towing 
service  tow  your  Cavalier.  They  can  provide  the  right 
equipment  and  know  how  to  tow  your  vehicle  without 
damage.  (See "Roadside  Assistance"  in  the  Index.) 
If  your  vehicle  has  been  changed  or modified  since  it 
was  factory-new  by adding aftermarket  items like fog 
lamps,  aero skirting,  or special tires  and  wheels,  these 
instructions  and illustrations  may  not  be correct. 
Before  you  do  anything, 
turn on  the  hazard  warning  flashers.  When  you 
call, tell the  towing service: 
That  your  vehicle  cannot be  towed  with 
sling-type equipment. 
That  your  vehicle  cannot be  towed  from  the rear  with 
the front  wheels  on  the  ground. 
That your  vehicle  has  front-wheel  drive. 
e The make,  model  and  year of your  vehicle. 
e Whether  you  can  still move the shift  lever. 
If there was an  accident,  what was damaged. 
When  the  towing  service  arrives,  let  the  tow  operator  know 
that  this  manual  contains  detailed  towing  instructions  and  illustrations.  The  operator  may  want  to  see  them.   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Windshield  Wiper  Blade  Replacement 
Replacement  blades  come  in different types  and  are 
removed  in  different  ways.  For the  proper  type  and 
length,  see  “Capacities  and  Specifications”  in  the  Index. 
Here’s  how  to  remove  the  Sheppard’s  Hook  type: 
1. Pull  the  windshield  wiper arm away  from 
the  windshield. 
2. Push  the  release lever  and  slide  the  wiper  assembly 
3. Install a  new  blade  by  reversing  Steps 1 and 2. 
toward  the  driver’s  side of the  vehicle. 
Tires 
Your  new  Chevrolet  comes  with  high-quality  tires 
made  by 
a leading  tire  manufacturer. If you  ever  have 
questions  about  your  tire warranty  and  where  to  obtain 
service, see  your  Chevrolet  Warranty  booklet  for details. 
I A CAUTION: 
Poorly  maintained  and  improperly  used  tires 
are  dangerous. 
Overloading  your  tires  can  cause 
overheating  as 
a result of too  much  friction. 
You could  have  an  air-out  and  a  serious 
accident.  See  “Loading 
Your Vehicle”  in 
the  Index. 
CAUTION: (Continued)   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When to Check 
Check  your  tires  once  a  month or more. 
Don’t  forget  your  compact  spare tire.  It  should  be  at 
60 psi (420 Pa). 
How to Check 
Use a good  quality  pocket-type  gage  to check  tire 
pressure. 
You can’t  tell  if your  tires are  properly  inflated 
simply  by  looking  at  them.  Radial  tires  may  look 
properly  inflated  even when  they’re  underinflated. 
Be  sure  to  put  the  valve  caps  back  on  the  valve  stems. 
They  help  prevent  leaks  by  keeping  out  dirt 
and moisture. 
Tire  Inspection and Rotation 
Tires  should  be  rotated  every 6,000 to 8,000 miles 
(10 
000 to 13 000 km). Any  time  you  notice  unusual 
wear,  rotate  your  tires  as  soon  as possible  and  check 
wheel  alignment.  Also  check  for damaged  tires  or 
wheels.  See “When  It’s  Time  for New  Tires”  and 
“Wheel  Replacement”  later  in  this  section  for 
more  information. 
The  purpose  of regular  rotation  is to  achieve  more 
uniform  wear  for all  tires  on  the  vehicle.  The first rotation  is  the  most  important. 
See “Scheduled 
Maintenance  Services’’  in  the  Index  for scheduled 
rotation  intervals. 
n 
* 
I1 
When  rotating  your  tires, always  use  the  correct rotation 
pattern  shown  here. 
Don’t  include  the  compact  spare  tire  in  your  tire  rotation. \
After  the  tires  have  been  rotated,  adjust  the  front and 
rear  inflation  pressures 
as shown  on  the  Tire-Loading 
Information  label.  Make  certain  that  all  wheel  nuts  are 
properly  tightened.  See “Wheel 
Nut Torque”  in 
the Index.   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Buying New Tires 
To find  out  what  kind  and size of tires you need,  look at 
the  Tire-Loading  Information  label. 
The  tires  installed  on  your  vehicle  when  it was  new  had 
a  Tire  Performance  Criteria Specification  (TPC  Spec) 
number 
on each  tire’s  sidewall.  When  you  get  new  tires, 
get  ones  with  that  same  TPC  Spec number.  That  way 
your  vehicle  will  continue  to have  tires  that  are designed 
to  give  proper  endurance,  handling,  speed  rating, 
traction,  ride and  other  things  during  normal  service 
on  your  vehicle.  If your  tires  have  an  all-season  tread 
design,  the  TPC number  will  be  followed  by  an 
“MS” 
(for mud  and  snow). 
If  you  ever replace  your  tires  with  those  not  having 
a 
TPC  Spec  number,  make  sure  they are the  same  size, 
load  range,  speed  rating  and  construction  type  (bias, 
bias-belted  or  radial)  as  your  original tires. 
/A CAUTION: 
Mixing  tires  could  cause  you to lose  control  while 
driving. 
If you  mix  tires of different  sizes or types 
(radial  and  bias-belted  tires),  the vehicle  may  not 
handle  properly,  and you could  have 
a crash. 
Using  tires of different  sizes may  also  cause 
damage  to  your  vehicle. Be sure  to  use the  same 
size  and  type  tires  on 
all wheels. 
It’s 
all right  to  drive  with  your  compact  spare, 
though.  It was  developed  for use  on  your  vehicle.   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Uniform Tire Quality  Grading 
The following  information  relates to the system 
developed  by  the  United  States National  Highway 
Traffic  Safety  Administration,  which  grades  tires by 
treadwear,  traction  and  temperature  performance.  (This 
applies  only 
to vehicles  sold  in  the  United  States.)  The 
grades  are  molded  on  the  sidewalls  of  most  passenger 
car  tires.  The Uniform  Tire  Quality  Grading  system 
does  not  apply 
to deep tread,  winter-type  snow  tires, 
space-saver  or  temporary  use  spare tires,  tires  with 
nominal  rim  diameters 
of 10 to  12  inches  (25  to 30 cm), 
or  to some  limited-production  tires. 
While  the  tires  available on  General  Motors  passenger 
cars and  light  trucks  may  vary  with  respect  to  these 
grades,  they  must also conform to Federal  safety 
requirements  and  additional  General  Motors  Tire 
Performance  Criteria 
(TPC) standards. 
Treadwear 
The treadwear  grade  is a comparative  rating  based  on 
the  wear  rate of the  tire  when  tested  under  controlled 
conditions  on  a  specified  government  test  course.  For 
example,  a  tire graded  150 would  wear  one and  a  half 
(1 1/2) times  as well  on  the  government  course  as  a  tire 
graded  100. The relative  performance  of tires  depends 
upon  the  actual  conditions 
of their  use,  however,  and 
may  depart  significantly  from  the  norm  due to variations 
in  driving  habits, service  practices  and  differences  in 
road  characteristics  and  climate. 
Traction -- A, B, C 
The  traction  grades,  from  highest  to  lowest,  are A, B, and 
C, and  they  represent  the  tire’s  ability  to  stop  on  wet 
pavement  as  measured  under  controlled  conditions  on  specified  government  test  surfaces 
of asphalt  and  concrete. 
A tire  marked C may  have  poor  traction  performance. 
Warning:  The traction  grade  assigned  to this  tire is  based 
on braking  (straightahead)  traction  tests  and  does not 
include  cornering  (turning) traction. 
- 6-45   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE: (Continued) 
Use  another  type  of traction  device only 
if its 
manufacturer  recommends  it  for  use on  your 
vehicle  and  tire  size combination  and  road 
conditions.  Follow that  manufacturer’s 
instructions. 
To help  avoid  damage  to  your 
vehicle,  drive slowly,  readjust  or  remove the 
device 
if it’s  contacting  your  vehicle, and  don’t 
spin  your  wheels. 
If you do  find  traction  devices that will fit,  install 
them  on  the  front  tires. 
If you have  other  tires,  use tire  chains  only where 
legal  and only when  you must.  Use only 
SAE 
Class “S” type  chains  that  are  the  proper  size for 
your  tires.  Install  them  on  the  front  tires  and 
tighten  them  as  tightly  as  possible with the  ends 
securely  fastened.  Drive  slowly and follow  the 
chain  manufacturer’s  instructions. 
If you can 
hear  the  chains  contacting  your  vehicle, stop 
and  retighten  them. 
If the  contact  continues, 
slow  down  until 
it stops.  Driving  too  fast  or 
spinning  the  wheels with chains  on will damage 
your  vehicle. 
Appearance  Care 
Remember,  cleaning  products  can be  hazardous.  Some 
are  toxic.  Others  can  burst  into flame if  you strike a 
match 
or get  them  on a  hot  part of the  vehicle.  Some are 
dangerous  if 
you breathe  their  fumes in a  closed  space. 
When  you 
use anything  from  a  container  to clean  your 
Chevrolet,  be  sure to follow  the  manufacturer’s 
warnings  and  instructions.  And  always  open  your  doors 
or  windows  when  you’re  cleaning  the  inside. 
Never use  these  to clean  your  vehicle: 
Gasoline 
Benzene 
Naphtha 
Carbon  Tetrachloride 
Acetone 
Paint  Thinner 
Turpentine 
0 Lacquer  Thinner 
Nail  Polish  Remover 
They  can  all  be hazardous 
-- some  more  than 
others 
-- and  they  can  all  damage  your  vehicle, too.