1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your instrument panel is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know how fast
you’re going, how much fuel is left in the tank, and many other things you’ll need to drive sa\
fely and economically,
The main components
of your instrument panel are:
1. Instrument Panel Intensity Control
2. Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
3. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
4. Ignition Switch
5. Windshield Wiperwasher Controls
6. Audio System
7. Climate Controls and Rear Window Defogger
8. Ashtray
9. Parking Brake Lever
10. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever (If Equipped)
11. Hood Release Lever
12. Fuse Panel
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Instrument Panel Clusters
Standard Cluster
Your vehicle is equipped with one of these instrument panel clusters, which include indicator warning lights and
gages
that are explained on the following pages. Be sure to read about those that apply to the instrument panel cluster
for your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine PRND321 APPLY BRAKE TO SHIFT FROM PARK
Optional Cluster
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour
(km/h). Your
odometer shows how
far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used
in the United States) or kilometers
(used in Canada).
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed.
If the new one can be set to the mileage total of the
old odometer, then it must be. But
if it can’t, then it’s set
at zero and a label must be put on the driver’s door to
show the old mileage reading when the
new odometer
was installed.
Trip Odometer (If Equipped)
The trip odometer can tell you how far your vehicle
has been driven since you last reset the trip odometer
to zero.
Your vehicle may be equipped with either a mechanical
or digital trip odometer. The reset button is located near
the odometer.
On a digital odometer, you can press the button to
alternate between the season odometer and
the trip
odometer.
To reset the trip odometer, press and hold
the reset button for one to two seconds.
To reset the trip odometer on a mechanical odometer,
just press the reset button.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I’achometer (If Equipped)
The tachometer displays the
engine speed
in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
I NOTICE:
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in
the red area, or engine damage may occur.
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them. Warning lights and gages can signal that something
is
wrong before
it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention
to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just
to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is
a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one
of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds,
then it
will flash for about
55 seconds.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows
AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensor, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see
“Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash
for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to
warn you if there is a problem.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on briefly when
you turn on the ignition,
and the engine is not
running, as a check to show
you it is working.
Then
it should go out when the engine is started.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving,
you may have a problem with the electrical charging
system. It could indicate that you have a loose generator
drive belt, or another electrical problem. Have it
checked right away. Driving while this light is on could
drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts.
If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
This light should come
on briefly when you
turn
the ignition key to RUN. If
it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there’s
3 a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light
on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have
a brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
I With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come
on when you start your
engine and it will stay
on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays
on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as
soon as
possible and
turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving, your vehicle needs
service.
If the regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a
problem with your regular brakes. See “Brake System
Warning Light’’ earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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