1998 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.
0 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
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
CLSPCM fuse in the instrument panel fuse block.
wheel.
See “Ignition Positions” in the Index.
with a clamping device designed for towing.
an
Towing Your Vehicle From the Front
(Without
a Dolly)
You may tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground if you have a four-speed automatic or a
five-speed manual transaxle.
If your vehicle has a
three-speed automatic transaxle, it may not be towed
in this manner.
To tow a vehicle with a four-speed
automatic
or a five-speed manual transaxle, follow
these steps:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3. Turn me ignition key to OFF to unlock the
4. Shift your transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
5. Release the parking brake.
When you are finished towing, make sure you replace
the CLWPCM fuse in the instrument panel fuse block.
steering wheel.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
65 mph (110 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Rear
r
'b
UD 8
I NOTICE:
Do not tow your vehicle from the rear. Your
vehicle could be badly damaged and the repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Turns
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 A CAUTION:
To help avoid injury to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
0 Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
0 Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.
0 Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
0 Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
0 Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being towed.
When your vehicle is
being towed, have the ignition key
turned
to 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:
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If a Tire Goes Flat 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 flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard w--+q- ‘?ashers.
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. nrn 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.
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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 must use caution.
I
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 destrov vour transaxle.
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 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on your vekfe,
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 FIRST
(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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
I
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel informa\
tion,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
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Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your
Tank
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid (Three-Speed
Only)
Automatic Transaxle Fluid (Four-Speed Only)
Manual Transaxle Fluid
Hydraulic Clutch
Engine Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Thermostat
Power Steering Fluid
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Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside of
Your Vehicle
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Your Convertible Top
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
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