1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER warning

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check Gages Light
This light will come on
CHECK
GAGES
brieflywhen you are
starting the engine.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your various gages to see if they are in the
warning zones or if you
are low on fuel.
:age
Ir
E‘
’ ID
When the ignition is on,
your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you
have left. When the indicator nears
E (EMPTY), you
still have a
little fuel left, but you should get more soon.
Here are four things that
some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
0
0
0
0
At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads
F (FULL).
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated.
For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually
took a
little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to
fill
the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a comer or
speed up.
The gage doesn’t go back to
E (EMPTY) when you
turn
off the ignition.
For your fuel tank capacity, see “Capacities and
Specifications” in the Index.
2-76

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent
a braking skid.
wnen
you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor
or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front
of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.
4-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine LOW
TRAC
This light will come on when your Enhanced
Traction System is limiting
wheel spin. See “Enhanced
Traction System Active Light” in the Index.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
7- 1 When the transaxle shift
I
lever is in any position
ETS other than FIRST (1) or
OFF
SECOND (2) and the
parking brake is fully
released, this warning light will come on to let you
know if there’s a problem
with the system.
See “Enhanced Traction System Warning Light” in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. The
Enhanced Traction System can operate when the
transaxle shift lever is in any position other than
FIRST (1) or SECOND
(2). To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should use
the other shift lever positions only when necessary. See
“Automatic Transaxle” in the Index.
(If your vehicle
ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, see “Rocking
Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
When you move the shift lever to FIRST
(1) or
SECOND
(2), the system will turn off. The Enhanced
Traction System warning light will come
on and stay on.
If the Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel spin
when you move the shift lever to another position, the system won’t turn
off right away. It will wait until
there’s no longer a current need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by moving
the shift lever to any position other than FIRST
(1) or
SECOND (2). The Enhanced Traction System warning
light should go off.
4-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 vehicle’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,
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Enhanced Traction System, remember:
It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have the Enhanced Traction System, or if
the transaxle shift lever is not in the OVERDRIVE (0)
position, then an acceleration skid is also best handled
by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn
to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road
to make a “mirrored surface” -- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking
skid.
4-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want
to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals. Here are ways
to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city
map and plan your trip into an
unknown part
of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
0 Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You’ll save time and energy.
(See the next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
0 Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough to
need it. When a light turns green, and just before you
start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.
4-19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your
trunk.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include
a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
4-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2
5-3
5-3
5-8
5-14
Hazard Warning Flashers
Other Warning Devices
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
5- 16
5-23
5-23
5-33
5-34
Cooling System
If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a
Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
5-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hazard Warning Flashers
L
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have
a problem. Your front and
rear
turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Move the switch to the right
to make your front and rear
turn signal lamps flash
on
and off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key
is in, and even if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the flashers, move the switch to the left.
When the hazard warning flashers are
on, your turn
signals won’t work.
5-2