1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER check engine

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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 0
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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you’re following
a larger
vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear
to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity.
If other
cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
0 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.
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
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn't lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside
of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils
of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it's easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and aren't
even aware of it.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
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Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can't stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire-to-road traction isn't
as good as on dry roads.
And, if your tires don't have much tread left, you'll get
even less traction. It's always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes
are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.
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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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways)
are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most
of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. At the
entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If
you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are
on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before
you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect
to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you
miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for
a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Chevrolet dealerships all across North America. They’ll
be ready and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread
good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There
is something about an easy stretch of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the road,
the drone of the engine, and the rush
of the wind against
the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it happen
to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less
than a second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can
you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
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Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both.
For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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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