1998 CHEVROLET PRIZM Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle. 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. 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. Or, you
can use your recovery hooks. If you do need to be towed
out, see “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Using the Recovery Hooks
Your vehicle is equipped with recovery hooks. The
recovery hooks are provided at the front
of your vehicle.
They can only be used
for pulling your vehicle out.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine .
The recovery hooks, when used, are under a lot of
force. Always pull the vehicle straight out. Never
pull on the hooks at a sideways angle. The
hooks
could break off and you or others could be
injured from the chain or cable snapping back.
NOTICE:
Never use the recovery hooks to tow the vehicle.
Your vehicle could be damaged and it would not
be covered by warranty.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
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
Manual Transaxle Fluid
Hydraulic Clutch
Engine Coolant
Radiator Pressure Cap
Thermostat Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
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Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning the Built-in Child Restraint
Care of Safety Belts and Built-in Child
Restraint Harness
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you’ll
go to your dealer for
all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM parts and
GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one
of these marks:
Genuine
Parts
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to use
the proper Chevrolet Service Manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your vehicle than
this manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications” in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle”
in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you
try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall
off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipn- -~- -1 the Out le of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your dealer before adding equipment to the outside of
your vehicle.
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane
or higher. At
a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM
D4814 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability
and emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Be sure the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at
87 octane or higher and you
hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service. But
don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid\

of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
label), it is designed
to operate on fuels that meet
California specifications.
If such fuels are not available
in states adopting California emissions standards, your
vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system performance may be affected.
The malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel may turn on and/or your
vehicle may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return
to your authorized Chevrolet dealer for diagnosis to
determine the cause of failure. In the event it is
determined that the cause of the condition is the type of
fuels used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines. If fuels containing
MMT are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be affected.
The
malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may
turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
Chevrolet dealer for service.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and fuel system, allowing your emission control system to
function properly. Therefore, you should not have to add anything to the fuel. In addition, gasolines containing
oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to
help clean the air. General Motors recommends that you
use these gasolines
if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to
find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use
of improper fuel wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business
in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
LlH 8P7
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Filling Your Tank Remote Fuel Door Release Lever
The fuel door release lever
is near the floor to the left
of
the driver's seat.
I /11 CAUTION:
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don't smoke if you're near gasoline or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from gasoline.
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