1998 CHEVROLET PRIZM engine overheat

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 The 1998 Chevrolet Prizrn Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the air bag system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc,
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Chevrolet for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8- 10.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine LOW (L): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND
(2). You can
use it on very steep hills,
or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in
LOW (L), the transaxle won’t shift
into low gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
I NOTICE.
If your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen
if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against
a
solid object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
’ pedal. This could overheat and damage the
1 transaxle. Use your brakes to hold your vehicle
~ in position on a hill.
Overdrive (Option)
If your automatic transaxle has OVERDRIVE, you
can use it for better fuel economy. After starting your
engine, always push in the OVERDRIVE button. Then
select the gear you want and press the accelerator pedal.
Gradual starts give you the best fuel economy. Fast
starts use the most fuel.
A light on the instrument panel will come on whenever
you turn
off OVERDRIVE. See “Overdrive Off Light”
in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Manual Transaxle Operation
5-Speed
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This is your shift pattern. Here’s how to operate
your transaxle:
FIRST (1): Press the clutch pedal fully and shift into
FIRST
(1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal. Keep
your foot off the clutch pedal unless you
are
operating the clutch. Avoid excessive use of the clutch
in a half-engaged condition, otherwise the clutch could
slip or could cause problems by overheating.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you’re going less
than
20 mph (32 kmk). If you’ve come to a complete
stop and it’s hard to shift into FIRST
(1)’ put the shift
lever in NEUTRAL
(N) and let up on the clutch. Press
the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST
(1).
SECOND (2): Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND
(2). Then,
slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the
accelerator pedal.
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIF 3 (5): Shift into
THIRD
(3)’ FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5) the same way
you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the
clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to
NEUTRAL (N).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
A
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps that
follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake by pulling up on the parking
brake lever.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) as follows:
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0 Hold in the button on the shift lever.
0 Push the lever all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4.
Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with
the key in your hand, your
vehicle is
in PARK (P).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
RI - - ng (Autom;- ‘ic -‘an - - --’e Only)
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
Torque Lock (Automatic Transaxle)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat. To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)
before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle,
so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle)
Your vehicle has a Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock
(BTSI). You have to fully apply your regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition
is in the
ON position. See “Automatic Transaxle
Operation” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ashtrays and Lighter
Pull the door to open the ashtray. To remove it, press
down
on the lock spring plate and pull the ashtray out.
NOTICE:
Don’t put papers and other things that burn
into your ashtray.
If you do, cigarettes or other
smoking materials could set them
on fire,
causing damage.
When you are done using the ashtray, push it back to
close
it.
To use the lighter, push the lighter in all the way and
let
go. When it’s ready, it will pop back by itself. If the
engine
is not running, the key must be in ACC to use
the lighter.
NOTICE:
Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while it is heating.
If you do, it won’t be able to
back away from the heating element when it’s
ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the
lighter and the heating element.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors.
You can also swing them to the side.
Visor Vanity Mirrors
Swing down the sun visor. On the driver’s side sun
visor, slide the cover to expose the vanity mirror.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Temperature Gage Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
TEMP
Standard Cluster Optional Cluster
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the red area, your engine is too
hot! It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and
turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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tis
~~ Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
CHECK
This system is called OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and
is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The CHECK ENGINE light comes on to
indicate that there is a problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage to your vehicle. This system
is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check with your Chevrolet dealer. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you signal a
turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps
will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns
even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not.
It’s important to check occasionally to be sure the
trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possibility
of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000 lbs. (450 kg), and you have an automatic transaxle
with overdrive, you may prefer to drive in DRIVE
(D)
rather than OVERDRIVE 0 (or, as you need to, a
lower gear). Or, if you have a manual transaxle with
FIFTH (3, it’s better not to use FIFTH (5). Just drive
in
FOURTH (4) (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your
rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet, or into gear for a manual transaxle.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb thc lad.
4. Reapply your regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift to PARK
(P), or
REVERSE
(R) for a manual transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
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