2004 CHEVROLET AVEO check oil

Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, seeEngine Overheating on
page 5-25.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and proper
coolant will:
•Give freezing protection down to−22°F (−30°C).
•Give boiling protection up to 268°F (131°C)
•Protect against rust and corrosion.
•Help keep the proper engine temperature.
•Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
What to Use
Use a 50/50 mixture ofclean, drinkable waterand coolant
that meets GM Specification 1825M, which will not
damage aluminum parts. You can also use a recycled
coolant conforming to GM Specification 1825M with a
complete coolant flush and refill. If you use this coolant
mixture, you do not need to add anything else.
For protection in extremely cold weather conditions,
use a 40/60 mixture of clean, drinkable water and proper
coolant.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle’s coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and the proper coolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use the proper coolant, you do not
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
5-23

Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a car
washing soap to clean exterior lamps and lenses.
Follow instructions under “Washing Your Vehicle.”
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your vehicle by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the
paint finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. SeeVehicle Care/Appearance
Materials on page 5-82.
Your vehicle has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint finish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat paint
finish.
Notice:Machine compounding or aggressive
polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint nish may
damage it. Use only non-abrasive waxes and
polishes that are made for a basecoat/clearcoat
paint nish on your vehicle.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc.,
can damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain onpainted surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible.
If necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are
marked safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign
matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a
period of years. You can help to keep the paint finish
looking new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Cleaning Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if the wiper blade chatters when running,
wax, sap or other material may be on the blade
or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with a full-strength
glass cleaning liquid. The windshield is clean if beads do
not form when you rinse it with water.
Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper blades
and affect their performance. Clean the blade by
wiping vigorously with a cloth soaked in full-strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the blade
with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary;
replace blades that look worn.
5-80

Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer
for details.
Maintenance Requirements
Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections and
recommended fluids and lubricants as prescribed in this
manual are necessary to keep your vehicle in good
working condition. Any damage caused by failure
to follow scheduled maintenance may not be covered by
warranty.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. Improper vehicle maintenance can
even affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper
fluid levels or the wrong tire inflation can increase
the level of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect
our environment, and to keep your vehicle in good
condition, be sure to maintain your vehicle properly.
6-2

Short Trip/City Scheduled
Maintenance
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) should be repeated after 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) at the same intervals for the life of
this vehicle.
SeePart B: Owner Checks and Services on page 6-19
andPart C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections on
page 6-24.
Footnotes
†The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to
the completion of the vehicle’s useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
+A good time to check your brakes is during tire
rotation. See Brake System Inspection on page 6-25.
3,000 Miles (5 000 km)
❑Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).An Emission Control Service.
6,000 Miles (10 000 km)
❑Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).An Emission Control Service.
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 5-60for proper rotation pattern and
additional information.(See footnote +.)
9,000 Miles (15 000 km)
❑Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).An Emission Control Service.
12,000 Miles (20 000 km)
❑Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).An Emission Control Service.
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 5-60for proper rotation pattern and
additional information.(See footnote +.)
6-7

Long Trip/Highway Scheduled
Maintenance
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) should be repeated after 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) at the same intervals for the life of
this vehicle.
SeePart B: Owner Checks and Services on page 6-19
andPart C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections on
page 6-24.
Footnotes
†The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to
the completion of the vehicle’s useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
+A good time to check your brakes is during tire
rotation. See Brake System Inspection on page 6-25.
7,500 Miles (12 500 km)
❑Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months,
whichever occurs first).An Emission Control Service.
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-60for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote +.)
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
❑Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months,
whichever occurs first).An Emission Control Service.
❑Replace passenger compartment air filter. If you drive
regularly under dusty conditions, the filter may require
replacement more often.
❑Inspect engine air cleaner filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20for more information.
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote †.)
❑Rotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-60for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote +.)
❑Inspect drive belts.
6-14

Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed in this part are owner checks and services
which should be performed at the intervals specified to
help ensure the safety, dependability and emission
control performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Part D.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant to
perform these underhood checks at each fuel fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-15for further
details.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add the proper
coolant mixture if necessary. SeeEngine Coolant on
page 5-23for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the windshield
washer tank and add the proper fluid if necessary.
SeeWindshield Washer Fluid on page 5-35for further
details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Ination Check
Visually inspect your tires and make sure tires are inflated
to the correct pressures. Do not forget to check your
spare tire. SeeTires on page 5-51for further details.
Cassette Tape Player Service
Clean cassette tape player. Cleaning should be done
every 50 hours of tape play. SeeAudio System(s)
on page 3-34for further details.
6-19

B
Backglass Antenna.........................................3-44
Battery..........................................................5-39
Battery Replacement......................................... 2-6
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.........................4-21
Body Lubrication Service..................................6-21
Brake
Parking......................................................2-28
System Inspection.......................................6-25
System Warning Light..................................3-20
Brake Fluid....................................................5-36
Brake Wear...................................................5-37
Brakes..........................................................5-36
Braking........................................................... 4-6
Braking in Emergencies..................................... 4-9
Break-In, New Vehicle.....................................2-18
Bulb Replacement...........................................5-45
Fog Lamps.................................................5-48
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps.............5-46
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-45
Headlamp Aiming........................................5-45
Headlamps.................................................5-46
Sidemarker Lamps...............................5-48, 5-49
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps........................................5-49
Turn Signal Lamps......................................5-47
Buying New Tires...........................................5-62
C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-6
Canada – Customer Assistance.......................... 7-4
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance........................... 7-7
Canceling the Rear Door Security Lock............... 2-9
Capacities and Specifications............................5-91
Carbon Monoxide...........4-24, 4-37, 2-10, 2-12, 2-32
Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-79
Your CD Player...........................................3-44
Your CDs ...................................................3-44
Cassette Tape Player Service...........................6-19
CD Messages................................................3-42
Center Rear Passenger Position, Safety Belts.....1-26
Chains, Tires..................................................5-66
Charging System Light....................................3-27
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-28
Check Engine Light.........................................3-28
Checking Coolant............................................5-24
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-15
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-11
Checking Your Restraint Systems......................1-58
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-82
2

Engine (cont.)
Coolant......................................................5-23
Coolant Heater............................................2-21
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-21
Cooling System Inspection............................6-25
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-14
Exhaust.....................................................2-32
Oil .............................................................5-15
Overheating................................................5-25
Starting......................................................2-20
Engine Compartment Fuse Block......................5-87
Engine Coolant Level Check.............................6-19
Engine Oil Additives........................................5-18
Engine Oil Level Check...................................6-19
Event Data Recorders (EDR)............................. 7-9
Exterior Lamps................................................. 3-8
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-20
Finding a Station....................................3-34, 3-36
Finish Care....................................................5-80
Finish Damage...............................................5-81
Five-Speed....................................................2-26
Flash-to-Pass Feature....................................... 3-6Flat Tire........................................................5-66
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-67
Fluid
Automatic Transaxle.....................................5-21
Manual Transaxle........................................5-21
Power Steering...........................................5-34
Windshield Washer......................................5-35
FM ...............................................................3-43
Fog Lamp Light..............................................3-32
Fog Lamps...............................................3-6, 3-9
Folding the Seatback..................................1-6, 1-8
Footnotes................................................6-7, 6-14
Fuel............................................................... 5-5
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-10
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-22
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specifications.................................. 5-5
Low Warning Light.......................................3-23
System Inspection.......................................6-25
Fuses
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-85
Windshield Wiper.........................................5-84
5