2004 CHEVROLET OPTRA engine

Starting Your Engine
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If it doesn’t start, wait about 15 seconds and try
again to start the engine by turning the ignition
key to START. Wait about 15 seconds between
each try.
When your engine has run about 10 seconds to
warm up, your vehicle is ready to be driven. Don’t
“race” your engine when it’s cold.
If the weather is below freezing (32°F or 0°C), let
the engine run for a few minutes to warm up.3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine
might not perform properly.
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Engine Coolant HeaterYour vehicle has an engine coolant heater. In very cold
weather 0°F (−18°C) or colder, the engine coolant heater
can help. You will get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant
heater should be plugged in a minimum of four hours
prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures above
32°F (0°C), use of the coolant heater is not required.
2-21

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
electrical cord is located to the right of the battery.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC
outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you will be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
2-22

Automatic Transaxle Operation
If your vehicle has an
automatic transaxle, the
shift lever is located on the
console between the seats.
Your vehicle may also have an electronic shift position
indicator that displays the position of the shift lever.
This indicator is located to the right of the trip odometer
on the instrument panel cluster.
Movement between certain positions requires pushing
the shift lever to the passenger side while shifting.
This prevents you from changing positions unexpectedly
by blocking the straight movement of the shift lever
while the vehicle is moving.PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle can not move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle will not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, always set your parking
brake and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) (Automatic Transaxle) on
page 2-29.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to apply your regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition key is in ON. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P)
while holding the brake pedal down, seeShifting Out
of Park (P) (Automatic Transaxle) on page 2-31.
2-23

REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
When shifting from NEUTRAL (N) to REVERSE (R), you
must press down on the shift lever while shifting.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see If
You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-30.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart while you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine racing may damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not racing when shifting
your vehicle.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving.
Notice:Driving your vehicle if you notice that it is
moving slowly or not shifting gears as you
increase speed may damage the transaxle. Have
your vehicle serviced right away.
2-24

THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving,
however, it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D). Here are some
times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
•When driving on hilly, winding roads.
•When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes off and on.
Notice:Do not drive in SECOND (2) at speeds over
65 mph (105 km/h), or you can damage the transaxle.
Use THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) as
much as possible. Do not shift into SECOND (2)
unless you are going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h)
or you can damage your engine.FIRST (1):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 FIRST (1), the transaxle will not shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
If there is a malfunction with the automatic transaxle,
the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) or the HOLD
indicator light will turn on or flash. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-33orHold Mode Light
on page 3-32.
Have your vehicle fixed as soon as possible.
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Manual Transaxle Operation
Five-Speed
This is your shift pattern.
Here is how to operate your manual transaxle:
FIRST (1):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you are going less
than 20 mph (32 km/h). If you have come to a complete
stop and it is hard to shift into FIRST (1), put the shift
lever in NEUTRAL 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) and FIFTH (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.
NEUTRAL:Use this position when you start or idle
your engine.
REVERSE (R):To back up, press down the clutch
pedal, lift up the ring on the shift lever and shift
into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch pedal slowly
while pressing the accelerator pedal.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transaxle. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Shift
to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is stopped.
Also, use REVERSE (R), along with the parking brake,
for parking your vehicle.
2-27

To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can press
the release button. Hold the release button in as you
move the brake lever all the way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
Shifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transaxle)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking
brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position by
pushing the lever toward the passenger side of the
vehicle and then up.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
2-29