2004 CHEVROLET OPTRA light

Fog Lamp Light
If your vehicle has this
feature, the fog lamps light
will come on when the
fog lamps are in use.
The light will go out when the fog lamps are turned off.
See “Fog Lamps” underExterior Lamps on page 3-12
for more information.
Cruise Control Light
If your vehicle has this
feature, this light will come
on briefly when the
ignition is on.
If the light does not come on, then have it fixed so it will
be ready to tell you when the system is active.
The CRUISE light comes on whenever the cruise
control is set. SeeCruise Control on page 3-9. The light
will turn off when the cruise control is turned off.
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Highbeam On Light
This light comes on
whenever the high-beam
headlamps are on.
See “Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer” underTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6for additional
information.
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator
Light
This light will come on
when the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) are on.
See “Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)” underExterior
Lamps on page 3-12for further information on the DRL
system.
Door Ajar Light
This light will stay on until
all doors are closed and
completely latched.
If the key is in the ignition while the driver’s door is
open, you will also hear a warning chime.
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Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left when the
ignition is turned to ON.
When the tank nears empty, the low fuel warning light
will come on. You still have a little fuel left, but you
should get more soon. SeeLow Fuel Warning Light on
page 3-39for more information.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
•At the service station, the gas pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
•It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to
fill the tank.
•The indicator moves a little when you turn a corner
or speed up.
•The gage goes back to empty when you turn off the
ignition.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light comes on when
the fuel tank is low on fuel.
The low fuel warning light comes on when there is
approximately 2.0 gallons (7.5 liters) of fuel remaining in
the tank.
To turn the light off, add fuel to the fuel tank. SeeFilling
Your Tank on page 5-7.
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Theft-Deterrent Feature
The theft-deterrent system is designed to discourage
theft of your radio. When the radio and vehicle are
turned off, your radio has a blinking red light to indicate
that the theft-deterrent system is activated.
The theft-deterrent system also activates when the
audio system has been disconnected from the battery.
When this occurs, the AF code and security code
will have to be entered in order to operate your radio.
An identification card stamped with the AF code
and security code will be provided with the vehicle.
Keep it in a safe place, not in the vehicle.
To enter the security code do the following:
1. Turn the ignition to ACC or ON.
2. Turn the radio on. AF or COdE will flash on the
display. If AF flashes on the display, go to Step
2. If COdE flashes on the display, go to Step 4.
3. Enter the AF code by using the preset pushbuttons.
COdE will flash on the display.
4. Enter the security code by using the preset
pushbuttons. When the complete security code is
entered, the code will flash three times.If the security code is not entered correctly, Err will
appear on the display for a few seconds. When
COdE appears back on the display, repeat Step 4.
If the incorrect AF code is entered, an incorrect
frequency level may be chosen and the radio
reception may be affected. If this occurs, reset the
audio system by removing and re-installing the
AUDIO fuse. See “Instrument Panel Fuse Block”
underFuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-83for
more information. Then repeat Steps 1 through 4.
Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise.
FM
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km).
Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to come and go.
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Care of Your CDs
Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct
sunlight and dust. If the surface of a CD is soiled,
dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent
solution and clean it, wiping from the center to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the side without writing when
handling CDs. Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges
or the edge of the hole and the outer edge.
Care of Your CD Player
The use of CD lens cleaners for CD players is not
advised, due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the
CD optics with lubricants internal to the CD mechanism.
Backglass Antenna
The AM-FM antenna is integrated with the rear window
defogger, located in the rear window. Be sure that the
inside surface of the rear window is not scratched and
that the lines on the glass are not damaged. If the inside
surface is damaged, it could interfere with radio
reception. Also, for proper radio reception, the antenna
connector at the top-center of the rear window needs to
be properly attached to the post on the glass.Notice:Using a razor blade or sharp object to clear
the inside rear window may damage the rear window
antenna and/or the rear window defogger. Repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Do not clear
the inside rear window with sharp objects.
Notice:Do not apply aftermarket glass tinting with
metallic lm. The metallic lm in some tinting
materials will interfere with or distort the incoming
radio reception. Any damage caused to your
backglass antenna due to metallic tinting materials
will not be covered by your warranty.
Because this antenna is built into your rear window,
there is a reduced risk of damage caused by car washes
and vandals.
If you choose to add a cellular telephone to your vehicle,
and the antenna needs to be attached to the glass, be
sure that you do not damage the grid lines for the AM-FM
antenna. There is enough space between the lines to
attach a cellular telephone antenna without interfering
with radio reception.
Do not apply aftermarket glass tinting to the back glass.
The metallic film in some tinting materials will interfere
with or distort the incoming radio reception. Care must be
taken when cleaning the rear window because it breaks
in the resistive material heating element and will
adversely affect radio and defogger performance. See
your dealer for details.
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Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeand
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That isperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That isreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second. But that is
only an average. It might be less with one driver and as
long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age,
physical condition, alertness, coordination and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But
even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph
(100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of
distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space
between your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts−heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This
is a mistake.Your brakes may not have time to cool between hard
stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a
lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic
and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate
a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better
braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes. ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has anti-lock
brakes, this warning light
on the instrument panel will
come on briefly when
you start your vehicle.
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Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you do not have anti-lock, your
first reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold
it down — may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels
can stop rolling.Once they do, the vehicle can not respond to your
steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it
was headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That
could be off the road, into the very thing you were trying
to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have anti-lock, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking
while maintaining steering control. You can do this by
pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing
pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal.
This will help you retain steering control. If youdohave
anti-lock, it is different. See “Anti-Lock Brake System”
in this section.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
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Off-Road Recovery
You may find that your right wheels have dropped off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way,
steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of
the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to
one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
•“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides
and to crossroads for situations that might affect
your passing patterns. If you have any doubt
whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait
for a better time.
•Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and
lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might
indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it is all
right to pass (providing the road ahead is clear).
Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or
a double solid line, even if the road seems empty
of approaching traffic.
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