2005 CHEVROLET COBALT battery

Entry/Exit Lighting
The lamps inside your vehicle will go on when you open
any door. These lamps will fade out after about
20 seconds after all of the doors have been closed or
when the ignition is turned to ON. These lamps will also
go on when you press the trunk release, unlock
symbol button or the horn symbol on the keyless entry
system transmitter.
The lamps inside your vehicle will stay on for about
20 seconds after your key is removed from the ignition
to provide an illuminated exit.
Mirror Reading Lamps
Your vehicle may have reading lamps on the rearview
mirror. Push the button to turn the reading lamps on
and off.
Battery Run-Down Protection
Your vehicle is equipped with a battery saver feature
designed to protect your vehicle’s battery.
When any interior lamp is left on and the ignition is
turned off, the battery rundown protection system will
automatically turn the lamp off after 20 minutes. This will
avoid draining the battery.
Accessory Power Outlets
Accessory power outlets can be used to connect
electrical equipment such as a cellular phone or CB
radio. The outlet can accept electrical equipment rated
at a maximum of 20 amps.
The accessory power outlet is located in the center
console, rearward of the shift lever.
To use the outlet, remove the cover. When not in use,
always cover the outlet with the protective cap.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery. Always turn
off electrical equipment when not in use and do
not plug in equipment that exceeds the maximum
amperage rating.
Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible
with the accessory power outlet and could result
in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem, see your dealer for additional information
on the accessory power outlet.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to your
vehicle may damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not use equipment
exceeding maximum amperage rating. Check
with your dealer before adding electrical equipment.
3-16

Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on briey when
you turn on the ignition,
and the engine is not
running, as a check
to show you it is working.
Then it should go out when the engine is started.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical charging system.
Have it checked by your GM dealer. Driving while this
light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Up-Shift Light
Your vehicle may have an up-shift light. When this light
comes on, you should shift to the next higher gear if
weather, road, and traffic conditions allow you to.
This light is located in your
instrument panel cluster to
the left of the tachometer.
SeeManual Transaxle Operation on page 2-24for more
information.
United States Only
3-26

Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the check
engine light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Light
If you have a low engine
oil pressure problem, this
light will stay on after
you start your engine, or
come on when you
are driving. This indicates
that your engine is not
receiving enough oil.
The engine could be low on oil, or could have some
other oil problem. Have it xed immediately.
The oil light could also come on in three other situations:
When the ignition is on but the engine is not
running, the light will come on as a test to show you
it is working, but the light will go out when you
turn the ignition to START. If it does not come on
with the ignition on, you may have a problem
with the fuse or bulb. Have it xed right away.
If you are idling at a stop sign, the light may blink
on and then off.
If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for
a moment. This is normal.
3-32

CHANGE OIL SOON
This message is displayed when the life of the engine
oil has expired and it should be changed.
When you acknowledge the CHANGE OIL SOON
message by clearing it from the display, you still must
reset the engine oil life system separately. See
“OIL-LIFE RESET” underDIC Vehicle Personalization
on page 3-40,Engine Oil Life System on page 5-19, and
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4for more
information.
CHECK GAS CAP
This message is displayed if the gas cap has not been
fully tightened. You should recheck your gas cap to
ensure that it is on properly. A few driving trips with the
cap properly installed should turn the display off.
CRUISE ENGAGED
This message is displayed when the cruise control
system is active. SeeCruise Control on page 3-10for
more information.
DOOR AJAR
This message is displayed if one or more of the
vehicle’s doors are not closed properly. When this
message appears, you should make sure that the door
is closed completely.
ENGINE DISABLED
This message is displayed if the starting of the engine is
disabled. Have your vehicle serviced by your GM dealer
immediately.
ENG (Engine) PWR (Power) REDUCED
This message informs you that the vehicle has reduced
engine power to avoid damaging the engine.
ICE POSSIBLE
This message appears when the outside air temperature
is cold enough to create icy road conditions.
KEY FOB BATT (Battery) LOW
This message is displayed if the remote keyless entry
transmitter battery is low. See “Battery Replacement”
underRemote Keyless Entry System Operation on
page 2-4.
LOW COOLANT
If your vehicle has a 2.0L engine, this message is
displayed when there is a low level of engine coolant.
Have the cooling system serviced by your GM dealer as
soon as possible.
3-38

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as rocking
can help you get out when you are stuck, but you
must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transaxle or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment re or other damage.
When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
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. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-30.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-68.
4-29

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-19
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-21
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-22
Manual Transaxle Fluid..................................5-22
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-23
Engine Coolant.............................................5-23
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29
Cooling System............................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-35Brakes........................................................5-36
Battery........................................................5-39
Jump Starting...............................................5-40
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-44
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-47
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-47
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-48
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-49
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps (Coupe).......5-50
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-51
Back-Up Lamps (Coupe)................................5-52
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-53
Tires..............................................................5-54
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-56
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-58
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-61
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-63
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-64
Buying New Tires.........................................5-64
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-67
Wheel Replacement......................................5-67
Tire Chains..................................................5-68
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake stop, your disc
brakes adjust for wear. If you rarely make a moderate
or heavier stop, then your brakes might not adjust
correctly. If you drive in that way, then — very
carefully — make a few moderate brake stops about
every 1,000 miles (1 600 km), so your brakes will adjust
properly.
If you have rear drum brakes and your brake pedal
goes down farther than normal, the rear drum brakes
may need adjustment. Adjust them by backing up
and rmly applying the brakes a few times.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system — for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in — be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts.If you do not, your brakes may no longer work properly.
For example, if someone puts in brake linings that
are wrong for your vehicle, the balance between your
front and rear brakes can change — for the worse. The
braking performance you have come to expect can
change in many other ways if someone puts in
the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery. When it is
time for a new battery, get one that has the replacement
number shown on the original battery’s label. We
recommend an ACDelco
®replacement battery.
Your vehicle’s battery is located in the trunk. You do not
need to access the battery to jump start your vehicle.
SeeJump Starting on page 5-40.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals, and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
5-39

Vehicle Storage
If you are not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, remove the black, negative (−) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
are not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-40for tips on working around a battery
without getting hurt.
Jump Starting
If your vehicle’s battery has run down, you may want to
use another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
5-40