2005 CHEVROLET COBALT steering

Driver Information Center (DIC)
The Driver Information Center (DIC) display gives
you the status of many of your vehicle’s systems. The
DIC is also used to display driver personalization
menu modes and warning/status messages. All
messages will appear in the DIC display, located at the
bottom of the tachometer on the instrument panel
cluster.
The DIC buttons are
located to the right of the
steering wheel on the
instrument panel.
4(Information):Press this button to scroll through the
vehicle information mode displays.
r(Reset):Press this button to reset some vehicle
information mode displays, select a personalization
menu mode setting, or acknowledge a warning
message.
Press the information and reset buttons at the same
time to enter the personalization menu. SeeDIC Vehicle
Personalization on page 3-40for more information.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. The DIC has
different modes which can be accessed by pressing
the DIC buttons. The button functions are detailed in the
following.
Information Modes
4
(Information):Press this button to scroll through the
following vehicle information modes:
Outside Air Temperature and Odometer
Press the information button until the outside air
temperature and the odometer are displayed. This mode
shows the temperature outside of the vehicle in either
°F or °C and the total distance the vehicle has been
driven in either miles (mi) or kilometers (km). The
outside air temperature will appear on the left side of
the DIC display and the odometer will appear on
the right side of the display.
To change the DIC display to English or metric units,
see “UNITS” underDIC Vehicle Personalization on
page 3-40.
3-35

LOW FUEL
This message is displayed when your vehicle is low on
fuel. You should rell the tank as soon as possible.
SeeFuel Gage on page 3-34,Filling the Tank on
page 5-8, andFuel on page 5-5for more information.
LOW TRACTION
This message is displayed when the enhanced traction
system is actively limiting wheel spin. Slippery road
conditions may exist if this message is displayed,
so adjust your driving accordingly. SeeEnhanced
Traction System (ETS) on page 4-8for more
information.
PARKING BRAKE
This message is displayed if the parking brake is left
engaged. SeeParking Brake on page 2-26.
POWER STEERING
This message is displayed if a problem has been
detected with the electric power steering. Have your
vehicle serviced by your GM dealer immediately.
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message is displayed when there is a problem with
the airbag system. Let only a qualied technician
work on your vehicle. Have your vehicle serviced by
your GM dealer immediately.
TRUNK AJAR
This message is displayed when the trunk lid of your
vehicle is not closed completely. You should make sure
that the trunk lid is closed completely. SeeTrunk on
page 2-10.
3-39

Audio Steering Wheel Controls
If your vehicle has this feature, some audio controls can
be adjusted at the steering wheel. They include the
following:
xSEEKw:Press the up or the down arrow to go to
the next or to the previous radio station and stay
there. The radio will only seek stations with a strong
signal that are in the selected band.
When a CD is playing, press the up or the down arrow
to go to the next or previous track.
BAND:Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2,
AM, or XM1 or XM2 (if equipped).1–6 (Preset Pushbuttons):Press this button to play
stations that are programmed on the radio preset
pushbuttons. The radio will only seek preset stations
with a strong signal that are in the selected band.
xuw(Volume):Press the up or the down arrow
to increase or to decrease the volume.
>(Mute):Press this button to silence the system.
Press this button again, or any other radio button, to turn
the sound on.
Mute is unavailable when OnStar™ (if equipped)
is active.
SRCE (Source):Press this button to switch between
listening to the radio and a CD. The inactive CD
will remain safely inside the radio for future listening.
Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with each other. Static
can occur on AM stations caused by things like
storms and power lines. Try reducing the treble to
reduce this noise.
3-75

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-5
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-6
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-8
Enhanced Traction System (ETS).....................4-8
Limited-Slip Differential....................................4-9
Steering......................................................4-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-12
Passing.......................................................4-13
Loss of Control.............................................4-14
Driving at Night............................................4-16
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-17City Driving..................................................4-20
Freeway Driving...........................................4-21
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-22
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-23
Winter Driving..............................................4-25
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-29
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-30
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-30
Towing..........................................................4-35
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-35
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-35
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transaxle)................4-37
Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transaxle)............4-38
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or
even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking.
Please do not drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a
cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it
is easy to ask more of those control systems than
the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose
control of your vehicle. SeeEnhanced Traction System
(ETS) on page 4-8.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths 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 three-fourths 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, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of your brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake
force applied.
4-5

Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly 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 brakes, you can steer and brake at
the same time. However, if you do not have anti-lock
brakes, your rst 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
cannot 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 brakes, 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 you do have
anti-lock brakes, it is different. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 4-6.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
Your vehicle may have an Enhanced Traction System
(ETS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only if
it senses that one or both of the front wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, the system reduces engine power and may
also upshift the transaxle to limit wheel spin. You
may feel or hear the system working, but this is normal.
A LOW TRACTION message will appear on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) when the traction control
system is actively limiting wheel spin. Slippery road
conditions may exist if this message is displayed,
so adjust your driving accordingly.
4-8

Steering
Electric Power Steering
If the engine stalls while you are driving, the power
steering assist system will continue to operate until you
are able to stop your vehicle. If you lose power
steering assist because the electric power steering
system is not functioning, you can steer, but it will take
more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in either direction several
times until it stops, or hold the steering wheel in the
stopped position for an extended amount of time, you
may notice a reduced amount of power steering
assist. The normal amount of power steering assist
should return shortly after a few normal steering
movements.
The electric power steering system does not require
regular maintenance. If you suspect steering system
problems and/or the POWER STEERING message
comes on, contact your dealer for service repairs. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-37.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you are in a curve, speed is the one factor you
can control.
Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems — steering and braking — have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you have
four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can
demand too much of those places. You can lose control.
4-10

The same thing can happen if you are steering through
a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those
two control systems — steering and acceleration — can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the
road and make you lose control. SeeEnhanced Traction
System (ETS) on page 4-8.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way
you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and nd
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room.
That is the time for evasive action — steering around the
problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes — but, unless you
have anti-lock, not enough to lock your wheels.
SeeBraking on page 4-5. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.
4-11