2006 CHEVROLET AVEO heater

7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
8. If the airbag or airbags are off, the off symbol on
the instrument panel near the clock will be lit and
stay lit when the key is turned to ON or START.
If a child restraint has been installed and the off symbol
is not lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child
restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint.
If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting
the vehicle, the off symbol is still not lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the
child restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens,
slightly recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat
cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint
is not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If
this happens, adjust the head restraint.A thick layer of additional material such as a blanket, or
aftermarket equipment such as seat covers heaters
or massagers, located between the seat cushion and the
child restraint or small occupant, can affect how the
passenger sensing system operates. Remove any
additional material from the seat cushion before
reinstalling/securing the child restraint or small occupant.
If the off symbol is still not lit, secure the child in the
child restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and
check with your dealer.
To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety
belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an
adult or larger child passenger.
1-55

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on, it
means that something may be wrong with the
airbag system. If this ever happens, have the
vehicle serviced promptly, because an
adult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the protection
of the frontal airbag and side airbag (if
equipped). SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 3-32for more on this, including important
safety information.
A thick layer of additional material such as a blanket,
or aftermarket equipment such as seat covers, seat
heaters and seat massagers can affect how well
the passenger sensing system operates. Remove any
additional material from the seat cushion before
reinstalling or securing the child restraint or small
occupant. You may want to consider not using seat
covers or other aftermarket equipment if your vehicle
has the passenger sensing system. SeeAdding
Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-70for more information about modifications
that can affect how the system operates.
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. You do not want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the airbag system.
To purchase a service manual, seeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-15.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualied to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
1-69

Keys...............................................................2-2
Remote Keyless Entry System.........................2-4
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation...........2-5
Doors and Locks.............................................2-7
Door Locks....................................................2-7
Central Door Unlocking System........................2-7
Door Ajar Reminder........................................2-8
Rear Door Security Locks................................2-8
Lockout Protection..........................................2-9
Trunk (Sedan)................................................2-9
Liftgate (Hatchback)......................................2-11
Windows........................................................2-12
Manual Windows..........................................2-12
Power Windows............................................2-13
Sun Visors...................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent System..................................2-14
Immobilizer..................................................2-16
Immobilizer Operation....................................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-17
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-17
Ignition Positions..........................................2-18
Starting the Engine.......................................2-19Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-20
Automatic Transaxle Operation.......................2-21
Manual Transaxle Operation...........................2-25
Parking Brake..............................................2-26
Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transaxle)................................2-27
Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transaxle)................................2-28
Parking Your Vehicle (Manual Transaxle).........2-29
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-30
Engine Exhaust............................................2-30
Running the Engine While Parked...................2-31
Mirrors...........................................................2-32
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-32
Outside Manual Mirrors..................................2-32
Outside Power Mirror....................................2-33
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-33
Outside Heated Mirrors..................................2-33
Storage Areas................................................2-34
Glove Box...................................................2-34
Cupholder(s)................................................2-34
Sunglasses Storage Compartment...................2-35
Sunroof.........................................................2-35
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may have 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.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is located on the driver’s side of the engine
compartment, behind the battery.
3. Plug it 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.
2-20

{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.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.
4-25

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 5-24.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and proper
coolant will:
•Give freezing protection down to−34°F (−37°C).
•Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°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 of clean, drinkable water and 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.
{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.
5-22

Notice:If your engine catches re because you
keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can
be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning, but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
•Climb a long hill on a hot day.
•Stop after high-speed driving.
•Idle for long periods in traffic.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the windows as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues and you have not stopped, pull
over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for three minutes while you are parked. If you still
have the warning, turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood, but to get service
help right away.
5-25

Cooling System
When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is what
you will see:
A. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Cooling Fan{CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood
can start up even when the engine is not
running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling, do
not do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface. Make sure that the
air conditioning is turned off.
The coolant level should be between the Minimum and
Maximum marks on the coolant surge tank when the
engine is cool. If it is not, you may have a leak at
the pressure cap or in the radiator hoses, heater hoses,
radiator, water pump, or somewhere else in the
cooling system.
5-26