2006 CHEVROLET COBALT wheel size

Windshield Wipers
Use this lever, located on the right side of the steering
wheel, to operate the windshield wipers.
9(Off):Move the lever to this position to turn off the
windshield wipers.
&(Intermittent):Move the lever to this position to
choose a delayed wiping cycle. Rotate the intermittent
adjustment band to set for shorter or longer delay
cycles. To the left of the adjustment band are bars,
increasing in size from top to bottom. Smaller bars mean
the wiper movement is less frequent and larger bars
mean the wiper movement is more frequent.
During intermittent wiping mode, the cycle delay time is
also affected by vehicle speed. As your vehicle speed
increases, your delay cycle time will automatically
decrease.
x(Delay):When the lever is in the intermittent
position, turn the intermittent adjust band with this
symbol on it up or down to set for a shorter or longer
delay between wipes. To the left of the adjust band
are bars, increasing in size from bottom to top,
that indicate the frequency of the wipes. Smaller
bars mean the wipers movement is less frequent.
Larger bars mean the movement is more frequent.
6(Low Speed):Move the lever up to the
rst setting past intermittent, for steady wiping at low
speed.
1(High Speed):Move the lever up to the second
setting past intermittent, for wiping at high speed.
8(Mist):Move the lever all the way down to this
position for a single wiping cycle. Hold it there until the
windshield wipers start; then let go. The windshield
wipers will stop after one wiping cycle. If you want
additional wiping cycles, hold the lever down longer.
Damaged wiper blades may prevent you from seeing well
enough to drive safely. To avoid damage, be sure to clear
ice and snow from the wiper blades before using them.
If the wiper blades are frozen to the windshield, carefully
loosen or thaw them. If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
3-9

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................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..................................5-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-21
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-23
Manual Transaxle Fluid..................................5-23
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-23
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-29
Engine Overheating.......................................5-29Cooling System............................................5-31
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-37
Brakes........................................................5-38
Battery........................................................5-41
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-46
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-49
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-49
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-50
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-51
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps (Coupe).......5-52
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps (Sedan).............................5-53
Back-Up Lamps (Coupe)................................5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-55
Tires..............................................................5-56
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-58
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-60
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-63
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-65
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-66
Buying New Tires.........................................5-66
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-68
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Low-Prole Performance Tire
If your vehicle has 215/45R18 size tires, they are
classied as low-prole performance tires. These tires
are designed for very responsive driving on wet or
dry pavement. You may also notice more road noise
with low-prole performance tires and that they tend to
wear faster.
Notice:If your vehicle has low-prole tires, they
are more susceptible to damage from road hazards
or curb impact than standard prole tires. Tire
and/or wheel assembly damage can occur when
coming into contact with road hazards like,
potholes, or sharp edged objects, or when sliding
into a curb. Your GM warranty does not cover
this type of damage. Keep tires set to the correct
ination pressure and, when possible avoid contact
with curbs, potholes, and other road hazards.For cold weather driving conditions, you may prefer to
get tires designed for snow or ice. See your dealer
for details regarding winter tire availability and proper
tire selection. Also, seeBuying New Tires on page 5-66.
If you choose to use winter tires:
Use tires of the same brand and tread type on all
four wheel positions.
Use only radial ply tires of the same size, load range,
and speed rating as your original equipment tires.
Winter tires with the same speed rating as your original
equipment tires may not be available for H, V, W
and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose winter tires with
a lower speed rating, never exceed the tire’s maximum
speed capability.
5-57

Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a typical
passenger vehicle tire size.
(A) Passenger (P-Metric) Tire:The United States
version of a metric tire sizing system. The letter P as the
rst character in the tire size means a passenger vehicle
tire engineered to standards set by the U.S. Tire and Rim
Association. A tire size without the letter P as the rst
character is certied to European standards.
(B) Tire Width:The three-digit number indicates the
tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio:A two-digit number that indicates
the tire height-to-width measurements. For example, if
the tire size aspect ratio is 60, as shown in item C of the
illustration, it would mean that the tire’s sidewall is
60 percent as high as it is wide.(D) Construction Code:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The
letter R means radial ply construction; the letter D means
diagonal or bias ply construction; and the letter B means
belted-bias ply construction.
(E) Rim Diameter:Diameter of the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description:These characters represent
the load range and speed rating of the tire. The load
index represents the load carry capacity a tire is certied
to carry. The load index can range from 1 to 279.
The speed rating is the maximum speed a tire is certied
to carry a load. Speed ratings range from A to Z.
Tire Terminology and Denitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air pressure
is expressed in pounds per square inch (psi) or
kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight:This means the combined weight
of optional accessories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio:The relationship of a tire’s height to
its width.
5-60

Your GM dealer can order these tires by part number.
This way, your vehicle will continue to give the
proper endurance, handling, traction, and ride as the
original tires.
Winter tires with the same speed rating as your original
equipment tires may not be available for H, V, W, Y,
and ZR speed rated tires. If you choose winter tires with
a lower speed rating, never exceed the tire’s maximum
speed capability.
{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes,
brands, or types (radial and bias-belted tires),
the vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes, brands, or types may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the
correct size, brand, and type of tires on all
wheels. It is all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily, as it was
developed for use on your vehicle. See
Compact Spare Tire on page 5-88.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim anges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
If you must replace your vehicle’s tires with those that do
not have a TPC Spec number, make sure they are the
same size, load range, speed rating, and construction
type (radial and bias-belted tires) as your vehicle’s
original tires.
Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed on the
Tire and Loading Information Label. This label is attached
to the vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar). SeeLoading Your
Vehicle on page 4-31, for more information about the Tire
and Loading Information Label and its location on your
vehicle.
5-67

Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this may
affect the way your vehicle performs, including its
braking, ride and handling characteristics, stability, and
resistance to rollover. Additionally, if your vehicle
has electronic systems such as, anti-lock brakes,
traction control, and electronic stability control, the
performance of these systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your vehicle
may not provide an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are selected.
You may increase the chance that you will
crash and suffer serious injury. Only use
GM specic wheel and tire systems developed
for your vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certied technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 5-66andAccessories
and Modications on page 5-3for additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system developed
by the United States National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA), which grades tires by
treadwear, traction, and temperature performance.
This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
(UTQG) system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver, or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
5-68

Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has 205/55R16, P205/55R16,
P205/50R17 or 215/45R18 size tires, do not use
tire chains. There is not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can cause damage
to the brakes, suspension, or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the tire chains
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and you or others may be injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination, and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it is contacting your vehicle, and do
not spin your vehicle’s wheels.
If you do nd traction devices that will t,
install them on the front tires.Notice:If your vehicle has a tire size other than
205/55R16, P205/55R16, P205/50R17 or 215/45R18
size tires, use tire chains only where legal and only
when you must. Use only SAE Class S-type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install them on
the front tires and tighten them as tightly as possible
with the ends securely fastened. Drive slowly and
follow the chain manufacturer’s instructions. If you
can hear the chains contacting your vehicle, stop and
retighten them. If the contact continues, slow down
until it stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels
with chains on will damage your vehicle.
5-72

A. Cover
B. Retainer
C. Jack and Wheel Wrench
D. Stow Bolt Extension
E. Spare Tire
F. Foam Support
G. Bolt
To store a at or spare tire and tools, do the following:
1. Remove the stow bolt extension rod and sleeve
from the jack.
2. Screw the stow bolt extension rod and the sleeve
into the existing spare tire hold-down bolt.
3. Place the at tire face down into the spare tire hub.
Avoid scraping the aluminum wheel, if equipped, on
the hold-down bolt.
4. Re-attach the wheel wrench to the jack.
5. Place the jack into the center of the at tire, being
careful not to scratch the inside of the wheel.
6. Place the smaller jack hold-down nut in a safe
place for use when you put the compact spare
tire back into the trunk.
7. Remove the plastic sleeve from the stow bolt
extension rod. Secure the jack and road wheel
using the larger plastic retainer.
The compact spare tire is for temporary use only.
Replace the compact spare with a full-size tire as soon
as possible.
Uplevel Model
5-87