2006 CHEVROLET EPICA Owners Manual

Starting the Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
The engine will not start in any other position — that
is a safety feature. To restart when you are already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Shifting into PARK (P) with the vehicle
moving could damage the transaxle. Shift into
PARK (P) only when your vehicle is stopped.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
the engine gets warm.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer
than 15 seconds at a time will cause your battery
to be drained much sooner. And the excessive
heat can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If the engine does not start within 10 seconds,
hold your key in START for about 10 seconds
at a time until the engine starts. Wait about
15 seconds between each try.When your engine has run for about 10 seconds
to warm up, your vehicle is ready to be driven.
Do not race your engine when it is cold.
If the weather is below freezing (32°F or 0°C),
let the engine run for a few minutes to warm up.
3. If your engine still will not start, or starts but then
stops, it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as you hold the key
in START for about three seconds. If the vehicle
starts briefly but then stops again, do the same
thing. This time keep the pedal down for five or
six seconds to clear the extra gasoline from
the engine. After waiting about 15 seconds,
repeat the normal starting procedure.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine
might not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.
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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.
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Automatic Transaxle Operation
The automatic transaxle
has a shift lever located
on the console between
the seats.
There are several different positions for the automatic
transaxle.
The instrument cluster has a shift lever position
indicator that shows which position the shift lever is in.
This indicator is located on the top right side of the
instrument cluster.
Movement between certain positions requires pushing
the shift lever toward the passenger side while shifting.
This prevents you from changing positions unexpectedly
by blocking the straight movement of the shift lever
while the vehicle is moving. It is also necessary to push
down on the shift lever to shift from NEUTRAL (N) to
REVERSE (R).PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-26.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to apply your regular
brake before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition key is in ON. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P)
while holding the brake pedal down, seeShifting Out
of Park (P) on page 2-28.
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REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
When shifting from NEUTRAL (N) to REVERSE (R),
you must press down on the shift lever and push
it toward the passenger side of the vehicle while shifting.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage the
transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
on page 4-28.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart while you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
while the engine is running at high speed may
damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speeds when shifting your vehicle.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving.
THIRD (3):This position gives you more power and
lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
•When driving on hilly, winding roads.
•When going down a steep hill.
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SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want
to use your brakes off and on.
Notice:Do not drive in SECOND (2) at speeds
over 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can damage
the transaxle. Use THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) as much as possible. Do not shift
into SECOND (2) unless you are going slower
than 65 mph (105 km/h) or you can damage your
engine.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power
but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle will not shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes, or parking brake to hold the
vehicle in place.Adaptive Shift Logic
Your automatic transaxle will automatically select from
three adaptive shift patterns based upon driver behavior:
•Economy mode provides a softer shift feel and
optimizes fuel economy.
•Normal mode provides a solid shift feel and is used
for normal driving conditions.
•Sport mode provides a firm shift feel and optimizes
performance.
The driver cannot manually select the shift pattern. The
adaptive shift logic tries to operate in economy mode
as much as possible. Normal and sport modes are used
as little as possible in order to maximize fuel economy.
The first few shifts of every drive cycle may be
somewhat rough until the adaptive shift logic has
learned the driver’s behavior. This is normal.
The transaxle also has the ability to adapt to changing
road grade conditions. It will shift between three
different load settings:
•Load 1 is designed for driving on moderate road
grades.
•Load 2 is designed for driving on steep road grades.
•Load 3 is designed for driving downhill and allows
for better engine braking.
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If there is a malfunction with the automatic transaxle,
the Check Engine Light or the HOLD light will turn on
or flash. See Check Engine Light underMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-40orHold Mode Light
on page 3-39.
Have your vehicle fixed as soon as possible.
Hold Mode
Your vehicle’s transaxle has a hold mode.
Press the HOLD button
on the console below
the shift lever to turn
on hold mode.
Press the button again to turn off hold mode, and
return to normal automatic transaxle operation.While on, the HOLD light on the instrument panel will
light up. SeeHold Mode Light on page 3-39.
When hold mode is activated, the transaxle operates
in the following ways:
•When the transaxle is in AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D), the transaxle operates in a gear
range of SECOND (2) to THIRD (3) to AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) and tries to maintain AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) for as long as possible.
•When the transaxle is in THIRD (3), the transaxle
operates in a gear range of SECOND (2) to
THIRD (3) and tries to maintain THIRD (3) for
as long as possible.
•When the transaxle is in SECOND (2), the transaxle
is fixed in that gear.
•When the transaxle is in FIRST (1), the transaxle is
fixed in that gear.
2-24

Hold Mode Functions
Winter Function
Select hold mode while in AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D), THIRD (3) or SECOND (2) to help
the vehicle maintain traction on slippery road surfaces,
such as snow, mud, or ice.
Avoid Excessive Shifting
Select hold mode while in THIRD (3) to avoid excessive
shifting when the adaptive shift logic is not enough to
prevent excessive shifting when driving in hilly areas.
Manually Controlling Shift
Select hold mode to use your automatic transaxle
like a four-speed manual transaxle.
Parking Brake
The parking brake lever is located between the
bucket seats.
2-25

To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down
and pull up on the parking brake lever. If the ignition
is on, the brake system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-36.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press the release button. Hold the release button in
as you move the brake lever all the way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify
that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before driving.Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure your vehicle will
not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, use the steps that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking
brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by pushing the
lever up and toward the driver’s side of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
2-26