2007 CHEVROLET COBALT Owners Manual

Washing Your Vehicle
The paint nish on the vehicle provides beauty,
depth of color, gloss retention, and durability.
The best way to preserve the vehicle’s nish is to
keep it clean by washing it often with lukewarm
or cold water.
Do not wash the vehicle in the direct rays of the
sun. Use a car washing soap. Do not use strong
soaps or chemical detergents. Be sure to rinse the
vehicle well, removing all soap residue completely.
Approved cleaning products can be obtained from
your dealer. SeeVehicle Care/Appearance
Materials on page 381. Do not use cleaning agents
that are petroleum based, or that contain acid or
abrasives. All cleaning agents should be ushed
promptly and not allowed to dry on the surface, or
they could stain. Dry the nish with a soft, clean
chamois or an all-cotton towel to avoid surface
scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to
enter the vehicle.
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses
Use only lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth
and a car washing soap to clean exterior lamps
and lenses. Follow instructions underWashing
Your Vehicle on page 377.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of the vehicle
by hand may be necessary to remove residue
from the paint nish. Approved cleaning products
can be obtained from your dealer. SeeVehicle
Care/Appearance Materials on page 381.
Notice:Machine compounding or aggressive
polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint nish
may damage it. Use only non-abrasive waxes
and polishes that are made for a basecoat/
clearcoat paint nish on your vehicle.
The vehicle has a basecoat/clearcoat paint nish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the
colored basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes
that are non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/
clearcoat paint nish.
377

Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and
other salts, ice melting agents, road oil and
tar, tree sap, bird droppings, chemicals from
industrial chimneys, etc., can damage the vehicle’s
nish if they remain on painted surfaces. Wash
the vehicle as soon as possible. If necessary,
use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked safe
for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging,
weather, and chemical fallout that can take their
toll over a period of years. To help keep the
paint nish looking new, keep the vehicle in
a garage or covered whenever possible.
Windshield and Wiper Blades
Clean the outside of the windshield with
glass cleaner.
Clean the rubber blades using a lint free cloth or
paper towel soaked with windshield washer uid or
a mild detergent. Wash the windshield thoroughly
when cleaning the blades. Bugs, road grime,
sap, and a buildup of vehicle wash/wax treatments
may cause wiper streaking. Replace the wiper
blades if they are worn or damaged.Wipers can be damaged by:
Extreme dusty conditions
Sand and salt
Heat and sun
Snow and ice, without proper removal
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated
Wheels and Trim
Your vehicle may have either aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels.
Keep the wheels clean using a soft clean cloth
with mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water.
After rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean
towel. A wax may then be applied.
Notice:Chrome wheels and other chrome trim
may be damaged if you do not wash your
vehicle after driving on roads that have been
sprayed with magnesium, calcium or sodium
chloride. These chlorides are used on roads
for conditions such as ice and dust. Always
wash your vehicle’s chrome with soap
and water after exposure.
378

Notice:If you use strong soaps, chemicals,
abrasive polishes, cleaners, brushes, or
cleaners that contain acid on aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels, you could damage
the surface of the wheel(s). The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Use only approved cleaners on aluminum
or chrome-plated wheels.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the
painted surface of your vehicle. Do not use strong
soaps, chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive
cleaners, cleaners with acid, or abrasive cleaning
brushes on them because you could damage
the surface. Do not use chrome polish on
aluminum wheels.
Notice:Using chrome polish on aluminum
wheels could damage the wheels. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Use chrome polish on chrome wheels only.
Use chrome polish only on chrome-plated wheels,
but avoid any painted surface of the wheel, and
buff off immediately after application.Notice:If you drive your vehicle through an
automatic car wash that has silicone carbide
tire cleaning brushes, you could damage the
aluminum or chrome-plated wheels. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Never
drive a vehicle equipped with aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels through an automatic
car wash that uses silicone carbide tire cleaning
brushes.
Tires
To clean the tires, use a stiff brush with tire
cleaner.
Notice:Using petroleum-based tire dressing
products on your vehicle may damage the
paint nish and/or tires. When applying a
tire dressing, always wipe off any overspray
from all painted surfaces on your vehicle.
379

Sheet Metal Damage
If the vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair
shop applies anti-corrosion material to parts
repaired or replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Original manufacturer replacement parts will
provide the corrosion protection while maintaining
the warranty.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in
the nish should be repaired right away. Bare
metal will corrode quickly and may develop into
major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with
touch-up materials available from your dealer.
Larger areas of nish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are
not removed, corrosion and rust can develop on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, oor pan,
and exhaust system even though they have
corrosion protection.
At least every spring, ush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where
mud and debris can collect. Dirt packed in close
areas of the frame should be loosened before being
ushed. Your dealer or an underbody car washing
system can do this for you.
380

Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can
create a chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants
can fall upon and attack painted surfaces on the
vehicle. This damage can take two forms: blotchy,
ring-shaped discolorations, and small, irregular
dark spots etched into the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, we
will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces
of new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition
within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of
purchase, whichever occurs rst.
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
Description Usage
Polishing Cloth
Wax-TreatedInterior and exterior
polishing cloth.
Tar and Road Oil
RemoverRemoves tar, road oil
and asphalt.
Chrome Cleaner and
PolishUse on chrome or
stainless steel.
White Sidewall
Tire CleanerRemoves soil and black
marks from whitewalls.
Vinyl Cleaner Cleans vinyl.
Description Usage
Glass CleanerRemoves dirt, grime,
smoke and ngerprints.
Chrome and Wire Wheel
CleanerRemoves dirt and grime
from chrome wheels and
wire wheel covers.
Finish EnhancerRemoves dust,
ngerprints, and surface
contaminants. Spray on
wipe off.
Swirl Remover PolishRemoves swirl marks, ne
scratches and other light
surface contamination.
Cleaner WaxRemoves light scratches
and protects nish.
Foaming Tire Shine
Low GlossCleans, shines and
protects in one easy step,
no wiping necessary.
Wash Wax ConcentrateMedium foaming
shampoo. Cleans
and lightly waxes.
Biodegradable and
phosphate free.
Spot LifterQuickly and easily
removes spots and stains
from carpets, vinyl and
cloth upholstery.
Odor EliminatorOdorless spray odor
eliminator used on fabrics,
vinyl, leather and carpet.
381

Vehicle Identication
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)
This is the legal identier for your vehicle.
It appears on a plate in the front corner of the
instrument panel, on the driver side. You can
see it if you look through the windshield from
outside your vehicle. The VIN also appears on
the Vehicle Certication and Service Parts labels
and the certicates of title and registration.
Engine Identication
The eighth character in the VIN is the engine
code. This code helps you identify your vehicle’s
engine, specications, and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identication Label
This label is in the trunk, on the driver side,
near the spare tire cover. It is very helpful if you
ever need to order parts. The label has the
following information:
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)
Model designation
Paint information
Production options and special equipment
Do not remove this label from the vehicle.
382

Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
Notice:Do not add anything electrical to your
vehicle unless you check with your dealer rst.
Some electrical equipment can damage your
vehicle and the damage would not be covered
by your warranty. Some add-on electrical
equipment can keep other components from
working as they should.
Add-on equipment can drain your vehicle’s
battery, even if your vehicle is not operating.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to add anything electrical to your
vehicle, seeServicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 82.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by fuses.
Should your headlamps fail to function, have
your headlamp system checked right away.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a
circuit breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats
due to heavy snow or ice, the wiper will stop
until the motor cools. If the overload is caused
by some electrical problem, have it xed.
Power Windows and Other
Power Options
Fuses in the fuse block protect the power windows.
When the current load is too heavy, the fuse opens
protecting the circuit until the problem is xed.
383

Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected
from short circuits by a combination of fuses,
circuit breakers and fusible thermal links.
This greatly reduces the chance of damage
caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse.
If the band is broken or melted, replace the fuse.
Be sure you replace a bad fuse with a new
one of the identical size and rating.
If you ever have a problem on the road and do not
have a spare fuse, you can “borrow” one that has
the same amperage. Just pick some feature of your
vehicle that you can get along without — like the
radio or cigarette lighter — and use its fuse if it
is the correct amperage. Replace it as soon as
you can.
There are two fuse blocks in your vehicle: the oor
console fuse block and the engine compartment
fuse block.
There is one additional fuse located in the back of
the vehicle near the battery.
Floor Console Fuse Block
The oor console fuse block is located on the
passenger’s side of the oor console behind the
forward panel. The panel has three clips. Pull
the panel to disconnect the three clips, and access
the fuses. Use the fuse puller to remove fuses.
384