2007 CHEVROLET OPTRA 5 time

Here are some things you can check before a trip:
•Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
•Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
•Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
•Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses
clean?
•Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all inflated to the recommended pressure?
•Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
•Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway
hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the
wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of
awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road
with the same scenery, along with the hum of the
tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make
you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does,
your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis?
First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
•Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with
a comfortably cool interior.
•Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors
and your instruments frequently.
•If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get
some exercise, or both. For safety, treat
drowsiness on the highway as an emergency.
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Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires
meet the road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires
and the road, you can have a very slippery
situation. You will have a lot less traction, or grip,
and will need to be very careful.What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on.
But wet ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the least traction of all. You can get
wet ice when it is about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and
freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed,
blowing, or loose snow — drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile
traction. If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels
will spin and polish the surface under the tires
even more.
Unless you have the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), you will want to brake very gently,
too. If you do have ABS, seeAnti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 211. This system improves
your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard
stop on a slippery road. Whether you have ABS or
not, you will want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. Without ABS,
if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the
brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down
steadily to get the most traction you can.
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Remember, unless you have ABS, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you will just
slide. Brake so your wheels always keep rolling
and you can still steer.
•Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance on any slippery road.
•Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
fine until you hit a spot that is covered with
ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in shaded areas where the
sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see a
patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you are
actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay
with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do to summon
help and keep yourself and your passengers safe:
•Turn on your hazard flashers.
•Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police
that you have been stopped by the snow.
•Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around
you. If you do not have blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats — anything you can wrap around yourself
or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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You can run the engine to keep warm, but be
careful.
{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 the
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.
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Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)
(Hatchback)............................................ 296
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)
(Wagon)................................................. 297
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps
(Hatchback)............................................ 298
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps (Wagon)........................ 299
Taillamps, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps
(Hatchback)............................................ 300
License Plate Lamp................................... 301
Replacement Bulbs................................... 301
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 302
Tires............................................................ 303
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 304
Tire Terminology and Definitions............... 307
Inflation - Tire Pressure............................. 311
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 312
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 316
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 317Buying New Tires...................................... 318
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 319
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 320
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 321
Wheel Replacement.................................. 322
Tire Chains............................................... 323
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 324
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 324
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 326
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire............................................. 329
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 333
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 334
Appearance Care........................................ 335
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 335
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 337
Leather...................................................... 338
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 338
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 339
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
246

Engine Oil
If the engine oil
pressure light appears
on the instrument
cluster, check the
engine oil level
right away.
For more information, seeOil Pressure Light on
page 175. You should check the engine oil
level regularly; this is an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil every time
you get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading,
the oil must be warm and the vehicle must be
on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 258
for the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several
minutes to drain back into the oil pan. If you
do not do this, the oil dipstick might not
show the actual level.
2. Pull the dipstick and clean it with a paper
towel or cloth, then push it back in all the
way. Remove it again, keeping the tip down
and check the level.
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{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 DEX-COOL
®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.
Notice:If you use extra inhibitors and/or
additives in your vehicle’s cooling system,
you could damage your vehicle. Use only the
proper mixture of the engine coolant listed
in this manual for the cooling system.
SeePart D: Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 382for more information.
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If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can
burn you badly, even if you just open the
hood. Stay away from the engine if you
see or hear steam coming from it.
Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch re.
You or others could be badly burned.
Stop your engine if it overheats, and get
out of the vehicle until the engine is cool.
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.
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