2008 CHEVROLET AVEO Owners Manual

Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle’s
speed. When you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the cruise control speed
set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works on hills depends upon
the vehicle speed, load, and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the vehicle’s speed. When
going downhill, you might have to brake or shift to a lower
gear to keep the vehicle’s speed down. Applying the
brake pedal will turn off the cruise control. Many drivers
find this to be too much trouble and do not use cruise
control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
•Step lightly on the brake pedal, or press the clutch
pedal, if you have a manual transmission.
•Press the ON OFF button on the cruise control pad.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory is erased, when
the cruise control or the ignition is turned off.
Exterior Lamps
The lever on the left side of the steering column
operates the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp band has three positions:
3(Headlamps):Turn the band to this position to turn
on the headlamps, together with the following:
•Taillamps
•License Plate Lamp
•Instrument Panel Lights
•Parking Lamps
The headlamps automatically turn off when the ignition
key is turned to LOCK/OFF or ACC/ACCESSORY.Uplevel shown, Base similar
3-15

;(Parking Lamps):Turn the band to this position to
turn on the parking lamps, together with the taillamps,
license plate lamp, and instrument panel lights.
OFF:Turn the band to this position to turn all lamps off,
except the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
Headlamps on Reminder
If the driver’s door is opened while the ignition is turned
to LOCK/OFF or ACC/ACCESSORY with the lamps
left on, a warning chime will sound.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving conditions,
but they can be especially helpful in the short periods
after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional daytime
running lamps are required on all vehicles first sold
in Canada.The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on when the following conditions are met:
•The ignition is on.
•The exterior lamp band is in OFF or in the parking
lamp position.
•The parking brake is released.
An indicator light on instrument panel cluster will come
on when the DRL system is on.
When the DRL system is on, the taillamps, sidemarker
lamps, parking lamps and instrument panel lights will not
be illuminated unless you have turned the exterior lamps
control to the parking lamp or headlamp position.
The DRL system will turn off when one of the following
conditions are met:
•The ignition is off.
•The parking brake is on.
•The high-beam headlamps are on.
•The low-beam headlamps are on.
•The flash-to-pass feature is used.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
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Fog Lamps
If your vehicle has fog lamps, use them for better
visibility in foggy or misty conditions. The band located
on the middle of the turn signal/multifunction lever
controls the fog lamps.
While using the fog lamps, the ignition must be turned
to ON/RUN and the low-beam headlamps or parking
lamps must be on.
Turn the band to ON to turn the fog lamps on. An
indicator light comes on in the secondary information
center on the hatchback or in the instrument panel
cluster on the sedan, when the fog lamps are on.
SeeFog Lamp Light on page 3-53.
Turn the band to OFF to turn the fog lamps off. The fog
lamps will also turn off when the high-beam headlamps
are turned on. When the high-beam headlamps are
turned off, the fog lamps will turn on again.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
Instrument Panel Brightness
This feature controls the brightness of the instrument
panel lights.
The thumbwheel for this feature is located on the
instrument panel to the left of the steering column.
Turn the thumbwheel to brighten or dim the lights.Hatchback
Sedan
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Dome Lamp
Your vehicle will have one of the following dome lamp
switches.
The switches have three positions.
ON:The light comes on and stays on.
O(Door):The light comes on when a door is opened.
The light turns off when all the doors are closed.
OFF:The light remains off even when a door is opened.
Inadvertent Power Battery Saver
This feature is designed to protect your vehicle’s battery
against drainage from the taillamps, license plate lamps,
instrument panel lights, and parking lamps. When the
ignition is turned off, the power to these features will
automatically turn off after 5 seconds once the driver’s
door is closed.
Accessory Power Outlet(s)
With the accessory power outlet, you can plug in
auxiliary electrical equipment such as a cellular
telephone or CB radio.
The accessory power outlet is located next to the
parking brake on the center console.
To use the outlet, remove the protective cap. When
not in use, always cover the outlet with the protective
cap. The accessory power outlet is operational when the
ignition is turned to ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery. Always turn
off electrical equipment when not in use and do
not plug in equipment that exceeds the maximum
amperage rating. Without SunroofWith Sunroof
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Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible
with the accessory power outlet and could result
in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience
a problem, see your dealer/retailer for additional
information on accessory power outlets.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to your
vehicle may damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not use equipment
exceeding maximum amperage rating of 20 amperes.
Check with your dealer/retailer before adding
electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow
the proper installation instructions included with
the equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by your warranty. Do not hang
any type of accessory or accessory bracket from the
plug because the power outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only.Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter
The ashtray is located at the lower part of the center
instrument panel. To remove the front ashtray for
cleaning, open the ashtray fully, press in the retaining
tab and pull the bin out.
Notice:If you put papers, pins, or other ammable
items in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other smoking
materials could ignite them and possibly damage
your vehicle. Never put ammable items in the
ashtray.
The cigarette lighter is located to the right of the front
ashtray. To use it, turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN, push the cigarette lighter in all the way
and let go. When it is ready, it will pop back out.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is
heating will not allow the lighter to back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating may occur to the lighter or heating
element. Do not hold a cigarette lighter in while
it is heating.
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Clock
If you have a sedan there is a digital clock located in
the center of the instrument panel, above the center air
outlets. When the ignition is turned to ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN, the time is displayed in the digital clock.
There are three adjusting buttons for the digital clock:
H (Hour):To go forward one hour, press the H button
once. To go forward more than one hour, press and hold
the button until the correct hour is reached.
M (Minute):To go forward one minute, press the
M button once. To go forward more than one minute,
press and hold the button until the correct minute
is reached.
S (Set):To reset the time to the nearest hour, press the
S button.
For example, if the set button is pressed while the time
is between 8:00 and 8:29, the display is set to 8:00.
If this button is pressed while the time is between 8:30
and 8:59, the display is set to 9:00.
After disconnecting the battery or replacing the fuse,
reset the clock.
If you have a hatchback there is a clock located in the
Secondary Information Center (SIC), seeSecondary
Information Center (SIC) (Hatchback Only) on
page 3-43.
Climate Controls
Climate Control System
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for your vehicle
can be controlled with this system.
Uplevel shown, Base similar, Hatchback only
3-20

Temperature Control:Turn the left knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to manually increase or decrease the
temperature inside the vehicle. Turn the knob to the blue
area for cool air and to the red area for warm air.
9(Fan):Turn the middle knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the fan speed.
In any setting other than off, the fan will run continuously
with the ignition on. The fan must be on in order for
the air conditioning compressor to run.To change the current mode, select one of the following
from the right knob:
Y(Vent):This mode directs air to the instrument panel
outlets.
\(Bi-Level):This mode directs about half of the air
to the instrument panel outlets, and then directs the
remaining air to the floor outlets.
[(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to the floor
outlets. Some of the air will also be directed to the rear
outlets. Be sure to keep the area under the front seats
clear to allow the flow of air to the rear compartment.
The right knob can also be used to select the defog and
defrost modes. Information on defogging and defrosting
can be found later in this section.
?(Recirculation):This mode keeps outside air
from coming into the vehicle. It can be used to prevent
outside air and odors from entering the vehicle or to
help heat or cool the air inside the vehicle more quickly.
If your vehicle has a recirculation button (uplevel
model), press the button to turn the recirculation mode
on. When the button is pressed, an indicator light in
the button comes on. Press the button again to return
to outside air mode. Uplevel shown, Base similar, Sedan only
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If your vehicle has a lever (base model), move the lever
to choose the recirculation mode.
Using the recirculation mode for extended periods may
cause your windows to fog. If this happens, select
the defrost mode.
:(Outside Air):This mode brings outside air into
the vehicle.
If your vehicle has a recirculation button (uplevel
model), press the button until the recirculation mode
is turned off. Your vehicle will then return to outside
air mode.
If your vehicle has a lever (base model), move the lever
to choose the outside air mode.
A/C (Air Conditioning):If your vehicle has air
conditioning, follow these steps to use the system.
Start the engine and set the fan control knob to
the desired speed. The air conditioning compressor
does not operate when the fan control knob is in the
off position. Press the A/C button to turn the air
conditioning compressor on and off. When the A/C
button is pressed, an indicator light in the button
comes on to show that air conditioning is activated.On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside air
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for your vehicle to cool down. It also helps
the system to operate more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days, do the following:
1. Select the vent mode.
2. Select the highest fan speed.
3. Press the A/C button.
4. Select the recirculation mode.
5. Select the coolest temperature.
Using these settings together for long periods of time
may cause the air inside of the vehicle to become too dry.
To prevent this from happening, after the air in the vehicle
has cooled, turn the recirculation mode off.
The air conditioning system removes moisture from the
air, so a small amount of water might drip underneath
the vehicle while idling or after turning off the engine.
This is normal.
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