2008 CHEVROLET AVEO Owners Manual

Remember, unless your vehicle has ABS, if you
brake so hard that the wheels stop rolling, you will
just slide. Brake so the wheels always keep rolling
and you can still steer.
•Whatever your vehicle’s 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 can
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 can 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 the hazard warning 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. You will need a well-charged battery
to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with the headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
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Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free your
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-17.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. The vehicle can overheat,
causing an engine compartment re or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little as possible
and avoid going above 35 mph (55 km/h) as
shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-69.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right to clear
the area around the front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
or with a manual transmission, between FIRST (1)
or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R), spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent transmission wear,
wait until the wheels stop spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and
press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels
in the forward and reverse directions, you will cause
a rocking motion that could free your vehicle. If that
does not get your vehicle out after a few tries, it might
need to be towed out. If your vehicle does need to
be towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-27.
4-17

Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight
your vehicle can carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight or maximum load amount
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo,
and all nonfactory-installed options. Two labels
on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label and the Certification label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
Label - United States
A vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the vehicle’s center pillar
(B-pillar). With the driver’s door open, you will
find the label attached below the door lock
post (striker). The Tire and Loading Information
label shows the number of occupant seating
positions (A), and the maximum vehicle capacity
weight (B) in kilograms and pounds.
Label Example
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The Tire and Loading Information label also shows
the tire size of the original equipment tires (C) and
the recommended cold tire inflation pressures (D).
For more information on tires and inflation see
Tires on page 5-50andInflation - Tire Pressure
on page 5-57.
There is also important loading information on
the Certification label. See “Certification Label”
later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the statement The combined weight
of occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs on your vehicle’s placard.
2.Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be five 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 650 lbs (1400 - 750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
Your vehicle is neither designed nor intended to
tow a trailer.
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Item Description Total
AVehicle Capacity
Weight for
Example 1=1,000 lbs (453 kg)
BSubtract Occupant
Weight 150 lbs
(68 kg)×2=300 lbs (136 kg)
CAvailable Occupant
and Cargo Weight=700 lbs (317 kg)Item Description Total
AVehicle Capacity
Weight for
Example 2=1,000 lbs (453 kg)
BSubtract Occupant
Weight 150 lbs
(68 kg)×5=750 lbs (340 kg)
CAvailable
Cargo Weight=250 lbs (113 kg)
Example 1Example 2
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Item Description Total
AVehicle Capacity
Weight for
Example 3=1,000 lbs (453 kg)
BSubtract Occupant
Weight 200 lbs
(91 kg)×5=1,000 lbs (453 kg)
CAvailable
Cargo Weight=0 lbs (0 kg)Refer to your vehicle’s tire and loading
information label for specific information about
your vehicle’s capacity weight and seating
positions. The combined weight of the driver,
passenger, and cargo should never exceed
your vehicle’s capacity weight.
Example 3
4-21

Tire and Loading Information
Label - CanadaA vehicle specific Tire and Loading Information
label is attached to the driver’s side, center
pillar (B-pillar). This label shows the Maximum
Load amount, the number of occupant seating
positions, the original equipment tires, and
the recommended cold tire inflation pressure.
For more information on tires and inflation
seeTires on page 5-50andInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-57.
There is also important loading information on
the Certification label. See “Certification Label”
later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1.Locate the “Maximum Load” amount.
2.Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from the Maximum Load
amount.Label Example
4-22