2008 CHEVROLET AVEO brake

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.
3-16

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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Charging System Light
This light will come on
briefly when the ignition
is turned on, and the
engine is not running,
as a check to show
you it is working.
It should go out when the engine is started. If it stays
on, or comes on while you are driving, you may have
a problem with the electrical charging system. Have
it checked by your dealer/retailer. Driving while this
light is on could drain your battery. If you must drive
a short distance with the light on, be certain to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio and air
conditioner to help reduce the drain on the battery.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part is not working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake does not fully
release. If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
United StatesCanada
3-33

If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push or the pedal may go closer to the
floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-27.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you
have pulled off the road and stopped carefully,
have the vehicle towed for service.
Antilock Brake System Warning
Light
For vehicles with
the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light
will come on briefly
when the engine is started.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF or if
the light comes on, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again while
you are driving, your vehicle needs service. See your
dealer/retailer. If the regular brake system warning light is
not on, you still have brakes, but you do not have antilock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you do not have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with your regular brakes. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-33.
The ABS warning light will come on briefly when you
turn the ignition to ON/RUN. This is normal. If the
light does not come on then, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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Antilock Brake System
Warning Light
For vehicles with
the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this
light will come on briefly
when the engine is started.
If it does not come on have your vehicle serviced.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
If the light comes on, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again while
you are driving, your vehicle needs service. See your
dealer/retailer. If the regular brake system warning light is
not on, you still have brakes, but you do not have antilock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you do not have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with your regular brakes. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 3-33.
Hold Mode Light
If your vehicle has this
feature, this light comes
on when the hold mode is
active.
If the HOLD mode light flashes, have your vehicle
checked. See “Hold Mode” underAutomatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-21for more
information.
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Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Steering........................................................4-6
Off-Road Recovery.........................................4-8
Passing........................................................4-8
Loss of Control..............................................4-8
Driving at Night............................................4-10
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-10Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-12
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-12
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-12
Winter Driving..............................................4-13
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-17
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-17
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-18
Towing..........................................................4-27
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-27
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-27
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-28
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was
drinking and driving. In recent years, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have
been associated with the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance
of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than
if the person had not been drinking.Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator.
At times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy
to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. Meaning, you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-33.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring
up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
4-3