2008 CHEVROLET AVEO service

Oil Pressure Light
If your vehicle has low
engine oil pressure, this
light will stay on after
you start your engine,
or come on when you
are driving.
This indicates that your engine is not receiving enough
oil. The engine could be low on oil, or could have
some other oil problem. Have it fixed immediately
by your dealer/retailer.
The oil light could also come on in three other situations:
•When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a test to show you it is
working. The light will go out when you turn the
ignition on. If it does not come on with the ignition
on, you may have a problem with the fuse or bulb.
Have it fixed right away.
•If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a
moment. This is normal.
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
If you do, your engine can become so hot that
it catches re. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always follow the maintenance
schedule in this manual for changing engine oil.
3-52

Before Leaving on a Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long trip, consider having
it serviced by your dealer/retailer before departing.
Things to check on your own include:
•Windshield Washer Fluid:Reservoir full?
Windows clean — inside and outside?
•Wiper Blades:In good shape?
•Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:All levels checked?
•Lamps:Do they all work and are lenses clean?
•Tires:Are treads good? Are tires inflated to
recommended pressure?
•Weather and Maps:Safe to travel?
Have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to your surroundings
while driving. If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park your vehicle and rest.
Other driving tips include:
•Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
•Keep interior temperature cool.
•Keep your eyes moving — scan the road ahead
and to the sides.
•Check the rearview mirror and vehicle
instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through mountains is different
than driving on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for driving
in these conditions include:
•Keep your vehicle serviced and in good shape.
•Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, cooling
system, and transmission.
•Going down steep or long hills, shift to a lower gear.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, the brakes could
get so hot that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could crash.
Shift down to let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
4-12

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer/retailer or a professional towing
service if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed.
SeeRoadside Assistance Program on page 7-8.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle, such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of recreational
vehicle towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing
your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground)
and “dolly towing” (towing your vehicle with two wheels
on the ground and two wheels up on a device known
as a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
•What is the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
•How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
•Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer/retailer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
•Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you
will want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to
be towed. SeeBefore Leaving on a Long Trip
on page 4-12.
Dinghy Towing
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground, the drivetrain components could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Do not tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground.
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all
four wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must
be towed, you should use a dolly. See “Dolly Towing”
that follows for more information.
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Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modifications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specifications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-17
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-21
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-21
Engine Coolant.............................................5-22
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-25
Engine Overheating.......................................5-25
Cooling System............................................5-26Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-30
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-31
Brakes........................................................5-32
Battery........................................................5-35
Jump Starting...............................................5-36
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-40
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-41
Halogen Bulbs
..............................................5-41
Headlamps (Hatchback).................................5-41
Headlamps (Sedan)......................................5-42
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
(Hatchback)..............................................5-43
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps (Sedan).....5-44
Turn Signal Lamps (Side)..............................5-45
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)
(Sedan)...................................................5-46
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-47
License Plate Lamp......................................5-48
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-49
Tires..............................................................5-50
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-51
Tire Terminology and Definitions.....................5-54
Inflation - Tire Pressure.................................5-57
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-58
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation.....................5-60
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-61
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-63
Buying New Tires.........................................5-64
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................5-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-67
Wheel Replacement......................................5-67
Tire Chains..................................................5-69
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-69
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-70
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools................5-71
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing
the Spare Tire..........................................5-73
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools............5-78
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-78
Appearance Care............................................5-79
Interior Cleaning...........................................5-79
Fabric/Carpet...............................................5-80
Leather.......................................................5-81
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and
Other Plastic Surfaces................................5-82
Care of Safety Belts......................................5-82
Weatherstrips...............................................5-82
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-83
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.....................5-83
Finish Care..................................................5-83Windshield and Wiper Blades.........................5-84
Aluminum Wheels.........................................5-85
Tires...........................................................5-85
Sheet Metal Damage.....................................5-85
Finish Damage.............................................5-86
Underbody Maintenance................................5-86
Chemical Paint Spotting.................................5-86
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials..................5-87
Vehicle Identication......................................5-88
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).................5-88
Service Parts Identification Label.....................5-88
Electrical System............................................5-88
Add-On Electrical Equipment..........................5-88
Headlamp Wiring..........................................5-89
Windshield Wiper Fuses................................5-89
Power Windows and Other
Power Options..........................................5-89
Fuses and Circuit Breakers............................5-89
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..........................5-90
Engine Compartment Fuse Block....................5-94
Capacities and Specications..........................5-99
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts.........5-100
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts.........5-100
Engine Drive Belt Routing............................5-101
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-2

Service
For service and parts needs, visit your dealer/retailer.
You will receive genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modications
When non-dealer/non-retailer accessories are added to
your vehicle they can affect your vehicle’s performance
and safety, including such things as, airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems like
antilock brakes, traction control and stability control.
Some of these accessories could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered by warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on your vehicle. Your
GM dealer/retailer can accessorize your vehicle using
genuine GM Accessories. When you go to your
GM dealer/retailer and ask for GM Accessories, you
will know that GM-trained and supported service
technicians will perform the work using genuine
GM Accessories.
Also, seeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 1-71.
5-3

California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems
(including some inside the vehicle), many fluids, and
some component wear by-products contain and/or emit
these chemicals.
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications, such as
airbag initiators, seat belt pretensioners, and lithium
batteries contained in remote keyless entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials. Special handling
may be necessary. For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate.
Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
If you want to do some of your own service work, you
will want to use the proper service manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your vehicle than
this manual can. To order the proper service manual,
seeService Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-17.
5-4

Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-70.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. SeePart E: Maintenance Record on page 6-24.
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This can cause wind
noise and can affect fuel economy and windshield
washer performance. Check with your dealer/retailer
before adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle. To help keep the
engine clean and maintain optimum vehicle
performance, we recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87,
you might notice an audible knocking noise when you
drive, commonly referred to as spark knock. If this
occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as
soon as possible. If you are using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher and you hear heavy knocking, the
engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM specification
D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB-3.5 or
3.511 in Canada. Some gasolines contain an
octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend
against the use of gasolines containing MMT.
SeeAdditives on page 5-6for additional information.
5-5