2008 CHEVROLET AVEO wheel

Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to
slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety,
you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by shifting
to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide. You may not realize the surface
is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to
recognize warning clues — such as enough water,
ice, or packed snow on the road to make a mirrored
surface — and slow down when you have any doubt.
If you have the Antilock Brake System (ABS), remember:
It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
ABS, then in a braking skid, where the wheels are no
longer rolling, release enough pressure on the brakes to
get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you
have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling,
you will have steering control.
4-9

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 have a
lot less traction, or grip, and 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 can offer the leasttraction 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 your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System
(ABS), you want to brake very gently, too. If you do have
ABS, seeAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4.
ABS improves your vehicle’s stability when you make
a hard stop on a slippery road. Whether your vehicle
has ABS or not, 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 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.
4-15

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

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.
4-27

Dolly Towing
Notice:Towing your vehicle from the rear with the
front wheels on the ground could cause transmission
damage. Do not tow the vehicle from the rear with
the front wheels on the road.
Your vehicle can be towed using a dolly. To tow your
vehicle using a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put an automatic transmission in PARK (P)
or a manual transmission in NEUTRAL (N).3. Set the parking brake and remove the key.
4. For an automatic transmission, insert the key
into the shift-lock release slot. SeeShifting
Out of PARK (P) on page 2-28.
5. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
6. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position.
7. Release the parking brake.
Towing a Trailer
Do not use your vehicle to tow a trailer. The vehicle
is not designed or intended for such a use. Towing
a trailer can adversely affect handling, durability
and fuel economy.
4-28

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

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and could have rear
drum brakes or rear disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
can come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving, except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal firmly.
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon the brakes will not work well. That could
lead to an accident. When you hear the brake
wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.Some driving conditions or climates can cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to torque specifications in
Capacities and Specifications on page 5-99.
If you have rear drum brakes, they do not have wear
indicators, but if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing
noise, have the rear brake linings inspected immediately.
Also, the rear brake drums should be removed and
inspected each time the tires are removed for rotation or
changing. When you have the front brake pads
replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
SeeBrake System Inspection on page 6-22.
5-34