
Seats and Restraint System............................. 1-1
Head Restraints
......................................... 1-2
Front Seats
............................................... 1-4
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts
.............................................1-16
Child Restraints
.......................................1-34
Airbag System
.........................................1-60
Restraint System Check
............................1-75
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-6
Windows
.................................................2-12
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-14
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-18
Mirrors
....................................................2-34
OnStar
®System
......................................2-36
Storage Areas
.........................................2-39
Sunroof
..................................................2-40
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-18
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-23
Trip Computer
.........................................3-38
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-40Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle
....... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-24
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-11
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-43
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-43
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-50
Tires
......................................................5-51
Appearance Care
.....................................5-79
Vehicle Identi cation
.................................5-86
Electrical System
......................................5-86
Capacities and Speci cations
.....................5-93
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-16
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-18
Index................................................................ 1
2009 Chevrolet Aveo Owner ManualM

Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may be found on
the vehicle and what they mean. For more information
on the symbol, refer to the index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
iv

Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle have a
lap-shoulder belt.
If you are using a rear seating position with a detachable
safety belt and the safety belt is not attached, see
Rear Seat Operation (Sedan) on page 1-9orRear Seat
Operation (Hatchback) on page 1-12for instruction
on reconnecting the safety belt to the mini-buckle.
The following instructions explain how to wear a
lap-shoulder belt properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can
sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the
Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
If the shoulder portion of a passenger belt is pulled
out all the way, the child restraint locking feature
may be engaged. If this happens, let the belt
go back all the way and start again.3. If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the
latch plate and keep pulling until it can be buckled.
1-30

Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System
{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to
anchors, the child restraint will not be able to protect
the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be
seriously injured or killed. Install a LATCH-type
child restraint properly using the anchors, or use the
vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that came with the child
restraint and the instructions in this manual.
{CAUTION:
Do not attach more than one child restraint to a
single anchor. Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could cause the anchor
or attachment to come loose or even break during
a crash. A child or others could be injured. To
reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, attach only one child restraint per anchor.
{CAUTION:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle any
unused safety belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to set the lock, if
your vehicle has one, after the child restraint has
been installed.
1-50

5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the
lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. If you are using a
forward-facing child restraint, you may nd it helpful
to use your knee to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
If the airbag or airbags are off, the off indicator in the
passenger airbag status indicator will come on and stay
on when the vehicle is started.
1-59

Keys
{CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition key
is dangerous for many reasons, children or others
could be badly injured or even killed. They could
operate the power windows or other controls or
even make the vehicle move. The windows will
function with the keys in the ignition and children
could be seriously injured or killed if caught in the
path of a closing window. Do not leave the keys in
a vehicle with children.
The key can be used for the ignition, doors and all
other locks.
The key has a key code tag that the dealer/retailer or
quali ed locksmith can use to make new keys. Store this
information in a safe place, not in your vehicle.
Your vehicle may have an electronic immobilizer
designed to protect your car against theft. If so, only
keys with the correct electronic code can be used
to start the vehicle. SeeImmobilizer Operation on
2-2

Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers, especially children, can easily
open the doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is locked, the handle
will not open it. You increase the chance of
being thrown out of the vehicle in a crash if
the doors are not locked. So, wear safety
belts properly and lock the doors whenever
you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked vehicles
may be unable to get out. A child can be
overcome by extreme heat and can suffer
permanent injuries or even death from heat
stroke. Always lock your vehicle whenever
you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or stop
your vehicle. Locking your doors can help
prevent this from happening.There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your key or the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter. SeeRemote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation on page 2-4.
To manually unlock the front doors from the outside,
insert the key and turn it toward the front of the vehicle.
To manually lock the doors from the outside, insert
the key and turn it toward the rear of the vehicle.
All doors, except for the driver’s door, can be locked by
pushing down the manual door lock and then closing
the door. On vehicles with power locks, the driver’s door
can only by locked from the outside by using the key
or the optional remote keyless entry transmitter.
From the inside, you can lock and unlock all of the
doors by pushing or pulling the manual door lock located
on each door.
2-6

Opening a Rear Door When the
Security Lock is On
1. Unlock the door from the inside.
2. Open the door from the outside.
If you do not cancel the security lock, adults or older
children who ride in the rear will not be able to open the
rear door from the inside. You should let adults and
older children know how to cancel the locks.
Canceling the Rear Door Security Lock
1. Unlock the door from the inside and open the
door from the outside.
2. Move the lever down to unlock.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.
The rear door locks can now be locked and unlocked
normally.
Trunk (Sedan)
{CAUTION:
Exhaust gases may enter the vehicle if it is driven
with the liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with any
objects that pass through the seal between the
body and the trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with the liftgate, or
trunk/hatch open:
Close all of the windows.
Fully open the air outlets on or under the
instrument panel.
Adjust the Climate Control system to a setting
that brings in only outside air and set the fan
speed to the highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
If the vehicle is equipped with a power liftgate,
disable the power liftgate function.
For more information about carbon monoxide,
seeEngine Exhaust on page 2-32.
2-8