2007 Chevrolet AVEO Owners Manual

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204 If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD. Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of the recorded CD with a marking pen. Notice: If you add any label to a CD, insert more than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt to play scratched or damaged CDs, you could damage the CD player. When using the CD player, use only CDs in good condition without any label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot free of foreign materials, liquids, and debris. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. 2 RPT (Repeat): Press this button to repeat the current track. RPT appears on the display. Press this button again to turn off repeat play. 3 RDM (Random): Press this button to hear the tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. RDM appears on the display. To play tracks from all CDs loaded in a six-disc CD player in random order, press this button until a message that all discs are randomized is displayed. Press the same button again to turn off random play. 4 INT (Scan): Press this button to listen to the ﬁrst few seconds of each track on each loaded CD. INTRO appears on the display. To stop scanning press this button again. The current track begins to play. 5 DSC − (Previous CDC): Press this button to go back to the start of the previous CDC. 6 DSC + (Next CDC): Press this button to go forward to the start of the next CDC. ( ) TUNE (Previous/Next Track): Press the down arrows to go to the start of the current track or press the up arrows to go to the next track. The track number appears on the display. The player continues moving backward or forward through the CD with each press of the up or down arrows. AM: Press this button to listen to the radio while a CD is playing. The inactive CD remains inside the radio for future listening. 205 FM: Press this button to listen to the radio while a CD is playing. The inactive CD remains inside the radio for future listening. CD/AUX: Press this button to play a CD while listening to the radio. CDP appears on the display when the CD player has been selected. The CD symbol appears on the display when a CD is loaded. Press this button while a CD is playing to pause the CD. PAUSE ﬂashes on the display. Press this button again to start playing the CD. EJECT: Press this button to eject the CD. Press and hold this button to eject all CDs. This is the only way a CD can be ejected from the player. The CD can eject when the ignition or the radio is turned off. Playing an MP3/WMA CD-R Disc If you have a radio with a six-disc CD player, it is capable of playing an MP3/WMA CD-R disc. For more information on how to play an MP3/WMA disc, see Using an MP3 (Radio with CD Player) on page 208 or Using an MP3 (Radio with Six-Disc Player) on page 212 later in this section. 206 CD Messages CHECK CD: If this message appears on the display and/or the CD comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: • It is very hot. When the temperature returns to normal, the CD should play. • You are driving on a very rough road. When the road becomes smoother, the CD should play. • The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down. • The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and try again. • The format of the CD may not be compatible. See Using an MP3 (Radio with CD Player) on page 208 or Using an MP3 (Radio with Six-Disc Player) on page 212 later in this section. • There may have been a problem while burning the CD. • The label may be caught in the CD player. If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer. If the radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem. Using the Auxiliary Input Jack AUX IN (Auxiliary Input): Your radio system has an auxiliary input jack located on the lower right side of the faceplate. This is not an audio output. Do not plug the headphone set into the front auxiliary input jack. You can however, connect an external audio device such as an iPod, laptop computer, MP3 player, CD changer, or XM™ receiver, etc. to the auxiliary input jack for use as another source for audio listening. The auxiliary input jack also accepts cell phone connectors. Plug the cell phone connector into the auxiliary input jack to hear a person speck on a cell phone during a conversation through the vehicle sound system. Drivers are encouraged to set up any auxiliary device while the vehicle is in PARK (P). See Defensive Driving on page 220 for more information on driver distraction. To use a portable audio player, connect a 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) cable to the radio’s front auxiliary input jack. When a device is connected, turn the portable audio player on and press the radio CD/AUX button to hear audio from the device over the car speakers. O (Power/Volume): Turn this knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the volume of the portable player. Additional adjustments on a portable device may need to be made to get the desired volume. CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press this button once to play a CD while a portable audio device is playing. Press this button a second time for the system to begin playing audio from the connected portable audio player. Once in this mode, “Auxinput” appears on the display. If the auxiliary jack does not detect the presence of an output jack, the auxiliary mode does not display. 207 Using an MP3 (Radio with CD Player) MP3/WMA CD-R Disc MP3 Format If you burn your own MP3/WMA disc on a personal computer: • Make sure the MP3/WMA ﬁles are recorded on a CD-R disc. • Do not mix standard audio and MP3/WMA ﬁles on one disc. • Make sure each MP3/WMA ﬁle has a .m3u or .wma extension, other ﬁle extensions may not work. • Files can be recorded with a variety of ﬁxed or variable bit rates. Song title, artist name, and album are available for display by the radio when recorded using ID3 tags version 1 and 2. • Create a folder structure that makes it easy to ﬁnd songs while driving. Organize songs by albums using one folder for each album. Each folder or album should contain 18 songs or less. • Make sure to ﬁnalize the disc when burning an MP3/WMA disc, using multiple sessions. It is usually better to burn the disc all at once. The player is able to read and play a maximum of 50 folders, ﬁve sessions, and 999 ﬁles. Long ﬁle names and folder names may use more disc memory space than necessary. To conserve space on the disc, minimize the length of the ﬁle and folder names. You can also play an MP3/WMA CD that was recorded using no ﬁle folders. The system can support up to eight folders in depth, though, keep the depth of the folders to a minimum in order to keep down the complexity and confusion in trying to locate a particular folder during playback. If a CD contains more than the maximum of 50 folders, ﬁve sessions, and 999 ﬁles, the player lets you access and navigate up to the maximum, but all items over the maximum is ignored. Root Directory The root directory is treated as a folder. If the root directory has compressed audio ﬁles, the directory is displayed as ROOT. All ﬁles contained directly under the root directory are accessed prior to any other directory. 208 Empty Directory or Folder If a root directory or a folder exists somewhere in the ﬁle structure that contains only folders/ subfolders and no compressed ﬁles directly beneath them, the player advances to the next folder in the ﬁle structure that contains compressed audio ﬁles. The empty folder does not display. No Folder When a CD contains only compressed ﬁles, the ﬁles are located under the root folder. The next and previous folder function does not function on a CD that was recorded without folders or playlists. When displaying the name of the folder the radio displays ROOT. When a CD contains only compressed audio ﬁles, but no folders, all ﬁles are located under the root folder. When the radio displays the name of the folder, the radio displays ROOT. Order of Play Tracks are played in the following order: • Playback begins from the ﬁrst track under the root directory. • When all tracks from the root directory have played, playback continues from ﬁles, according to their numerical listing. • After playing the last track from the last folder, the player begins playing again at the ﬁrst track of the ﬁrst folder or root directory. File System and Naming The song name in the ID3 tag is displayed. If the song name is not present in the ID3 tag, then the radio displays the ﬁle name without the extension (such as MP3/WMA) instead. Track names longer than 32 characters or four pages are shortened. Parts of words on the last page of text and the extension of the ﬁlename does not display. 209 Playing an MP3/WMA With the ignition on, insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player pulls it in, Loading, then Filecheck, and then MP3 or WMA appears on the display. The CD should begin playing. You cannot insert a CD with the ACC (accessory) off. As each new track starts to play, the track number, and the song name appears on the display. If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD in the player, it stays in the player. When a CD is in the player and the ignition is turned on, the radio must be turned on before the CD starts playback. When the ignition and radio are turned on, the CD starts playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner. If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled, see Care of Your CDs on page 217 for more information. If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD. Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of the recorded CD with a marking pen. Notice: If you add any label to a CD, insert more than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt to play scratched or damaged CDs, you could damage the CD player. When using the CD player, use only CDs in good condition without any label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot free of foreign materials, liquids, and debris. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. 210 All of the CD functions work the same while playing an MP3/WMA, except for those listed here. See “Playing a CD” earlier for more information. SCROLL (MP3/WMA Mode Only): Press the SOUND button for longer than two seconds. The song title or other available information of a song scrolls on/off. The offset is scroll on. The scroll mode can be changed only when the SOUND button is pressed for longer than two seconds. DIR (Directory): Press this button to repeat the tracks in the current directory. DIR appears on the display. Press this button again to repeat the tracks in all of the directories. ALL appears on the display. Press this button again to turn off repeat play. ¦ ¥ SEEK (Previous/Next Folder) (in MP3/ WMA Mode): Press the up or down arrows to change the folder. If CD-R does not have any folder, “ROOT” ﬂashes on the display for a short time. ( ) TUNE (Previous/Next Track): Press the down arrows to go to the start of the current track or press the up arrows to go to the next track. The track number appears on the display. The player continues moving backward or forward through the CD with each press of the up or down arrows. INFO/DISP (Information/Display): Press this button to display additional text information related to the current MP3/WMA song. A choice of additional information such as: Song Title, Album Title, and Artist. Bit rate may also appear on display. When information is not available, No Info (information) appears on the display. Press this button for longer than two seconds to change display mode. 211 Using an MP3 (Radio with Six-Disc Player) MP3/WMA CD-R Disc MP3 Format If you burn your own MP3/WMA disc on a personal computer: • Make sure the MP3/WMA ﬁles are recorded on a CD-R disc. • Do not mix standard audio and MP3/WMA ﬁles on one disc. • Make sure each MP3/WMA ﬁle has a .m3u or .wma extension, other ﬁle extensions may not work. • Files can be recorded with a variety of ﬁxed or variable bit rates. Song title, artist name, and album are available for display by the radio when recorded using ID3 tags version 1 and 2. • Create a folder structure that makes it easy to ﬁnd songs while driving. Organize songs by albums using one folder for each album. Each folder or album should contain 18 songs or less. • Make sure to ﬁnalize the disc when burning an MP3/WMA disc, using multiple sessions. It is usually better to burn the disc all at once. The player is able to read and play a maximum of 50 folders, ﬁve sessions, and 999 ﬁles. Long ﬁle names and folder names may use more disc memory space than necessary. To conserve space on the disc, minimize the length of the ﬁle and folder names. You can also play an MP3/WMA CD that was recorded using no ﬁle folders. The system can support up to eight folders in depth, though, keep the depth of the folders to a minimum in order to keep down the difficulty and confusion in trying to locate a particular folder during playback. If a CD contains more than the maximum of 50 folders, ﬁve sessions, and 999 ﬁles, the player lets you access and navigate up to the maximum, but all items over the maximum is ignored. Root Directory The root directory is treated as a folder. If the root directory has compressed audio ﬁles, the directory is displayed as ROOT. All ﬁles contained directly under the root directory are accessed prior to any other directory. 212 Empty Directory or Folder If a root directory or a folder exists somewhere in the ﬁle structure that contains only folders/ subfolders and no compressed ﬁles directly beneath them, the player advances to the next folder in the ﬁle structure that contains compressed audio ﬁles. The empty folder does not display. No Folder When a CD contains only compressed ﬁles, the ﬁles are located under the root folder. The next and previous folder function does not function on a CD that was recorded without folders or playlists. When displaying the name of the folder the radio displays ROOT. When a CD contains only compressed audio ﬁles, but no folders, all ﬁles are located under the root folder. When the radio displays the name of the folder, the radio displays ROOT. Order of Play Tracks is played in the following order: • Playback begins from the ﬁrst track under the root directory. • When all tracks from the root directory have played, playback continues from ﬁles, according to their numerical listing. • After playing the last track from the last folder, the player begins playing again at the ﬁrst track of the ﬁrst folder or root directory. File System and Naming The song name in the ID3 tag is displayed. If the song name is not present in the ID3 tag, then the radio displays the ﬁle name without the extension (such as MP3/WMA) instead. Track names longer than 32 characters or four pages are shortened. Parts of words on the last page of text and the extension of the ﬁlename does not display. 213 Playing an MP3/WMA With the ignition on, insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player pulls it in, Loading, then Filecheck, and then MP3 or WMA appears on the display. The CD should begin playing. You cannot insert a CD with the ACC (accessory) off. As each new track starts to play, the track number, and the song name appears on the display. If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD in the player, it stays in the player. When a CD is in the player and the ignition is turned on, the radio must be turned on before the CD starts playback. When the ignition and radio are turned on, the CD starts playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm) single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner. If playing a CD-R, the sound quality may be reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled. There may be an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur, check the bottom surface of the CD. If the surface of the CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will not play properly. If the surface of the CD is soiled, see Care of Your CDs on page 217 for more information. If there is no apparent damage, try a known good CD. Do not add any label to a CD, it could get caught in the CD player. If a CD is recorded on a personal computer and a description label is needed, try labeling the top of the recorded CD with a marking pen. Notice: If you add any label to a CD, insert more than one CD into the slot at a time, or attempt to play scratched or damaged CDs, you could damage the CD player. When using the CD player, use only CDs in good condition without any label, load one CD at a time, and keep the CD player and the loading slot free of foreign materials, liquids, and debris. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. 214 All of the CD functions work the same while playing an MP3/WMA, except for those listed here. See “Playing a CD” earlier for more information. SCROLL (MP3/WMA Mode Only): Press the SOUND button for longer than two seconds. The song title and other available information of the song scrolls on/off. The offset is scroll on. The scroll mode can be changed only when the SOUND button is pressed for longer than two seconds. 1 DIR (Directory): Press this button to repeat the tracks in the current directory. DIR appears on the display. Press this button again to repeat the tracks in all of the directories. ALL appears on the display. Press this button again to turn off repeat play. ¦ ¥ SEEK (Previous/Next Folder) (in MP3/ WMA Mode): Press the up or down arrows to change the folder. If CD-R does not have any folder, “ROOT” ﬂashes on the display for a short time. ( ) TUNE (Previous/Next Track): Press the down arrows to go to the start of the current track or press the up arrows to go to the next track. The track number appears on the display. The player continues moving backward or forward through the CD with each press of the up or down arrows. INFO/DISP (Information/Display): Press this button to display additional text information related to the current MP3/WMA song. A choice of additional information such as: Song Title, Album Title, and Artist. Bit rate may also appear on display. When information is not available, No Info (information) appears on the display. Press this button for longer than two seconds to change display mode. 215 Audio Steering Wheel Controls Front View of the Steering Wheel Controls Side View of the Volume Control If your vehicle has this feature, some audio controls can be adjusted at the steering wheel. They include the following: PWR (Power): Press this button to turn the audio system on or off. Press and hold this button for less than two seconds to silence the system. Press and release this button again to turn the sound back on. 216 + VOLUME − : Press the toggle bar located below the + VOLUME − to adjust the volume. Press the left side of the toggle bar, below the + (plus) sign to increase the volume. Press the right side of the toggle bar, below the − (minus) sign to decrease the volume. SEEK: Press and release this button within 0.5 seconds to go to the next preset station. Press and hold this button for longer than 0.5 seconds to go to the next radio station. The radio will only seek stations with a strong signal that are in the selected band. When playing a CD, press and release this button within 0.5 seconds to go to the next track. Press and hold this button for longer than 0.5 seconds to fast forward through the tracks. MODE: Press and release this button to select FM1, FM2, FM-A, AM1, AM2, AM-A, or CD (MP3). Press and release this button multiple times to cycle through the audio playback options that are available on your vehicle. Radio Reception You may experience frequency interference and static during normal radio reception if items such as cellphone chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external electronic devices are plugged into the accessory power outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the item from the accessory power outlet. AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range can cause station frequencies to interfere with each other. For better radio reception, most AM radio stations will boost the power levels during the day, and then reduce these levels during the night. Static can also occur when things like storms and power lines interfere with radio reception. When this happens, try reducing the treble on your radio. FM Stereo FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. Care of Your CDs Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. The CD player scans the bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD will not play properly or not at all. If the surface of a CD is soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth or dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution mixed with water, and clean it. Make sure the wiping process starts from the center to the edge. Do not touch the bottom side of a CD while handling it; this could damage the surface. Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. Care of the CD Player The use of CD lens cleaners for CD players is not advised, due to the risk of contaminating the internal lens of the CD optics with lubricants. 217 Fixed Mast Antenna (Hatchback) The ﬁxed mast antenna can withstand most car washes without being damaged. If the mast should ever become slightly bent, straighten it out by hand. If the mast is badly bent, replace it. Check occasionally to make sure the mast is still tightened to the antenna base located on the roof of the vehicle. If tightening is required, tighten by hand. Backglass Antenna (Sedan) The AM-FM antenna is integrated with the rear window defogger, located in the rear window. Make sure that the inside surface of the rear window is not scratched and that the lines on the glass are not damaged. If the inside surface is damaged, it could interfere with radio reception. Also, for proper radio reception, the antenna connector at the top-center of the rear window needs to be properly attached to the post on the glass. Notice: Do not apply aftermarket glass tinting with metallic ﬁlm. The metallic ﬁlm in some tinting materials will interfere with or distort the incoming radio reception. 218 Any damage caused to your backglass antenna due to metallic tinting materials will not be covered by your warranty. Notice: Using a razor blade or sharp object to clear the inside rear window may damage the rear window antenna and/or the rear window defogger. Repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not clear the inside rear window with sharp objects. Because this antenna is built into your rear window, there is a reduced risk of damage caused by car washes and vandals. If static is heard on the radio, when the rear window defogger is turned on, it could mean that a defogger grid line has been damaged. If this is true, the grid line must be repaired. If you choose to add a cellular telephone to your vehicle, and the antenna needs to be attached to the glass, make sure that you do not damage the grid lines for the AM-FM antenna. There is enough space between the lines to attach a cellular telephone antenna without interfering with radio reception. Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle .... 220 Defensive Driving ...................................... 220 Drunken Driving ........................................ 221 Control of a Vehicle .................................. 224 Braking ...................................................... 224 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) .................. 225 Braking in Emergencies ............................. 227 Steering .................................................... 227 Off-Road Recovery .................................... 230 Passing ..................................................... 230 Loss of Control .......................................... 232 Driving at Night ......................................... 233 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ............ 234 City Driving ............................................... 237 Freeway Driving ........................................ 238 Before Leaving on a Long Trip .................. 239 Highway Hypnosis ..................................... 240 Hill and Mountain Roads ........................... 240 Winter Driving ........................................... 242 If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow ................................. 247 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out ........... 248 Loading Your Vehicle ................................ 248 Towing ........................................................ 257 Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 257 Recreational Vehicle Towing ...................... 257 Towing a Trailer ........................................ 259 219 Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up. See Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 19. 220 {CAUTION: Defensive driving really means “Be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads, or expressways, it means “Always expect the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do and be ready. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task makes proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help do these things, or pull off the road in a safe place to do them. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. Drunken Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy. It is the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every year. Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: • Judgment • Muscular Coordination • Vision • Attentiveness Police records show that almost half 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 16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured. Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half the adult population — choose never to drink alcohol, so they never drive after drinking. 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. But what if people do? How much is “too much” if someone plans to drive? It is a lot less than many might think. Although it depends on each person and situation, here is some general information on the problem. The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone who is drinking depends upon four things: • The amount of alcohol consumed • The drinker’s body weight • The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking • The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume the alcohol 221 According to the American Medical Association, a 180 lb (82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce (355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce (120 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of liquors like whiskey, gin, or vodka. It is the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat lower BAC level. There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have a lower relative percentage of body water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a man of her same body weight will when each has the same number of drinks. The law in most U.S. states, and throughout Canada, sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent. In some other countries, the limit is even lower. For example, it is 0.05 percent in both France and Germany. The BAC limit for all commercial drivers in the United States is 0.04 percent. The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them. 222 But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of 0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching 0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of 0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater! The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. “I will be careful” is not the right answer. What if there is an emergency, a need to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street? A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision. There is something else about drinking and driving that many people do not know. 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. {CAUTION: Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your reﬂexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking. Please do not drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a driver who will not drink. 223 Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at the places where the tires meet the road. Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose control of your vehicle. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 264. Braking See Brake System Warning Light on page 164. 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. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied. 224 Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake. The brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. The brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and longer brake life. If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving, brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If the engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 264. Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Your vehicle may have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking skid. If your vehicle has ABS, this warning light will come on brieﬂy when you start your vehicle. The warning light is on the instrument panel cluster for a sedan. See Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 180. For hatchback models, the warning light is on the Secondary Information Center (SIC). See Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 180. 225 ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any driver could. The computer is programmed to make the most of available tire and road conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard. Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what happens with ABS: A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each wheel. 226 As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly. Remember: ABS does not change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have ABS. Using ABS Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down ﬁrmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but this is normal. Braking in Emergencies At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard braking. If you have ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time. However, if you do not have ABS, your ﬁrst reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it down — may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle cannot respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic. If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking technique. This will give you maximum braking while maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure. In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This will help you retain steering control. If you do have ABS, it is different. See Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on page 225. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking. Steering Power Steering If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort. 227 Steering Tips It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed. A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here is why: Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this. The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control systems — steering and braking — have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Unless you have four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can demand too much of those places. You can lose control. 228 The same thing can happen if you are steering through a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those two control systems — steering and acceleration — can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and make you lose control. What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down. Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will want to go slower. If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 264. Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ﬁnd a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop in time. But sometimes you cannot; there is not room. That is the time for evasive action — steering around the problem. Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes — but, unless you have anti-lock brakes, not enough to lock your wheels. See Braking on page 224. It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space available. An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object. The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly. 229 Off-Road Recovery You may ﬁnd that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you are driving. If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway. 230 Passing The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver? Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision. So here are some tips for passing: • Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the sides, and to crossroads for situations that might affect your passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time. • Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken center line usually indicates it is all right to pass, providing the road ahead is clear. Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic. • Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces your area of vision, especially if you are following a larger vehicle. Also, you will not have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance. • When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and do not get too close. Time your move so you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a running start that more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back. And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity. • If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that someone is not trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the blind spot. • Check your vehicle’s mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your vehicle’s inside mirror, activate the right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. Remember that your vehicle’s passenger side outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is. • Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle. • Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not ﬂashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn. If you are being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right. • 231 Loss of Control Let us review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems — brakes, steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. 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, your 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. 232 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 Anti-Lock 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. Driving at Night Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Here are some tips on night driving. • Drive defensively. • Do not drink and drive. • Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps behind you. • Since you cannot see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles. • Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so much road ahead. In remote areas, watch for animals. If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest. • • No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old. What you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot of things invisible. 233 You can be temporarily blinded by approaching headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark. When you are faced with severe glare, as from a driver who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching headlamps. Keep the windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass can build up a ﬁlm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and ﬂash more than clean glass would, making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly. Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and are not even aware of it. 234 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread left, you will get even less traction. It is always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reﬂexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement. The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road, and even people walking. It is wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment in good shape and keep your windshield washer ﬂuid reservoir ﬁlled with washer ﬂuid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate from the inserts. {CAUTION: Wet brakes can cause accidents. They may not work as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of the vehicle. After driving through a large puddle of water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until your brakes work normally. Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow down before you hit them. Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires that they can actually ride on the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and you are going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road. Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on the road. If you can see reﬂections from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and raindrops dimple the water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning. Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There just is not a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when it is raining. 235 Driving Through Deep Standing Water Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or standing water, water can come in through your engine’s air intake and badly damage your engine. Never drive through water that is slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you cannot avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive through them very slowly. Driving Through Flowing Water Some Other Rainy Weather Tips • Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be especially careful when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road spray. • Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires on page 319. {CAUTION: Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces. If you try to drive through ﬂowing water, as you might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can be carried away. As little as six inches of ﬂowing water can carry away a smaller vehicle. If this happens, you and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not ignore police warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious about trying to drive through ﬂowing water. 236 City Driving One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on them. You will want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to traffic signals. Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving: • Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just as you would for a cross-country trip. • Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You will save time and energy. See Freeway Driving on page 238. • Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is there because the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not cleared the intersection or may be running the red light. 237 Freeway Driving Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways — are the safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules. 238 The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic ﬂow. Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend with the ﬂow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check your mirrors, and glance over your shoulder as often as necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic ﬂow. Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it is slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass. Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use your turn signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make sure there is not another vehicle in your blind spot. Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night. When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the next exit. The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply. The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower than you actually are. Before Leaving on a Long Trip Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you are not fresh — such as after a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that ﬁrst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you can easily drive in. Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you will ﬁnd experienced and able service experts in GM dealerships all across North America. They will be ready and willing to help if you need it. Here are some things you can check before a trip: • Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean inside and outside? • Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape? • Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels? • Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean? • Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inﬂated to the recommended pressure? • Weather Forecasts: What is the weather outlook along your route? Should you delay your trip a short time to avoid a major storm system? • Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps? 239 Hill and Mountain Roads Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in ﬂat or rolling terrain. Highway Hypnosis Is there actually such a condition as highway hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever. There is something about an easy stretch of road with the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a second, and you could crash and be injured. What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can happen. Then here are some tips: • Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior. • Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your instruments frequently. If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as an emergency. • 240 If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. • Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all ﬂuid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system, and transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. {CAUTION: If you do not shift down, your 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 your engine assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope. {CAUTION: Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down. They 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. Always have your engine running and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill. • Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. • Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest gear possible. 241 Winter Driving • Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. • As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident. • You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action. Here are some tips for winter driving: • Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. • You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your trunk. Also see Tires on page 319. 242 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 will have a lot less traction, or grip, and will need to be very careful. Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply of windshield washer ﬂuid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a ﬂashlight, a red cloth, and a couple of reﬂective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these items in your vehicle. What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. 243 But wet ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the least traction 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 you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), you will want to brake very gently, too. If you do have ABS, see Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on page 225. This system improves your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Whether you have ABS or not, you will want to 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. 244 Remember, unless you have ABS, if you brake so hard that your wheels stop rolling, you will just slide. Brake so your wheels always keep rolling and you can still steer. • Whatever your 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 may 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 may 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 your hazard 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. 245 {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 your 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 can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful. 246 You will need a well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while. 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 In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as rocking can help you get out when you are stuck, but you must use caution. {CAUTION: If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high speed, they can explode, and you or others could be injured. And, the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine compartment ﬁre or other damage. When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer. Notice: Spinning the wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels too fast while shifting the transaxle back and forth, you can destroy the transaxle. See Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 248. For information about using tire chains on your vehicle, see Tire Chains on page 335. 247 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out First, turn the steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around the front wheels. Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, or with a manual transaxle, between FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and REVERSE (R), spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in the forward and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get your vehicle out after a few tries, it may need to be towed out. If your vehicle does need to be towed out, see Towing Your Vehicle on page 257. 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. 248 Tire and Loading Information Label - United States 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 319 and Inﬂation - Tire Pressure on page 326. There is also important loading information on the Certiﬁcation label. See “Certiﬁcation Label” later in this section. Label Example 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. 249 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. 250 Example 1 Example 2 Item Description Total Item Description Total Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 1 = Subtract Occupant Weight 150 lbs (68 kg) × 2 = Available Occupant and Cargo Weight = 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 300 lbs (136 kg) 700 lbs (317 kg) Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 2 = Subtract Occupant Weight 150 lbs (68 kg) × 5 = Available Cargo Weight = 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 750 lbs (340 kg) 250 lbs (113 kg) 251 Tire and Loading Information Label - Canada Example 3 Item Description Total Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 3 = Subtract Occupant Weight 200 lbs (91 kg) × 5 = Available Cargo Weight = 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 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. 252 Label Example A 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 see Tires on page 319 and Inﬂation - Tire Pressure on page 326. 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. 4. The resulting ﬁgure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if the Maximum Load amount equals 1400 lbs (635 kg) and there will be ﬁve 150 lb (68 kg) passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs (295 kg). 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 not designed nor intended to tow a trailer. 253 Example 1 Example 2 Item Description Total Item Description Total Vehicle Capacity Weight or Maximum Load, for Example 1 = Subtract Occupant Weight 150 lbs (68 kg) × 2 = Available Occupant and Cargo Weight = 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 300 lbs (136 kg) 700 lbs (317 kg) Vehicle Capacity Weight or Maximum Load for Example 2 = Subtract Occupant Weight 150 lbs (68 kg) × 5 = Available Cargo Weight = 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 750 lbs (340 kg) 250 lbs (113 kg) 254 Example 3 Item Description Total Vehicle Capacity Weight or Maximum Load for Example 3 = Subtract Occupant Weight 200 lbs (91 kg) × 5 = Available Cargo Weight = 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 1,000 lbs (453 kg) 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, passengers, and cargo should never exceed your vehicle’s maximum load weight. Certiﬁcation Label Label Example - United States 255 And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it out. See “Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit” earlier in this section. {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. Notice: Overloading your vehicle may cause damage. Repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not overload your vehicle. Label Example - Canada A vehicle speciﬁc Certiﬁcation label is attached to the center pillar (B-pillar), below the driver’s door latch. This label tells you the gross weight capacity of your vehicle, called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo. Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear axle. 256 If you put things inside your vehicle — like suitcases, tools, packages, or anything else — they will go as fast as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly, or if there is a crash, they will keep going. {CAUTION: Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a crash. (cid:127) Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle. Try to spread the weight evenly. (cid:127) Never stack heavier things, like suitcases, inside the vehicle so that some of them are above the tops of the seats. (cid:127) Do not leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle. (cid:127) When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it whenever you can. (cid:127) Do not leave a seat folded down unless you need to. Towing Towing Your Vehicle Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See Roadside Assistance Program on page 408. 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. 257 If you tow your vehicle with all Dinghy Towing Notice: 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. 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 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. See Before Leaving on a Long Trip on page 239. • 258 Dolly Towing Notice: Towing your vehicle from the rear with the front wheels on the ground could cause transaxle damage. Do not tow the vehicle from the rear with the front wheels on the road. 3. Set the parking brake and remove the key. 4. For an automatic transaxle, insert the key into the shift-lock release slot. See Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 119. 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. 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 transaxle in PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in NEUTRAL (N). 259 ✍ NOTES 260 Section 5 Service and Appearance Care Service ........................................................ 264 Accessories and Modiﬁcations ................... 264 California Proposition 65 Warning .............. 265 Doing Your Own Service Work .................. 265 Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your Vehicle .......................................... 266 Fuel ............................................................. 266 Gasoline Octane ........................................ 266 Gasoline Speciﬁcations .............................. 266 California Fuel ........................................... 267 Additives ................................................... 267 Fuels in Foreign Countries ........................ 268 Filling the Tank ......................................... 269 Filling a Portable Fuel Container ............... 272 Checking Things Under the Hood .............. 273 Hood Release ........................................... 274 Engine Compartment Overview .................. 276 Engine Oil ................................................. 277 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ............................ 281 Automatic Transaxle Fluid ......................... 283 Manual Transaxle Fluid ............................. 285 Hydraulic Clutch ........................................ 286 Engine Coolant .......................................... 287 Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap ............ 290 Engine Overheating ................................... 290 Cooling System ......................................... 292 Power Steering Fluid ................................. 297 Windshield Washer Fluid ........................... 298 Brakes ...................................................... 299 Battery ...................................................... 303 Jump Starting ............................................ 304 Headlamp Aiming ........................................ 309 Bulb Replacement ....................................... 309 Halogen Bulbs ........................................... 309 Headlamps (Hatchback) ............................. 310 Headlamps (Sedan) ................................... 311 Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps (Hatchback) ................... 312 Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps (Sedan) .......................... 313 Turn Signal Lamps (Side) .......................... 314 Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) (Sedan) ................... 315 Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps .............. 316 License Plate Lamp ................................... 317 Replacement Bulbs ................................... 317 261 Section 5 Service and Appearance Care Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ....... 318 Tires ............................................................ 319 Tire Sidewall Labeling ............................... 320 Tire Terminology and Deﬁnitions ............... 323 Inﬂation - Tire Pressure ............................. 326 Tire Inspection and Rotation ...................... 327 When It Is Time for New Tires .................. 329 Buying New Tires ...................................... 330 Different Size Tires and Wheels ................ 331

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2007 Chevrolet AVEO Owners Manual