steering CHEVROLET AVEO 2004 1.G Owners Manual

Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel.The right front passenger’s air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
1-53

If your vehicle has one, the driver’s side impact air bag
is in the side of the driver’s seatback closest to the door.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
air bag covering. Don’t let seat covers block
the ination path of a side impact air bag.
1-54

When Should an Air Bag Inate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal air bags
are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system’s
designed “threshold level.”
If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that
doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is about
9 to 14 mph (14.5 to 23 km/h). The threshold level can
vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range.
If your vehicle strikes something that will move or
deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be
higher. The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal
air bags are not designed to inflate in rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because inflation
would not help the occupant.
Your vehicle may or may not have a side impact air
bag. See “Air Bag Systems” in the Index. A driver’s side
impact air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to
severe side crashes involving the driver’s door. A side
impact air bag will inflate if the crash severity is above
the system’s designed “threshold level.” The threshold
level can vary with specific vehicle design. A driver’s
side impact air bag is not designed to inflate in frontal or
near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts, because
inflation would not help the occupant.In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
air bags, inflation is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Air Bag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
the frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules. Frontal air
bag modules are located inside the steering wheel
and instrument panel. For vehicles with a driver’s side
impact air bag, the air bag modules are located in
the seatback closest to the driver’s door.
1-55

How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force
of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal air bags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the air bag. A side impact air bag
would not help you in many types of collisions, including
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is not
toward that air bag. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts,
and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions for the driver’s and right front
passenger’s frontal air bags, and only in moderate to
severe side collisions for vehicles with a driver’s
side impact air bag.
What Will You See After an
Air Bag Inates?
After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
inflated. Some components of the air bag module will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s frontal air bag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal
air bag. For vehicles with a side impact air bag, the side
of the seatback closest to the driver’s door will be
hot. The parts of the bag that come into contact with
you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the
driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle,
nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
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{CAUTION:
When an air bag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can’t get out of the vehicle after an air bag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from
the right front passenger air bag.
•Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an
air bag inflates, you’ll need some new parts for your
air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air bag
system won’t be there to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include air bag modules
and possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
•Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information about
the air bag system. The module records information
about the readiness of the system,
when the system commands air bag inflation and
driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
•Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air bag
system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, or the air bag
covering on the driver’s seatback, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s air bag, or the air bag module and
seatback for the driver’s side impact air bag.
Do not open or break the air bag coverings.
1-57

Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition
switch, you can turn the
key to four different
positions.
{CAUTION:
On manual transaxle vehicles, turning the key
to LOCK and removing it will lock the steering
column and result in a loss of ability to steer
the vehicle. This could cause a collision. If you
need to turn the engine off while the vehicle is
moving, turn the key only to ACC. Do not push
the key in while the vehicle is moving.Notice:If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you
can not turn it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the steering
wheel left and right while you turn the key hard. Turn
the key only with your hand. Using a tool to force it
could break the key or the ignition switch. If none of
these works, then your vehicle needs service.
LOCK:This position locks your steering wheel, ignition,
shift lever and transaxle. This is the only position in
which you can insert or remove the key. For easier key
operation when unlocking the steering wheel, move the
steering wheel from right to left and turn the key to ACC.
ACC (ACCESSORY):This position operates some of
your electrical accessories, such as the radio, but
not the ventilation fan.
ON:This is the position to which the switch returns after
you start your engine and release the key. The switch
stays in ON when the engine is running. But even when
the engine is not running, you can use ON to operate
your electrical accessories, and to display some
instrument panel warning lights.
START:This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The switch will return to
ON for normal driving. Do not turn the key to START
if the engine is running.
Even if the engine is not running, ACC and ON allow
you to operate electrical accessories, such as the radio.
2-19

The hazard warning
flasher button is located
on the center of the
instrument panel.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key is not in.
Press the button to make the front and rear turn signal
lamps flash on and off. Press the button again to
turn the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals will not work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your
vehicle.
Horn
Press the horn symbols on your steering wheel pad to
sound the horn.
Tilt Wheel
Your vehicle has a tilt wheel which allows you to adjust
the steering wheel before you drive. You can raise it
to the highest level to give your legs more room when
you exit and enter the vehicle.
The tilt wheel lever is
located underneath the
steering column slightly to
the left.
To tilt the steering wheel, hold the wheel and push the
lever down. Then, move the wheel to a comfortable
position and pull the lever up to lock the wheel in place.
3-4

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
•Turn and Lane-Change Signals
•Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
•Flash-to-Pass
•Fog Lamps, if equipped
For information on the exterior lamps, seeExterior
Lamps on page 3-8.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will flash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by itself
when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows
flash rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out and other
drivers will not see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows do not go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and then check
the fuse. SeeFuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-85. Uplevel shown, Base similar
3-5

Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high beam,
push the turn signal/multifunction lever away from you.
When the high beams are
on, this light on the
instrument panel cluster
also will be on if the
ignition is turned to ON.
To change the headlamps from high beam to low beam,
pull the turn signal lever toward you.
Flash-to-Pass Feature
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front of you that you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you until the high-beam headlamps come on, then
release the lever to turn them off.
Fog Lamps
If your vehicle has this feature, use your fog lamps
for better visibility in foggy or misty conditions.
See “Fog Lamps” underExterior Lamps on page 3-8for
further information.
Windshield Wiper Lever
Windshield Wipers
Use this lever located on the right side of the steering
wheel to operate the windshield wipers. The ignition
must be turned to ON to operate the windshield wipers.
HI (High Speed):Move the lever to this position for
wiping at high speed.
LO (Low Speed):Move the lever to this position for
steady wiping at low speed.
Sedan shown, Hatchback similar
3-6

Exterior Lamps
The lever on the left side of the steering column
operates the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp band has three positions:
3(Headlamps):Turn the band to this position to turn
on the headlamps, together with the following:
•Taillamps
•License Plate Lamp
•Instrument Panel Lights
;(Parking Lamps):Turn the band to this position to
turn on the parking lamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
OFF:Turn the band to this position to turn all lamps off,
except the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
Lamps On Reminder
If you open the driver’s door with the ignition turned to
LOCK or ACC while leaving the lamps on, you will
hear a warning chime.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on when the following conditions are met:
•The ignition is on.
•The exterior lamp band is in OFF or in the parking
lamp position.
•The parking brake is released. Uplevel shown, Base similar
3-8