warning light CHEVROLET CAVALIER 1993 1.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Features & Controls
Oil Warning Light (3.7~ v6 ENGINE)
If you have a problem with your oil, this
light may stay on after you start your
engine, or come on when you are
driving. This indicates that oil is not
going through your engine quickly
enough to keep it lubricated. The engine
could be low on
oil, or could have some
other oil problem. Have it fixed right
away.
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The oil light could also come on in three
other situations:
When the ignition is on but the engine
is
not running, the light will come on
as a test
to show you it is working, but
the light will
go out when you turn the
ignition to
Start. If it doesn’t come on
with the ignition on, you may have a
problem with the fuse or bulb. Have
it
fixed right away.
Sometimes when the engine is idling
at
a stop, the light may blink on and
off. This is normal.
If you make a hard stop, the light may
come
on for a moment. This is
normal. Don’t
keep driving
if the oil
b pressure is low. If you do,
your engine can become
so hot that
It catches fire. You or others could
be burned. Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your vehicle
serviced.
Damage to your engine
from
neglected oil problems can be
costly and
is not covered by YOL
warranty.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Features & Controls
Charging System Light
The charging system light will come on
briefly when
you turn on the ignition
and the engine is not running, as a
check to show you it is working. Then it
should go out. If it stays on, or comes
on while you are driving, you may have
a problem with the electrical charging
system.
It could indicate that you have a
loose generator drive belt, or another
electrical problem. Have
it checked
right away. Driving while this light is on
could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with
the light on, be certain to turn off all
your accessories, such as the radio and
air conditioner.
Brake Sysfem Warning Light
Your Chevrolet’s hydraulic brake system
is divided into two parts. If one part
isn’t working, the other part can still
work and stop you. For good braking,
though, you need both parts working
well. If the warning light goes on, there
could be a brake problem. Have your
brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on as you start
the vehicle. If it doesn’t come on then,
have
it fixed so it will be ready to warn
you if there’s
a problem.
This light will also come on when you
set your parking brake, and will stay
on
if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully. If it stays
on after your parking
brake is fully released,
it means you
may have
a brake problem. If
the light comes
on while driving, pull
off the road and stop carefully. You may
notice that the pedal is harder to push.
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Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor. 1
It may take longer to stop. If the light is
still on, have the vehicle towed for
service. (See the
Index under Towing
Your Chevrolet.)
L-AU I IVN
I
/1 Your brake system may not be
L working properly if the brake
warning light is on. Driving with
the brake warning light
on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still
on after you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the
vehicle towed for service.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
With anti-lock, this light will go on
when you
start your engine and it will
stay on for three seconds.
If the light
doesn’t come on, have it fixed
so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a
problem.
If the light stays on or comes on when
you’re driving, stop as soon as possible
and turn the key
off. Then start the engine
to reset the system.
If the light still stays
on, or if it comes on again while you’re
driving, your Chevrolet
needs service.
Shift light (MANUAL TRANSAXLE)
Unless the regular brake system warning
brake system warning light is
also on,
Index under Manual Transale. but not anti-lock brakes. If the regular shift to the next higher gear. See
the
light is
also on, you will still have brakes, This
light comes on when you need to
in this part.
see Brake System Warning Light earlier
If the anti-lock brake system warning
light ever flashes, your anti-lock brake
system is still working but needs service
as soon as possible.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check Gages light
This light will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine. If the light
comes on
and stays on while you are
driving, check your various gages
to see
if they are in the warning zones.
This light will also come on when the
fuel level is low, 1 to 3 gallons (3.8 to
11.4 liters).
103

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine REVERSIBLE LANE ON MULTILANE ROADWAY
Many city roads and expressways, and
even bridges, use reversible-lane traffic
control during rush hours. A red
X light
above
a lane means no driving in that
lane at that time. A green arrow means
you may drive in that lane.
Look for the
signs posted
to warn drivers what hours
and days these systems are in effect.
NO PASSING ZONE
Pavement Markings
Pavement markings add to traffic signs
and signals. They give information to
drivers without taking attention from the roadway.
A solid yellow line on your
side
of the road or lane means Don’t
Cross.
Mur Own Signals
Drivers signal to others, too. It’s not
only more polite, it’s safer
to let other
drivers
know what you are doing. And
in some places the law requires driver
signals.
Turn and Lane Change Signals:
Always signal when you plan to turn or
change lanes.
If necessary,
you can use hand signals
out the window: Left arm straight out for a left
turn, down for slow or about-
to-stop, and up for a right
turn.
Slowing Down: If time allows, tap the
brake pedal once or twice in advance of
slowing or stopping. This warns the
driver behind you.
Disabled: Your four-way flashers signal
that your vehicle is disabled or is a
hazard. See the
Index under Hazard
Warning Flashers.
Traffic Officer
The traffic police officer is also a source
of important information. The officer’s
signals govern, no matter what the
traffic lights or other signs say.
The next section discusses some
of the
road conditions
you may encounter.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your Chevrolet has an advanced
electronic braking system that will help
prevent skidding.
This light
on the instrument panel will
go
on when you start your vehicle.
When you start your vehicle and begin
to drive away you may hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise and
you may even notice that your brake
pedal moves a little while this is going
on. This is the ABS system testing itself.
If you have your foot on the brake pedal,
this check won’t happen
until the vehicle
goes about
4 mph (6 km/h) or until you
take your foot
off the brake pedal. After an
ABS stop,
you may hear a
clicking noise the next time the vehicle
goes about
4 mph (6 km/h).
If there’s a problem
with the anti-lock
brake system, the anti-lock brake system warning light will stay on or flash.
See
the Index under Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say
the road is wet. You’re driving safely.
Suddenly an animal jumps out
in front
You slam
on the brakes. Here’s what
happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are
slowing down. The computer separately
works the brakes at each front wheel
and at the rear wheels.
The anti-lock
system can change the
brake pressure faster than any driver
could. The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road
conditions.
of you.
134

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine While driving on a surface with reduced
traction,
try your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration, or braking
(including engine braking 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.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking
system (ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid. Steer
the way you want to
go.
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. Remember, this is
the most dangerous time.
Don’t drink and drive. (See the index
under Drunken Driving for more on
this problem.)
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to
reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may
need
to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
It’s hard to
tell how fast the vehicle
ahead is going just by looking at its
taillights.
speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
Slow down, especially on higher
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine something between you and moving
vehicles-space, trees, telephone poles,
a private driveway, anything that
removes you from other traffic.
zf visibility is near zero and you must
stop but are unsure whether you are
away from the road, turn your lights on,
start your hazard warning flashers, and
sound your horn at intervals or when
you hear approaching traffic.
Pass other vehicles in fog only if you
can see far enough ahead to pass safely.
Even then, be prepared to delay your
pass if you suspect the
fog is worse up
ahead. If other vehicles try to pass
you,
make it easy for them.
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city
streets is the amount
of traffic on them.
You’ll 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. Try not to drive around
trying to pick out a familiar street or
landmark. 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’ll save
time and energy. (See the next section,
Freeway Driving.)
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.
remember that
they are for ideal road,
weather and visibility conditions. You
may need to drive below the posted
limit
in bad weather or when visibility
is especially poor.
clear
of intersections when you see or
hear emergency vehicles.
Obey all posted speed limits. But
Pull to the right (with care) and stop
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you are moving from an outside to a
center lane on a freeway having more
than two lanes, make sure another vehicle isn’t about to move into the same
spot. Look at the vehicles two lanes
over and watch for telltale signs: turn
signals flashing, an increase in speed, or
moving toward the edge of the lane. Be
prepared
to delay your move.
Once you are moving on the freeway,
make certain you allow a reasonable
following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
Leaving the Freeway
When you want to leave the freeway,
move to the proper lane well in advance.
Dashing across lanes at the last minute
is dangerous. If you
miss your exit do
not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
At each exit point is
a deceleration lane.
Ideally it should be long enough for you
to enter it at freeway speed (after
signaling, of course) and then do your
braking before moving onto the exit
ramp. Unfortunately, not all deceleration
lanes
are long enough-some are too
short for all the braking. Decide when
to start braking. If you must brake on
the through lane, and if there is traffic
close behind you, you can allow a little extra
time and flash your brake lights (in
addition to your turn signal) as extra
warning that you are about to slow
down and 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. For example,
40 mph (65 km/h)
might seem like only
20 mph (30 km/h).
Obviously, this could lead to serious
trouble on a ramp designed for
20 mph
(30 km/h)!
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Torque Lock
(AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE)
If you are parking on a hill and you
don’t shift
your transaxle into P (Park)
properly, the weight of the vehicle may
put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transaxle. You may find it difficult
to pull the
shift lever out of P (Park).
This
is called “torque lock.” To prevent
torque lock, always be sure to shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat.
To find out how, see the
Index under Shiftirtg Into P (Park),
When you are ready to drive, move the
shift lever out
of P (Park) before you
release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need
to have another vehicle push yours a
little uphill to take some
of the pressure
from the transaxle,
so you can pull the
shift lever out
of P (Park).
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Chevrolet in good shape for
winter. Be sure your engine coolant
mix is correct.
Snow tires can help in loose snow, but
they may give you less traction on ice
than regular tires.
If you do not expect
to be driving in deep snow, but may
have to travel over ice,
you may not
want to switch to snow tires at all.
You may want to put winter
emergency supplies in your trunk or
rear area.
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.
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