warning light CHEVROLET CAVALIER 2004 3.G Owner's Manual

Winter Driving
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 seeTires on page 5-46.Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer uid, a rag, some winter
outer clothing, a small shovel, a ashlight, a red
cloth and a couple of reective 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.
4-24

When to Check and What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine
how often you should
check the uid level in your
master cylinder reservoir
and for the proper
uid. SeePart B: Owner
Checks and Services
on page 6-18andPart D:
Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on
page 6-25.
How to Check and Add Fluid
You do not need to check the uid level unless you
suspect a clutch problem. To check the uid level, take
the cap off. If the uid reaches the step inside the
reservoir, the uid level is correct. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 5-12for more
information on location.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs rst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
®extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, seeEngine Overheating on
page 5-23.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to−34°F (−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
5-20

Checking Coolant
The surge tank is located
in the engine compartment
on the passenger’s side
of the vehicle. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more
information on location.
{CAUTION:
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap — even a little — when the engine and
radiator are hot.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the FULL
COLD mark.If the low coolant light
comes on and stays on, it
means you are low on
engine coolant. SeeLow
Coolant Warning Light
on page 3-29.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOL®
coolant mixtureat the surge tank, but only when the
engine is cool. If the surge tank is empty, a special ll
procedure is necessary. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 5-23for instructions on “How to Add Coolant to
the Coolant Surge Tank.”
{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Do not spill coolant on a hot engine.
When replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is
hand-tight.
5-22

Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Notice:If the pressure cap is not tightly installed,
coolant loss and possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly and tightly
secured.
Engine Overheating
You will nd a coolant temperature gage and a low
coolant warning light on your vehicle’s instrument panel.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature Gage on page 3-28
andLow Coolant Warning Light on page 3-29.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn
you badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay
away from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it. Just turn it off and get
everyone away from the vehicle until it cools
down. Wait until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch re. You
or others could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out of the
vehicle until the engine is cool.
Notice:If your engine catches re because you
keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can
be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
5-23

If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
An overheat warning, along with a low coolant light, can
indicate a serious problem. SeeLow Coolant Warning
Light on page 3-29.
If you get an engine overheat warning with no low
coolant light, but see or hear no steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a
little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues and you have not stopped, pull
over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for three minutes while you’re parked. If you still
have the warning,turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicleuntil it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-24

There are only two reasons why the brake uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The rst is that the
brake uid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the uid level goes back up. The other reason is
that uid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system xed, since a leak
means that sooner or later your brakes will not work
well, or will not work at all.
So, it is not a good idea to “top off” your brake uid.
Adding brake uid will not correct a leak. If you add uid
when your linings are worn, then you will have too
much uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake uid, it can spill on
the engine. The uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake uid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-25.
5-33

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specied government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart signicantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specied government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-57

A
Accessory Power Outlets.................................3-15
Adding Washer Fluid.......................................5-32
Additional Program Information........................... 7-8
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-6
Add-On Electrical Equipment............................5-80
Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade)....................3-38, 3-40, 3-45, 3-55
Air Bag
Readiness Light..........................................3-23
Air Bag Systems.............................................1-47
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?....................1-54
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.........1-56
What Makes an Air Bag Inate?....................1-53
What Will You See After an
Air Bag Inates?......................................1-54
When Should an Air Bag Inate?...................1-52
Where Are the Air Bags?..............................1-50
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-17
Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM)...... 7-9
AM ...............................................................3-67
AM-FM Radio.................................................3-36
Antenna, Fixed Mast.......................................3-68Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio
Antenna System..........................................3-68
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)............................ 4-6
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light..............3-26
Appearance Care............................................5-72
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-75
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-78
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle................5-73
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-75
Finish Damage............................................5-77
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-77
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-78
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-78
Weatherstrips..............................................5-75
Arming the System.........................................2-14
Ashtrays........................................................3-16
Audio System(s).............................................3-35
AM-FM Radio.............................................3-36
Care of Your CD Player...............................3-68
Care of Your CDs........................................3-68
Chime Level Adjustment...............................3-68
Fixed Mast Antenna.....................................3-68
Personal Choice Radio Controls....................3-66
1

Audio System(s) (cont.)
Radio with CD............................3-39, 3-43, 3-52
Setting the Time for Radios with
Radio Data Systems (RDS).......................3-36
Setting the Time for Radios without
Radio Data Systems (RDS).......................3-35
Theft-Deterrent Feature................................3-67
Understanding Radio Reception.....................3-67
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System............3-68
Automatic Transaxle........................................2-18
Fluid..........................................................5-19
Operation...................................................2-20
Automatic Transaxle Inspection.........................6-19
Automatic Transaxle Shift Lock Control
System Check.............................................6-21
B
Backing Up....................................................4-41
Battery..........................................................5-36
Battery Replacement......................................... 2-6
Battery Run-Down Protection............................3-15
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.........................4-21
Body Lubrication Service..................................6-19
Brake
Parking......................................................2-25Brake (cont.)
System Inspection.......................................6-24
System Warning Light..................................3-25
Brake Fluid....................................................5-32
Brake Wear...................................................5-34
Brakes..........................................................5-32
Braking........................................................... 4-5
Braking in Emergencies..................................... 4-7
Break-In, New Vehicle.....................................2-16
Bulb Replacement...........................................5-41
Back-Up Lamps...........................................5-44
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps.............5-43
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-41
Headlamps.................................................5-41
Replacement Bulbs......................................5-44
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps..................5-44
Buying New Tires...........................................5-56C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-5
Caliper/Knuckle Maintenance Inspection.............6-24
Canada – Customer Assistance.......................... 7-4
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance........................... 7-7
Canceling the Rear Door Security Lock............... 2-9
Capacities and Specications............................5-85
Carbon Monoxide...........2-10, 2-28, 4-24, 4-37, 4-43
2

Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-75
Your CD Player...........................................3-68
Your CDs ...................................................3-68
Cassette Tape Player Service...........................6-18
CD Messages................................3-42, 3-51, 3-66
Center Console Storage Area...........................2-34
Chains, Tires..................................................5-60
Charging System Light....................................3-24
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-29
Gages Warning Light...................................3-33
Check Engine Light.........................................3-29
Checking Coolant............................................5-22
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-13
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-10
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-78
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-34
Infants and Young Children...........................1-31
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-40
Older Children.............................................1-29
Securing a Child Restraint Designed
for the LATCH System..............................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position...........................................1-42Child Restraints (cont.)
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position..........................1-44
Top Strap...................................................1-38
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-39
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-37
Chime Level Adjustment..................................3-68
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-16
Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-73
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-75
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-78
Weatherstrips..............................................5-75
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels.....5-77
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.......................5-76
Cleaning Fabric/Carpet....................................5-73
Cleaning Glass Surfaces..................................5-75
Cleaning Interior Plastic Components.................5-74
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel...........5-74
Cleaning Tires................................................5-77
Cleaning Vinyl................................................5-74
Cleaning Windshield and Wiper Blades..............5-76
Climate Control System...................................3-16
Outlet Adjustment........................................3-19
Clutch, Hydraulic.............................................5-19
Compact Spare Tire........................................5-72
Content Theft-Deferrent....................................2-14
3