steering CHEVROLET CLASSIC 2004 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.
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{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.
When Should an Air Bag Inate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level”.
If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn’t
move or deform, the threshold level is about 9 to 14 mph
(14 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 air bag is not designed to inflate in
rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side 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.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact
and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal and
near-frontal impacts.
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. 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 inside the steering wheel and in the instrument
panel in front of the right front passenger.
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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. Air bags supplement 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 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 those air
bags. 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.
What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inates?
After an 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 — the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s air bag or the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s bag — will be hot for a
short time. 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, the bag
may not work properly. You may have to replace the
air bag module in the steering wheel or both the
air bag module and the instrument panel for
the right front passenger’s air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
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Storage Areas
Glove Box
To open, pull the handle to the left and pull the glove
box door down until it stops and is fully open.
Cupholder(s)
The instrument panel cupholder is located to the left of
the steering wheel. To use it, pull it out until the
rubber insert is seen.
The center console provides space for holding a cup or
soft drink container. The cupholder is located at the
rear of the shift lever.
Pull down the door on the rear of the center console to
use the rear seat cupholders.
Center Console Storage Area
The center console has two separate storage areas.
The upper compartment, which is also the armrest, can
be used to store maps, gloves, etc. To open, pull up
on the driver’s side of the lid.
The lower area can be used to store cassette tapes or
compact discs. To open the lower compartment,
pull up on the armrest.
Garment Hooks
Pull down on the outer ring
to use the garment hook.
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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
You can sound the horn by pressing the horn symbol on
your steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt wheel 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
your vehicle.The lever that allows you to tilt the steering wheel is
located on the left side of the steering column.
To tilt the wheel, hold the wheel and pull the lever
toward you. Then move the wheel to a comfortable
position and release the lever to lock the wheel in place.
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Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
•Turn and Lane-Change Signals
•Headlamp Switches including Headlamp
High/Low-Beam Changer
•Flash-to-Pass
For information on the exterior lamps, seeExterior
Lamps on page 3-13later in this section.
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.
A warning chime signal will come on if you have left
your turn signal on for more than 3/4 mile (1 km).
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows flash
rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out and other drivers
won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t 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 5-90.
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Headlamps
The lever on the left side of the steering column
operates the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp switch has three positions:
<(Parking Lamps):Turn the switch to this position to
turn on the parking lamps, together with the following:
•Sidemarker Lamps
•Taillamps
•License Plate Lamps
•Instrument Panel Lights
3(Headlamps):Turn the switch to this position to
turn on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
AUTO:Turn the exterior lamps control to AUTO to
provide for automatic operation of the headlamps,
taillamps and parking lamps. For more information see
“Automatic Headlamp System” later in this section.
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, a light on the
instrument panel cluster
also will be on if the
ignition is in ON.
To change the headlamps from high beam to low beam,
pull the turn signal lever toward you.
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Headlamps On Reminder
If you open the driver’s door and turn off the ignition
while leaving the lamps on, you will hear a warning
chime.
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.
Windshield Wiper Lever
Use this lever located on the right side of the steering
wheel to operate the windshield wipers.
OFF:Move the lever to OFF to turn off the windshield
wipers.
INT (Intermittent):Move the lever to INT to choose a
delayed wiping cycle. Turn the INT ADJ (Intermittent
Adjust) band down for a longer delay or up for a shorter
delay. The wiper speed can only be adjusted when
the lever is in the INT position.
3-8

The cruise control buttons are located on the steering
wheel for your convenience.
1. Press OFF/ON to turn cruise control on. The
indicator light on the button will come on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press the SET DECEL (Decelerate) button and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts
off the cruise control. But you don’t need to reset
it. Once you’re going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can press the cruise control ACCEL (Accelerate)
RESUME button briefly. You’ll go right back up to your
chosen speed and stay there.
If you press the ACCEL RESUME button briefly, the
vehicle will keep going faster until you release the switch
or apply the brake. So unless you want to go faster,
don’t hold down the ACCEL RESUME button.
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