stop start CHEVROLET COBALT 2008 1.G User Guide

This light comes on, as a check to show it is working,
when the ignition is turned ON/RUN but the engine is not
running. If the light does not come on, have it repaired.
This light also comes on during a malfunction in
one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Diagnosis and service might be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following can prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the ignition off, wait at least 10 seconds, and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the
Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still ashing,
follow the previous steps and see your dealer/retailer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You might be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your vehicle’s electrical system might be wet.
The condition is usually corrected when the electrical
system dries out. A few driving trips should turn the
light off.
3-36

COOLING MODE ON
This message may display on some vehicles. Under
severe conditions, hot ambient temperatures, steep
grades, and towing, your vehicle may experience more
transmission shifting. This is temporary and normal
under these conditions. This does not require engine or
transmission service.
CRUISE ENGAGED
This message displays when the cruise control system
is active. SeeCruise Control on page 3-10for more
information.
DOOR AJAR
This message displays if one or more of the vehicle’s
doors are not closed properly. Make sure that the
door(s) are closed completely.
ENGINE DISABLED
This message displays if the starting of the engine
is disabled. Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer immediately.
ENG (Engine) PWR (Power) REDUCED
This message displays to inform you that the vehicle
has reduced engine power to avoid damaging the
engine. Reduced engine power can affect the vehicle’s
ability to accelerate. If this message is on, but there
is no reduction in performance, proceed to your
destination. The performance may be reduced the next
time the vehicle is driven. The vehicle may be driven
at a reduced speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be reduced. Anytime this
message stays on, the vehicle should be taken to
your dealer/retailer for service as soon as possible.
ESC (Electronic Stability Control) ACTIVE
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
this message displays and the ESC/TCS light on
the instrument panel cluster ashes when ESC is
assisting you with directional control of the vehicle.
You may feel or hear the system working and see this
message displayed in the DIC. Slippery road conditions
may exist when this message is displayed, so adjust
your driving accordingly. This message may stay on for
a few seconds after ESC stops assisting you with
directional control of the vehicle. This is normal when
the system is operating. SeeElectronic Stability Control
(ESC) on page 4-10andElectronic Stability Control
(ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS) Indicator/Warning
Light on page 3-33for more information.
3-44

ESC (Electronic Stability Control) NOT
READY
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
this message may display briey after starting the
vehicle if the system’s sensors are not yet calibrated.
The system is not functional until the message stops
displaying. Adjust your driving accordingly. When the
message is no longer displayed, the system is
functional. SeeElectronic Stability Control (ESC) on
page 4-10for more information.
ESC (Electronic Stability Control) OFF
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
this message displays and the ESC/TCS light on
the instrument panel cluster comes on solid when
ESC is turned off. Adjust your driving accordingly.
SeeElectronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-10and
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Indicator/Warning Light on page 3-33for
more information.
ICE POSSIBLE
This message displays when the outside air temperature
is cold enough to create icy road conditions. Adjust
your driving accordingly.
KEY FOB BATT (Battery) LOW
This message displays if the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter battery is low. Replace the battery in
the transmitter. See “Battery Replacement” under
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation on
page 2-5.
LEARN COMPLETE
On vehicles without the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
system, this message displays when the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS) has completed the tire
learning process. SeeTire Pressure Monitor System on
page 5-57for more information.
LOW FUEL
This message displays when your vehicle is low on fuel.
Rell the fuel tank as soon as possible. SeeFuel Gage
on page 3-39,Fuel on page 5-5, andFilling the Tank
on page 5-8for more information.
3-45

Radio Messages for XM Only
SeeXM Radio Messages on page 3-74later in this
section for further detail.
Playing a CD (Single CD Player)
Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up.
The player pulls it in and the CD should begin playing.
Playing a CD(s) (Six-Disc CD Player)
LOAD^:Press this button to load CDs into the CD
player. This CD player holds up to six CDs.
To insert one CD, do the following:
1. Press and release the
^button.
2. Wait for the message to insert the disc.
3. Load a CD. Insert the CD partway into the slot,
label side up. The player pulls the CD in.To insert multiple CDs, do the following:
1. Press and hold the
^button for two seconds.
A beep sounds and Load All Discs displays.
2. Follow the displayed instruction on when to insert
the discs. The CD player takes up to six CDs.
3. Press the
^button again to cancel loading
more CDs.
If the ignition or radio is turned off, with a CD in the
player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio
is turned on, the CD starts playing where it stopped,
if it was the last selected audio source.
When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol displays on
the CD. As each new track starts to play, the track
number displays.
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.
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File System and Naming
The song name that displays is the song name that is
contained in the ID3 tag. If the song name is not present
in the ID3 tag, then the radio displays the le name
without the extension (such as .mp3) as the track name.
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 lename does not display.
Preprogrammed Playlists
Preprogrammed playlists that were created using
WinAmp™, MusicMatch™, or Real Jukebox™ software,
can be accessed, however, they cannot be edited
using the radio. These playlists are treated as special
folders containing compressed audio song les.
Playing an MP3
Insert a CD-R or CD-RW partway into the slot (Single
CD Player), or press the load button and wait for
the message to insert disc (Six-Disc CD Player), label
side up. The player pulls it in, and the CD-R or CD-RW
should begin playing.
If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD-R or CD-RW
in the player, it stays in the player. When the ignition or
radio is turned on, the CD-R starts to play where it
stopped, if it was the last selected audio source.As each new track starts to play, the track number and
song title displays.
ZEJECT:Press this button to eject CD-R(s) or
CD-RW(s). To eject the CD-R or CD-RW that is currently
playing, press and release this button. A beep sounds
and Ejecting Disc displays. Once the disc is ejected,
Remove Disc displays. The CD-R or CD-RW can
be removed. If the CD-R or CD-RW is not removed,
after several seconds, the CD-R or CD-RW
automatically pulls back into the player and begins
playing. For the Six-Disc CD player, press and hold this
button for two seconds to eject all discs.
f(Tune):Turn this knob to select MP3 les on the
CD-R or CD-RW currently playing.
©SEEK¨:Press the left SEEK arrow to go to the
start of the current MP3 le, if more than ten seconds
have played. Press the right SEEK arrow to go to
the next MP3 le. If either SEEK arrow is held or
pressed multiple times, the player continues moving
backward or forward through MP3 les on the CD.
Sc(Previous Folder):Press the pushbutton
positioned under the Folder label to go to the rst track
in the previous folder.
cT(Next Folder):Press the pushbutton positioned
under the Folder label to go to the rst track in the
next folder.
3-72

Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-31.
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.
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 might not have time to cool
between hard stops. The brakes will wear out much fasterif 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 could 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 can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
and the 2.0L turbocharged engine, it also has a
hydraulic brake boost feature which supplements the
power brake system to maintain consistent brake
performance under conditions of low brake booster
vacuum. Low brake booster vacuum conditions
can include initial start up after the vehicle has been
parked for several hours, very frequent brake stops, or
high altitude driving. When hydraulic brake boost is
active, you might feel minor brake pulsation or
movement but this is normal. If brake pedal feel changes
or the brake pedal feels hard to push, you might not
be receiving the intended brake boost and the SVC
BRAKE SYSTEM DIC message may be displayed.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
4-4

Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle might have the Antilock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that will
help prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has ABS,
this warning light on the
instrument panel will come
on briey when you
start your vehicle.
When you start the engine, or when you begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You might hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is
going on, and you might even notice that the brake
pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
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.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.
As you brake, the 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 the 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 rmly and let antilock work for you. You might feel
a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
4-5

The ESC/TCS button is
located on the instrument
panel.
The traction control system can be turned off or back on
by pressing the ESC/TCS button. To disable both
traction control and ESC, press and hold the button from
ve to ten seconds.
When the ESC system is turned off, the TRACTION
OFF and ESC OFF messages appear, and the
ESC/TCS light comes on to warn the driver that both
traction control and ESC are disabled.
It is recommended that the system remain on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the
system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or
snow, and you want to “rock” your vehicle to attempt to
free it. It may also be necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road conditions where high
wheel spin is required. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in
Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 4-26.ESC may also turn off automatically if it determines that
a problem exists with the system. The ESC OFF and
SERVICE ESC messages and the ESC/TCS light comes
on to warn the driver that ESC is disabled and requires
service. If the problem does not clear after restarting the
vehicle, see your dealer/retailer for service. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-43for more
information.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3for more information.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
If the engine stalls while you are driving, the power
steering assist system will continue to operate until you
are able to stop your vehicle. If you lose power steering
assist because the electric power steering system is not
functioning, you can steer, but it will take more effort.
If you turn the steering wheel in either direction several
times until it stops, or hold the steering wheel in the
stopped position for an extended amount of time, you
may notice a reduced amount of power steering assist.
The normal amount of power steering assist should return
shortly after a few normal steering movements.
4-12

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, the 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 is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS)
or the Enhanced Traction System (ETS), remember:
It helps to avoid only the acceleration skid. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-6orEnhanced
Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9. If you do not have
TCS or ETS, or if the system is off, then an acceleration
skid is also best handled by easing your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
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.If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC),
the ESC might activate. SeeElectronic Stability Control
(ESC) on page 4-10.
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 Antilock 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.
4-16

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal asher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your dealer/retailer. The arrows on your instrument
panel will ash whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
ash, telling other drivers you are about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Notice:Do not tow on steep continuous grades
exceeding 6 miles (9.6 km). Extended, higher
than normal engine and transmission temperatures
may result and damage your vehicle. Frequent
stops are very important to allow the engine and
transmission to cool.
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you do not shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
Pay attention to the engine coolant gage. If the indicator
is in the red area, turn off the air conditioning to reduce
engine load. SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-23.
When towing under severe conditions such as hot
ambient temperatures or steep grades, your vehicle may
experience more transmission shifting. A COOLING
MODE ON message may also appear in the DIC.
This alerts the driver that the shifting mode is in progress
and is aiding engine cooling. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-43for more information.
4-39