Maintain CHEVROLET OPTRA 5 2007 1.G Owners Manual

{CAUTION:
Both frontal and side impact airbags
inate with great force, faster than the
blink of an eye. If you are too close to an
inating airbag, as you would be if you
were leaning forward, it could seriously
injure you. Safety belts help keep you in
position for airbag ination before and
during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with frontal airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible while
still maintaining control of the vehicle.
Front occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door.
{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close
to, any airbag when it inates can be
seriously injured or killed. Airbags plus
lap-shoulder belts offer the best
protection for adults, but not for young
children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s
safety belt system nor its airbag system is
designed for them. Young children and
infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide. Always
secure children properly in your vehicle.
To read how, seeOlder Children on
page 38orInfants and Young Children on
page 41.
68

Hold Mode
If your vehicle’s transaxle has a hold mode, select
this mode to drive with some characteristics of a
manual transaxle. With hold mode turned on, the
automatic transaxle stays in a specific gear range.
Press the HOLD button
on the shift lever console
to turn on hold mode.
Press the button again to turn off hold mode, and
return to normal automatic transaxle operation.
While on, the HOLD indicator light on the
instrument panel cluster will light up. SeeHold
Mode Light on page 170.When hold mode is activated, the transaxle
operates in the following ways:•When the transaxle is in AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D), the transaxle operates in a
gear range of SECOND (2) to THIRD (3)
to AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) and tries to
maintain AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D)
for as long as possible.
•When the transaxle is in THIRD (3), the
transaxle operates in a gear range of
SECOND (2) to THIRD (3) and tries to
maintain THIRD (3) for as long as possible.
•When the transaxle is in SECOND (2),
the transaxle is fixed in that gear.
•When the transaxle is in FIRST (1), the
transaxle is fixed in that gear.
113

Hold Mode Functions
Winter Function
Select hold mode while in AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D), THIRD (3) or SECOND (2) to
help the vehicle maintain traction on slippery road
surfaces, such as snow, mud, or ice.
Manually Controlling Shift
Select hold mode to use your automatic transaxle
like a four-speed manual transaxle.
Manual Transaxle Operation
Five-Speed
This is the shift pattern
for a Five-Speed
transaxle.Here is how to operate a manual transaxle:
FIRST (1):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal
as you press the accelerator pedal.
Shift into FIRST (1) while you are going less than
20 mph (32 km/h). If you have come to a
complete stop and it is hard to shift into FIRST (1),
put the shift lever in NEUTRAL and let up on
the clutch. Press the clutch pedal back down. Then
shift into FIRST (1).
SECOND (2):Press the clutch pedal as you let
up on the accelerator pedal and shift into
SECOND (2). Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator pedal.
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5):Shift into
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5), the same
way you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the
clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press
the brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops,
press the clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and
shift to NEUTRAL.
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Rear Window Wiper/Washer
(Hatchback and Wagon only)
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your
washer until the windshield is warmed.
Otherwise the washer uid can form ice
on the windshield, blocking your vision.
Your vehicle has a rear window washer/wiper.
Operate the rear window washer/ wiper system
by pushing the windshield wiper/washer lever away
from you.
The wiper operates continuously when the lever is
in the first position. In some vehicle models, the
wiper operates intermittently.
Washer fluid sprays onto the rear window and the
wiper operates continuously when the lever is
pushed to the second position.
Cruise Control
If your vehicle has cruise control, you can maintain
a speed of about 24 mph (39 km/h) or more
without keeping your foot on the accelerator.
This can really help on long trips. Cruise control
does not work at speeds below 24 mph (39 km/h).
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where
you cannot drive safely at a steady speed.
So, do not use your cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
excessive wheel slip, and you could lose
control. Do not use cruise control on
slippery roads.
145

Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills
depends upon your speed, load and the steepness
of the hills. When going up steep hills, you may
have to step on the accelerator pedal to maintain
your speed. When going downhill, you may
have to brake or shift to a lower gear to keep your
speed down. Applying the brake pedal will turn
off the cruise control. Many drivers find this to be
too much trouble and do not use cruise control
on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
•Step lightly on the brake pedal, or press
the clutch pedal, if you have a manual
transaxle.
•Press the ON/OFF button on the cruise
control pad.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory can be
erased by turning off the cruise control or
the ignition.
Exterior Lamps
The lever on the left side of the steering column
operates the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp band has three positions:
2(Headlamps):Turn the band to this position
to turn on the headlamps, together with the
following:
•Taillamps
•License Plate Lamp
•Instrument Panel Lights
The headlamps will turn off automatically when the
ignition switch is turned to LOCK or ACC.
Uplevel shown, Base similar
148

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 your 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 firmly and let anti-lock work for you.
You may feel a slight brake pedal pulsation
or notice some noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a
situation that requires hard braking.
If you have ABS, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you do not have ABS, your
first reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and
hold it down — may be the wrong thing to do.Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the
vehicle cannot respond to your steering.
Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was
headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That
could be off the road, into the very thing you were
trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking
while maintaining steering control. You can do this
by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily
increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to
squeeze the brakes hard without locking the
wheels. If you hear or feel the wheels sliding,
ease off the brake pedal. This will help you
retain steering control. If you do have ABS, it is
different. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
on page 211.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
213

What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up
on the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the
vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you
should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted
speeds are based on good weather and road
conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will
want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while
your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through
the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed.
Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 249.Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more
effective than braking. For example, you come
over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane, or
a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a
child darts out from between parked cars and
stops right in front of you. You can avoid these
problems by braking — if you can stop in time.
But sometimes you cannot; there is not room.
That is the time for evasive action — steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes — but, unless
you have anti-lock brakes, not enough to lock your
wheels.
SeeBraking on page 210. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can from a possible collision.
Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.
215

Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then
use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly
over your shoulder to make sure there is not
another vehicle in your blind spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make
certain you allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your
exit, do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next 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.Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested.
If you must start when you are not fresh — such as
after a day’s work — do not plan to make too
many miles that first part of the journey. Wear
comfortable clothing and shoes you can easily
drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it
needs service, have it done before starting
out. Of course, you will find experienced and able
service experts in GM dealerships all across
North America. They will be ready and willing to
help if you need it.
227

Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your
vehicle can affect the airflow around it. This may
cause wind noise and affect windshield washer
performance. Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part
of the proper maintenance of your vehicle.
To help keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, GM recommends
the use of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is
less than 87, you may notice an audible knocking
noise when you drive, commonly referred to as
spark knock. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher as soon as possible. If you are
using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and you
hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specification D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). General Motors recommends against the
use of gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives
on page 252for additional information.
251

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{CAUTION:
Never ll a portable fuel container while
it is in your vehicle. Static electricity
discharge from the container can ignite the
gasoline vapor. You can be badly burned
and your vehicle damaged if this occurs.
To help avoid injury to you and others:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
Do not ll a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup
bed, or on any surface other than the
ground.
Bring the ll nozzle in contact with
the inside of the ll opening before
operating the nozzle. Contact should
be maintained until the lling is
complete.
Do not smoke while pumping gasoline.
Do not use a cellular phone while
pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine
parts and start a re. These include
liquids like fuel, oil, coolant, brake uid,
windshield washer and other uids, and
plastic or rubber. You or others could be
burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
256