warning light CHEVROLET CAVALIER 1994 1.G User Guide

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II
I CHECK
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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.
m
9rake Sysfem Warning Light
tour Chevrolet’s hydraulic brake
;ystem is divided into two parts. If one
)art isn’t working, the other part can
;till work and stop you. For good
)raking, though, you need both parts
vorlting well.
[f the warning light comes on, there
zould be a brake problem. Have your
brake system inspected right away.
rhis 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.
[f the light comes on while you are
jriving, pull off the road and stop
zarefully.
You may notice that the pedal
.s harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer
to the floor. It may take longer to
stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See
Towing
Your Vehicle in the Index.)
The brake system warning light will also
come
on when you set your parking
brake, and it 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 have a brake
problem.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With anti-lock, this light will come on
when you start your engine and it will
stay on for three seconds. That’s
normal.
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, turn the ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on and stays
on when you’re driving, stop as soon
as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then
start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving,
your Chevrolet needs service.
If the
regular brake system warning light isn’t
on,
you still have brakes, but you don’t
have anti-lock brakes. If
the regular brake system warning
light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock
brakes and there’s a problem with your
regular brakes. See
Brake System
Warning Light
earlier in this part. 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.
I SHIFT
Shift Light (MANUAL TRANSAXLE)
This light comes on when you need to
shift to the next higher gear. See the
Index under Manual Transaxle.

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CHECK ’
OAGES
NOLANT J

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Check Gages Light
This light will come on briefly when yo1
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
liters)
Oil Warning Light (2.2~ ~4 ENGINE)
If you have a low engine oil pressure
Iroblem, this light will stay on after yob
start your engine, or come on when you
ue driving. This indicates that your
mgine is not receiving enough oil. The
mgine could be low on
oil, or could haw
some other oil problem. Have it fixed
immediately.
The oil light could
also come on in two
other situations:
When the ignition is on but the engin
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’l
come on with the ignition on, you
may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have it fixed right away.
If you make a hard stop, the light may
come on for a moment.
This is normal.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from
neglected oil problems can be costly and is not covered by your
warranty.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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 there’s a problem with
the anti-lock brake system, the anti-lock
brake system warning light will stay on
or flash.
See
Anti-lock Brake System Warning
Light
in the Index.
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say
the road is wet. You’re driving safely.
Suddenly
an animal jumps out in front
of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what
happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are
slowing down.
If one of the wheels is
about to stop rolling, the computer wil
separately work the brakes at each fro]
wheel and at the rear wheels.
The anti-lock system can change the
brake pressure faster than any driver
1
nt
could.*The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road
conditions.
L-
You can steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change
the time you need to get your foot up to
the brake pedal. If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you won’t
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 anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down and let anti-lock
work for you. You may feel the system
working, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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. flow. Try
to merge into the gap at close
to the prevailing speed. Switch on your
Freeway Driving ~
Mile for mile, freeways (also called
thruways, parkways, expressways,
turnpikes, or superhighways) are the
safest of all roads. But they have their
own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway
driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep
to the right. Drive at the same speed
most of the other drivers are driving.
Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a
smooth traffic flow. Treat the left lane
on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance there is usually a ramp
that leads to the freeway. If you have a
clear view of the freeway as you &ive
along the entrance ramp, you should
begin to check traffic. Try to determine
where you expect to blend with the turn
signal, check your mirrors and
glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with
the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust
your speed to the posted limit or to the
prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay in the
right lane unless
you want to pass.
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 isn’t 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.
.Irn I20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4 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.
You may want to put winter
emergency supplies in your trunk.
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.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places wnere
your tires meet the road probably have
good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice
between your tires and the road, you
can have a very slippery situation.
You’ll have a lot less traction or “grip”
and will need to be very careful.
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet
ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be slick
and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be
even more trouble because it may offer
the least traction of all. You can get
“wet ice” when it’s about freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to
fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until
salt and sand crews can get there.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Problems on the Road
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you
warn others. They also let police know
you have a problem. Your front and rear
turn signal lights will flash on and
off.
Move the switch to the right to male
your front and rear turn signal lights
flash on and
off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no
matter what position your key
is in, and
even if the key isn’t
in.
To turn off the flashers, move the
switch to the left.
When the hazard warning flashers are
on, your turn signals won’t work.
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.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may
want to use another vehicle and some
jumper cables to start your Chevrolet.
But please follow the steps below to do
it safely.

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Engine Oil
If the oil warning light on the
instrument panel comes on, it means
you need to check your engine oil level
right away. For more information, see
Engine Oil Warning Light in the Index.
You should check your engine oil level
regularly; this is an added reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil
every time you get fuel. In order to get
an accurate reading, the oil must be
warm and the vehicle must be on level
ground.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil a
few minutes to drain back into the oil
pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick might
not show the actual level.
To Check Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a
paper towel or cloth, then push it back
in all the way. Remove it again, keeping
the tip lower, and check the level.
2.2L L4: Checking Engine Oil
3.1 L V6: Checking Engine Oil
When to Add Oi/
If the oil is at or below the ADD line,
then you’ll need to add some oil. But
you must use the right kind. This
section explains what kind of oil to use.
For crankcase capacity, see
Capacities
and Specifications
in the Index.
NOTICE:
Don’t add too much oil. If your
engine has
so much oil that the oil
level gets above the cross-hatched
area that shows the proper
operating range, your engine could
be damaged.
Just
fill it enough to put the level
somewhere in the proper operating
range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when you’re through.

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170
I Hydraulic Clutch
The hydraulic clutch
in your vehicle is
self-adjusting. The clutch master
cylinder reservoir is filled with hydraulic
clutch fluid.
It isn’t
a good idea to “top off” your
clutch fluid. Adding fluid won’t correct
a leak.
A fluid loss in this system could
indicate a problem. Have the system
inspected and repaired.
When to Check and What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine how often
you should check
the fluid level in your clutch master
cylinder reservoir and for the proper fluid. See
Owner Checks and
Services
and Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
in the Index.
How to Check
You do not need to check the fluid level
unless you suspect a clutch problem.
To
check the fluid level, take the cap off. If
the fluid reaches the step inside the
reservoir, the fluid level is correct.
I Engine Coolunt
The following explains your cooling
system and how
to add coolant when it
is low.
If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see
Engine
Overheating
in the Index.
The proper coolant for your Chevrolet will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F
Give boiling protection up to 262°F
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine
Let the warning lights work as they
(-37°C).
(128°C).
temperature.
should.
What to Use
Use a mixture
of one-half clean water
(preferably distilled) and one-half
antifreeze that meets “GM Specification
1825-M,” which won’t damage aluminum
parts. You can also use a recycled
coolant conforming to GM Specification
1825-M with
a complete coolant flush
and refill. If you use this mixture, you
don’t need to add anything else.

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NOTICE:
When using concentrated washer
fluid, follow the manufacturer’s
instructions for adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-
use washer fluid. Water can cause
the solution to freeze and damage
your washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system. Also,
water doesn’t clean as well
as
washer fluid.
Fill your washer fluid tank only %
full when it’s very cold. This
allows for expansion, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Don’t use radiator antifreeze in
your windshield washer. It can
damage your washer system and
paint.
I Brakes
Brake Master Cylinder
Your brake master cylinder is here. It is
filled with DOT-3 brake fluid.
There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in your master cylinder
might go down. The first is that the
brake fluid goes down to an acceptable
level during normal brake lining wear.
When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason is
that fluid is leaking out of the brake
system.
If it is, you should have your
brake system fixed, since a leak means
that sooner or later your brakes won’t
work well,
or won’t work at all. So, it
isn’t a good idea to “top off” your brake fluid. Adding brake fluid won’t correct a
leak.
If you add fluid when your linings
are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when
you get new brake linings.
You should add (or remove) brake
fluid, as necessary, only when work
is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls
to a low
level, your brake warning light will
come on. See
Brake System Warning
Light in the Index.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only
DOT-3 brake fluid
- such as Delco
Supreme
11@ (GM Part No.1052535).