service CHEVROLET CAVALIER 1996 3.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer.
See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on
this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine
oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered
in this manual, and the Index will
help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good
idea to review these sections before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Towing A Trailer (Except Models
with 2.4L Engine and 4-Speed
Automatic Transaxle)
Do not tow a trailer with a Cavalier if your vehicle is:
0 a convertible model.
equipped with a 2.2L (Code 4) engine.
equipped with a manual transaxle or a three-speed
Your Cavalier is neither designed nor intended to
tow
a trailer.
automatic transaxle.
4-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~ Don’t let
the other end touch anything until the next
step. The other end of the negative cable doesn’t go to
the dead battery. It goes to a heavy unpainted metal
part
~ on the engine of the vehicle with the dead battery.
10. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection
is just as good
there, but the chance of sparks getting back to the
battery is much less.
11. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. ‘If it
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
the
engine for a while.
won’t
start after a few tries, it probably needs service.
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
5-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing service
tow your vehicle. They can provide the right equipment
and know how to tow your vehicle without damage.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed with sling-type
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed from the rear with
0 That your vehicle has front-wheel drive. equipment.
the front wheels on the ground.
0 The
make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged. When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing instructions
and illustrations. The operator may want to see them.
To help avoid injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not being towed.
fully secured.
CAUTION: (Continued)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -- IO Iontinut I I
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
When
your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key OFF. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed
for towing service. Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be
in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
A CAUTION:
I
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t
use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
5-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning 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 overhear warn J wlm no sign of steam,
try this for a. minute or
so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D)
or THIRD (3) for automatic transaxles.
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, pull over, stop,
and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no slgn of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn ofthe engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
2.2L
Engine
5-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The coolant level should be at the FULL COLD line. If
it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water pump
or somewhere else in the
cooling system.
’ A C * UTION:
-- I
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
r
~~ ~
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fan is running.
If the engine is
overheating, the fan should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your
Chevrolet. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then it shows how
to check important
fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical
information about your vehicle, and a part devoted to its
appearance care.
Service
Your Chevrolet dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your dealer
for all your service needs. You’ll get genuine GM parts
and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope
you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one
of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want .to get the proper Chevrolet Service Manual. It tells
you much more about how
to service your Chevrolet than
this manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications”
in the Index.
Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
do your
own service work, see “Servicing Your Air-Bag
Equipped Chevrolet”
in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
V
Delco
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
0 Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
0 Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break or fall off.
You could be hurt.
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher.
At a
minimum, it should meet specifications ASTM D4814
in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93 in Canada.
Improved gasoline specifications have been developed by
the American Automobile Manufacturers Association
(AAMA) for better vehicle performance and engine ,
protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA specification could provide improved driveability and emission control
system protection compared to other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane is at least 87.
If the octane is
less than 87, you may get
a heavy knocking noise when
you drive.
If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at
87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry
if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels
are not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but ‘emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may
turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test.
If this occurs, return to your
authorized Chevrolet dealer for diagnosis to determine
the cause of failure.
In the event it is determined that the;
cause of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
6-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called
MMT. If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on.
If this happens, return to your
authorized Chevrolet dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system, allowing your
emission control system to function properly. Therefore,
you should not have to add anything to the fuel. In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers
and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that you use these gasolines if they
c~ lply with the specifications described earlier.
7- I
I NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and
also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to
find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use of improper fuel wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation,
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
LlH 8P7
6-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As shown in the chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your
vehicle. However, you can use SAE 1OW-30 if it’s going
to be
0°F (-18OC) or above. These numbers on an oil
container show its viscosity, or thickness.
Do not use
other viscosity oils, such as
SAE 2OW-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
46Starburst” symbol. Failure to
use the
recommended oil can result in engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your Chevrolet dealer is
ready to advise if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
0
0
0
0
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most
trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips
are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one
of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none
of them is true, change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving
a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
6-14