light CHEVROLET CAVALIER 1996 3.G Workshop Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause
a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your Chevrolet, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) or a manual
transaxle in
NEUTRAL (N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter.
Turn off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. In addition, it could save your ra&o.
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
5-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
’
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be
sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need
to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care
of that first. If you don’t, explosive gas could
be
present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you.
Don’t get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
6. Check that ,the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation.
If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to
positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to negative (-)
or a metal engine part. Don’t connect positive (+) to
negative
(-) or you’ll get a short that would damage
the battery and maybe other parts, too.
a JTION: I
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once
the engines are running.
5-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a
low coolant warning light on your Chevrolet’s
instrument panel. Steam
from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you
see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine
is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine
if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
5-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re
stuck, but
you
rr t use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat.
That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 kdh) as shown
on the speedometer.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth,
you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking your, vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear (or
with a manual transaxle, between
mRST (1) or
SECOND
(2) and REVERSE (R)), spinning the wheels
as little as possible. (If your vehicle has the Enhanced
Traction System, shift back and forth between
REVERSE
(R) and FIRST (1) or SECOND (2),
spinning the wheels as little as possible.) Release the
,accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
5-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Oil
CHECK
OIL
If the CHECK OIL light on
the instrument panel comes
on, it means you need to
check your engine oil level
right away.
For more
information,
see “Check Oil
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.
Check the
oil here if you
have a 2.2L engine. Check the
oil here if you have a
2.4L engine, the
dipstick’s handle will be a yellow ring.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, silicate-free) engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to remain in your
vehicle for
5 years or 100,000 miles ( 166 000 km),
whichever occurs first.
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.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your Chevrolet will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37OC).
e Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (129°C).
0 Protect against rust and corrosion.
e Help keep the proper engine temperature.
e Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
6-22

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
the
FULL COLD mark.
If this light comes on, it
means you’re low on engine
coolant.
See “Low Coolant Light” in
the Index.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper mix at the
surge tank, but only when the engine is cool.
‘ A CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it will burn
if the engine pasts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on
a hot engine.
When replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is tight.
Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Your surge tank cap is a 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed
to
prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage
from overheating.
When you replace your surge tank pressure cap, a GM
cap is recommended.
6-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder
reservoir
is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
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.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir 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.
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is hot
enough.
You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid 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.
6-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your Chevrolet has front disc brakes and rear
drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads
are needed. The sound may come and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except
when you
are pushing on the brake pedal fiily).
L
The brake wear warning sound means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Free movement of brake calipers and properly torqued
wheel nuts are necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation.
When tires are rotated, inspect brake calipers
for movement, brake pads for wear, and evenly torque
wheel nuts in proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected. Also, the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation
or changing. When you have the
front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced
as complete
axle sets.
6-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system developed
by the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by treadwear, traction
and temperature performance.
(This applies only to
vehicles sold
in the United States.) The grades are molded
on the sidewalls of most passenger car tires. The Uniform
Tire Quality Grading system does not apply
to deep tread,
A CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving. If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and
you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all four wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on
your vehicle.
winter-type snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare
tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires. While
the tires available
on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect
to these
grades, they must also conform
to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria
(TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well
on
the government course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance
of tires depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart significantly fiom the
norm due
to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
k
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
6-40