ESP CHEVROLET CAVALIER 1996 3.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Qi’ If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle
up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only
in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
@ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should
I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident
-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your paskengers can be hurt. Being a good driver
doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph
(65 bb).
Safety belts are for everyone.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Door Lo -‘IS
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When
a door is
locked, the inside handle won’t open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be so obvious: You increase the
chance
of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be
far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle. Use your
key to unlock y
vehicle from
the outside.
You can also use the
optional remote keyless
entry
system to unlock
your vehicle. our
There are several
ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
To lock the door from the
inside, push the locking
lever forward.
To unlock the door, pull the locking lever backward.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Remote Trunk Release (Option)
Pull upward on the remote
release handle, located on
the floor near the left side
of
the driver’s seat, to release
the trunk lid.
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your Chevrolet has a number
of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it
impossible to steal. However, there are ways you can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves
-- so
don’t do it. When you park your Chevrolet and open the driver’s
door, you’ll hear a chime reminding you to remove your
key
from the ignition and take it with you. Always do
this. Your steering wheel will be locked, and
so will
your ignition. If you have an automatic transaxle, taking
your key out also locks your transaxle. And remember
to lock the doors.
Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out
of sight.
Put them in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it’s best to lock it up and take your keys.
But what if you have to leave your ignition key? What
if
you have to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
0 Put your valuables in a storage area, like your trunk
0 Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
0 Then take the door key with you.
or glove box.
2-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (Dm) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful
in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
The
DRL system will make your high-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness
in daylight when:
the ignition is on with the engine running,
the headlamp switch is OFF,
the parking brake is released and
0 the transaxle is not in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
on models with an automatic transaxle.
This indicator light on your
instrument panel comes on When the
DRL are
on, only your high-beam headlamps
will be on at reduced brightness. The taillamps,
sidemarker and other lamps won’t be on. Your
instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
When you turn on the headlamp switch, your high-beam
headlamps will go out, and your headlamps will come
on. The other lamps that come on with your headlamps
will also come on.
When you turn
off the headlamp switch, the regular
lamps will go off, and your high-beam headlamps will
come on at reduced brightness.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake. The
DRL will stay off until you release the
parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when
you need it.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Understanding Radio Reception
FM Stereo ’
FM stereo will give you the best sound. But FM signals
will reach only about
10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound
to come and go.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble
to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it
is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud
and harmful
to your hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting the volume control
on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to it.
To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
0 Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
0 Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two-way radio
-- be sure you can add
what you want. If you can, it’s very important to
do it properly. Added sound equipment may
interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s
engine, Delco radio or other systems, and even
damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may
interfere with the operation
of sound equipment
that has been added improperly.
So, before adding sound eyuipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio
and telephone units.
3-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink.
No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up. “I’ll be careful” isn’t the
right answer. What if there’s
an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able
to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There’s something else about drinking and driving that
many people don’t know. Medical research shows that
alcohol
in a person’s system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord
or
heart. This means that when anyone who has been
drinking
-- driver or passenger -- is in a crash, that
person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not been drinking.
A CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your
reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and judgment
can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol.
You can have a serious -- or even fatal -- collision
if you drive after drinking. Please don’t drink and
drive
or ride with. a driver who has been drinking.
Ride
home in a cab; or if you’re with a group,
designate
a driver who will not drink.
4-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t 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 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.
Using 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.
Enhanced Traction System
If your vehicle has the optional four-speed automatic
transaxle, it also has an Enhanced Traction System
(ETS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful
in slippery road conditions. The system operates only
when the transaxle shift lever is in the
THIRD (3) or
OVERDRIVE
(a) position and the system senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the system reduces engine power and may also upshift the
transaxle to limit wheel spin.
LOW
TRAC
This light will come on
when your Enhanced
Traction System is limiting
wheel spin. See “Enhanced
Traction System Active
Light” in the Index.
You
may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
4-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ETS
OFF
When the transaxle shift
lever
is in the THIRD (3) or
OVERDRIVE
(Q) position
and the parking brake is
fully released, this warning
light will come on to let you
know if there’s a problem
with the system.
See “Enhanced Traction System Warning Light” in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The Enhanced Traction System can operate only
when the transaxle shift lever is in the THIRD
(3) or
OVERDRIVE
(a) position. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should use
the other shift lever positions only when necessary.
See
“Automatic Transaxle” in the Index. (If your vehicle
ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow, see “Rocking
Your Vehicle” in the Index.) When you move the shift lever
to a position other than
THIRD
(3) or OVERDRIVE (@), the system will turn
off. The Enhanced Traction System warning light will
come on and stay on. If the Enhanced Traction System is
limiting wheel spin when you move the shift lever to
another position, the system won’t turn off right away. It
will wait until there’s no longer a current need to limit
wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
moving the shift lever back to the THIRD
(3) or
OVERDRIVE
(@) position again. The Enhanced
Traction System warning light should go off.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
4-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces your area
of vision, especially if you’re following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane.
If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start’’ that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens
to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember
to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When
you are far enough
ahead
of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than
it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to
turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead
of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
4-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area
of less danger.
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 Chevrolet’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t 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 you have the Enhanced Traction System, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid. If you
do not have the Enhanced Traction System, or
if
the transaxle shift lever is not in the OVERDRIVE (@)
position, 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.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is
on the road. For safety, you’ll
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 engine braking 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.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid.
4-14