brake light CHEVROLET CAVALIER 2005 3.G User Guide

Enhanced Traction System Active
Light
When your Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel
spin, this light will come on. Slippery road conditions
may exist if the Enhanced Traction System active light
comes on, so adjust your driving accordingly.
This light may also come on when the anti-lock brake
system is active.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the
Enhanced Traction System stops limiting wheel spin.
The Enhanced Traction System active light also comes
on briey when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If
the light does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be there to tell you when the system is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
Your vehicle is equipped with one of these gages. With
the ignition in RUN, this gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves into the red area, your engine
is too hot! It means that your engine coolant has
overheated. The CHECK GAGES light should come on
if this condition exists. SeeCheck Gages Warning
Light on page 3-34for more information. If you have
been operating your vehicle under normal conditions,
you should pull off the road, stop your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-23. United States
Canada
United StatesCanada
3-29

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes. ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has anti-lock
brakes, this warning light
on the instrument panel will
come on briey when
you start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
4-6

Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly 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 anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you do not have anti-lock, your
rst 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 anti-lock, 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 youdo
have anti-lock, it is different. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 4-6.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
If your vehicle has the optional four-speed automatic
transaxle and anti-lock brakes, 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 REVERSE (R), THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) 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.
4-8

This light will come on when your Enhanced Traction
System is limiting wheel spin. SeeEnhanced Traction
System Active Light on page 3-29.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal.
When the transaxle shift lever is in any position other
than FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and the parking brake is
fully released, this warning light will come on to let
you know if there is a problem with the system.SeeEnhanced Traction System Warning Light on
page 3-28. When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The Enhanced Traction System can operate when the
transaxle shift lever is in any position other than
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2). To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should use
REVERSE (R), THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D). SeeAutomatic Transaxle Operation on
page 2-20. If your vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud or
snow and rocking the vehicle is required, seeIf You Are
Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-28.
When you move the shift lever to FIRST (1) or
SECOND (2), 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 will not turn off right away. It will wait until there is
no longer a current need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by moving
the shift lever to any position other than FIRST (1) or
SECOND (2). The Enhanced Traction System warning
light should go off. United States
Canada
United StatesCanada
4-9

If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid, where the wheels are
no longer rolling, release enough pressure on the brakes
to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when
you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are
rolling, you will have steering control.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired — by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But
as we get older these differences increase. A
50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
4-15

The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy
rain can make it harder to see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road,
and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment in
good shape and keep your windshield washer tank lled
with washer uid. Replace your windshield wiper
inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to
separate from the inserts.Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow down before you
hit them.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They will not
work as well in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water
or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly
until your brakes work normally.
4-17

A. Coolant Surge Tank. SeeCooling System on
page 5-25.
B. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
D. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” under
Brakes on page 5-32.
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-30.
F. Clutch Master Cylinder Reservoir (If Equipped)
(Not Shown). SeeHydraulic Clutch on page 5-19.
G. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-36.
H. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-17.
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-31.
J. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. SeeEngine
Compartment Fuse Block on page 5-84.Engine Oil
If the oil pressure light
appears on the instrument
cluster, it means you
need to check your engine
oil level right away.
For more information, seeOil Pressure Light on
page 3-33.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this
is an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It is 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.
5-13

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder
reservoir is lled with
DOT-3 brake uid. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12
for the location of the
reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake uid level
in the reservoir might go down. The rst is that the brake
uid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the
uid level goes back up. The other reason is that uid
is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you should
have your brake system xed, since a leak means that
sooner or later your brakes will not work well, or will
not work at all.So, it is not a good idea to top off your brake uid.
Adding brake uid will not correct a leak. If you add uid
when your linings are worn, then you will have too
much uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add or remove brake uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake uid, it can spill on
the engine. The uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake uid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-26.
5-32

Brake Wear
Your vehicle 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 rmly.
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not 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 rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
SeeCaliper/Knuckle Maintenance Inspection on
page 6-23.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque specications.
Your rear drum brakes do not have wear indicators,
but if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the
rear brake linings inspected immediately. 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 brake pads replaced, have
the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
SeeBrake System Inspection on page 6-23.
5-34

Fuses Usage
CRUISE Cruise Control Module/Switch
ABS Anti-Lock Brake (Ignition)
APO Accessory Power Outlet
RFA BATT Remote Keyless Entry System
MIR/DLCPower Mirror/Diagnostic Link
Connector
LT HDLP Left Headlamp
RDO/INTLP Radio, Interior Lamps, OnStar
®
RT HDLP Right Headlamps
CLSTR Instrument Panel Cluster
EXT LP Exterior Lamps
CIG Cigarette Lighter
FOG Fog Lamps
HORN Horn
Blank Not Used
Blank Not Used
STOP/HZD Stop Lamps, Hazard Lamps
Fuses Usage
Blank Not Used
Blank Not Used
RR DEFOG Rear Window Defogger
PWR ACC Power Door Locks
Blank Not Used
Blank Not Used
Blank Not Used
O2 HTR Oxygen Sensor Heater
HVAC Climate Control System
WIPER Windshield Wiper
BCM Body Control Module
AMPL Audio Amplier
PWR WDOPower Windows, Sunroof
(Circuit Breaker)
RELAY DRL Daytime Running Lamps (Relay)
Blank Not Used
5-83