CHEVROLET COBALT 2007 1.G Owners Manual

Radio Display Message Condition Action Required
No CAT Info Category Name
not availableNo category information is available at this time on this
channel. The system is working properly.
No Information No Text/Informational
message availableNo text or informational messages are available at this
time on this channel. The system is working properly.
CAT Not Found No channel available for
the chosen categoryThere are no channels available for the selected category.
The system is working properly.
XM Theft Locked Theftlock
®active The XM™ receiver in the vehicle may have previously been
in another vehicle. For security purposes, XM™ receivers
cannot be swapped between vehicles. If this message
displays after having your vehicle serviced, check with
your dealer.
XM Radio ID Radio ID label
(channel 0)If tuned to channel 0, this message alternates with the
XM™ Radio eight digit radio ID label. This label is needed
to activate the service.
Unknown Radio ID not known
(should only be if
hardware failure)If this message is received when tuned to channel 0,
there could be a receiver fault. Consult with your dealer.
Check XM Receivr Hardware failure If this message does not clear within a short period of time,
the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer.
XM Not Available XM™ Not Available If this message does not clear within a short period of time,
the receiver could have a fault. Consult with your dealer.
221

Theft-Deterrent Feature
THEFTLOCK®is designed to discourage
theft of your vehicle’s radio. The feature works
automatically by learning a portion of the
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN). If the radio
is moved to a different vehicle, it does not
operate and LOCK or LOCKED displays.
With THEFTLOCK
®activated, the radio does
not operate if stolen.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
Radio controls are
located on the right side
of the steering wheel.
If your vehicle has this
feature, some audio
controls can be adjusted
at this location. They
include the following:
wx:Press the upwor downxarrow to go to
the previous or to the next stored radio station
and stay there. Press and hold the up
wor
down
xarrow longer than three-quarters of a
second to advance to the previous or to the next
station with a strong signal in the selected band.
When a CD is playing, press the up
wor
down
xarrow to go to the previous or to the next
track. Press and hold the up
wor downxarrow
longer than three-quarters of a second to continue
reversing back or advancing ahead, to other tracks
within the disc.
+−(Volume):Press the + (plus) or−(minus)
button to increase or to decrease the volume.
g(Mute/Voice Activation):Press thegbutton
to silence the system. Press the
gbutton again
to turn the sound on. If your vehicle is equipped
with OnStar
®, press and hold thegbutton for
two seconds to activate voice on the OnStar®
system. See theOnStar®System on page 132in
this manual for more information.
222

Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static can occur
during normal radio reception if items such as cell
phone chargers, vehicle convenience accessories,
and external electronic devices are plugged into the
accessory power outlet. If there is interference or
static, unplug the item from the accessory power
outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for
FM, especially at night. The longer range can cause
station frequencies to interfere with each other.
For better radio reception, most AM radio stations
boosts the power levels during the day, and then
reduce these levels during the night. Static can also
occur when things like storms and power lines
interfere with radio reception. When this happens,
try reducing the treble on your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo gives the best sound, but FM signals
only reach about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km).
Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to fade in and out.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio
reception from coast-to-coast in the 48 contiguous
United States, and in Canada. Just as with FM,
tall buildings or hills can interfere with satellite
radio signals, causing the sound to fade in and out.
In addition, traveling or standing under heavy
foliage, bridges, garages, or tunnels could cause
loss of the XM™ signal for a period of time.
The radio might display NO XM SIGNAL to
indicate interference.
223

Care of Your CDs
Handle CDs carefully. Store them in their original
cases or other protective cases and away from
direct sunlight and dust. The CD player scans the
bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is
damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched,
the CD does not play properly or not at all. If the
surface of a CD is soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth
or dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral
detergent solution mixed with water, and clean it.
Make sure the wiping process starts from the center
to the edge.
Do not touch the bottom side of a CD while
handling it; this could damage the surface. Pick up
CDs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of
the hole and the outer edge.
Care of the CD Player
Do not use CD lens cleaners for CD players
because the lens of the CD optics can become
contaminated by lubricants.
Fixed Mast Antenna
The xed mast antenna can withstand most car
washes without being damaged. If the mast should
ever become slightly bent, straighten it out by
hand. If the mast is badly bent, replace it.
Check occasionally to make sure the mast
is still tightened to the fender. If tightening is
required, tighten by hand, then with a wrench
one quarter turn.
XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna
System
Your vehicle may have the XM™ Satellite Radio
antenna that is located on the trunk of your
vehicle. Keep this antenna clear of snow and ice
build up for clear radio reception.
224

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 226
Defensive Driving...................................... 226
Drunken Driving........................................ 227
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 230
Braking...................................................... 230
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 231
Braking in Emergencies............................. 233
Enhanced Traction System (ETS).............. 234
Limited-Slip Differential.............................. 235
Steering.................................................... 236
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 239
Passing..................................................... 239
Loss of Control.......................................... 241
Racing or Other Competitive Driving.......... 242
Driving at Night......................................... 243Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 244
City Driving............................................... 248
Freeway Driving........................................ 249
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 250
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 251
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 252
Winter Driving........................................... 254
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow................................. 258
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 259
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 259
Towing........................................................ 264
Towing Your Vehicle................................. 264
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 265
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transaxle)......... 267
Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transaxle)...... 268
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
225

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is:
Drive defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in
your vehicle: Buckle up. SeeSafety Belts: They
Are for Everyone on page 18.
{CAUTION:
Defensive driving really means “Be ready
for anything.” On city streets, rural roads,
or expressways, it means “Always expect
the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians
or other drivers are going to be careless
and make mistakes. Anticipate what they
might do and be ready. Rear-end collisions
are about the most preventable of
accidents. Yet they are common. Allow
enough following distance. Defensive
driving requires that a driver concentrate
on the driving task. Anything that distracts
from the driving task makes proper
defensive driving more difficult and can
even cause a collision, with resulting
injury. Ask a passenger to help do these
things, or pull off the road in a safe place to
do them. These simple defensive driving
techniques could save your life.
226

Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and
driving is a national tragedy. It is the number one
contributor to the highway death toll, claiming
thousands of victims every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to
drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most
cases, these deaths are the result of someone who
was drinking and driving. In recent years, more
than 16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths
have been associated with the use of alcohol,
with more than 300,000 people injured.Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half
the adult population — choose never to drink
alcohol, so they never drive after drinking.
For persons under 21, it is against the law in
every U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good
medical, psychological, and developmental
reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink
alcohol and then drive. But what if people do?
How much is “too much” if someone plans
to drive? It is a lot less than many might think.
Although it depends on each person and situation,
here is some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of
someone who is drinking depends upon four
things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before
and during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol
227

According to the American Medical Association, a
180 lb (82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with
a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would
reach the same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce
(120 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if
each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of liquors like
whiskey, gin, or vodka.It is the amount of alcohol that counts.
For example, if the same person drank three
double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each)
within an hour, the person’s BAC would be
close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes
food just before or during drinking will have
a somewhat lower BAC level.
There is a gender difference, too. Women
generally have a lower relative percentage of body
water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body
water, this means that a woman generally will
reach a higher BAC level than a man of her same
body weight will when each has the same
number of drinks.
The law in most U.S. states, and throughout
Canada, sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent.
In some other countries, the limit is even lower.
For example, it is 0.05 percent in both France
and Germany. The BAC limit for all commercial
drivers in the United States is 0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to
six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have
seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the
drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them.
228

But the ability to drive is affected well below a
BAC of 0.10 percent. Research shows that
the driving skills of many people are impaired at a
BAC approaching 0.05 percent, and that the
effects are worse at night. All drivers are impaired
at BAC levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics
show that the chance of being in a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of
having a collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent,
the chance of this driver having a collision is
12 times greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the
chance is 25 times greater!
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 will be careful” is not the right answer. What if
there is 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 is something else about drinking and driving
that many people do not 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.
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reexes, 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 do not drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Ride home in
a cab; or if you are with a group, designate
a driver who will not drink.
229

Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control your
vehicle while driving — brakes, steering, and
accelerator. At times, as when driving on snow
or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control
systems than the tires and road can provide.
Meaning, you can lose control of your vehicle.
SeeEnhanced Traction System (ETS) on
page 234.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can
affect your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories
and Modications on page 280.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 171.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might
be less with one driver and as long as two or
three seconds or more with another. Age, physical
condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and
frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second,
a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
230