engine CHEVROLET COBALT 2007 1.G Workshop Manual

Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the
lenses clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all inated to the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway
hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the
wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of
awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road
with the same scenery, along with the hum of the
tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make
you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does,
your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis?
First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated,
with a comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors
and your instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get
some exercise, or both. For safety, treat
drowsiness on the highway as an emergency.
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Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different
from driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that
can make your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check
all uid levels and also the brakes, tires,
cooling system, and transaxle. These parts
can work hard on mountain roads.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, the brakes could
get so hot that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine assist
the brakes on a steep downhill slope.
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{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. The brakes
will have to do all the work of slowing
down. They could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would then have
poor braking or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Always have the
engine running and your vehicle in gear
when you go downhill.
Know how to go down hills. The most
important thing to know is this: let your engine
do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower
gear when you go down a steep or long hill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift
down to a lower gear. The lower gears help
cool your engine and transaxle, and you
can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on
two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Do not
swing wide or cut across the center of
the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in
your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert.
There could be something in your lane,
like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains
that warn of special problems. Examples are
long grades, passing or no-passing zones,
a falling rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert
to these and take appropriate action.
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You can run the engine to keep warm, but be
careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO
(carbon monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so you might
not know it is in your vehicle. Clear away
snow from around the base of your
vehicle, especially any that is blocking the
exhaust pipe. And check around again
from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of
the vehicle that is away from the wind.
This will help keep CO out.
Run the engine only as long as you must.
This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it
go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat
that you get and it keeps the battery charged.
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You will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with
the headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window
almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start the
engine again and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it
as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long
as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous
exercises every half hour or so until help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck,
you will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s 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
re or other damage. When you are stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible. Do not
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as
shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning the wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin
the wheels too fast while shifting the transaxle
back and forth, you can destroy the transaxle.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on
page 259.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 357.
258

Towing a Trailer
(Automatic Transaxle)
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment
and drive properly, you can lose control
when you pull a trailer. For example, if the
trailer is too heavy, the brakes may not
work well — or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured.
You may also damage your vehicle; the
resulting repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Pull a trailer only if you
have followed all the steps in this section.
Ask your dealer/retailer for advice and
information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with
the proper trailer towing equipment. If your
vehicle is not equipped as stated above, do not
tow a trailer. To identify the trailering capacity
of your vehicle, you should read the information in
“Weight of the Trailer” that appears later in this
section. Trailering is different than just driving your
vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in
handling, acceleration, braking, durability and fuel
economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That is the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety
rules. Many of these are important for your safety
and that of your passengers. So please read
this section carefully before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine,
transaxle, wheel assemblies and tires are forced
to work harder against the drag of the added
weight. The engine is required to operate
at relatively higher speeds and under greater
loads, generating extra heat. Also, the trailer adds
considerably to wind resistance, increasing the
pulling requirements.
268

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed
limit restrictions, having to do with trailering.
Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where
you live but also where you will be driving.
A good source for this information can be state
or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a
hitch dealer about sway controls.
Do not tow a trailer at all during the rst
1,000 miles (1 600 km) your new vehicle
is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged.
Then, during the rst 500 miles (800 km) that
you tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps your engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a
trailer. Do not drive faster than the maximum
posted speed for trailers, or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h), to save wear on your
vehicle’s parts.
Do not tow when the outside air temperature
is above 100°F (38°C).
Do not tow more than 1,000 miles (1 600 km)
per year.
Three important considerations have to do with
weight:
The weight of the trailer
The weight of the trailer tongue
The total weight on your vehicle’s tires
269

If you are using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue (A) should weigh 10 to 15 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you have loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer
and then the tongue, separately, to see if the
weights are proper. If they are not, you may be
able to get them right simply by moving some
items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You will nd these numbers on
the Tire-Loading Information label. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 259. Then be sure you do not
go over the GVW limit for your vehicle, including the
weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It is important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough
roads are a few reasons why you will need the
right hitch. Here are some rules to follow:
The rear bumper on your vehicle is not
intended for hitches. Do not attach rental
hitches or other bumper-type hitches to it.
Use only a frame-mounted hitch that does not
attach to the bumper.
Will you have to make any holes in the body
of your vehicle when you install a trailer
hitch? If you do, then be sure to seal the holes
later when you remove the hitch. If you do
not seal them, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
from your exhaust can get into your vehicle.
SeeEngine Exhaust on page 128. Dirt and
water can also enter the vehicle.
271

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal asher and/or extra wiring.
Check with your dealer. The arrows on your
instrument panel will ash whenever you signal a
turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lamps will also ash, telling other drivers
you are about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will ash for turns even if the
bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may
think drivers behind you are seeing your signal
when they are not. It is important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving on Grades
Notice:Do not tow on steep continuous
grades exceeding 6 miles (9.6 km). Extended,
higher than normal engine and transmission
temperatures may result and damage your
vehicle. Frequent stops are very important to
allow the engine and transmission to cool.Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbefore
you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you
do not shift down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get hot and
no longer work well.
Pay attention to the engine coolant gage. If the
indicator is in the red area, turn off the air
conditioning to reduce engine load. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 309.
When towing under severe conditions such as hot
ambient temperatures or steep grades, your
vehicle may experience more transaxle shifting.
A COOLING MODE ON message may also appear
in the DIC. This alerts the driver that the shifting
mode is in progress and is aiding engine cooling.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 184
for more information.
274

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.
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 are pulling a trailer. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 396for more on this.
Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are transaxle uid (do not overll),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake
system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you nd them quickly. If you
are trailering, it is a good idea to review this
information before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and
bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat
during severe operating conditions. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 309.
276