page 100 CHEVROLET COBALT 2009 1.G Owners Manual

AV (Average) SPEED
Press the information button until AV SPEED displays.
This mode shows the vehicle’s average speed in
miles per hour (mph) or kilometers per hour (km/h).
To reset the average vehicle speed, press and hold the
reset button while AV SPEED is displayed.
OIL LIFE
Press the information button until OIL LIFE displays.
The engine oil life system shows an estimate of the oil’s
remaining useful life. It shows 100% when the system
is reset after an oil change. It alerts you to change the oil
on a schedule consistent with your driving conditions.
In addition to the engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is recommended in
the Maintenance Schedule in this manual. SeeEngine
Oil on page 5-13andScheduled Maintenance on
page 6-4.
Always reset the engine oil life system after an oil
change. See “How to Reset the Engine Oil Life System”
underEngine Oil Life System on page 5-16.
COOLANT
Press the information button until COOLANT displays.
This mode shows the temperature of the engine coolant
in either degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or degrees Celsius (°C).
Tire Pressure
The pressure for each tire can be viewed in the DIC.
The tire pressure is shown in either pounds per square
inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa). Press the information
button until LF ## PSI (kPa) ## RF displays for the
front tires. Press the information button again until
LR ## PSI (kPa) ## RR displays for the rear tires.
If a low tire pressure condition is detected by the
system while driving, a message advising you to
check the tire pressure appears in the display.
SeeInflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-56and
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-43for
more information.
3-42

Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-31.
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.
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. The brakes might not have time to cool
between hard stops. The brakes will wear out much fasterif 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 vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving,
brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do,
the pedal could get harder to push down. If the
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 can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
If your vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
and the 2.0L turbocharged engine, it also has a
hydraulic brake boost feature which supplements the
power brake system to maintain consistent brake
performance under conditions of low brake booster
vacuum. Low brake booster vacuum conditions
can include initial start up after the vehicle has been
parked for several hours, very frequent brake stops, or
high altitude driving. When hydraulic brake boost is
active, you might feel minor brake pulsation or
movement but this is normal. If brake pedal feel changes
or the brake pedal feels hard to push, you might not
be receiving the intended brake boost and the SVC
BRAKE SYSTEM DIC message may be displayed.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
4-4

Additional Required Services
The following services should be performed at the rst maintenance service (IorII) after the indicated miles
(kilometers) shown for each item.
Additional Required Services
Service and Miles (Kilometers)25,000
(40 000)50,000
(80 000)75,000
(120 000)100,000
(160 000)125,000
(200 000)150,000
(240 000)
Inspect fuel system for damage or
leaks.• •••••
Inspect exhaust system for loose or
damaged components.• •••••
Replace engine air cleaner lter. See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.•••
Change automatic transmission uid
and lter (severe service only).
See footnote (h).•••
Replace spark plugs.An Emission
Control Service.•
Engine cooling system service (or every
ve years, whichever occurs rst).
An Emission Control Service.
See footnote (i).•
Inspect engine accessory drive belt.
An Emission Control Service.
See footnote (m).•
6-6

Maintenance Footnotes
(a)Visually inspect brake lines and hoses for proper
hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Inspect
disc brake pads for wear and rotors for surface
condition. Inspect drum brake linings/shoes for wear or
cracks. Inspect other brake parts, including drums,
wheel cylinders, calipers, parking brake, etc.
(b)Visually inspect front and rear suspension and
steering system for damaged, loose, or missing parts or
signs of wear. Inspect power steering cables for
proper hook-up, binding, cracks, chafing, etc.
(c)Visually inspect hoses and have them replaced if
they are cracked, swollen, or deteriorated. Inspect
all pipes, fittings and clamps; replace with genuine parts
as needed. To help ensure proper operation, a pressure
test of the cooling system and pressure cap and
cleaning the outside of the radiator and air conditioning
condenser is recommended at least once a year.
(d)Inspect wiper blades for wear, cracking, or
contamination. Clean the windshield and wiper blades,
if contaminated. Replace wiper blades that are worn
or damaged. See Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 5-48 and Windshield and Wiper Blades on
page 5-100 for more information.(e)Make sure the safety belt reminder light and safety
belt assemblies are working properly. Look for any
other loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you
see anything that might keep a safety belt system
from doing its job, have it repaired. Have any torn or
frayed safety belts replaced. Also see Checking
the Restraint Systems on page 1-68.
(f)Lubricate all key lock cylinders, door hinges and
latches, hood hinges and latches, and trunk lid hinges
and latches. More frequent lubrication may be required
when exposed to a corrosive environment. Applying
silicone grease on weatherstrips with a clean cloth will
make them last longer, seal better, and not stick or
squeak.
(g)Check system for interference or binding and for
damaged or missing parts. Replace parts as needed.
Replace any components that have high effort or
excessive wear. Do not lubricate accelerator or cruise
control cables.
6-7