open hood CHEVROLET EPICA 2004 1.G Owners Manual

Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it impossible to steal.
Theft-Deterrent System
Your vehicle has a theft-deterrent system.
The theft-deterrent system will not arm when you lock the
doors using the key or the manual door lock. It activates
only when you use the remote keyless entry transmitter.
Arming the System
To arm the system, do the following:
1. Turn the key to LOCK and remove the key from
the ignition.
If the key is inserted in the ignition, the transmitter
will not operate the theft-deterrent system.
2. Close the doors, the windows, the hood, and
the trunk.
Ensure that the windows are closed, as the system
can be activated even if the windows are open.3. Lock the door using the remote keyless entry
transmitter. The transmitter must be used to activate
the theft-deterrent system.
•The LED on the transmitter will flash.
•All of the doors will lock.
•The hazard warning lamps will flash once and
the horn will chirp.
•The theft-deterrent mode will arm.
•The security light will flash once every second to
indicate that the theft-deterrent system is armed.
The security light is located on the top center
of the instrument panel, near the windshield.
To avoid activating the alarm by accident, do one of
the following:
•Unlock the driver’s or passenger’s front door using
the key.
•Press the lock/unlock button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter.
Unlocking a door any other way will activate the alarm
when a door or the trunk is opened.
If you do not want to arm the theft-deterrent system,
lock the vehicle using the key or the manual door locks.
2-15

Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle has an engine coolant heater. In very cold
weather 0°F (−18°C) or colder, the engine coolant heater
can help. You will get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant
heater should be plugged in a minimum of four hours
prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures above
32°F (0°C), use of the coolant heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The electrical cord is located near the battery.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt
AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured.Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature,
the kind of oil you have, and some other things.
Instead of trying to list everything here, we ask that
you contact your dealer in the area where you will be
parking your vehicle. The dealer can give you the
best advice for that particular area.
2-21

California Fuel
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (see the underhood emission control label),
it is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on (seeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-39)
and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. If this
occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered
by your warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming,
allowing your emission control system to work
properly. You should not have to add anything to your
fuel. However, some gasolines contain only the
minimum amount of additive required to meet U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency regulations.General Motors recommends that you buy gasolines that
are advertised to help keep fuel injectors and intake
valves clean. If your vehicle experiences problems due to
dirty injectors or valves, try a different brand of gasoline.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in
your area to contribute to clean air. General Motors
recommends that you use these gasolines, particularly if
they comply with the specifications described earlier.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.
5-6

Filling a Portable Fuel Container
{CAUTION:
Never ll a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from
the container can ignite the gasoline vapor.
You can be badly burned and your vehicle
damaged if this occurs. To help avoid injury
to you and others:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
Do not ll a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed
or on any surface other than the ground.
Bring the ll nozzle in contact with the
inside of the ll opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the lling is complete.
Do not smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake uid, windshield washer and
other uids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine.
5-10

Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the hood release
handle inside the
vehicle. It is located on
the lower left side of
the instrument panel.
2. Then go to the front
of the vehicle and
locate the secondary
hood release lever
under the front center
of the hood.3. Push the lever to the left as you lift up the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on
properly. Then pull the hood down and close it firmly.
5-11

Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood on the engine, you will see the following:
5-12

Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel cluster. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 3-39.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn
you badly, even if you just open the hood.
Stay away from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Just turn it off and get
everyone away from the vehicle until it cools
down. Wait until there is no sign of steam
or coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch re.
You or others could be badly burned.
Stop your engine if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the engine is cool.
Notice:If your engine catches re because you
keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can
be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not
be covered by your warranty.
5-22

If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning, but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
•Climb a long hill on a hot day.
•Stop after high-speed driving.
•Idle for long periods in traffic.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the
road, shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues and you have not stopped, pull
over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for three minutes while you are parked. If you still
have the warning,turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicleuntil it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood, but to get service
help right away.
5-23

4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminal locations on
each vehicle. Your vehicle’s positive (+) terminal is
located under a red tethered cap on the battery.
The negative (−) terminal is located under a
black tethered cap on the battery. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on page 5-12for more
information on location.
Flip the caps up to access the positive (+) and
negative (−) terminals.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the battery installed
in your new vehicle. But if a battery has ller
caps, be sure the right amount of uid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care of that rst.
If you don’t, explosive gas could be present.
Battery uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, ush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
5-37

Bulb Replacement
For any bulb changing procedures not listed in this
section, contact your dealer.
Halogen Bulbs
{CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You
or others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
Headlamps
A. Low-Beam Headlamp B. High-Beam Headlamp
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the three bolts from the headlamp
assembly.
3. Remove the headlamp assembly.
4. Release the two wire bars that retain the
headlamp cap.
5-41