CHEVROLET EPICA 2006 1.G Owners Manual

Automatic Transaxle Operation
The automatic transaxle
has a shift lever located
on the console between
the seats.
There are several different positions for the automatic
transaxle.
The instrument cluster has a shift lever position
indicator that shows which position the shift lever is in.
This indicator is located on the top right side of the
instrument cluster.
Movement between certain positions requires pushing
the shift lever toward the passenger side while shifting.
This prevents you from changing positions unexpectedly
by blocking the straight movement of the shift lever
while the vehicle is moving. It is also necessary to push
down on the shift lever to shift from NEUTRAL (N) to
REVERSE (R).PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-26.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to apply your regular
brake before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition key is in ON. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P)
while holding the brake pedal down, seeShifting Out
of Park (P) on page 2-28.
2-21

REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
When shifting from NEUTRAL (N) to REVERSE (R),
you must press down on the shift lever and push
it toward the passenger side of the vehicle while shifting.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage the
transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
on page 4-28.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart while you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
while the engine is running at high speed may
damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speeds when shifting your vehicle.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving.
THIRD (3):This position gives you more power and
lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
•When driving on hilly, winding roads.
•When going down a steep hill.
2-22

SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want
to use your brakes off and on.
Notice:Do not drive in SECOND (2) at speeds
over 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can damage
the transaxle. Use THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) as much as possible. Do not shift
into SECOND (2) unless you are going slower
than 65 mph (105 km/h) or you can damage your
engine.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power
but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle will not shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes, or parking brake to hold the
vehicle in place.Adaptive Shift Logic
Your automatic transaxle will automatically select from
three adaptive shift patterns based upon driver behavior:
•Economy mode provides a softer shift feel and
optimizes fuel economy.
•Normal mode provides a solid shift feel and is used
for normal driving conditions.
•Sport mode provides a firm shift feel and optimizes
performance.
The driver cannot manually select the shift pattern. The
adaptive shift logic tries to operate in economy mode
as much as possible. Normal and sport modes are used
as little as possible in order to maximize fuel economy.
The first few shifts of every drive cycle may be
somewhat rough until the adaptive shift logic has
learned the driver’s behavior. This is normal.
The transaxle also has the ability to adapt to changing
road grade conditions. It will shift between three
different load settings:
•Load 1 is designed for driving on moderate road
grades.
•Load 2 is designed for driving on steep road grades.
•Load 3 is designed for driving downhill and allows
for better engine braking.
2-23

If there is a malfunction with the automatic transaxle,
the Check Engine Light or the HOLD light will turn on
or flash. See Check Engine Light underMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-40orHold Mode Light
on page 3-39.
Have your vehicle fixed as soon as possible.
Hold Mode
Your vehicle’s transaxle has a hold mode.
Press the HOLD button
on the console below
the shift lever to turn
on hold mode.
Press the button again to turn off hold mode, and
return to normal automatic transaxle operation.While on, the HOLD light on the instrument panel will
light up. SeeHold Mode Light on page 3-39.
When hold mode is activated, the transaxle operates
in the following ways:
•When the transaxle is in AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D), the transaxle operates in a gear
range of SECOND (2) to THIRD (3) to AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) and tries to maintain AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) for as long as possible.
•When the transaxle is in THIRD (3), the transaxle
operates in a gear range of SECOND (2) to
THIRD (3) and tries to maintain THIRD (3) for
as long as possible.
•When the transaxle is in SECOND (2), the transaxle
is fixed in that gear.
•When the transaxle is in FIRST (1), the transaxle is
fixed in that gear.
2-24

Hold Mode Functions
Winter Function
Select hold mode while in AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D), THIRD (3) or SECOND (2) to help
the vehicle maintain traction on slippery road surfaces,
such as snow, mud, or ice.
Avoid Excessive Shifting
Select hold mode while in THIRD (3) to avoid excessive
shifting when the adaptive shift logic is not enough to
prevent excessive shifting when driving in hilly areas.
Manually Controlling Shift
Select hold mode to use your automatic transaxle
like a four-speed manual transaxle.
Parking Brake
The parking brake lever is located between the
bucket seats.
2-25

To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down
and pull up on the parking brake lever. If the ignition
is on, the brake system warning light will come on.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-36.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press the release button. Hold the release button in
as you move the brake lever all the way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify
that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before driving.Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure your vehicle will
not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, use the steps that follow.
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking
brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by pushing the
lever up and toward the driver’s side of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
2-26

Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle could
move suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you have moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold
the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you
can move the shift lever away from PARK (P).
If you can, it means that the shift lever was not
fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, seeShifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-26.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-27

Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift-lock
control system. You have to fully apply your regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when
the ignition is turned to ON. SeeAutomatic Transaxle
Operation on page 2-21.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P) while holding
the brake pedal down, try this:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition off and remove the key.
3. Remove the cover over the shift-lock release
slot by prying it off using a small, flat object.
The shift-lock release slot is located at the
top of the shift lever.4. Insert the key into
the shift-lock release
slot and press and
hold the key.
5. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
6. Remove the key from the shift-lock release slot,
insert the key into the ignition and start the
engine.
7. Replace the shift-lock release slot cover.
8. Apply and hold the regular brake fully and
release the parking brake.
9. Shift to the gear you want.
10. Have the system fixed as soon as you can.
2-28

Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry grass, or other
things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide (CO), which you cannot see or
smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
Your exhaust system sounds strange or
different.
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
Your vehicle was damaged when driving
over high points on the road or over road
debris.
Repairs were not done correctly.
Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
modied improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
Drive it only with all the windows down
to blow out any CO; and
Have your vehicle xed immediately.
2-29

Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running.
But if you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier caution under
Engine Exhaust on page 2-29.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even
if the climate control fan is at the highest
setting. One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 4-24.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle
can roll. Do not leave your vehicle when
the engine is running unless you have to.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
always set your parking brake and move the
shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will
not move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) on page 2-26.
If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a
trailer, also seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-35.
2-30