wheel CHEVROLET OPTRA 5 2007 1.G Owner's Guide

While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking
skid. If you do not have ABS, then in a braking
skid, where the wheels are no longer rolling,
release enough pressure on the brakes to get the
wheels rolling again. This restores steering
control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when
you have to stop suddenly. As long as the
wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
•Drive defensively.
•Do not drink and drive.
•Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
•Since you cannot see as well, you may need
to slow down and keep more space between
you and other vehicles.
•Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
•In remote areas, watch for animals.
•If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.
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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 inflated 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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Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires
meet the road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires
and the road, you can have a very slippery
situation. You will have a lot less traction, or grip,
and will need to be very careful.What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on.
But wet ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the least traction of all. You can get
wet ice when it is about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and
freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed,
blowing, or loose snow — drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile
traction. If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels
will spin and polish the surface under the tires
even more.
Unless you have the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), you will want to brake very gently,
too. If you do have ABS, seeAnti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 211. This system improves
your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard
stop on a slippery road. Whether you have ABS or
not, you will want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. Without ABS,
if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the
brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down
steadily to get the most traction you can.
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Remember, unless you have ABS, if you brake so
hard that your wheels stop rolling, you will just
slide. Brake so your wheels always keep rolling
and you can still steer.
•Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance on any slippery road.
•Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
fine until you hit a spot that is covered with
ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in shaded areas where the
sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see a
patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you are
actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay
with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do to summon
help and keep yourself and your passengers safe:
•Turn on your hazard flashers.
•Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police
that you have been stopped by the snow.
•Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around
you. If you do not have blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats — anything you can wrap around yourself
or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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You will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with
your 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 236.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 323.
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Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels.
Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R)
and a forward gear, or with a manual transaxle,
between FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and
REVERSE (R), spinning the wheels as little as
possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you
shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transaxle is in gear. By slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions,
you will cause a rocking motion that may free your
vehicle. If that does not get your vehicle out
after a few tries, it may need to be towed out.
If your vehicle does need to be towed out,
seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 241.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the
Maximum Load weight and includes the weight of
all occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight it may properly carry; the Tire and
Loading Information label and the Certification
label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
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Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle, such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as “dinghy
towing” (towing your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground) and “dolly towing” (towing
your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
Here are some important things to consider before
you do recreational vehicle towing:
•What is the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle
manufacturer’s recommendations.
•How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they
can tow.
•Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and equipment
recommendations.
•Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as
you would prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, you will want to make sure your vehicle is
prepared to be towed. SeeBefore Leaving
on a Long Trip on page 227.
Dinghy Towing
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, the drivetrain
components could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground.
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with
all four wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must
be towed, you should use a dolly. See “Dolly
Towing” that follows for more information.
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Dolly Towing
Notice:Towing your vehicle from the rear
with the front wheels on the ground could
cause transaxle damage. Do not tow the
vehicle from the rear with the front wheels
on the road.
Your vehicle can be towed using a dolly. To tow
your vehicle using a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Turn the ignition to ACC.3. Put the vehicle in NEUTRAL (N).
4. Set the parking brake and then remove
the key.
5. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position.
6. Release the parking brake.
Towing a Trailer
Do not use your vehicle to tow a trailer. The vehicle
is not designed or intended for such a use. Towing
a trailer can adversely affect handling, durability
and fuel economy.
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Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)
(Hatchback)............................................ 296
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)
(Wagon)................................................. 297
Taillamps, Turn Signal, and Stoplamps
(Hatchback)............................................ 298
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps (Wagon)........................ 299
Taillamps, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps
(Hatchback)............................................ 300
License Plate Lamp................................... 301
Replacement Bulbs................................... 301
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 302
Tires............................................................ 303
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 304
Tire Terminology and Definitions............... 307
Inflation - Tire Pressure............................. 311
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 312
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 316
When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 317Buying New Tires...................................... 318
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 319
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 320
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 321
Wheel Replacement.................................. 322
Tire Chains............................................... 323
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 324
Changing a Flat Tire................................. 324
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools.......... 326
Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the
Spare Tire............................................. 329
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools...... 333
Compact Spare Tire.................................. 334
Appearance Care........................................ 335
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 335
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 337
Leather...................................................... 338
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 338
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 339
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
246

Weatherstrips............................................ 339
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 339
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 340
Finish Care............................................... 340
Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 340
Aluminum Wheels...................................... 341
Tires......................................................... 342
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 342
Finish Damage.......................................... 342
Underbody Maintenance............................ 342
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 343
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 343
Vehicle Identication.................................. 344
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)........... 344
Service Parts Identification Label............... 345Electrical System........................................ 345
Add-On Electrical Equipment..................... 345
Headlamp Wiring....................................... 346
Windshield Wiper Fuses............................ 346
Power Windows and Other Power
Options.................................................. 346
Fuses and Circuit Breakers....................... 346
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..................... 347
Engine Compartment Fuse Block............... 349
Capacities and Specications.................... 352
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts..... 353
Engine Drive Belt Routing......................... 354
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
247