CHEVROLET VEGA 1976 1.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine by allowing them to rewind into
their retractors. The comfort clip
can be adjusted when removing
belts,
so shoulder belt slack can
be taken up by retractor.
NOTE: Take care not to let the
"lap" portion of the belt twist while
it
is being rewound into the retrac­
tor. The bulk of the twisted belt may
cause the retractor to jam
so it will
not rewind further while at the same
time the retractor's locking mecha­
nism may prevent the belt from be­
ing withdrawn.
If a belt should
become jammed, you may be able to
release it by working the belt in and
out until the belt rewinds far enough
to unlock.
If lap belt portion remains
jammed, or
other parts of the re­
straint system do not operate prop­
erly take the vehicle to your dealer
for service.
Lap Belts, Rear Seat
• Seating positions next to side win­
dows have retractors which are
designed to automatically take up
excess
webbing. These belts
should be positioned, secured,
and released
as described above
under
"Front Seat Lap-Shoulder
Belt
Combination".
1-6
Belt Restraint Inspection
• Periodically inspect belts, buck­
les, latch plates, retractors, re­
minder systems, guide loops, clips,
and anchors for proper operation,
and also for damage that could
lessen the effectiveness of the re­
straint system.
• Keep sharp edges and damaging
objects away from belts and other
parts of restraint system.
• Replace belts if cut, weakened,
frayed,
or subjected to collision
loads.
• Check that anchor mounting
bolts are tight.
• Have questionable parts replaced.
• Keep belts clean and dry.
• Clean only with mild soap solu­
tion and lukewarm water.
• Do not bleach or dye belts since
this may severely weaken belts.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Child Restraint
Children in automobiles should
be restrained to lessen the risk of in­
jury in accidents
or sudden stops.
General
MotOl:S dealers offer sys­
tems designed specifically for use
with infants and with small children.
The GM
"Infant Love Seat" is
designed for babies up to 20
pounds. The
GM
"Child Love Seat" (not
available in Canada)
is designed
for children weighing
20 to 40
pounds, up to 3 feet-4 inches in
height, who are
ableto sit up alone.
In using any infant
or child re­
straint system, read and comply with
all installation and usage instruc­
tions.
1-7
If a child,is traveling in a vehi<;:le
not equipped with a General Motors
infant
or child restraint or other
appropriate infant or child restraint
system , the following precautions
should be taken:
1 . Infants unable to sit up by them­
selves should
be· restrained by
placing them in a covered,
padded bassinet which is placed
crossways in the vehicle (width­
wise
)on the rear seat. The bassi­
net should be securely restrained
with the regular vehicle belt re­
straints. An alternate method
is
to position the bassinet so that it
rests against the back of the front
seat, again crossways in the ve­
hicle.
2. Children able to sit up by them­
selves should be placed on a seat
and restrained with a belt re­
straint. When children ride in the
front seat, both lap and shoulder

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine belt should be worn. If the shoul­
der belt causes neck
or face irri­
tation due to the child's size, this
may be reduced in some cases by
positioning
the child further in­
board.
If serious discomfort con­
tinues, the child should
be lap belted
in the rear seat. Never
allow a child to stand
or kneel on
any seat.
3. General Motors recommends that
children be restrained properly
when riding. However, if unusual
conditions prohibit use of re-
1-8
straints and require that a child
must stand, he should stand on
the floor directly behind the
front
seat. This will help minimize the
possibility of injury from frontal
force impacts in the event of such
and accident.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Hauling
Since passenger cars are designed
and intended to be used primarily
as passenger conveyances, towing
a trailer will effect handling, dura­
bility
and economy. Maximum
safety and satisfaction depends
upon proper use of correct equip­
ment and avoiding overloads and
other abusive operation.
The maximum loaded trailer
weight which you can pull with
your car depends on what special
equipment has been installed on
your car. Chevrolet does not rec- ommend
towing any trailer
over
1,000 pounds gross trailer weight.
Information on trailer haul­
ing capabilities, special equipment
required, and optional equipment
offered by Chevrolet
is available
from your Chevrolet Dealer or by
writing Chevrolet Motor Division,
Detroit, Michigan 48202
(or in
Canada by writing to General
Motors of Canada Limited,
Owner
Relations Department, Oshawa,
Ontario LlJ 5Z6).
To assist in attaining good han­
dling of the car-trailer combination,
it
is important that the trailer
1-9
tongue load be maintained at ap­
proximately 10%
of the loaded
trailer weight. Tongue loads can
be adjusted by proper distribution
of the load in the trailer, and can
be checked
by weighing separately
the loaded trailer and then the
tongue.
When towing trailers, tires should
be inflated to the highest inflation
pressures shown on the placard
affixed
to the left front door. The
allowable passenger and cargo
load, also shown on the same pla­
card,
is reduced by an amount
eq ual to the trailer tongue load on
the trailer hitch.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance
More frequent vehicle mainte­
nance
is required when using your
car to pull a trailer. Change the:
• Automatic transmission fluid
and filter each
15,000 miles,
(see Trailering brochure for addi­
tional information).
• Rear axle fluid each 15,000
miles,
• Engine oil each 90 days or 3,000
miles, whichever occurs first,
• Positive crankcase ventilation
valve each
12 months or 15,000
miles, whichever occurs first.
• See index for important informa­
tion on belts, cooling system care
and automatic brake adjustment.
Break-in Schedule
In addition to the new car preak-in
instructions in this manual, it is
recommended that your new car
be operated for
500 miles before
trailer towing.
If it is necessary to
tow during this period, avoid speeds
over
50 MPH and full throttle
starts. The same precautions should
be observed whenever a new en­
gine, transmission or axle
is in­
stalled in your car.
1-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Operation Foreign Countries • In
Your car is designed to operate
on unleaded fuel of approximately
91 research octane number.
If you plan to operate your car
outside the Continental limits of
the United
States or Canada, there
is a possibility that the best fuels
available in some countries are so
low in octane rating that excessive
knocking and serious engine
dam­
age may result from their use. Also ,
if leaded fuels are used in vehicles
designed for unleaded fuels, it may result
in the deactivation of the
catalytic converter, if the vehicle
is
so equipped, and possibly other
related problems.
The use of leaded
fuel in a vehicle designed
for un­
leaded fuel will require different
maintenance intervals.
To obtain in­
formation on the octane rating and
availability of non-leaded fuels
available in the countries in which
you plan to travel, and a mainte­
nance schedule to be used when
operating on leaded fuel, write to
Chevrolet Motor Division,
Service
Department, Detroit, Michigan
48202, (or in Canada write to
General Motors of Canada Limited,
Owner Relations Department,
Oshawa, Ontario LlJ 5Z6), giving:
1-11
• The vehicle identification num­
ber (on plate on instrument
panel ahead of the steering wheel
and visible through the wind­
shield,
or from registration slip
or title),.
• The country or countries in which
you plan to travel.
It is recommended that you not
operate your car in any country not
having fuels meeting the require­
ments of your car's engine
as these
may cause engine damage for which
Chevrolet
is not responsible under
the terms of the Chevrolet New
Vehicle Warranty or Emission
Control Systems Warranty.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine STARTING AND OPERATING
Engine Exhaust Gas Caution (Carbon Monoxide)
AvoId Inhaling exhaust gases because
they contaIn carbon monoxide, which by
Itselt is colorless and odorless. Carbon
monoxide Is a dangerous gas that can
cause unconsciousness and is potentially
lethal.
If at any time you suspect that exhaust
fumes are entering the passenger com­partment, have the cause determined and
corrected as soon as possible. If you must
drIve under these conditions, drive only
with
all windows fully open.
The best protection agaInst carbon
monoxide entry Into the car body Is a
properly maIntaIned engine exhaust sys­tem, car body and body ventilatIon system, It Is recommended that the exhaust system
and body be Inspected by a competent
mechanIc.
• Each time the vehIcle Is raised for an 011 change.
• Whenever 8 change Is noticed In the
sound Of the exhaust system.
• Whenever the exhaust system, under­body or rear of the vehicle Is damaged.
See your MaIntenance Schedule folder
for inspection procedure.
To allow proper operation of the car's
ventilation system, keep aIr Inlet grille
forward of windshield and rear ventilation
grille on station wagon quarter. panels
clear ot snow or other
obstruction at all times, and prevent cargo from blocking
the inside vent holes on the underside of the quarter panels.
SITTING IN A PARKED CAR WITH EN­GINE RUNNING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD IS NOT RECOMMENDED.
Do not run engine In confined areas
such as garages any more than needed
to move vehIcle In
or out of area. When vehIcle Is stopped In an UNCONFINED area with the engine runnIng for any more
than a short perIod, adjust heating or cooling system to force outsIde aIr into
car as follows:
2-1
1. On cars not equipped with air con­ditioning, set fan to medium or high
speed and upper control lever to any
position except OFF.
2. On cars equipped with air conditIon­ing, set fan to medium or high speed
and upper control lever to any position
except
OFF or MAX.
The trunk lid should be closed while drIving to help prevent inadvertently drawing exhaust gases into the car. It is
unwise to drIve at high speeds for long
durations with the trunk lid open. However, it tor some reason the trunk must remain
open for a period while moving, or elec­trical wiring or other cable connections to
a trailer must pass through the seal be­
tween trunk
lid and body, the following
precautions should be observed:
• Close all windows.
• Adjust heating or cooling system to
force outsIde air into car as described In Items 1 and 2 above but with fan set
at hIgh speed.
• On cars equIpped with outside aIr vents In or under Instrument panel, open vents
fully.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS
Anti-Theft Steering
Column Lock
The anti-theft lock, located on
the right side of the steering col­
umn, has five positions:
• Accessory -Permits operation
of electrical accessories when
en­
gine is not running. To engage,
push
key in and turn toward you
( counterclockwise) .
• Lock -Normal parking posi­
tion. Locks ignition and provides
added theft protection
by pre­
venting normal operation of
Key Removal Note:
To remove key from ignitionjdepress key release lever, . turn Ignition to LOCK po­sition, then remove key.
steering wheel. Key cannot be
returned to
"lock" position with­
out depressing the key release
lever.
• Off -Permits turning engine off
without locking steering wheel
and shift controls.
• Run -Normal operating posi­
tion.
• Start -Permits engagement of. :
starter.
2-2
IMPORTANT: Donot park your
car over combustible materials, such
as grass or leaves, which can come
into contact with the hot exhaust
system and cause such materials to
ignite under certain wind and
weath­
er conditions.
. Parking
When leaving your car
unattended,
• Set parking brake first.
• Place automatic transmission
selector in
Park (Reverse for
manual transmission).
• Depress key release lever and
turn key to
LOCK position.
• Remove key (the buzzer will re­
mind you).
• Lock all doors.
NOTICE: Do not leave your car un­
attended with the engine running. If
the engine should overheat while
your
caris unattended, the temper­
ature warning light or gauge would
go unheeded which could result in
extensive damage to your car.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Starting Engine
Automatic Transmission
Models
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Place transmission selector
in uP" or "N" ("P" preferred).
A starter safety switch prevents
starter operation while the trans­
mission selector
is in any drive
position.
(If it is necessary to·
re-start the engine with the car
moving, place the selector lever
in
"N".)
3. Depress accelerator pedal and
activate starter
as outlined be­
low for different conditions.
IMPORTANT: Do not keep the starter
engaged for more than 15 seconds
at a time. Wait 1 0 or 15 seconds
before trying agair.
• Cold Engine -Fully depress
accelerator pedal and slowly
release.
Wilh fOOl 00 the pedal,
crank
the engine by
turning the ignition key to the
Start position -release when
engine starts.
If engine starts, but fails to
run, repeat this procedure.
When engine is running
smoothly (approximately
30
seconds), the idle speed may
be reduced by slightly de­
pressing the accelerator pedal
and then slowly releasing.
• Warm Engine -Depress ac­
celerator
pedal about halfway
and hold while cranking the
engine.
• Extremely Cold Weather
(Below 00 F. -180 C.) Or
After Car Has Been Standing
Idle Several Days-
2-3
Fully depress and release ac­
celerator pedal two
or three
times before cranking the
engine.
With foot 00 the ac­
celerator pedal,
crank the en­
gine by turning the key to the
Start position and release
when engine starts.
Manual Transmission Models
1. Apply parking brake, fully de­
press
clutch pedal, and shift
transmission to neutral.
2. Hold clutch pedal to the floor
throughout
the starting proce­
dure, A starter safety switch pre­
vents starter operation when the
clutch
is not fully depressed.
(Select the proper gear posi­
tion before releasing the clutch
pedal).
3. Operate accelerator pedal and
starter
as outlined in step 3
(under Automatic Transmission
Models).

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Flooded
Depress accelerator pedal and
hold to floor while starting until en­
gine
is cleared of excess fuel and is
running smoothly. Never "pump"
the accelerator pedal.
Warm-Up
Always let the engine idle for 20
to 30 seconds after starting and
drive at moderate speeds for sev­
eral miles, especially during cold
weather.
Driving with the Chevrolet Automatic Transmissions
The Turbo Hydra-Matic is a
completely automatic transmission
that replaces the standard clutch
and transmission.
After starting the engine with the
floor selector lever in N (Neutral)
or
P (Park) position select the
range desired (see table) and de­
press the accelerator.
A gradual start with a steady in­
crease in accelerator pressure will
result in best possible fuel economy.
Rapid acceleration for fast starts
will result in greater fuel consump­
tion.
Automatic transmission shift
quadrants of all GM cars continue
the uniform sequence of selector
positions. This particularly benefits
multicar families and those who oc­
casionally drive other cars.
Shift in­
dicators are arranged with
"Park"
position at one end, followed in se­
quence by
"Reverse", "Neutral"
and the forward driving ranges.
All automatic transmissions are
equipped with a starter safety switch
designed to permit starting the en­
gine only when the transmission
is
in the "Park" or "Neutral" position.
For additional engine braking ef-
2-4
fect, as sometimes needed in moun­
tainous driving, place the transmis­
. sion in low range.