warning CHEVROLET VEGA 1976 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine BEFORE DRIVING YOUR VEGA
DRIVER CHECKLIST
Before Entering Car
1. See that windows , mirrors and
lights are clean.
2. Visually note inflation condition
of tires.
3. Check that area to rear
is clear
if about
to back up.
Before Driving Off
1. Lock all doors.
2. Position seat.
3. Adjust inside and outside
mirrors.
4. Fasten belt restraints.
5. Check that warning bulbs light
when key
is turned to start posi­
tion.
6. Release parking brake (and see
that brake warning light turns
off).
7. Be sure you understand your
car and how to operate it safely.
Keys
Two separate keys are provided
for your car. Each Key has a dif­
ferent cross section so that it can
be inserted only in certain locks.
• Key with square head
(stamped Ole") -for ignition
switch only.
• Key with oval head (stamped
"D")~for all other locks.
LOCKS
1-1
The code number of each key is
stamped on the "knock out" plug
in the key head. Your Chevrolet
dealer removed these plugs and
placed them with the spare set of
keys in the special key envelope
that was given to you at time of
delivery.
For your protection:
• Record the numbers on the key
envelope and discard the key
plugs.
• Keep the key envelope in a safe
place such
as your wallet, Not In
The Car.
In the event the original keys are
lost, duplicates can be made by
your dealer or a locksmith using
the key code information.

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 cluster flashes to indicate proper
operation of the front and rear turn
signal lamps.
If the indicator lamp
remains on and does not flash,
check for a defective lamp bulb.
If
the indicator fails to light when the
lever
is moved, check the fuse and
indicator bulb.
NOTE: For operation of hazard
flasher, see page 3-1, in
Section "In
Case of Emergency."
Horn
The horn on your car is actuated
by firmly pressing on the pad in the
center of the steering wheel.
As a good motorist,
~se of the
horn should be kept at a minimum.
However, acquaint yourself
as soon
as possible with this function of
your car, should it ever become
necessary to give a warning to a
pedestrian
or another motorist.
Power Steering
If the steering system power as­
sist fails due to some malfunction,
or because the engine has stalled,
the vehicle can still be steered.
However, much greater effort
is re­
quired, particularly in sharp turns.
Tilt Steering Wheel
The tilt steering wheel (optional
equipment) can be tilted up above
normal position to provide addi­
tional room for entrance and exit
2-9
as well as selected driving· posi­
tions below normal height. This
permits individual selection of the
most natural position for
all driv­
ing conditions.
On long trips the
steering wheel position can be
changed to minimize tension and
fatigue.
The tilt mechanism
is operated
by lifting up on the small control
lever on the left side of the steering
column just below the directional
signal, moving the steering wheel
to the selected position, and re­
leasing the lever.
Holding Car on an Upgrade
When stopped on an upgrade,
maintain your position by applying
the brakes. Never hold the car
in
place by accelerating engine with
transmission in gear. This could
cause damage by overheating
the
. transmission (automatic) or clutch
(manual) .

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking Your Car
Always engage the parking brake
and place the automatic transmis­
sion selector lever in
"Park" posi- tion
when leaving your
car un­
attended. Also with automatic
transmissions, never park for pro­
longed periods with engine idling
and transmission in gear, especially
FLOOR CONTROLS
Braking System
The service brake system is de­
signed for braking performance
under a wide range of driving con­
ditions even when the vehicle
is
loaded to its full rated vehicle load.
NOTE: Operation of the brake
system warning light
is covered on
page 2-15 in the section on
"In­
strument Panel."
Power Brakes
• On cars with power brakes, if
power assist to the brakes
is in­
terrupted due to a stalled engine
or some malfunction, two or
more brake applications nor­
mally can be made using reserve
power.
• If the brake pedal is held down,
2-10
if your car is equipped with air
conditioning. This practice
is detri­
mental to the transmission, due
to
overheating.
the system
is designed to bring
the car to a full stop on reserve
power. However, the reserve
power
is partially depleted each
time the brake pedal
is applied
and released. Do not pump
brakes when brake power assist
has been interrupted, except
when necessary in order to main­
tain steering control on slippery
surfaces.
• When reserve power is exhausted,
the vehicle can still be stopped
by applying greater force to the
pedal.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking Brake
• To set parking brake, pull up
the handle located between the
seats.
• For maximum holding power,
depress regular brake pedal at
the same time.
• To release parking brake, de­
press the button in the handle
tip and push the handle down.
• As a reminder, the brake system warning
light
is designed to come
on whenever the parking brake
control
is not fully released, and
the ignition ·
is on.
• Never drive car with parking
brake set
as this may overheat
or otherwise damage rear brakes.
NOTE: "Riding the brake" by
resting your foot on the brake pedal
when not intending to brake can
cause abnormally high brake tem­
peratures, excessive lining wear and
possible damage to the brakes.
REMINDER:
Front disc brakes
have a built-in wear indicator that
is designed to make a high fre­
quency, squealing,
or cricket-like
warning sound when the linings are
2-11
worn where replacement is required.
The sound will occur intermittently
or continuously when wheels are
rolling, but will disappear when the
brake pedal
is applied firmly. See
also the various brake checks listed
in the Chevrolet maintenance sched­
ule folder.
Clutch Adjustment
Clutch adjustment should be
checked and adjusted periodically
as necessary to compensate for
clutch facing wear.
To check,
depress pedal by hand until resist­
ance
is felt. Free travel of pedal
should be approximately one inch;
if very little
or no free travel is
evident , clutch adjustment is re­
quired.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS
1. Fuel Gauge 2. Warning Lights 3. Speedometer . 4. Hi Beam Indicator 5. Odometer 6. Clock
o STANDARD
o OPTIONAL
7. Glove Box 8. Windshield Wiper-Washer Control 9. Light Switch . 10. Optional Electro Clear Rear
Window Defogger Switch
11. Hazard Warning Control Button
2-13
12. Ignition Switch 13. Heater or Optional Air Conditioner Control 14. Ash Tray 15. Cigarette Lighter-16. Radio and Controls

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Generator Indicator Light
The red light will go on when
the ignition key
is in the "on" posi­
tion, but before the engine
is started.
After the engine starts, the light
should go out and remain out.
If
the light remains on when engine
is running, have your Authorized
Chevrolet Dealer locate and correct
the trouble
as soon as possible.
Temp. Pressure Indicator
Light
This indicator light is provided
in the instrument cluster to quickly
warn of an overheated engine
and/or extreme low oil pressure
or oil supply. This light will be on
when the ignition switch is turned
"ON" and should go out after the
engine
is started. Occasionally the
light may be seen to flicker momen­
tarily, but this will do no harm. Ex­
treme low oil pressure or oil supply
will prevent the electric fuel pump from
operating and under this con­
dition the engine will not run.
If the light comes on during ex­
treme driving conditions, such
as an
extended idle, turn off the air con­
ditioner (if used) and run the en­
gine slightly faster than idle speed
with the transmission in
neutral
gear. If the light does not go off
within a short period of time (1-2
minutes), then turn the engine off
until the cause of
the overheating is
corrected. Glance at the instrument
cluster frequently
as you drive to
see if this light is on.
Add Coolant Indicator Light
This indicator light is provided to
warn of a low coolant condition in
the radiator.
If coolant level is low
the yellow
"Add Coolant" warning
light will glow. Coolant level in the
coolant recovery tank, and radiator,
should be checked at the first oppor­
tunity.
If necessary add sufficient
2-15
coolant to both the radiator and
coolant recovery tank.
(See Service
and Maintenance, Section 5, for
proper procedure) .
If frequent
additions are required, see your
dealer for a complete cooling sys­
tem check.
Brake System Warning
Light
The service brake system is a dual
system designed so that one part will
provide some braking action in the
event of loss of hydraulic pressure
in the other part of the system.
If the
warning light labeled
"Brake" lo­
cated in the speedometer face comes
on and stays
on when the ignition is
on and after the brakes have been
firmly applied
it may indicate that
there
is a malfunction in one part of
the brake system.
• As a reminder, the light is de­
signed to come
on with the park­
ing brake applied and the igni­
tion on.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • The light is also designed to come
on during engine starting to
verify that the bulb
is operating
properly.
• Have system repaired if light does
not come
on during check.
• This warning light is not a substi­
tute for the visual check of brake
fluid level required
as part of
normal maintenance.
If the light comes on:
• The parking brake control is not
fully released, or,
• The service brake system is par­
tially inoperative.
What to do:
1. Check that parking brake is re­
leased.
If it is . . .
2.
Pull off the road and stop, care­
fully-remembering that:
• Stopping distances may be
greater.
• Greater pedal effort may be re­
quired.
• Pedal travel may be greater. 3.
Try out brake operation by start­
ing and s,topping on road shoul­
der-then:
• If you judge such operation to
be safe, proceed cautiously at
a safe speed to nearest dealer
for repair.
• Or have car towed to dealer for
repair.
Continued operation of the car in this
condition
is dangerous.
Headlight Beam Indicator
Light
The headlights of your car have
high and
low beams to provide you
with proper night-time visibility
for most driving conditions. The
"low" beams are used during most
city driving. The
"high" beams are
PARKING LAMPS MARKER LAMPS TAIL AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS
TURN KNOB TO VARY INSTRUMENT LIGHTS FULLY COUNTER CLOCKWISE FOR DOME LIGHTS
2-16
HEADLIGHTS PARKING LAMPS MARKER LAMPS

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The optional rear quarter win­
dows of the sedan and Hatchback
coupe models may be opened or
closed with finger operated
swing­
ing latches.
Headlamp Reminder Buzzer
The optional headlamp reminder
buzzer provides an audible warning
that the main light switch
is in one
of the
"on" positions, either park­
ing lights or headlights.
The reminder buzzer
is actuated
only when the ignition switch
is
turned to "OFF" or "LOCK" posi­
tion.
STATION WAGON CARGO SPACE
2-28
Folding Rear Seat­
Kammback Wagon and
Hatchback Coupe
The folding rear seatback quickly
and easily folds forward and down
to provide additional cargo space.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine In Case of Emergency
Four Way Hazard
Warning
Flasher
• Use the warning flasher to warn
other drivers any time your
ve­
hicle becomes a traffic hazard,
day or night.
• A void stopping on the roadway
if possible.
• Turn on the hazard warning
flasher by pushing
in on the but­
ton located on the column just
below the steering wheel. Flasher
can
be actuated with
engine ignition either
off or on.
• Turn signals do not work with
hazard flashers operating.
• If the brake pedal is depressed,
the lights will not flash but
re­
main continuously lit.
• To cancel the flasher, pull the
button out.
Freeing Car from Sand, etc.
If it becomes necessary to rock
the car to free it from sand, mud
or snow, move the selector lever
on automatic transmission models
from
"D" to "R" in a repeat pat­
tern while simultaneously applying
moderate pressure
to the accelera­
tor.
(On standard transmission
models, move gear shift lever from
second to reverse gear.) Do not
race engine. For best possible trac­
tion, avoid· spinning wheels when
3-1
trying to free the car. The use of
AC Liquid Tire Chain
is recom­
mended for temporary assistance
when traction
is lost on ice or
snow.
Towing
Proper lifting and towing equip­
ment
is necessary to prevent dam­
age to the vehicle during any tow­
ing operation. State (Provincial in
Canada) and local laws applicable
to vehicles in tow must be
fol­
lowed. Detailed towing instructions
are available at your Chevrolet
dealer. Your Vega may be towed on
all
four wheels, at speeds of less · than