Chevrolet 1976 VEGA User manual

I IAtI I1976 Chevrolet · Important operating, safety and maintenance in structions
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A WORD TO VEGA OWNERS ...
This manual has been prepared to acquaint you with the operation and maintenance of your 1976 Vega, and to provide
important safety information. It is supplemented by two convenient folders which provide additional information on
vehicle maintenance and warranties. We urge you to read these publications carefully and follow the recommenda-
tions to help assure the most enjoyable and troublefree operation of your vehicle.
When it comes to service, remember that your Chevrolet dealer knows your vehicle best and is interested in your
complete satisfaction. Return to him for Guardian Maintenance Service and any other assistance you may require.
To assist dealers in handling your needs, Chevrolet maintains a number of Zone Offices throughout the country.
Should you have a problem that cannot be handled through normal channels, follow the procedure presented in
Section 6 of this manual under the heading, "Owner Assistance".
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing a Chevrolet product-and assure you of our con-
tinuing interest in your motoring pleasure and satisfaction .
FOR CONTINUING SATISFACTION, KEEP YOUR
GM CAR ALL GM. GENERAL MOTORS PARTS ARE
IDENTIFIED BY ONE OF THESE TRADEMARKS:
"NOTE TO CANADIAN OWNERS:
If preferred, a French Owner's Manual can be
obtained from either your Dealer or by writing to
General Motors of Canada Limited, Owner Rela-
tions Department, Oshawa, Ontario L1J 5Z6."
Chevrolet Motor Division
GM
" "
'"
-
nelCO
Aux proprietaires canadiens
On peut se procurer un exemplaire de ce Guide en
francais aupres du concessionnaire ou du service
des relations avec la clientele, General Motors of
Canada Limited, Oshawa, Ontario L1J 5Z6.

------------------------:----------~ ... --,;,.._J,,; ......,.-~ . ...
1976 VEGA 2' 300
OWNER'S
MANUAL
This manual should be considered a perma-
nent
part of the vehicle, and must remain
with the vehicle
at time of resale.
CHEVROLET MOTOR
DIVISION
GENERAL MOTORS
CORPORATION
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48202
All information, illustrations and specifications con-
tained
in this manual are based on the latest product
information available at the time
of publication. The
right isreserved to make changes at any time without
notice.
For vehicles sold in Canada, substitute the name
General Motors
of Canada Limited, whereverthe name
Chevrolet Motor
Car Division appears in this manual.
ST 303-76
"' General Motors Corporation 1976
Section
1
2
3
4
5
Table of Contents
Page
Before Driving Your Vega ......... . ................... 1-1
Starting and Operating .. ;- ............................ 2-1
Steering Column Controls
....... . .................. , 2-2
Floor Controls ...................................... 2-10
Instrument PaneL .................................. 2-13
Other Controls and Features ........................ , 2-27
In Case of Emergency .... . ............................ 3-1
Appearance
Care .. . .. .. .. .. . . . .. .. .. .. .. ... . .. .... .. .. 4-1
I
Service and Maintenance....... ...... . . . . ............ 5-1
6 Specifications, Owner Assistance, Service
Manuals, Index, Gas Station
Information
........................................ 6-1
Applicable to CALIFORNIA Sales Only
This vehicle as delivered by ,6M Chevrolet Division is equipped with a bumper energy
absorption system meeting California S.B.42 (1971)
as set forth in Sec. 34715 Vehicle Code.
Applicable to FLORIDA Sales Only
This vehicle as delivered by GM Chevrolet Division is equipped with a bumper energy
absorption system meeting section 501.125, Florida Statutes,
as amended June 10, 1974.
i

YOUR VEGA'S FIRST
FEW HUNDRED MILES OF DRIVING
You can operate your new car
from its very first mile without ad-
hering to a formal "break-in" sched-
ule. However, during the first
few
hundred miles of driving you can,
by observing a few simple precau-
tions, add to the future performance
and economy of your car.
It is recommended that your
speed during the first 500 miles
be confined to a maximum of 55
M.P.H., but do not drive for ex-
tended periods at
anyone constant
speed, either fast
or slow. Dur-
ing this period, avoid full throttle
starts and, if possible, avoid hard
stops especially during the first 200
miles of operation since brake mis-
use during this period will destroy
much future brake efficiency.
Always drive at moderate speed
until the engine has completely
warmed up.
If you plan to use your new
carfor trailer hauling see additional
information on page 1-9.
SEE PAGE 5-21 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ON HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR GAS MILEAGE.
ii

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.

Door Locks
Front side doors can be locked
from the inside by depressing the
passenger guard door lock buttons
located
on the upper door panel.
All doors can be locked from the
outside by first depressing the door
lock button and closing the door.
The doors can also be locked by
using the key.
All models have as a standard
safety feature overriding doorlocks.
When the doors are locked, the door
latchmechanism
is inoperative, pre-
venting inadvertent opening of the
door by movement of the inside
handle.
Adjustable Front Seat Back
-Driver's Side
The optional adjustable front
seat back (driver's side) can be
adjusted to two positions by means
of a control handle located at
the right rear of the driver's seat
ADJUSTABLE SEAT BACK
CONTROL HANDLE
cushion. With the control handle
in the full rearward position the
seat back
is adjusted to the full
rearward position; when the control
handle
is actuated (rotated) for-
ward the seat back
is adjusted for-
ward to a normal position.
REMINDER: Avoid hanging ob-
jects on the right hand coat hook
in such a way that you block the
driver's
VISIOn to the right rear
quarter.
1-2
REMINDER: Always lock the
doors when driving, for greater
security in the event of an accident,
to help keep children from open-
ing door, and for greater security
against entry by unwelcome per-
sons while momentarily stopped.
Front Seat Back Lock
Front seat backs are equipped
with a self-locking mechanism to
keep the seat back locked in place
while in the up position.
The lock
release lever
is located at the lower
rear of the seat back nearest the
door.
To tilt the seat back forward,
lift the lock release lever and" tilt
the seat back forward. When the
seat back
is returned to ~he up
position, the seat back
wn1 auto-
matically lock.
Keep belt restraint webbing and
hardware clear
of mechanism when
tiltingfolding seatsforward
or back-

wards, to help prevent damage to
these belt systems.
Manually Operated
Front Seats
The front seats may be adjusted
forward or rearward by moving the
~ ---
control lever at the front of the
seat. Move control lever to the right
to release the locking mechanism;
then exert slight body pressure to
move seat to desired position. Re-
lease control lever to lock seat
in
desired position.
1-3
Inside Rearview Mirror
Switct optional mirror to night
position to reduce glare from fol-
lowing headlights.
To raise orlower
mirror to achieve desired field of
view, grasp mirror and exert
suffi-
cient pressure by pushing or pulling
up, down or sideways.

Occupant Restraint Belts
Lap and shoulder belts provide
added security and comfort for you
and your passengers. Proper use
and care of these belts will assure
continuance of this security.
Belt Restraint -
Reminder System
This vehicle has a light/buzzer
reminder system designed
to remind
the driver to fasten his belt restraint.
• When the ignition key is turned
to
ON or START, a reminder
light
is designed to come on for
four-to-eight secends to remind
the driver to fasten
his belt re-
straint.
• If the driver has not buckled his
belt restraint prior
to turning the
key to ON or START, a buzzer
is designed to sound for four-to-
eight seconds to remind him to
do
so.
Front Seat Lap-Shoulder
Belt Combination
• Adjust front seat to your satis-
faction and siterect and well back
in seat.
• In a single motion, pull the lap-
shoulder belt webbing across lap
far enough to permit inserting
metal latch plate end of belt into
the buckle, until a snap
is heard.
If webbing is not pulled out far
enough to reach buckle, let lap
belt rewind into its retractor to
release lock mechanism,
so belt
can be pulled out to the proper
length.
• Position "lap" portion of belt
across lap
as LOW ON HIPS as
possible. To reduce the risk of
sliding under belt during an ac-
cident, adjustto a SNUG
FIT by
1-4
COMFORT
"7
BELT
/
pulling belt firmly across lap in
direction of lap belt retractor so
it can take up slack. The belt re-
tractors aredesignedto automati-
cally.take
up excess webbing.

·. __.-
• The front seat shoulder belts in
this vehicle are equipped with a
"vehicle sensitive retractor"
which is designed to lock only
during a sudden stop or impact.
At other times it
is designed to
move freely with the occupant.
• A comfort clip is provided for
those who find the shoulder belt
tension a source of discomfort.
If
the shoulderbelttension becomes
uncomfortable, pull down on the
shoulder belt to provide the least
amountof slack necessary to re-
lieve tension (not more than one
inch), then push the comfort clip
snugly against the guide loop.
• To unfasten belts, depress push
button in center of buckle.
1-5
• When no longer in use, front seat
lap-shoulder belts can be stowed

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
outuntil the beltrewinds 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 toside 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-
mindersystems,guide loops,clips,
and anchors for properoperation,
and also for damage that could
lessen the effectiveness of the re-
straint system.
• Keep sharp edges and damaging
objects away from belts andother
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.

Child Restraint
Children in automobiles should
be restrained to lessen the risk ofin-
jury in accidents
or sudden stops.
General
MotOl:S dealers offer sys-
tems designed specifically for use
with infants and withsmall 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-
straintsystem, read and complywith
all installation and usage instruc-
tions.
1-7
If a child,is traveling in a vehi<;:le
notequipped with a GeneralMotors
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

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 behindthe front
seat. This will help minimize the
possibility of injury from frontal
force impacts in the event ofsuch
and accident.

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 ofthe 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.
Whentowing 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
equal to the trailer tongue load on
the trailer hitch.

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

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 obtainin-
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 ofCanadaLimited,
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),.
• Thecountry 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.

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 com-
partment, 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 sys-
tem, car body andbody ventilatIon system,
It Is recommended thatthe 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, under-
body 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 EN-
GINE 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 con-
ditioning, set fan to medium or high
speed and upper control lever to any
position except
OFF.
2. On cars equipped with air conditIon-
ing, 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 elec-
trical 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 equIppedwith outside aIr vents
In or under Instrument panel, open vents
fully.

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 po-
sition, 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
carovercombustiblematerials, such
as grass or leaves, which can come
into contact with the hot exhaust
system and cause such materials to
ignite under certainwindand 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: Donotleave yourcarun-
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.

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 10 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. -18
0 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).

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 startersafety 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.