Chevrolet 1999 Prizm User manual

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The 1999 Chevrolet Prizm Owner’s Manual
1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the air bag system.
2-1 Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
3-1 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
4-1 Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
5-1 Problems on the Road
This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
6-1 Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
7-1 Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
8-1 Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Chevrolet for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-10.
9-1 Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.

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GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and the
name PRIZM are registered trademarks of
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the
product after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet
Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be
there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new
owner can use it.
We support voluntary
technician certification.
Litho in U.S.A.
E
Copyright General Motors Corporation 1998
Part No. 22622221 A Second Edition All Rights Reserved

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The Heritage of Chevrolet
The dynamic William C. “Billy”
Durant shifted gears from making
carriages to making cars,
forming half the team that gave
birth to Chevrolet.
Louis Chevrolet, the other half of the team,
at the wheel of his experimental “Classic
Six,” which entered production in 1912.
That year 2999 vehicles were produced.
Welcome to the largest
automotive family in the
world -- the family of Chevrolet
owners. You have selected a
vehicle designed, engineered
and crafted by teamwork, a
vehicle backed by a proud
history of performance and
value. Since the first “Classic
Six” rolled off the line in 1912,
more than 110 million
Chevrolet cars and trucks have
worn the Chevrolet marque.
That kind of reception from
auto owners is unmatched by
any other car manufacturer in
the world.

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In 1932 Chevrolet
introduced the
Synchro-Mesh
transmission and
offered a host of
accessories -- including
such niceties as a clock!
The legacy of America’s favorite sportscar
began in 1953, when 319 hand-assembled
white Corvettes
launched the
first use of a
fiberglass body in
a production car.
The Chevrolet blend of
value and performance has
become an American
tradition -- whether bred for
the racetrack like the legendary
Corvette and Camaro, or
created for the pleasure of the
open road.
Every decade, Chevrolet
has reinforced its heritage
of affordable performance
with quality and value crafted
into each vehicle. It’s not
surprising that for 80 years
“Genuine Chevrolet” has been
America’s automobile.
We’re proud to continue that
heritage in your Chevrolet,

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The 1957 Chevy started a romance with the American
public -- and was powered by an available fuel-injected V8.
Your new Chevrolet continues a tradition of quality and value.
60’s automotive excitement
included Chevrolet landmarks
like the Corvette Sting Ray,
the sporty Camaro, and
powerplants like the
legendary 327 V8.
and we are pledged to
make ownership of your
Chevrolet an enjoyable
and rewarding experience.

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How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s in
the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

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Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that
can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage
would not be covered by your warranty, and it could
be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help
avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

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For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
CAUTION
POSSIBLE
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
ACID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR
FLAME
COULD
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
AIR BAG
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
MASTER
LIGHTING
SWITCH
TURN
SIGNALS
PARKING
LAMPS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
DAYTIME
RUNNING
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
WASHER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
REAR
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
BATTERY
CHARGING
SYSTEM
BRAKE
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
HORN
SPEAKER
FUEL
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

1-
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1-1
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
1-2 Seats and Seat Controls
1-7 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
1-12 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts -- and the Answers
1-13 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1-13 Driver Position
1-20 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
1-21 Right Front Passenger Position
1-21 Air Bag Systems
1-30 Safety Belt Pretensioners
1-30 Rear Seat Passengers
1-33 Children
1-35 Built-in Child Restraint (Option)
1-47 Child Restraints
1-57 Larger Children
1-60 Safety Belt Extender
1-60 Checking Your Restraint Systems
1-61 Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash

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Seats and Seat Controls
This part tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them,
and also about reclining front seatbacks, head restraints
and rear folding seatbacks.
Manual Front Seats
CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
Lift the lever under the front seat to unlock it. Slide the
seat to where you want it. Release the lever and try to
move the seat with your body, to make sure the seat is
locked into place.
Don’t put anything under the front seats. Items under the
seats could keep the seats from locking into place properly.

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Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outer side of
the seat. Release the lever to lock the seatback where
you want it. Push on the seat to make sure it’s locked
into position. Pull up on the lever, and the seat will go to
its original upright position.
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.
CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
CAUTION: (Continued)

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CAUTION: (Continued)
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be in
front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Pull up to raise the restraint. To lower it, push the
release button and push down.
Make sure the head restraint is locked in place after you
adjust it.
Rear Seats
CAUTION:
If a head restraint is not installed on the seatback
or stored in the vehicle properly, it could be
thrown about the vehicle in a crash or sudden
maneuver. People in the vehicle could be injured.
Remove the head restraints only when you need
to fold the seat, and be sure that the head
restraints are stored securely in the trunk. When
the seat is returned to the passenger position, be
sure the head restraints are installed properly.

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Rear Head Restraint Removal
To remove the rear head restraints:
1. Press the release button located under the left side of
the head restraint.
2. Lift the head restraint upward.
3. Secure the head restraints in the trunk using the
tie-down straps located on each side of the
trunk floor.
To reinstall the rear head restraints:
1. Remove the head restraints from the trunk.
2. Press and hold the release button on the seat back
while inserting the head restraint.
3. Push the head restraint down. After releasing the
button, pull on the head restraint to make sure it
is secure.
Rear Folding Seatback (If Equipped)
You can fold either side of the seatback down in your
vehicle for more cargo space. On vehicles with a built-in
child restraint system, only the driver’s side rear
passenger seatback can be folded down. Make sure the
front seat isn’t reclined. If it is, the rear seatback won’t
fold down all the way.
CAUTION:
A safety belt that is twisted or not properly
attached won’t provide the protection needed in a
crash. A person wearing a twisted or not
properly attached belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check to
be sure that the safety belt is not twisted and is
properly attached.

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To fold either seatback down:
1. Remove the head restraints. See “Rear Head
Restraint Removal” earlier in this section.
2. Remove the rear center lap-shoulder belt latch by
using a key to press the release button.
3. Pull the release on the
driver’s side in the
trunk. (Repeat the
procedure for the other
side if you do not have a
built-in child restraint.)
4. Fold the seatback down.

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To raise the seatback:
1. Pull the seatback up and push it back to lock it into
place. Make sure the safety belts are not twisted or
caught in the seatback.
2. Push and pull the top of the seatback to be sure it is
locked into position.
3. Reconnect the center seat belt.
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.

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CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to
ride in any area of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety Belt
Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!

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Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat
on wheels.
Put someone on it.

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Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...

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or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.

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Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident -- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver
doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.