Chevrolet 2006 Optra User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-11
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-28
Airbag System ......................................... 1-52
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-65
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-7
Windows ................................................. 2-11
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-13
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-15
Mirrors .................................................... 2-32
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-34
Sunroof .................................................. 2-38
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-22
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-27
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-44
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-33
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-39
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-40
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-49
Tires ...................................................... 5-50
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-74
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-81
Electrical System ...................................... 5-81
Capacities and Specifications ..................... 5-88
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ...... 5-89
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-14
Index ................................................................ 1
2006 Chevrolet Optra Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, and the CHEVROLET Emblem are
registered trademarks; and the name OPTRA is a
trademark of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
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.
Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is
needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is
sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.
Canadian Owners
A French language copy of this manual can be obtained
from your dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read the owner manual from beginning to
end when they first receive their new vehicle. If this
is done, it can help you learn about the features
and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work
together in the owner manual to explain things.
Index
A good place to quickly locate information about the
vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an
alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the
page number where it can be found.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 06OPTRA A First Printing
©
2005 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ii

Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We
use a box and the word CAUTION to tell 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 do not,
you or others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Do Not,”
“Do Not do this” or “Do Not
let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell 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.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specific component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the following
topics:
•Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
•Features and Controls in Section 2
•Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
•Climate Controls in Section 3
•Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
•Audio System(s) in Section 3
•Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:
v

✍NOTES
vi

Front Seats ......................................................1-2
Manual Seats (Without Sliding Storage Tray) ......1-2
Manual Seats (With Sliding
Storage Tray) .............................................1-3
Driver Seat Tilt Adjuster ..................................1-4
Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-5
Head Restraints .............................................1-8
Rear Seats .......................................................1-9
Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-9
Safety Belts ...................................................1-11
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-11
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-15
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-16
Driver Position ..............................................1-16
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment .....................1-23
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-24
Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-24
Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-24
Safety Belt Pretensioners ...............................1-27
Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-27
Child Restraints .............................................1-28
Older Children ..............................................1-28
Infants and Young Children ............................1-30
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-33
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-38
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) ..................................................1-39
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position ...................................................1-46
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position ............................................1-48
Airbag System ...............................................1-52
Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-55
When Should an Airbag Inflate? .....................1-57
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? .......................1-58
How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-58
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? .....1-58
Passenger Sensing System ............................1-60
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-64
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle ....................................................1-64
Restraint System Check ..................................1-65
Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-65
Replacing Restraint System Parts After a
Crash ......................................................1-66
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
Manual Seats (Without Sliding
Storage Tray)
{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 do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
If your vehicle does not have a sliding storage tray
under the front seat, the manual seat bar looks like this.
Pull up and hold the bar
located under the front of
the seat to unlock it.
Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar.
Then try to move the seat with your body, to make
sure the seat is locked into place.
1-2

Manual Seats (With Sliding
Storage Tray)
{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 do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
If your vehicle has a sliding storage tray under the front
seat, the manual seat lever looks like this.
Pull up and hold the lever
located under the front of
the seat to unlock it.
Slide the seat to where you want it and release the
lever. Then try to move the seat with your body, to make
sure the seat is locked into place.
1-3

Driver Seat Tilt Adjuster
The manual drivers seat tilt adjuster knobs are located
on the outboard side of the seat cushion.
Turn the front knob to adjust the tilt of the front portion
of the seat cushion. Turn the rear knob to adjust the
tilt of the rear portion of the seat cushion.
Manual Lumbar
Your vehicle may have manually operated lumbar
support for the driver’s seat.
To adjust the front seat lumbar support, use the lever
located on the outboard side of the seatback.
Push the lever down to adjust the support for the lower
part of the seatback. Pull the lever up to return the
support to its original position.
1-4

Reclining Seatbacks
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
Your seats have manual reclining seatbacks. The lever
used to operate them is located on the outboard
side of the seats.
To recline the seatback, do the following:
1. Lift the recline lever.
2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then
release the lever to lock the seatback in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.
1-5

To return the seatback to an upright position, do the
following:
1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the
seatback and the seatback will return to the upright
position.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.
1-6

{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it
will not 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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
The lap belt cannot 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.
Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
1-7

Head Restraints
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position
reduces the chances of a neck injury in a crash.
Pull the head restraint up to raise it.
Push in the release button at the base of the head
restraint and push the restraint down to lower it.
The rear head restraints may also be adjustable and
work the same as the front head restraints.
To remove the head restraint, pull the head restraint all
the way up. Then push in the release button and lift
the head restraint from the guide sleeve.
Replace the head restraint and reset it in the original
position before driving.
1-8

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
Your vehicle has rear seatbacks that can be folded
down to provide an extended cargo area.
To fold down the seatback, do the following:
1. Push the rear head restraints down completely.
2. Detach the safety belt in the rear center seat
position. Press the button in the buckle to release
the latch plate from the buckle.
3. Press the release
button located on top
of the rear seatback.
4. Fold the rear seatback forward and down.
1-9

To return the seatback to the upright position, do the
following:
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
1. Lift the seatback up and push firmly on the top of
the seatback until it latches securely in the fully
upright position.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
2. Ensure that the safety belts are not twisted or
caught under the seatback.
3. Re-attach the rear center safety belt. Push the latch
plate at the end of the safety belt strap into the
buckle with the release button until the mechanism
clicks. Make sure the strap is not twisted. The
sliding latch plate should face the front of the
vehicle.
1-10

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are 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.
{CAUTION:
Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you are 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.
{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.
1-11

Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up. See
Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-30.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here is why: They work.
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not 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 would not
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!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on
wheels.
1-12

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop.
1-13

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...
or the instrument panel...
1-14