Chevrolet Camaro 1978 User manual

owner's manual
Important operating, safety and maintenance instructions.
1978 Chevrolet
II

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A WORD TO CAMARO OWNERS ...
This manual has been prepared to acquaint you with the opera-
tion and maintenance
of your 1978 Camaro and to provide impor-
tant safety information. It
is supplemented by two convenient foJd-
ers. These folders give you maintenance and warranty information.
We urge you to read these three publications carefully. Follow the
recommendations to help assure the most enjoyable and trouble-
free operation of your vehicle.
While reading this rnanual, you will notice that some specifications
are given
in both metric and customary units. Where precise ac-
curacy is not needed, some conversions have been rounded to
even numbers for your handy use.
When
it comes to service, remember that your Chevrolet dealer
knows yourvehicle best. Yourdealeris interested in yourcomplete
satisfaction. Return to him for Guardian Maintenance Ser-
vice and any other repairs your vehicle may require.
To assist dealers
in handling your needs, Chevrolet maintains a
number of Zone Offices throughout the country. If you have a
problem that has not been handled to your satisfaction, follow the
procedure
in Section 6 of this manual under the heading, "Owner
Assistance".
We thank you for choosing a Chevrolet
product-and want to
assure you of our continuing interest in your motoring pleasure
and satisfaction.
CHEVROLET MOTOR DIVISION
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, Technical Publications Department, Oshawa, Ontario
L 1J 5Z6 ."
\ Aux proprietaires canadiens
, 9n peut se procurer un exemplaire de ce Gu ide en frangais au-
pres du concessionnaire ou duservice des publications technique
General Motors of Canada Limited, Oshawa, Ontario L 1J 5Z6.

1918 CAMARO
OWNER'S MANUAL
This manual should be considered a permanent part of this vehi-
cle. It should remain with the vehicle when sold, to provide the
next
owner with important safety, operating and maintenance in-
formation.
CHEVROLET MOTOR DIVISION
GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48202
All information, illustrations and specifications contained in this
manual are based on the latest product information available at
the time
of printing. The right is reseNed to make changes at any
time without notice.
For vehicles soldin Canada, substitute the name General Motors
of Canada Umited, wherever the name Chevrolet Motor Division
appears in this manual.
Table of Contents
Section Page
1 Before Driving Your Car ............ . ............. 1-1
2 Starting and Operating ........................... 2-1
Steering Column Controls ...................... 2-2
Floor Controls ................................ 2-11
Instrument Panel ............................. 2-13
Other Controls and Features ................... 2- 26
3 In Case of Emergency ........................... 3-1
4 Appearance Care
................................ 4-1
5 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 GM Chevrolet Division has a bumper
energy absorption system meeting California Vehicle Code Sec-
tion 34715.
i

aEFORE DRIVING. YOUR
CAMARO
DRIVER DAILY CHECKUST
Before Entering Vehic;:le
t. See that window, mirrors, and lights are clean.
2; Check whether any tire is low or flat (You may need to check
witha gage to tell if radial tires are properly inflated.)
3: C:heckthat an lightswork. -
4. Look for fluid leaks.
5. Checkarea behind vehitleif about to back up.
Before Driving Off
1: Lock all doors.
2. Adjust seat.
3: Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
\
4. Fasten seat belts.
5. Check that warning lights work as key is turned to "On" or start
po:;ition.
6. Check all gages.
7. Release parking brake and see that "arake" light turns.off.
8. Be sure you know your vehicle and its equipment and how to
use it safely.
GUARD AGAINST THEFT
FOr tips on how to protect your vehicle and its contents, see tile
"Steer:i"9 COlumn Controls" section of this manual.'
KEYS
Two different·keys .are proviQed for the locks.on your vehicle. The
key code is stamped on the .. kl'illpk, out" plug in each key head.
_. Key with square head (I8rier"J"kfor ignition lock only.
.., • . · Keywith ovalhead (letter·UK") -for all other loCks.
For vehicle security:
.'. .' Recordkey, code numbers;ltlen knock.Plugs,out of keys.
Keep the key codes in a safe place such as your wallet, NOT IN
THEVEHIClE. .
H t~original keyS ; ar~ . lost, duplicates can be made,using the key .
codes~COntact any GMdealer or your locksmith.
1 - 1

If you park in. an attended lOt; -separate and leave your squar~
ignition key only.' lock, your glove:box and take the round key W!th
you. This -will helpj)fev~t : any - i1~entry into the glove box and,
trunk compartments. ··- " ,,' -
DOOR LOCKS '
the doors can be locket! from the inside by depressing the
passengEl[ ,guard door lock buttons~oc!ited , on the upper door panel.
All doors can
bEl ·locked from the outside byJirstdepressing thEf door
Iqck button and clOsing the door. . .
the doors can. ~1S()belocked byusi~ the.key.,
All models have as a standard safety feature overriding door locks. '. -,
When the dOors are Iockecf; the dOOr latch mechariisrnis inoperative, .
preventing' .inadVertentopening -of; the door by
fTlOvernent of the·
-inside handle. .
Power Door Locks
T~ Optionally available,po'N8f.• doof locks allows You· to unl()cl< \ o( '
loCk your doQrs byoperatingttle~Uch mar .ked LOCK located.on ..
either. door panel. The automatic lockingrnechanism does no~at:
any time interfere withmanualoperatjon of, anydC)or lock button.
The doors
will ' notun~or~ ; Mth ; tMinsidedoorhandle when -
_ ~ ~ _ =~r~ but , eanbe unlocked individuaily bY ,':; ': ~
.CAUTION: , ,. For silfety'ssake,ah,.y. lock the 'doors when driving.: .
.
this provides greater safetYJri . ~¢'Qi'~ J . :'IId- belps keep children from
-' openlnlJ thedoor{s). It alsOllelpske.p " i:iutl';tru~lIrs when stopped for
lights. etc, .
CAuTJON:'
The fill . erpan4tllnfr~~t ': ~fth~ ;~a~~l';dow shoUlcinofbe
used to carry objects . -:e!eiltho'~ ' th.t aresn.utllal'ld)lghtlniJn
'accident they c~lci bethrO..,n-about,an4 Injure people In the car. Large .
,Items will
alsoreduceviSiont .o,ther-'-'r; . - ' . ,-'
2
, '," ,".-

NOTICE: Avoid hangin!! objects on the right-hand coat hook in such
a way that you
block the dri"er'svision to the right rear.
INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR
The mirror can be adjustedup,dOwn, or sideways to obtain the best
view to the front and rear. Move
thE) mirror lever to the night
position to reduce glare
from headlights of vehicles behind you.
OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR
Adjust the outside mirror so you can just see the side of your
vehicle in the side
of the mirror closest to the vehicle.
CONVEX MIRROR
Your vehicle may have an optional convex outside rearview mirror.
(A convex mirror has a curved surface.) This
type of mirror is
designed to give a much wider view to the rear, especially as·it
relates to the lane next to the vehicle. However, cars and other
objects seen in such a mirror will •
look smaller and farther away
than wharfseen in a flat mirror. Therefore, use care when judging
the size or distance of a car or object seen in this convex mirror.
You can determine the size and distance of objects seen by using
your inside rearview mirror. Adjust the convex mirror so you can
barely see the side of your vehicle in the portion of the mirror
closest to the vehicle.
Bucket Seats
The frontseats may be ·adjustedforward or rearward by moving the
control lever at the front
of the seat;Move control lever to the left to
release the
Io<::king. mechanism; then exert slight body pressure to
move seat to desired position. Release lever to lock seat in desired
position.
CAUTION: After adjusting a manually operated seat, push forward
and backward on seat
to be sure the seat adjusters have latched.
Mo"ement of the seat indicates that at least one latch did not engage.
This could increase the chance
of Injury andlor the amount of Injury in
an accident Take the vehicle to your dealer for service if you find that
your seat adjusters do not latch.
1 - 3

Do not "djUst ' ~ntanuallyoperl'ted~river'sse"t)Nhile thevel)lcle is
moving. The seat could
molieslldl;lenly an«(could cause the driver to
lose control of Uievehicle. .
Reclining Bucket Seat Back
Optional reClining salon bocketseat backs. ~anbe tilted by lifting the
control lever
at the outboard side ofthe Seat cushion and exerting
'rearward pressure ,on the seat-back to tiltJearward; or, with no
pressure
on the,seat back, -allow seat back to return forward.
• Oriver'sSeat-Has two
positionl;;,t-.lormal and 4° rearward.
• Passenger Seat- •Has multiple posi~ions from approximately
20 °rearward to 1 O~ · forward:
Front Seat' Back'Latch '
Front seat backs ontw<t~r . styles are eqUipped with a self-
liltching meChanism to keeP the seat back latched in placeWhile in
. theupposition.Thelatch releaselever islocated at the lower rear
of the seat back nearest the door. -
,t .•
T6tiltthe seatbac!< forward) l,ft . the latch release lever ahdtiltthe
seatbacl< , for~ard. , Whe~ . ttie 'seat back is .. returned to the up
, ".:.
position,'the seatback is designed to alito01aticailylatch. . -
~~seatbelt webbing and h~~areciear of . ~eat partswhenyou - ' .,. ...
tiltfolding seats forWard or bac~ard:Thishelps prevent damage to .
.these belt systems. ' .
1- 4

'POWER ' WIND()W:S ~: '<OpnONAL).
Powerwindows have arl~gt,itiOn , interlockSO the windows cannot be
operated unlesstheignitiorr~~it?hjsin the \' on" position.
Individual switches'"are provid~ , at the rear"of"the center ,' console
,.,acceSsible to both driver
and ~enger.
' SEAT ,BELTS
-To help lessen the chance of injury andlor theamount of injury in
licci~ts or sudden stops, General Motors urges that peopleriding
', inttte ; ~hicle be properlyrestra.inedatall times, using the seat' belts
, Provide<f 3 ': 'fhis' includes pregnant,woinen,,and children of all ages.
See follO\vingpagesJor oseof restraints bY "children and pregnant .
women > ',: " , ,
."Front• se , at ,l:ap-Shoulder Belt
• 'Adjust the front seat as needed and sit up straight and well back
in the
seat. ,
• There are a number of'ways the lap-shoUlder belt may
be put on
easily. For example...
• 'The lap-shoulderbeltmaYbepufon using one h~d by: (1 )
Holding the
latch plateandpulfing the belt as far' as it will
.reachacrossyour waist (SeeiUustration). (2) Then, hold the
latch. plate at a ri~ht angle to the webbing. At the same
tim~slideit up 'the ~ltby raising it toward the upper
outside'
,corner oLthewindshield.(3)Finally, pull the belt
dOwn across ,the body and push !helatch plate ,into the
buckle until
it cHcks.
-One eaSytw&h~ ,. rnethod is to hold the webbi~ just
behind thelatc::hplate using the nearest
hanet. Then bring it
ctown ' ~r()SS your body. While holding the webbing taut
with ,one, hand. , sli~)he latch plate up the belt with the
other hand, Finally, hold the latch plate
and push it into the
.tt ik' ' ~kle : until itclicks. '
1 - 5

• Posifionthe "lap"portioJ1 ()f~he~ltacross the,lap as LOW ON
THE HIPSaSpo~ible.Then 'adjust to a SNUG FIT by holding
,
,' the "shoUld9(" ',portiril1of belt and pulling it"UPWARD through
:the latchplate; untjlJhe lap;portion is snlig across the lap. This ,
reduces the riskofsliding under the belt during all accident.
', -J
. - - - -' . - - -- ' . - ~
CAUTION: ,A snugHt with the - lap b~lt pO ,Sitloned low on the hips is
necessary
to help lesslmthechance > of Injury - and/orthe amount of '
Injury In an accident. Tl1i$ spreads the force ofthe lap belt over ,the
$lrong hip bone instead of across the soft abdomen••To help lesllen the
chlmceof InjufY and/or the amount of ,InjlJry ,In an accident: never use
the ,same, belt for more than one person at a time; do not wear twisted
belts; and do riot damage belts or - belthardwareby pinching them in the
sellt or 900r. "
- . The should~rportionofth~frontseat belt restraint has a "vehicle
sensitivere~(~c , toQwhich , Is cdesigned ', to Idckonly during a
-sudden stop orj~ct.- At other times it is designed,to move
freely with the person. - , "
• For those who
wantit, a tension reliever is builtilito theretractor
to
helpincre~ c()mfort. T0i.!selhe ,tensionreliever feature: (l)
Start by pulling the ~It 9utwarda few incliesand letting, it go so "
it rett)rns to the, chest (Step "A" in the figure). (2), Tllen adjust,
the belt tensionby pulling dO\'in,Slightly on the shoulder portion
pf the, belt and le~inggo(Step"B"inthe figure). The Ie~t
amount' , of belt possible should be pulled from the retractor;
about one inch torelil3ve the tension. '
. -' ", ... ~,\ '-:"':" '.