Chevrolet Optra 2004 User manual

Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-10
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-29
Air Bag Systems ...................................... 1-51
Restraint System Check ............................ 1-60
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-7
Windows ................................................. 2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-18
Mirrors .................................................... 2-35
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-37
Sunroof .................................................. 2-39
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-2
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........ 3-24
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-40
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-31
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10
Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-44
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-44
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-50
Tires ...................................................... 5-51
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-73
Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-81
Electrical System ...................................... 5-82
Capacities and Specifications ..................... 5-90
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ...... 5-91
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-11
Index ................................................................ 1
2004 Chevrolet Optra Owner Manual M

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, and the CHEVROLET Emblem are
registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.
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.
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.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 04OPTRA A First Edition ©Copyright General Motors Corporation 10/13/03 All Rights Reserved
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 you
do this, 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 look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what
is in the manual, and the page number where you will
find it.
ii

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.”
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 your
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s 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.
There are also warning labels on your 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 (With Sliding
Storage Tray) .............................................1-2
Manual Seats (Without Sliding Storage Tray) ......1-3
Driver Seat Height Adjuster ..............................1-4
Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-5
Head Restraints .............................................1-7
Rear Seats .......................................................1-8
Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-8
Safety Belts ...................................................1-10
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-10
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-14
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-15
Driver Position ..............................................1-15
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-23
Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-24
Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-24
Center Rear Passenger Position .....................1-28
Safety Belt Pretensioners ...............................1-28
Child Restraints .............................................1-29
Older Children ..............................................1-29
Infants and Young Children ............................1-31
Child Restraint Systems .................................1-35
Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-38
Top Strap ....................................................1-39
Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-41
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System .........................................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position ...................................................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position ............................................1-48
Air Bag Systems ............................................1-51
Where Are the Air Bags? ...............................1-54
When Should an Air Bag Inflate? ....................1-56
What Makes an Air Bag Inflate? .....................1-57
How Does an Air Bag Restrain? .....................1-57
What Will You See After an Air Bag Inflates? .......1-58
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle .........1-60
Restraint System Check ..................................1-60
Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................1-60
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash ...................................................1-61
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Front Seats
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.
1-2

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.
1-3

Driver Seat Height Adjuster
To adjust the height of the
driver’s seat cushion, turn
the knobs located on
the outboard side of the
seat cushion.
Turn the front knob to adjust the height of the front
portion of the seat cushion. Turn the rear knob to adjust
the height 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
To adjust the seatback, lift
the lever located on the
outboard side of the
seat and move the
seatback to where you
want it.
Release the lever and push rearward on the seatback to
make sure it is locked.
Pull up on the lever without pushing on the seatback
and the seatback will go to an upright position.
1-5

But do not 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 up, your safety belts can not do their
job when you are reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can not 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)
1-6

CAUTION: (Continued)
The lap belt can not 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
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 up the head restraint in order to adjust the position
upward.
1-7

Push in the release button in order to adjust the position
downward.
The rear head restraints may also be adjusted. Push in
the release button and move the head restraint to
the desired position.
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.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
Folding the Seatback
Your vehicle has rear seatbacks that can be folded
down to increase cargo space.
To fold down the seatback, do the following:
1. Push the rear head restraints as far down as
possible. 2. Press down on the
release button located
on top of the rear
seatback.
3. Fold the rear seatback forward and down.
1-8

{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
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
{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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
To return the seatback to the upright position, do the
following:
1. Lift up the seatback and push it to its original
position. Ensure that the safety belts are not twisted
or caught under the seatback.
2. Push rearward firmly on the top of the seatback
until it latches securely in the fully upright position.
1-9

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 can not
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.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up.
See Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-28.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
1-10

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!
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.
1-11

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.
1-12

The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel...
1-13

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.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
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.
1-14