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I just bought a 2008 Aveo5 with 40k miles. In looking around the net I see horror stories about broken timing belts and engine replacements. This happened to my Neighbor with 40k miles.
I have read through the owners' manual and checked the index, I see that the book recommends checking the the timing belt at 30k and replacement at 60k. I have no idea whether this was done at 30k. Should I just have it replaced now? The car was a rental in Colorado. I broke a timing belt on my Ford Escort '93 and it was no big deal. Apparently it is a big deal on the Aveo.

Two small irratations probably not worth the mention:
1. The clock on the dashboard is lighted for about 1 minute or less when the vehicle first starts cold. Thereafter no numbers visible. I am not a mechanic - is this an adjustment or has Chevy decided I should only know what time it is when I first set out in the morning?

2. Yesterday I decided to look under the hood. I pulled the lever beneath the dash and nothing happened. After yanking on it several times the hood released. Is there an adjustment a clutz can make?
Thank you for any help.
THOMASTHH

Welcome Back!

first, at 40k, your timing belt should be fine. Checking it is easy, just snapping the upper cover and checking the condition of the rubber, missing teeth, and tightness. Could have been done without any real expense, but i would have it checked instead of just replacing it in fear. We have members here who have made it 100k on the original belt, i myself will do it at 60k.

the hood release is wierd, pop off the plastic cover and you should be able to tighten it up, i accidently made mine come apart once

I think the timing belt horror stories, reflect a bad batch of timing belts on the 04 models.

Mine came with a Gates Powergrip that made it past the 60k mark / 3 years, and didn't seem to be in danger of falling apart, yet it was indeed showing its age and in need of replacement.
My Car runs in Hot and Frigid temps and was driven normally.

So I think you'll be fine if you simply follow the recomended intervals. Sometime before 70k replace the belt.

If your mechanically inclined I put a few pictures up on the web of what the job entails....

www.aveodiy.blogspot.com

Good Luck

THANKS ALL FOR THE ENCOURAGING WORDS.
I am going to have the dealer take a look at the timing belt - under the heading of "belt and suspenders."
I will take a shot at adjusting the hood release.
Does anyone have a thought on the bashful clock? It does not want to be seen other then the first few seconds on a cold morning.
THOMASTHH

i would buy a new working clock off ebay, it is cheap. And from what you are saying it sounds like the lcd or whatever type of screen it has is burning out, probably an internal resister failure.

THANK YOU MR. RABBIT,
Would you happen to know if anyone has posted directions as to how to install this item? I did in fact find one on ebay <http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/08-CHEVY-AVEO-DIGITAL-DASH-CLOCK-OEM_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem27af721023QQitemZ170447212579QQptZLHQ5fDefaultDomainQ5f100>

Buy it now at $20. I have a friend who is good at electronic DIY, whereas I am good at shoveling snow.
THOMASTHH

it looks pretty self explanatory to me from the pictures. unscrew the cover, unscrew the clock from the dash, unplug wires.

I have an 04 sedan, and ashmedly pushed the envelope on my timing belt to 91K.

I replaced mine around 70k. I didnt want all the horror stories I heard to come true. I replaced the serp belt at the same time