1993 CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~~~~ If you’re going uphill on a one-way street and you’re parking on the
left side,
your wheels should point to the right.
AM470055
If there is no curb when you’re parking uphill, turn the wheel\
s to the right.
If there is no curb when you’re parking uphill on the left si\
de of a one-way
street, your wheels should be turned
to the left.
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your transmission into P
(Park) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too much force on the
parking pawl in the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift lever
out of
P (Park). This is called torque lock. To prevent torque lock, always be
sure to shift into
P (Park) properly before you leave the driver’s seat. To find
out how, see “Shifting Into P (Park) in the Index.”
When you are ready
to drive, move the shift lever out of P (Park) BEFORE
you release the parking brake.
If “torque lock” does occur, you may need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of the pressure from the transmission,
so
you can pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Winter Driving
AM480005
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. Be sure your engine coolant
mix is correct.
Snow tires can help in loose snow, but they may give you les\
s traction
on ice than regular tires.
If you do not expect to be driving in deep
snow, but may have
to travel over ice, you may not want to switch to
snow tires at all.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush
or broom, a supply of windshield
washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shove\
l, a flashlight, a
red cloth, and a couple
of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will be
driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old
carpet
or a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these ,itemsin your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the road probably\
have
good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and the road, you can
have a very slippery situation. You’ll have a
lot less traction or “grip” and will
need
to be very careful.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine .. .
AN48001 9
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold \
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble \
because it may
offer the least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about freezing
(32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice
until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition-smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow-drive
with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile \
traction.
If you
accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the\
surface under
the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a hard stop on \
a slippery
road. Even though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’\
ll want to begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See “Anti-lo\
ck” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hi\
t a spot
that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice pa\
tches may
appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface\

of a
curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads\
are
clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are o\
n
it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that yo\
u get and it keeps
the battery charged. You
will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your headligh\
ts. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to
preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only\
when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve
the fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you ca
vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half
comes.
If You’re Stuck in Deep Snow
This manual explains how to get the vehicle out of deep
damaging it. See “Rocking Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Towing a mailer
In get out of the
hour or
so until
snow without help
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive properly you \
can
lose control when you pull a trailer.
For example, if the trailer is too
heavy the brakes may not work well-or even at all. You and your
passengers could be seriously injured. Pull a trailer only
if you have
followed all the steps in this section.
I
NOTICE
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result\
in costly
advice in this section.
pairs not covered
our
\a/arran+y. To pull a r correct‘ fnllow the
Every vehicle is reaay ior some trailer towing.
If it was built with trailering
options, as many are, it’s ready for heavier trailers. But \
trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means chan\
ges in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In
it are many time-tested, important
trailering tips and safety rules. Many
of these are important for your safety
and that of your passengers.
So please read this section carefully before you
pull a trailer.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
There are many different laws having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also where you’\
ll be
driving. A good source for this information can be state
or provincial
pol ice.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer will weigh 2,000 pounds
(900 kg) or less. You should always use a sway control
if your trailer will
weigh more than
2,000 pounds (900 kg). You can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles (800 km) your new
vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle, or other parts could ‘be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t
drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle. This
helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
Three important considerations have
to do with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? It depends on how you plan to use your
rig. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperat\
ure, and how
much your vehicle is used
to pull a trailer are all important. And, it can also
depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle.\
You can
ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice,
or you can write us at
the address listed in your Warranty and Owner Assistance Inform\
ation booklet.
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited,
Customer Assistance Center 1908 Colonel Sam Drive,
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it
affects the total or gross weight of your vehicle. The gross vehicle weight (GVW)
includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it, and the
people who will be riding in the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must
add the tongue load
to the GVW because your vehicle will be carrying that
weight too. See “Loading Your Vehicle in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
---
A B
--1
I
1
AN490002
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer tongue \
(A) should weigh 10% of
the total loaded trailer weight (B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch, the
trailer tongue (A) should weigh
12% of the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then\
the tongue,
separately,
to see if the weights are proper. If they aren’t, you may be able to
get them right simply by moving some items around in the trai\
ler.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the limit for cold tires. You’ll find
these numbers on the Certification label
at the rear edge of the driver’s door (or
see the “Tire Loading” in the Index.) Then be sure you
don’t go over the GVW
limit for your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few reasons why you’ll need the righ\
t hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
a
a
a
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will weigh more than 2,000
pounds (900 kg), be sure to use a properly mounted weight-distributing
hitch and sway control of the proper size. This equipment is very
important for proper vehicle loading and good handling when you\
’re
driving.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch?
If you do, then be sure to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your vehicle (see “Carbon
Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt and water can too.
Don’t let the steel in a hitch contact the aluminum on you\
r bumper.
If
you do, the two will corrode. You can use something like paint or plastic
tape to separate the steel and aluminum. The same steel to aluminum
problem can happen with fasteners too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trail\
er. Cross
the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue will not
drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer
or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for atta\
ching safety
chains. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And,
never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs
its own brakes-and
Be sure to read and more than
1,000 pounds (450 kg) loaded, then
it needs
they must be adequate.
follow the instructions for the trailer brakes to install,
adjust and maintain them properly.
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system
if the trailer’s brake system will use
more than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3~~) of fluid from your vehicle’s master cylinder.
If it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even \
lose your
brakes.
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