1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO Owners Manual

I A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire.
You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
1 NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Check Oil Light
CHECK
OIL
This light should come
on briefly while
you are
starting your engine. If the
light doesn’t come
on, have
it repaired.
If the light comes on while starting and stays on, your
engine oil level should be checked.
Prior
to checking your oil level, be sure your vehicle is
on a level surface and has been shut off for several
minutes to allow the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Check your oil level and bring it up to the proper level.
See “Engine Oil” in
the Index.
The
oil level monitoring system only checks the oil
during the brief period between turning the key
on and
when the engine starts. It does
not check the oil level
while the vehicle is running.
Parking
on steep grades may cause the light to come on
even when the oil level is correct. If this happens, park
the vehicle
on a level surface and check the oil level.
2-61

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
If the gage pointer moves to
the red area, your engine is
too hot!
Daytime Running. Lamps, Indicator Light
:::O ..e
If your vehicle’was first
sold, when new, in Canada,
you will have this light on
the instrument panel.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible. It goes
on whenever the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
are on. I
When it begins
to get dark, the DRL indicator light is a
reminder to
turn on your headlamps.
In “Problems on the Road,”
this manual shows you what
to do. See “Engine’Overheating” in the Index.

2-62

Check Gages Light Fuel Gage
This light will come on
CHECK
GAGES
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your various gages to see if they are in the
warning zones. The
fuel gage tells you
how much fuel
you have
remaining when the
ignition is
on.
When the gage fust indicates EMPTY (E), you still have a
little
fuel left, but you should get more fuel as soon as possible.
Here are things some owners ask about. None of these
indicate a problem with your fuel gage:
0 At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
0 The fuel tank will take either a little more or a little
gage reads
FULL (F).
less
fuel to fill up than the gage shows.
0 The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
0 The gage doesn't go back to EMPTY (E) when you
speed up.
turn off the ignition.
2-63

NOTES
2-64

Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
I I
In this section you’ll find out how to operate the comfort
control and audio systems offered with your vehicle. Be
sure to read about the particular systems supplied with
your vehicle.
Comfort Controls
This section tells you how to make your air system work
for you. Your comfort control system uses ozone-friendly
R- 134a refrigerant.
With these systems,
you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation
in your vehicle. Your vehicle also has
a flow-through ventilation system described later in
this section.
Heating/Air Conditioning System
If your vehicle has air conditioning, your heating/air
conditioning controls will
look like this.
3-1

Fan Knob
This control has four positions. To increase airflow,
turn the knob toward
HI. To decrease airflow, move it
toward
LO.
Temperature Knob
This knob is next to the fan knob. It selects the
temperature
of the air flowing into your vehicle. Move
the knob clockwise for warmer air. Move the knob
counterclockwise for cooler
air.
Function Knob
This knob is next to the temperature knob.
OFF: This setting turns the system off.
MAX A/C: This cools the air the fastest, by
recirculating the inside air. Move the temperature knob
all the way clockwise.
A/C: This setting brings in outside air and cools it.
I,.
+fl BI-LEVEL: This setting brings in outside air
through the heater floor vent and the instrument panel
vents.
If you move the temperature knob between hot
and cold, cooler air will come out
of the upper vents
while warmer air comes out of the floor vent. The air
conditioning compressor may operate in this setting to
cool the air.
+.
/J VENT The ax comes out at the vents on your
instrument panel. The air conditioning compressor will
not run in this position. Adjust the temperature knob for
warmer or cooler air.
+’ HEATER: Most of the air comes out near the
floor. The rest comes out from the defroster vents under
the windshield and at the front side windows.
+’ BLEND: With this setting, the heated outside air
comes
out both the heater vents and defroster vents.
Adjust the temperature knob for warmer or cooler air.
Most
of the air comes out near the windshield, with
some going
to the floor vents and front side windows.
we
DEFROST This setting operates the defroster.
3-2

Heating System Function Knob
If your vehicle does not have air conditioning, your
heater controls will look like this.
Fan Knob
This control has four positions, To increase airflow,
turn the knob toward
HI. To decrease airflow, move it
toward
LO.
Temperature Knob
This knob is next to the fan knob. It selects the
temperature
of the air flowing into your vehicle. Move
the knob clockwise for warmer air. Move
the knob
counterclockwise for cooler air. This
knob is next to the temperature knob. The function
knob allows
you to choose the direction of air delivery.
OFF: This setting turns the system off.
-a
# VENT The air comes out at the vents on y r
instrument panel.
+# BI-LEVEL: With this setting, the heated outside
air comes out both the instrument panel vents and
heater vents. Adjust the temperature knob for warmer
or cooler air.
+’, HEATER: Most of the air comes out near the
floor. The rest comes out from the defroster vents under
the windshield and at the front side windows.
+’, BLEND: With this setting, the heated outside
air comes
out both the heater vents and defroster vents.
Adjust
the temperature knob for warmer or cooler air.
+.
%
DEFROST This setting operates the defroster.
Most
of the air comes out near the windshield, with
some going to the floor vents and front side windows.
3-3

Rear Heating System (Option) Rear Air Conditioning System (Option)
You may have the optional rear heater. The three-speed
fan switch is
to the right of the radio. Turn the switch
toward
HIGH for higher airflow in the rear area. Turn
the switch to the
OFF position to turn the system off.
You may have rear air conditioning. The rear air
conditioning switch is located to
the right of the heater
controls. Turn the switch toward
HIGH for higher
airflow
in the rear area. Turn the switch to the OFF
position to turn the system off.
3-4