1996 CHEVROLET ASTRO checking oil

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

When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right until
you hear at least three clicks. Make sure you
fully install
the cap. The diagnostic
system can determine if the fuel
cap has been
left off or improperly installed. This would
allow fuel
to evaporate into the atmosphere. See
“Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in the Index.
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer can get one for you.
If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit or have proper
venting, and your fuel tank and emissions system
might be damaged.
Checking Things Under the Hood
/1 CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not
to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
6-7

Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then
push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check
the level.
When to Add Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD line, then you’ll need
to add some oil. But
you must use the right kind. This
part explains what kind
of oil to use. For crankcase
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the
cross-hatched area that shows the proper
operating range, your engine could
be damaged.
Just fill it enough to put the level somewhere in the
proper operating range. Push
the dipstick all the way
back
in when you’re through.
6-12

Brakes. Anti-Lock ............................... 4-6
Braking
........................................ 4-5
Braking
in Emergencies ........................... 4-8
Break-In. New Vehicle
.......................... 2- 13
BTSICheck ................................... 7-43
Bulb Replacement
.............................. 6-36
Canadian Roadside Assistance
.................... 8-6
Capacities and Specifications
...................... 6-67
Carbon Monoxide
............... 2.26.4.25.4.32. 4.33
Cassette Deck Service
........................... 7-41
Cassette Tape Player
.................. 3- 10. 3. 12. 3.20
Cassette Tape Player Care
........................ 3-27
Center Passenger Position
........................ 1-34
Chains. Safety
................................. 4-32
Chains. Tire
................................... 6-49
Changing a Flat Tire
............................. 5-23
Charging System Light
.......................... 2-55
Check Gages Light
.............................. 2-63
Check Oil Light
................................ 2-61
Checking
Your Restraint Systems .................. 1-52
Chemical Paint Spotting
.......................... 6-57
Child Restraints
................................ 1-4 I
Securing in a Rear Outside Seat Position ........... 1-43
Securing
in the Center Seat Position .............. 1-45
Securing
in the Right Front Seat Position .......... 1-46
TopStrap
................................... 1-42
Where to Put
........................... 1-4 I. 1-42
Cigarette Lighter
............................... 2-48
Circuit Breakers and Fuses
....................... 6-61
Cleaner. Air ................................... 6-19 Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels ............................ 6-55
Fabric
...................................... 6-50
Glass
....................................... 6-53
Inside
of Your Vehicle ......................... 6-50
Instrument Panel
............................. 6-53
Leather
..................................... 6-52
Outside
of Your Vehicle ........................ 6-54
Special Problems
............................. 6-51
Stains
...................................... 6-51
Tires
....................................... 6-56
Vinyl ....................................... 6-52
Wheels
..................................... 6-55
Windshield and Wiper Blades
................... 6-53
Clock. Setting the
................................ 3-8
Comfort Controls
................................ 3-1
Compact Disc Care
............................. 3-28
Compact Disc Player
............................ 3-16
Compact Spare Tire
............................. 5-36
Control of a Vehicle .............................. 4-5
ConvenienceNet
............................... 2-46
Convex Outside Mirror
.......................... 2-39
Coolant
....................................... 6-25
Heater. Engine
............................... 2-16
RecoveryTank
............................... 5-15
Courtesy Lamps
................................ 2-37
Courtesy Transportation
........................... 8-6
Cruise Control
................................. 2-32
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone Users
......... 8-3
Customer
Assistance Information ................... 8-1
Customer Satisfaction Procedure .................... 8-1
Cooling System
................................ 5-15
9-2

Damage. Finish ........................ . . 6-56
Damage. Sheet Metal
............................ 6-56
Daytime Running Lamps
......................... 2-36
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light
............ 2-62
Dead Battery
................................... 5-2
Defects. Reporting Safety
......................... 8-8
Defensive Driving ............................... 4- 1
Defogger. Rear Window .......................... 3-7
Defrosting
..................................... 3-6
Dimensions. Vehicle
............................ 6-69
Dome Lamps
.................................. 2-37
Door Locks
....................................... 2-5
Sliding ...................................... 2-9
DrivePosition
................................. 2-20
DriverPosition
................................. 1-16
Driving City
........................................ 4-17
Defensive
.................................... 4-1
Drunken ..................................... 4-2
Freeway
.................................... 4-18
InaBlizzard ................................. 4-24
In Foreign Countries ........................... 6-4
In the Rain .................................. 4-14
Night
...................................... 4-13
OnCurves
................................... 4-8
On Grades While Towing
a Trailer ............... 4-35
On Hill and Mountain Roads
.................... 4-20
On Snow and Ice
............................. 4-22
Through Water
................... ....... 4-16
WetRoads
.................................. 4-14
Winter ...................................... 4-22
With a Trailer ................................ 4-33
Drunken Driving
................................ 4-2 Electrical
Equipment. Adding
........ 2- 16. 3.26. 6-60
Electrical System
............................... 6-60
Engine ........................................ 4-9
Coolant
..................................... 6-25
Coolant Heater
............................... 2-16
Coolant Level Check
.......................... 7-41
Cooling System Capacity
....................... 6-67
Cover
...................................... 6-15
Exhaust
..................................... 2-26
FuseBlocks
............................ 6-61. 6-64
Identification
................................ 6-59
OilLevelCheck
.............................. 7-41
Overheating
................................. 5-13
Running While Parked
......................... 2-26
Specifications
................................ 6-67
Starting
..................................... 2-15
Temperature Gage
............................ 2-62
Engineoil
.................................... 6-11
Adding
..................................... 6-12
Additives
................................... 6-14
Checking
................................... 6-12
Pressure Gage
........................... .... 2-60
Used
....................................... 6-15
Whentochange .............................. 6-14
Exhaust. Engine
................................ 2-26
Express-Down Window
........................ 2-28
Fabric Cleaning
............................... 6-50
Fiberglass Springs
.............................. 6-57
Filling Your Tank
................................ 6-5
Filter. Air
..................................... 6-69
Filter. Engine Oil
............................... 6-69
Finish Care
.................................... 6-54
9-3

Finish Damage ................................. 6-56
First Gear
..................................... 2-20
Flashers. Hazard Warning
......................... 5-1
Flat Tire. Changing ............................. 5-23
Fluid Capacities
................................ 6-67
Fluids and Lubricants
............................ 7-47
Foreign Countries. Fuel
........................... 6-4
French Language Manual
11
Front Axle .................................... 6-24
Front Storage Area
.............................. 2-40
Front Towing
.............................. 5-9. 5- 10
Front Turn Signal Lamp Bulb Replacement .......... 6-40
Fuel
.......................................... 6-3
Canada
...................................... 6-3
Filling Your Tank
.............................. 6-5
Gage
....................................... 2-63
In Foreign Countries
........................... 6-4
Regulator
................................... 2-16
Fuses
and Circuit Breakers ....................... 6-61
Gages
.. ...........................
Engine Coolant Temperature .................... 2-62
Engine Oil Pressure
........................... 2-60
Fuel
....................................... 2-63
Garage Door Opener
............................ 2-43
Gear Positions. Automatic Transmission
............. 2- 18
GloveBox .................................... 2-40
Gross Axle Weight Rating
........................ 4-26
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
...................... 4-26
Guide en FranGais
11
GVWR ....................................... 4-26
GAWR
....................................... 4-26
.. .................................
Halogen
Bulbs ................................ 6-36
Hatch Release
.................................. 2-11
Hazard Warning Flashers .......................... 5-1
Head Restraints ................................. 1-5
Headlamps .................................... 2-35
Bulb Replacement
............................ 6-36
Highkow Beam Changer
...................... 2-30
OnReminder
................................ 2-36
Wiring
..................................... 6-60
Hearing Impaired. Customer Assistance
.............. 8-3
Heating ........................................ 3-5
High-Beam Headlamps
.......................... 2-30
Highway Hypnosis
.............................. 4-20
Hill and Mountain Roads
......................... 4-20
Hitches. Trailer
................................. 4-32
Hood Checking Things Under
......................... 6-7
Prop
....................................... 6-10
Release
...................................... 6-8
Horn
......................................... 2-29
Hydroplaning
.................................. 4-16
Ignition Positions
.............................. 2-14
Inflation. Tire
.................................. 6-43
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
................. 2-38
Inspections
.................................... 7-45
Brakesystem
................................ 7-46
Drive Axle
.................................. 7-46
Exhaust Systems
............................. 7-45
Radiator and Heater Hose
...................... 7-45
Steering
.................................... 7-45
Suspension
.................................. 7-45
Throttle Linkage
.............................. 7-45
9-4