1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine New Vehicle “Break-In” Ignition Positior- -
NOTICE:
Your
modern vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
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Keep your speed at 55 mph (SS km/h) or
less for the
first 500 miles (SO5 km).
Don’t drive
at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (SO5 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow
a trailer during break-in. See
“Towing
a Trailer’’ in the Index for more
information. Use your ignition
key to
stan your vehicle. The
ignition key lets
you turn the ignition switch to five
different positions.
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ACCESSORY (A): This position lets you use things
like
the radio and the windshield wipers when the
engine is
off. To get into ACCESSORY, push in the key
and turn
it toward you. Your steering wheel will remain
locked, just as
it was before you inserted the key.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Don’t operate accessories in the ACCESSORY
position for long periods of time. Prolonged
operation
of accessories in the ACCESSORY
position could drain your battery and prevent
you from starting your vehicle.
LOCK (B): This position locks your ignition, steering
wheel and transmission shift lever in
PARK (P). It’s a
theft-deterrent feature. You will only be able to remove
your key when the ignition
is turned to LOCK.
OFF (C): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still turn the steering wheel. Use
OFF if you must have
your vehicle
in motion while the engine is off (for
example, if your vehicle is being towed).
RUN (D): This is the position for driving.
START (E): This starts your engine.
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure you are using the correct key; if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key hard. But turn the key only with your hand.
Using
a tool to force it could break the key or the
ignition switch. If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your vehicle
is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift
to PARK (P) only when
your vehicle is stopped.
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go
of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START. If it doesn’t start in 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down for five more
seconds, or until it starts.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), wait
15 seconds and start over.
When the engine starts, let go
of the key and the
accelerator pedal.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Fuel Regulator
You have a fuel regulator that shuts the fuel off when
the engine reaches 5,600 rpm.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather,
0°F (-18°C) or colder,
the engine coolant heater
can help. You’ll get easier
starting and better fuel
economy during engine
warm-up. Usually, the
coolant heater should be
plugged in a minimum
of
four hours prior to starting
your vehicle.
To Use the Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use
a heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated
for at least
15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before
to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If
you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your
GM dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK
(P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
I A CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake anc
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer”
in the Index.
Ensure the shift lever is
fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has a
brake-transmission shift interlock.
You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK
(P) when the ignition key is in the RUN position.
If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear
you wish. See
“Shifting Out of PARK (P)” in this section.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your
transmission. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
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Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEU’I AL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed)
is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly.
You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL
(N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting
out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL
(N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty. DRIVE
(D):
This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you’re:
0 Going less than about 35 mph (56 kmk), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
0 Going about 35 mph (56 kdh) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down. You’ll shift
down
to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE
(D) should be used for normal towing.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however
it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D).
You should use THIRD (3)
when carrying a heavy load or driving on steep hills.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower
fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as
you go down steep
mountain roads, but then
you would also want to use
your brakes
off and on.
If you manually select SECOND
(2), the transmission
will drive in second gear.
You may use this feature
for reducing torque to the rear wheels when you are
trying
to start your vehicle from a stop on slippery
road surfaces.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You can
use it
on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is put in FIRST
(l), the transmission
won’t shift into first gear until the vehicle is going
slow enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against
a solid
object. You could damage your transmission or
transfer case or both.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
PARK
(P) to hold your vehicle in position
on a hill.
Locking Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your rear axle can give you
additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It
works like a standard axle most of the time, but when
one
of the rear wheels has no traction and the other does,
the locking feature will allow the wheel with traction to
move the vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive (Option)
If your vehicle has
all-wheel drive, your
engine’s driving power
is sent to all four wheels
for extra traction.
This is like four-wheel drive, but there is
no separate
lever
or switch to engage or disengage the front axle.
It is fully automatic, and adjusts itself as needed
for
road conditions.
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