1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO trailer

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring (included
in the optional trailering package).
The green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash
whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about
to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned
out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down,
you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade,
shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transmission overheating.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If
you turn
your engine
off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating.
To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in
PARK (P) for a few
minutes before turning
the engine off. If you do get the
overheat warning, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
4-37

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill.
If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have
to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how
to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
PARK (P) yet.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
5. Release the regular brakes.
brake,
and shift to
PARK (P).
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help you
find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a
good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-38

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Wiring Harness
If you have the optional trailering package, your vehicle
will have an eight-wire harness, including
the center
high-mounted stoplamp battery feed wire. The harness
is stored on the passenger side of
the vehicle near the
rear wheel well. This harness has a
30 amp battery feed
wire and no connector, and should be wired by
a
qualified electrical technician. After choosing an
aftermarket trailer mating connector pair, have the
technician attach one connector to the eight-wire trailer
harness and the other connector to the wiring harness
on
the trailer. Be sure the wiring harness on the trailer is
taped or strapped
to the trailer’s frame rail and leave it
loose enough so the wiring doesn’t bend or break, but
not
so loose that it drags on the ground. The eight-wire
harness must be routed out
of your vehicle between the
rear door and the floor, with enough
of the harness left
on both sides so that the trailer or the body won’t pull it.
If you do not have the optional trailering package, your
vehicle will still have a trailering harness. The harness is
located near the passenger’s side rear wheel well. It
consists of six wires that may be used by after-market
trailer hitch installers. The technician can use the
following color code chart when connecting the wiring
harness
to your trailer.
Brown: Rear lamps.
Yellow: Left stoplamp and turn signal.
0 Dark Green: Right stoplamp and turn signal.
White (Heavy Gage): Ground.
Light Green: Back-up lamps.
White (Light Gage): Center High-Mounted Stoplamp.
Blue: Auxiliary circuit (eight-wire harness only).
0 Orange: Fused auxiliary (eight-wire harness only).
Store the harness in its original place. Wrap the harness
together
and tie it neatly so it won’t be damaged.
4-39

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine
can get a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
0 Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer, See “Driving on Grades” in the Index.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for
a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D). If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can drive.
Just to
be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes. If the
warning doesn’t come back
on, you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, push the accelerator until
the engine speed is about twice as fast as normal idle
speed. Bring the engine speed back to normal idle speed
after two or three minutes. Now see if the warning stops.
But then, if you still have the warning,
turn ofthe
engine
and get everyone out of the vehicle until it
cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air
to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the clutch is not fully engaged. This
improves
fuel economy and reduces fan noise. Under
heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or high outside
temperatures, the
fan speed increases when the clutch
engages.
So you may hear an increase in fan noise. This
is normal and should not be mistaken as the
transmission slipping or making extra shifts. It is merely
the cooling system functioning properly. The fan will
slow down when additional cooling
is not required and
the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if
you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what
to do:
If a front tire fails, the
flat tire will create a drag that
pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer
to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well
out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid.
In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering
the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but
you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat,
the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
5-22

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your GM dealer is ready
to advise if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short tripkity
maintenance schedule:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil
to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first. If
none
of them is true, use the long triphighway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a
fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine
oil to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay
on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat
to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers,
or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
6-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when
the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
regularly reaches
90 OF (32 ” C) or
higher.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter every
30,000 miles
(50 000 km).
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your
GM dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get
a false reading on the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
~ transmission fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which
is 180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
6-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine FuseKircuit
Breaker
5 .........
6 .........
7 .........
8 .........
9 .........
10 ........
11 e. * e, e e.
12 ........
13 ........
14 ........
Usage
Not Used
Cruise Module, Cruise Control Switch
Power Outlets, DLC,
Subwoofer Amplifier
Starter Enable Relay
License Plate Lamp, Taillamps,
Parking Lamps, Ashtray Lamp, Panel
Lights, Trailer Taillamps, Front and
Rear Sidemarker Lamps, Door Switch
Illumination, Headlamp Switch
Illumination, Rear Seat Audio
Illumination
Air Bag System
Wiper Motor, Washer Pump,
Upfitter Relay Coil
L, MI,
M2 Blower Motor, Rear A/C
Relay Coil, Front Cont. Temp. Door
Motor, Hi Blower Relay, Defogger
Timer Coil
Cigarette Lighter, Door Lock Switches
Cluster HVAC Controls, Chime Module,
Radio Illumination, Rear Heat Switch
Illumination, Rear Wipermasher Switch
Illumination, Rear Liftgate Switch
Illumination, Remote Cassette Illumination,
OH Console
Fuse/Circuit
Breaker
15 ........
16 ........
17 ........
18 ........
19 ........
20 ........
21 ........
22 ........
23 ........
24 ........
A.........
B .........
Usage
DRL Diode
Front Turn Signals, Rear Turn Signals,
Trailer Turn Signals, Back-up Lamps,
BTSI Solenoid
Radio: ATC (Standby),
2000 Series
(Main Feed), Rear Seat Audio Controls
VCM-Ign
3, VCM- Brake, 4WAL,
Cruise Stepper Motol
Radio: ATC (Main Feed),
2000 Series (Standby)
PRNDLI Odometer, TCC Enable and
PWM Solenoids, Shift A and Shift B
Solenoids, 3-2 Downshift Solenoids
Not Used
Not Used
Rear Wiper, Rear Washer Pump
Not Used
(Circuit Breaker) Power Door Lock
Relay, 6-way Power Seat, Remote
Control Door Lock Receiver, Dutch
Door Module, Dutch Door Release
(Circuit Breaker) Power Windows
6-63