1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Taillamps
1. Open the rear door.
2. Remove the two screws
from behind the door.
3. Pull out the taillamp assembly so you can see the socket.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Press the tab and
turn the socket
counterclockwise
to
remove the socket
from the bezel.
If the socket does not
have a tab, turn the
socket counterclockwise
to remove the socket
from the bezel.
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
To replace your windshield
wiper blade inserts, lift
the wiper arm away from the windshield.
5. Reverse Steps 1 through 4 to reinstall the taillamp.
Pinch the two tabs on the wiper arm and slide the insert
out of the blade. Slide
the new one in place. Make
sure the tabs are locked into position. See “Normal
Maintenance Replacement Parts”
in the Index for the
proper type of replacement blade.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service,
see your warranty booklet for details.
I
1
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause
overheating
as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The CertificationRire label, which is on the rear edge of
the driver’s door, shows the correct inflation pressures
for your
tires when they’re cold. “Cold” means your
vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours or driven
no more than
1 mile (1.6 km).
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right.
It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough
air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued) NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have too much air
(overinflation),
you can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
When
to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire.
It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
use a
good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back
on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping
out dirt and moisture.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
( 10 000 to 1 3 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When It’s Time for New Tires’’ and
“Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear
for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals. When rotating your tires, always
use the
correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your
tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures
as shown on the
Certificatioflire label. Make certain that all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in
the Index.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after
a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency,
you can
use a cloth
or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use
a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When It’s Time for New Tires
- One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check
the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certificationrnire label.
You need
a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric. The tires installed
on your vehicle when
it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When
you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling,
speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are
the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial)
as your original tires.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1 /r CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving. If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle
may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the
same size and type tires on
all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare, though.
It was developed for use on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed
by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in
the United States.) The
grades are molded
on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system
does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver
or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available
on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, €3, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and
its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance
on
the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace
it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
GM dealer if any
of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
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