1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO light

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you.
You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know
it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that
is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time
to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side.of the
vehicle that's
away from the wind. This will help
keep
CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle,
and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only
when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
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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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly
on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission
in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or accessory power outlets. Turn
off all lamps
that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. In addition, it
could save your radio!
NOTICE:
I I
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on each battery.
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight
if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care
of that first. If’ you don’t, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice
or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help
you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
1 NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle
as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and
you or others could be injured. And,
the transmission or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 kmh) as shown
on the speedometer. For information about using tire
chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains”
in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until
you hear a clicking sound. 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 properly. This may
cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light
and your fuel tank and emissions system may be
damaged. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in
the Index.
Checking Things Under the Hoc4
m-
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

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rear Axle What to Use .
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often
to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need
to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise
the level to the bottom of the filler plug hole. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL
J engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km) whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL’ extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when
it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating”
in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@ coolant for
your vehicle
will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as they should.
6-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except
when
you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly). NOTICE:
0
0
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake
pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come and
A CAUThN:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions
or climates may cause a brake
squeal when
the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean somethim
is wrong with
your brakes.
6-34

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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