1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO check transmission fluid

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
* Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard
on
mountain roads.
* Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing
to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift
to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
hot that’they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a steep downhill slope.
A CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would
then have poor braking
or even none going down
a hill. You could crash. Always have your
engine running and your vehicle in gear when
you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads
in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center
of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay
in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like
a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are
long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
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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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and
then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and
a part devoted to its appearance care.
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6-36 Service
Fuel Fuels
in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Engine Cover
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transmission Fluid
All-Wheel Drive Rear Axle
Engine Coolant
Radiator Pressure Cap
Thermostat Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes Battery
Bulb Replacement Halogen Bulbs 6-42
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1
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6-68 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires Appearance Care
Cleaning
the Inside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside
of the Windshield,
Backglass and Wiper Blades
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Tires Finish Damage Underbody Maintenance
Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
6-1

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).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking Transmission Fluid Hot
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F ( 10°C)' drive the
vehicle in
DRIVE (D) until the engine temperature gage
moves and then remains steady for
10 minutes. Then
follow the
hot check procedures.
Checking Transmission Fluid Cold
A cold check is made after the vehicle has been sitting
for eight hours or more with
the engine off and is used
only as a reference. Let
the engine run at idle for five
minutes
if outside temperatures are 50°F (10°C) or
more. If it's colder than
50°F (lO°C), you may have
to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low
during a cold check,
you must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you a more accurate
reading
of the fluid level.
Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
engine
running.
in
PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in
PARK (P).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
6-21

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Mainterl‘ance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants”
in the Index.
Add fluid
only after checking the transmission fluid HOT.
(A COLD check is used only as a reference.) If the fluid
level is low, add only enough of the proper fluid
to bring
the level up
to the HOT area for a hot check. It doesn’t
take.much fluid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L).
Don P overjill.
I NOTICE:
-
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then flip the handle
down
to lock the dipstick in place.
All-Wheel Drive
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure to
perform
the lubricant checks described in this section.
However,
they have two additional systems that
need lubrication.
Transfer Case
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON-I11
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty. When to Check Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
how
often to check the lubricant. See “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections’’
in the Index.
6-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I Short lkip/City Maintenance Schedule I
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
(See footnote #.)
in dusty conditions. Replace filter if
necessary.
An Emission Control Service.
(See footnotef.)
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add
fluid as needed. Check constant velocity
joints and axle seals for leaking.
(See footnote
**.)
0 For Two-Wheel-Drive vehicles only: Clean
and repack the front wheel bearings (or
at
each brake relining, whichever occurs first).
0 Inspect air cleaner filter if you are driving
0 Change automatic transmission fluid and
filter if the vehicle is mainly driven under
one or more of these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90°F
(32°C) or higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditiorzs, change the jluid und.filter every
30,000 rniles (50 000 km).
DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I Short 6iplCity Maintenance Schedule I
30,000 Miles (50 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
(See footnote
#.)
17 Check readfront axle fluid level and add
fluid as needed. Check constant velocity
joints and axle seals for leaking.
(See footnote
* * .)
0 For Two-Wheel-Drive vehicles only: Clean
and repack the front wheel bearings (or at
each brake relining, whichever occurs first).
0 Replace fuel filter. An Emission Control Service.
0 Replace air cleaner filter.
An Emission Control Service.
0 Change automatic transmission fluid and
filter if the vehicle is mainly driven under
one or more
of these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90 OF
(32°C) or higher.
(See footnote?.)
(Continued)
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