1997 CHEVROLET ASTRO weight

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on
the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
When
you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours
a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from
the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a brake-transmission shift interlock.
You have to fully apply your regular brake before
you can shift from PARK (P) when
the ignition is in
the
RUN position. See “Automatic Transmission” in
the Index.
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 want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out of PARK
(P), try this:
I. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~~ NOTICE:
Loading cargo that
weighs more than 200 lbs.
(91 kg) on the luggage carrier may damage your
vehicle. When you carry large things, never let
them hang over the rear or the sides of your
vehicle. Load your cargo
so that it rests on the
slats and does not scratch or damage the vehicle.
Put the cargo against the side rails and fasten it
securely to the luggage carrier. Put the main
weight as far forward
as you can.
Don’t exceed
the maximum vehicle capacity when
loading your vehicle. For more information on vehicle
capacity and loading, see “Loading Your Vehicle”
in
the Index.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as you’re driving,
check now and
then to make sure the luggage carrier and
cargo are still securely fastened.
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
The cigarette lighter is on the left of the engine
cover console.
To use the lighter, press it in all the way and let go.
When it’s done heating, it will pop back by itself.
NOTICE:
Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while it is heating.
If you do, it won’t be able to
back
away from the heating element when it’s
ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the
lighter and the heating element.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It’s the number one contributor to the
highway death toll, claiming thousands
of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs
to drive
a vehicle:
0 Judgment
0 Muscular Coordination
0 Vision
0 Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half
of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, some
17,000 annual motor
vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under
2 1, it’s
against the law
in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws. The
obvious way to solve this highway safety problem
is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But
what if people do? How much is “too much” if the
driver plans
to drive? It’s a lot less than many might
think. Although
it depends on each person and situation,
here is some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
0 The amount of alcohol consumed
0 The drinker’s body weight
0 The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
0 The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
According to
the American Medical Association, a
180-lb.
(82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about
0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC
by drinking three 4-ounce (1 20 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1- 1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
4-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if
the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces
or
90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s
BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who
consumes food just before or during drinking will have a
somewhat lower
BAC level.
There
is a gender difference, too. Women generally have
a lower relative percentage of body water than men.
Since alcohol
is carried in body water, this means that a woman
generally will reach a higher
BAC level than a
man of her same body weight when each has the same
number
of drinks.
The law
in many U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC
of 0.10 percent. In a growing number of U.S. states, and
throughout Canada, the limit is
0.08 percent. In some
other countries, it’s even lower. The
BAC limit for all
commercial drivers
in the United States is 0.04 percent.
The
BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to six
drinks
(in one hour). Of course, as we’ve seen, it
depends on how much alcohol
is in the drinks, and how
quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well below a
BAC of
0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of
many people are impaired at a BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night.
All
drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent.
Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a
BAC of
0.05 percent or above.
A driver with a BAC level of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At
a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of
this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a
level
of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
4-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have
to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
I Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more
of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average,reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play
a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration.
But even in 314 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph ( 100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And,
of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface
of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition
of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount
of brake force applied.
4-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loading Your Vehicle
The Certificationmire label in your vehicle will look
similar to this example. The
CertificatiodTire label is found on the rear edge of
the driver’s door. The label shows
the size of your
original tires and the inflation pressures needed to obtain
the gross weight capacity of your vehicle.
This is called the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating). The GVWR includes the weight of
the vehicle,
all occupants, fuel, cargo and tongue weight,
if pulling
a trailer.
The CertificationITire label also tells
you the maximum
weights for
the front and rear axles, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). To find out the actual
loads on your front and rear axles,
you need to go to a
weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can
help you with this. Be sure
to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed
the GVWR for your vehicle, or GAWR
for either the front or rear axle.
And,
if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it out.
4-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I A CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum
front or rear
GAWR.
If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, or it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose control.
Also, overloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle.
Using heavier suspension components to get added
durability might
not change your weight ratings. Ask
your dealer
to help you load your vehicle the right way.
NOTICE:
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because
of overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle -- like suitcases,
tools, packages,
or anything else -- they will go as fast
as
the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly,
or if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.
I
Things you put inside your vehicle can strik
injure people in
a sudden stop or turn, or in a crash.
0 Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
0 When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
0 Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
4-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Payload
The Payload Capacity is shown on the Certificationire
label. This is the maximum load capacity that your
vehicle can carry. Be sure to include the weight
of the
people inside as part of your load.
If you added any
accessories
or equipment after your vehicle left the
factory, remember to subtract the weight of these things
from the payload. Your dealer can help you with this.
Trailering Package
I I
I
DI
U -,A .-
If your vehicle comes with the Trailering Package, there
is also a load rating which includes the weight of the
vehicle and the trailer it tows. This rating is called the
Gross Combination Weight Rating
(GCWR).
When you weigh your trailer, be sure to include the
weight
of everything you put in it. And, remember to
figure the weight of the people inside as part of
your load.
Your dealer can help you determine your
GCWR.
Add-on Equipment
When you carry removable items, you may need to put a
limit on how many people you carry inside your vehicle.
Be sure to weigh
your vehicle before you buy and install
the new equipment.
4-30