1998 CHEVROLET ASTRO check engine light

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon Light)
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Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation
of the
fuel, ignition and emission SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
control systems.
This system is called OBD
I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The SERVICE ENGINE
SOON light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle. This
system
is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
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0
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work
as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is
on and the engine is not
running.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come
on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system
on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected
on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation
on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If
you experience one or more of these conditions,
change
the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of
the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage shows
the engine oil pressure in
psi (pounds per square inch)
when the engine
is running.
Canadian vehicles indicate pressure
in kPa (kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary with engine speed, outside
temperature and
oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate
the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a
dangerously low oil level or other problems causing
low
oil pressure.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Security Light
This light will come on
briefly when you turn the
The light will stay on until the engine starts.
If the light
flashes, the Passlock” System has entered a tamper
mode.
If the vehicle fails to start, see “Passlock” in
the Index.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
System. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock,
and you should see your
GM dealer.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light
You will have this light on
:::o
the instrument panel: It goes
on whenever the Daytime
Running Lamps (DRL)
are
on. 0.0
When it begins to get dark, the DRL indicator light is a
reminder to turn on your headlamps.
Check Gages Light
CHECK
GAGES
This light will come on
briefly when you are
starting the engine.
If the light comes on and stays
on while you are driving,
check your various gages
to see if they are in the
warning zones.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage tells you
approximately how much
fuel you have remaining
FUEL ONLY
when the ignition is on.
When the gage first indicates EMPTY (E), you still have
a little fuel left, but you should get more fuel as soon
as possible.
Here are things some owners ask about. None
of these
indicate a problem with your fuel gage:
0 At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads
FULL (F).
0 The fuel tank will take either a little more or a little
less fuel to fill up than the gage shows.
0 The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.
The gage doesn’t go back to EMPTY (E) when you
turn
off the ignition.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3.
4.
5.
Press and hold the TAPE AUX button for five
seconds. The tape symbol
on the display will flash
for two seconds.
Insert the scrubbing action cleaning cassette while
the tape symbol is flashing.
Eject
the cleaning cassette after the manufacturer’s
recommended cleaning time.
When the cleaning cassette has been ejected, the cut tape
detection feature is active again.
You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will
not
eject on its own. A non-scrubbing action cleaner may
not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner.
The use
of a non-scrubbing action, dry-type cleaning
cassette is not recommended.
After you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for
five seconds
to reset the CLN indicator. The radio will
display
--- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes are subject
to wear and the sound quality
may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape is in good condition before
you have your tape
player serviced.
Care of Your Compact Discs
Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight
and dust. If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a
clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and
clean it, wiping from the center
to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling
discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the
edge
of the hole and the outer edge.
Care of Your Compact Disc Player
The use of CD lens cleaner discs is not advised, due to
the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with
lubricants internal
to the CD mechanism.
Fixed Mast Antenna
The fixed mast antenna can withstand most car washes
without being damaged.
If the mast should ever become
slightly bent,
you can straighten it out by hand. If the
mast is badly bent, as
it might be by vandals, you should
replace
it.
Check every once in a while to be sure the mast is still
tightened to the fender.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent
a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear
a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
ANTI -
LOCK
Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front
of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
0 Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind
you.
0 Since you can’t see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if
you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise
to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re driving,
don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may
cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down
a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all
the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt
on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when
you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and aren’t
even aware
of it.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would
for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light
is there because the corner is busy enough to need
it.
When a light turns green, and just before you start to
move, check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
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