1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE key

Ani- ?ck Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come on when you start
your engine and it will
stay on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull
off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may
go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle” in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly if the anti-lock brake system warning
light is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock
brake system warning light flashing can lead
to an accident. After you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your vehicle needs service. If the
light is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on,
you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t
come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do
so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light
is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle? If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine
if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or
missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition.
Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
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.)
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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:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
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, over
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 21,
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
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
(120 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.
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Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Your hazard warning
flashers button is on top
of
the steering column. Press
the button in to turn on
your flashers.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even
if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the flashers, push the button down and it will
pop back up by itself.
When the hazard warning flashers
are on, your turn
signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
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A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut
by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
~~
NOTICE:
If you are using car-carrier equipment, you must
pull the Electronic Level Control (ELC) fuse, in
the instrument panel fuse block, before securing
the vehicle.
Damage to the shocks or leveling system may
occur if the Electronic Level Control (ELC) fuse
is not disabled.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
in
OFF. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. For front towing, the
transaxle should be in
PARK (P) and the parking brake
released. For rear towing, the transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake engaged.
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At Least Twice a Year
Restraint System Check
Make sure the safety belt reminder light and all your
belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and anchorages are
working properly. If your vehicle has a built-in child
restraint, also periodically make sure the harness straps,
latch plates, buckle, clip, child head restraint and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt and built-in child restraint
system
parts. If you see anything that might keep a
safety belt or built-in child restraint system from doing
its job, have it repaired. Have any torn or frayed safety
belts or harness straps replaced.
Also look for
any opened or broken air bag coverings,
and have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Wiper Blade Check
Inspect wiper blades for wear or cracking. Replace blade
inserts that appear worn or damaged or that streak or
miss areas of the windshield. Also see “Wiper Blades,
Cleaning”
in the Index.
Automatic Transaxle Check
Check the transaxle fluid level; add if needed. See
“Automatic Transaxle” in the Index. A fluid loss may
indicate
a problem. Check the system and repair if needed.
At Least Once a Year
Key Lock Cylinders Service
Lubricate the key lock cylinders with the lubricant
specified in
Part D.
Body Lubrication Service
Lubricate all body door hinges, including the liftgate.
Also lubricate all hinges and latches, including those for
the hood, power sliding door cable, rear compartment,
glove box door and any folding seat hardware.
Part D
tells you what to use. More frequent lubrication may be
required when exposed to a corrosive environment.
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Starter Switch Check
1 A CAUTION:
When you are doing this check, the vehicle could
move suddenly.
If it does, you or others could be
injured. Follow the steps below.
1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake (see “Parking
around the vehicle.
Brake”
in the Index if necessary) and the
regular brake.
NOTE:
Do not use me accelerator pedal, and be
ready to turn
off the engine immediately if it starts.
should work only in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N). If
the starter works in any other position, your vehicle
needs service.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The starter
1.
2.
3.
Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock (BTT”’1 Check
A CAUTION:
When you are doing this check, the vehicle could
move suddenly.
If it does, you or others could be
injured. Follow the steps below.
Before you start, be sure you have enough room
around the vehicle. It should be parked on a
level surface.
Firmly apply the parking brake (see “Parking Brake”
in the Index
if necessary).
NOTE: Be ready
to apply the regular brake
immediately if
the vehicle begins to move.
With the engine off, turn the key
to the RUN
position, but don’t start the engine. Without applying
the regular brake,
try to move the shift lever out of
PARK
(P) with normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of PARK
(P), your vehicle’s BTSI
needs service.
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Ignition Transaxle Lock Check
While parked, and with the parking brake set, try to turn
the ignition key to
LOCK in each shift lever position.
The key should turn to LOCK only when the shift
The key should come out only in LOCK.
Parking Brake and Automatic Transaxle PARK (P)
Me -:-anism Check
lever is in PARK (P).
A CAUTION:
When you are doing this check, your vehicle
could begin
to move. You or others could be
injured and property could be damaged. Make
sure there
is room in front of your vehicle in case
it begins to roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle begin
to move.
Park on a fairly steep hill, with the vehicle facing
downhill. Keeping your foot on the regular brake,
set the
parking brake.
To check the parking brake’s holding ability: With
the engine running and transaxle in
NEUTRAL (N),
slowly remove foot pressure from the regular brake
pedal.
Do this until the vehicle is held by the parking
brake only.
0 To check the PARK (P) mechanism’s holding ability:
With the engine running, shift to PARK (P). Then release all brakes.
Underbody Flushing Service
At least every spring, use plain water to flush any
corrosive materials
from the underbody. Take care to
clean thoroughly any areas where mud and other debris
can collect.
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