2001 CHEVROLET ASTRO towing

1-800-CHEV-USA
(For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call
1-800-268-6800)
that provides in an emergency:
1-800-CHEV-USA
(For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call
1-800-268-6800)
Free lockout assistance
Free dead-battery assistance
Free out-of-fuel assistance
Free flat-tire change
Emergency towing
Courtesy
Transportation
Every
2001 Astro
under warranty is
backed with the
following
services:®

Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
Your Driving and the Road
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Your Driving, the Road and Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control of a Vehicle
BrakingSteering
Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer Heating and Air Conditioning
Setting the Radio ClockRadio/CD Player
Radio Theft-Deterrent Feature
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your VehicleEngine Overheating
Changing a Flat Tire
If You're Stuck
Problems on the Road
iii
Section
5
Section
4
Section
3

2-19
Passlock

Your vehicle is equipped with the Passlock
theft
-deterrent system.
Passlock is a passive theft
-deterrent system. Passlock
enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is turned with a
valid key. If a correct key is not used or the ignition lock
cylinder is tampered with, fuel is disabled.
During normal operation, the SECURITY light will go off
approximately five seconds after the key is turned to RUN.
If the engine stalls and the SECURITY light flashes,
wait until the light stops flashing before trying to restart
the engine. Remember to release the key from START
as soon as the engine starts.
If the engine is running and the SECURITY light comes
on, you will be able to restart the engine if you turn the
engine off. However, your Passlock system is not working
properly and must be serviced by your dealer. Your vehicle
is not protected by Passlock at this time. You may also
want to check the fuses (see ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº
in the Index). See your dealer for service.
New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
NOTICE:
Your vehicle doesn't need an elaborate
ªbreak
-in.º But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:

Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or
less for the first 500 miles (805 km).

Don't drive at any one speed
-- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don't make full
-throttle starts.

Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren't yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking
-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.

Don't tow a trailer during break
-in.
See ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index for
more information.

2-24
Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This position locks your rear wheels. It's the
best position to use when you start your engine because
your vehicle can't move easily.
CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don't leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won't move, even when you're on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
See ªShifting Into PARK (P)º in the Index. If
you're pulling a trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in
the Index.

2-26
DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving.
If you need more power for passing, and you're:

Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.

Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down. You'll shift
down to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D) should be used for normal towing.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D). You should use THIRD (3)
when carrying a heavy load or driving on steep hills.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND (2), the transmission will
drive in second gear. You may use this feature for reducing
torque to the rear wheels when you are trying to start your
vehicle from a stop on slippery road surfaces.FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is put in FIRST (1), the transmission won't
shift into first gear until the vehicle is going slow enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can't rotate, don't try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transmission or
transfer case or both.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don't hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in position
on a hill.

2-27 Tow/Haul Mode Selector Switch
Your vehicle is equipped with a tow/haul selector
switch. The selector switch is located on the end of the
column shift lever. You can use this feature to assist
when towing or hauling a heavy load.
To select the tow/haul mode, press in the switch. The
TOW/HAUL light on the instrument panel cluster will
come on. To go back to normal operation, press the
switch again. The indicator light on the instrument panel
cluster will go out. See ªTow/Haul Modeº in the Index
for more information.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot.
Push down the parking brake pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the brake release lever located on the
lower left side of the steering column.

2-28
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on a hill, see
ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle won't move, even
when you're on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you're pulling a trailer, see
ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.

2-33
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don't leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you've left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won't move, even when you're on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won't
move. See ªShifting Into PARK (P)º in the Index.
If you're pulling a trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in
the Index.
Locking Rear Axle (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking rear axle
can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the time,
but when one of the rear wheels has no traction and the
other does, this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.