2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO engine

Notice: Don’t operate accessories in the
ACCESSORY position for long periods of time.
Prolonged operation of accessories in the
ACCESSORY position could drain your battery
and prevent you from starting your vehicle.
B (LOCK): This position locks your ignition, steering
wheel and transmission. It’s a theft-deterrent feature.
You will only be able to remove your key when the
ignition is turned to LOCK.
Notice: If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you
can’t turn
it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the key hard. Turn the key only with your hand. Using a
tool to force
it could break the key or the ignition
switch. If none of this works, then your vehicle needs service.
C (OFF): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still turn the steering wheel. Use
OFF if you must
have your vehicle in motion while the engine is
off
(for example, if your vehicle is being towed).
D (RUN): This is the position for driving.
E (START): This position starts your engine.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
Your vehicle is equipped with a Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) feature which will allow certain features
on your vehicle to continue to work up to
20 minutes
after the ignition key is turned
to OFF.
Your radio, power windows and overhead console will
work when the ignition key is in RUN or ACCESSORY
Once the key is turned from RUN to
OFF, these
features will continue to work for up to
20 minutes or
until a door is opened.
2-20

Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position
- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice: Don’t try to shift to PARK
(P) if your
vehicle
is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle
is stopped.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
Notice: Holding your key
in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If it doesn’t start within 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way to the floor, while you
hold the ignition key in START. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and let up on the accelerator
pedal. Wait about
15 seconds between each try. When
starting your engine in very cold weather
(below
0°F or -18°C)’ do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key
to START and hold it there up to
15 seconds. When the engine starts, !et go of
the key.
2.
If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding
it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator.
If the
vehicle starts briefly but then stops again, do the
same thing, but this time keep the pedal down
for five or six seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Notice: Your engine
is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you don’t, your engine might not perform properly.
Fuel Regulator
You have a fuel regulator that shuts the fuel off when
the engine reaches
5,600 rpm.
2-2
1

Engine Coolant Heater
If your vehicle has this
feature,
in very cold
weather, 0°F
(-8°C) or
colder, the engine coolant heater can help. You’ll get
easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
At temperatures above 32°F
(OOC), use of the coolant
heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The engine coolant heater cord is located on the
driver’s side of the engine compartment, near
the power steering fluid reservoir. 3.
Plug
it into a normal, grounded 1 IO-volt AC outlet.
Plugging the cord i ..__ _.. mgrounc,, ,utlet
could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a fire. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into
a properly grounded
three-prong
11 0-volt AC outlet. If the cord
won’t reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least
15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts.
If you don’t, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer
in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
2-22

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.
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.
CAUTION: (Continued) Don’t leave your vehicle when
the enL le
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 “Shifting Into Park (P)” in the
Index. If you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transmission
shift lock control system. You have to fully apply your
regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when
the ignition key is in
RUN. 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 wish. See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on
page
2-29.
2-23

REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice
or sand without damaging your transmission,
see
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-28.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
Shifti-.J into
- __-,e L-Ar while , -ur eng..je is
“racing” (running at high speed) is dangerous.
Unless your foot
is firmly on the brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or objects. Don’t shift into
a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Notice: Damage to your transmission caused by
shifting out of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with
the engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
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.
2-24

All-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has all-wheel drive, your engine’s driving
power is sent
to all four wheels for extra traction
when needed.
This is like four-wheel drive, but there is no separate
lever or switch to engage or disengage the front axle.
It is fully automatic, and adjusts itself as needed for
road conditions.
You may experience a brief vehicle vibration upon
acceleration when driving in slippery conditions.
This is normal and is an indication that the all-wheel
drive system is functioning properly.
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.
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
Towing a Trailer on page 4-31. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
2-26

Shifting Into Park (P)
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 “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake. 2.
Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this: Pull the lever toward you.
2-27

Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is
in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine
F nning
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake firmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running,
it could overheat and even catch fire.
You
or others could be injured. Don’t leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and
your parking brake is firmly set before you leave it.
After you’ve moved the shift lever to PARK (P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move
the shift lever away from PARK (P) without first pulling it
toward you.
If you can, it means that the shift lever
wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
2-28