2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO wheel

Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-in
Nofice: Your vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But
it will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
e
e
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 “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index for more information.
Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition, you can turn it to five
different positions.
C
A
A (ACCESSORY): This position lets you use things like
the radio, power windows and windshield wipers when
the engine is off.
To get into ACCESSORY, push in the
key and turn it toward you. Your steering wheel will
remain locked, just as it was before you inserted the key.
2-1 9

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

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

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
shift selector lever is put in FIRST
(I), the transmission
won’t shift into first gear until the vehicle is going
slow enough.
Notice: If your rear wheels won’t turn, 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.
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.
Tow/HauI Mode Button
I
Q
Your vehicle is equipped with a tow/haul button.
The button 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 button.
The TOW/HAUL light on the instrument panel cluster
will come on. To go back to normal operation, press the
button again. The indicator light on the instrument
panel cluster will go out. See
Tow/Hau/ Mode Light on
page 3-36 for more information.
2-25

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

Section 3 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview ............................... 3.2
Hazard Warning Flashers
................................ 3-4
Other Warning Devices
................................... 3-5
Horn
............................................................. 3-5
Tilt Wheel
..................................................... 3-5
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
......................... 3.6
Exterior Lamps
.......................................... 3.12
Interior Lamps
................................ ....... 3.15
Accessory Power Outlets
............................... 3.16
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
........................ 3.17
Climate Controls ............................................ 3.18
Climate Control System
................................. 3.18
Rear Heating System
................................... -3-1 9
Rear Air Conditioning System ......................... 3.20
Rear Climate Control System
......................... 3.21
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ............. 3.23
Instrument Panel Cluster
................................ 3.24
Speedometer and Odometer
........................... 3.25
Safety Belt Reminder Light
............................. 3.26
Air Bag Readiness Light
................................ 3-26
Charging System Light
.................................. 3.27
Voltmeter Gage
........................................... -3-28
Brake System Warning Light
.......................... 3.28 Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning Light
............. 3.29
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
= = =. ~ = = ~ ~ ~ = i. 3-39
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
............................. 3.30
Oil Pressure Gage
........................................ 3.34
Security Light
.............................................. -3-35
Service All-Wheel Drive Light
......................... 3.35
Tow/Haul Mode Light
......... ................... 3.36
Fuel Gage
................................................... 3.36
Low Fuel Warning Light
................................. 3.37
Audio System@) ............................................. 3.38
Setting the Time for Radios with
the Set Button
.......................................... 3-38
Setting the Time for Radios with
HR and MN Buttons .................................. 3-38
AM-FM Radio
............................................... 3.39
Radio with CD
.............................................. 3-41
Theft-Deterrent Feature
........... ................ 3.47
Understanding Radio Reception
................... 3.50
Care of Your CDs
......................................... 3-50
Care of Your CD Player
................................ 3-50
Fixed Mast Antenna
...................................... 3.50
Check Gages Warning
Light
........................... 3-36
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
. . .... ............ 3.46
3-
1

The main components of your instrument panel are the following:
A. B.
C. D. E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
I.
Exterior Lamp Control
Instrument Panel Brightness Thumbwheel
Multifunction Lever
Hazard Warning Flasher Button
Transmission Shift Lever
Ignition Switch
Rear Defogger Button (Option)
Climate Controls
Rear A/C Control (Option)
Rear Heater Control (Option) Y.
L.
M.
N.
0.
P.
Q.
R.
S.
Rear WasherNViper Switch (Option)
Front Ashtray
Dome Override Button
Hood Release
Cigarette Lighter
Audio System Front Storage Compartment
Cupholders/Storage Tray
Accessory Power Outlets
3-3