2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO Owners Manual

Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
IMPORTANT-
KEEP ENGINE C ~~
AT THE PROPER
1 LEVEL AND CHANGE AS 1
RECOMMENDED
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer
for details.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment.
All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance can
even affect the quality
of the air we breathe. Improper
fluid levels or the wrong tire inflation can increase
the level
of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect
our environment, and to keep your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
Maintenance Requirements
Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections and
recommended fluids and lubricants as prescribed in
this manual are necessary to keep your vehicle in good
working condition. Any damage caused by failure to
follow recommended maintenance may not be covered
by warranty.
6-2

How This Section is Organized
This maintenance schedule is divided into five parts:
“Part
A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” explains
what to have done and how often. Some of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment, you
should let your dealer’s service department or another
qualified serIine center do these
jobs.
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle
can be dangerous. In trying to do some jobs,
you can be seriously injured.
Do your own
maintenance work only if you have the required
know-how and the proper tools and equipment
for the job.
If you have any doubt, have a
qualified technician do the work. “Part
B: Owner Checks and Services”
tells you what
should be checked and when.
It also explains what
you can easily do to help keep your vehicle
in
good condition.
“Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections” explains
important inspections that your dealer’s service
department or another qualified service center
should perform.
“Part
D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some recommended products necessary to help
keep your vehicle properly maintained. These products,
or their equivalents, should be used whether you do
the work yourself or have
it done.
“Part
E: Maintenance Record” is a place for you to
record and keep track
of the maintenance performed
on your vehicle. Keep your maintenance receipts.
They may be needed to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
If you want to get the service information, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 7- I 1.
6-3

Part A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
In this part are scheduled maintenance services which
are to be performed at the mileage intervals specified.
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you to keep
your vehicle in good working condition. But we don’t
know exactly how you’ll drive it. You may drive
short distances only a few times a week. Or you may
drive long distances all the time in very hot, dusty
weather. You may use your vehicle in making deliveries.
Or you may drive it to work, to do errands or in many
other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements.
So please read
the following and note how you drive.
If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your dealer. This part tells
you the maintenance services you should
have done and when you should schedule them.
When you go to your dealer for your service needs,
you’ll know that GM-trained and supported sewice
people will perform the work using GM parts.
The proper fluids and lubricants to use are listed in
Part D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
them.
All parts should be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you or anyone else drives the
vehicle.
These schedules are for vehicles that:
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these limits on your vehicle’s
CertificationRire label. See
Loading Your Vehicle
on page
4-29.
are driven on reasonable road surfaces within
driving limits.
use the recommended fuel. See Gasoline Octane
on page
5-5.
6-4

Selecting the Right Schedule
First you’ll need to decide which of the two schedules
is right for your vehicle. Here’s how to decide which
schedule to follow:
Short Trip/City Definition
Follow the Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance if any
one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
e
e
e
e
Most trips are less than 5 miles (8 km). This is
particularly important when outside temperatures
are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top
of your vehicle.
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police,
taxi or other commercial application.
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to break
down sooner.
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first). Chassis
Lubrication (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Drive Axle Fluid Check.
Every 6,000 Miles (IO 000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Engine Air
Cleaner Filter Inspection,
if driving in dusty conditions.
Front Wheel Bearing Repack (two-wheel drive only)
(or at each brake relining, whichever occurs first).
Automatic Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Engine Air Cleaner
Filter Replacement. Fuel Filter Replacement.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Transfer Case Fluid Change.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Positive
Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) Valve Inspection.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs
first). Engine Accessory Drive Belt Inspection.
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete scheduled maintenance
on the following pages.
6-5

Long Trip/Highway Definition
Follow this scheduled maintenance only if none of
the conditions from the Short Trip/City Scheduled
Maintenance are true. Do not use this schedule
if the
vehicle is used for trailer towing, driven in a dusty area
or used
off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City
schedule for these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine under
highway conditions will cause engine oil
to break
down slower.
Long Trip/Highway Intervals
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or every
12 months, whichever occurs first).
Chassis Lubrication (or
12 months, whichever
occurs first). Drive Axle Fluid Check. Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Fuel Filter
Replacement. Engine Air Cleaner Filter Replacement.
Front Wheel Bearing Repack (two-wheel drive only)
(or at each brake relining, whichever occurs first).
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Transfer Case Fluid Change.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Positive
Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) Valve Inspection.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
Engine Accessory Drive Belt Inspection.
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete scheduled maintenance
on the following pages.
6-6

Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) should be repeated after IQ0,OOQ miles
(166 000 km) at the same intervals for the life of
this vehicle. The services shown at
150,000 miles
(240
000 km) should be repeated at the same interval
after
150,000 miles (240 000 km) for the life of this
vehicle.
See
Part B: Owner Checks and Services on page 6-26
and Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections on
page 6-30.
Footnotes
t The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to
the completion of the vehicle’s useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
# Lubricate the front suspension, ball joints and kingpin
bushings, steering linkage, parking brake cable
guides and brake pedal springs.
+ A good time to check your brakes is during tire
rotation. See Brake System Inspection
on page 6-3 1.
3,000 Miles (5 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
whichever
occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
whichever occurs first). (See footnote #.)
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
6,000 Miles (IO 000 km)
0
0
0
0
Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).
(See footnote #.)
Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
Rotate tires. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-64
for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
9,000 Miles (15 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
whichever
occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
whichever occurs first). (See footnote #.)
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
6-7

12,000 Miles (20 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
whichever
occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
whichever occurs first). (See footnote #.)
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
page 5-64 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
0 Rotate tires. See Tire lnspection and Rotation on
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).
(See footnote #.)
CI Inspect engine air cleaner filter if you are driving in
dusty conditions. Replace filter
if necessary.
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote t.)
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
0 For Two-Wheel-Drive vehicles only: Clean and repack
the front wheel bearings (or at each brake relining,
whichever occurs first).
0 Change automatic transmission fluid and filter if the
vehicle
is mainly driven under one or more of these
conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90°F (32°C)
or higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles (83 000 km).
18,000 Miles (30 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
whichever
occurs first).(See
footnote #.)
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
0 Rotate tires. See Tire lnspection and Rotation on
page
5-64 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
6-8

21,000 Miles (35 000 km) 7,000 Miles (45 000 km)
B Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, 0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
d Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months, U Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
whichever
occurs first).
An Emission Control Service. whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service.
whichever occurs first). (See footnote #.) whichever occurs first). (See footnote #.) ,I
U Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as B Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
needed. Check constant
velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
30,000 Miles (50 000 km)
24,000 Miles (40 000 km) 0 Change enqine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
u
Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
whichever &curs first). An Emission- Control Service.
Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months, whichever
occurs first). (See footnote #.)
whichever OCCUrS first). An Emission Control Service. 0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 3 months,
whichever occurs first):
(See footnote #.)
Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
Rotate tires. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-64 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
0 For Two-Wheel-Drive vehicles only: Clean and repack
the front wheel bearings (or at each brake relining,
whichever occurs first).
(See footnote t.)
0 Replace fuel filter. An Emission Control Service.
B Replace engine air cleaner filter. An Emission Control
Service.
6-9