2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO stop start

Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is a big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make
it impossible to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
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 fuse.
See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-93.
See your dealer for service.
2-1 8

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

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

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

Notice: Loading cargo that weighs more than
200 Ibs. (91 kg) on the luggage carrier may damage
your vehicle. When you carry large things, never
let them hang over
the rear or the sides of your
vehicle. Load your cargo
so that it rests on the
slats and does not scratch or damage the vehicle. Put the cargo against the side rails and fasten
it securely to the luggage carrier. Put the main
weight as far forward as you can.
Don’t exceed the maximum vehicle capacity when
loading your vehicle. For more information on vehicle
capacity and loading, see
Loading Your Vehicle on
page 4-29.
Convenience Net
You may have a convenience net in the rear of your
vehicle to help keep small loads, like grocery bags,
in place during sharp turns or quick stops and starts.
The net is not designed for larger, heavier items.
You can unhook the net
so that it will lie flat when
you’re not using
it.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as you’re driving,
check now and then to make sure the luggage
carrier and cargo are still securely fastened.
2-45

Windshield Wipers For fewer wipes choose a setting closer to LOW.
Use this setting for light rain and snow.
- -
To operate the windshield
wipers turn the band,
located On the multifunction carefully loosen or thaw them. If your blades do become
lever’ Or worn or damaged, get new blades or blade inserts. Be
sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper blades
before using them.
If they’re frozen to the windshield,
Windshield Washer
6 (Washer Fluid): There is a paddle marked with the
windshield washer symbol at the top of the multifunction
lever. To spray washer fluid on the windshield, press
the paddle. The wipers will clear the window and
then either stop or return to vour preset speed.
MIST: Turn the band to MIST for a single wiping cycle.
Hold
it there until the windshield wipers start, then let
it go. The wipers will stop after one wipe. If you
want more wipes, hold the band on mist longer.
OFF: Turn the band to turn off the windshield wipers.
LOW (Low Speed): Turn the band to LOW for
steady wiping at low speed.
HIGH (High Speed): Turn the band to HIGH for
steady wiping at high speed.
DELAY: Turn the band to one of the five delay
settings located between OFF and
LOW, to choose
the delayed wiping cycle. The closer the band is
turned to OFF, the shorter the delay will be.
In freezing weather, don’t u- - your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer fluid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
The wipers will clear the window and then either stop or
return to your preset speed.
3-8

BRAKE
This light should come on
briefly when you turn
the ignition key to
RUN.
If it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will
be ready to warn you
if there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, 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. If the light is still
on, have the vehicle towed for service. See
Towing
Your Vehicle on page 4-29.
I
You- -)rake system may not be working
properly
if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning light
on can lead to an accident. If the light is still
on after you’ve pulled off the road and stopped
carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on
for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake
system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes,
but you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the regular
brake system warning light is also on, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with your regular
brakes. See “Brake System Warning Light” earlier in
this section.
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.
3-29