2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO transmission

Section 2 Features and controls
Keys ............................................................... 2.2
Remote Keyless Entry System
~ = ~ . = = = = = -2-4
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation
.......... -2-5
Doors and Locks ............................................. 2-7
Door Locks
.................................................... 2.7
Front Doors
................................................... 2.8
Power Door Locks
.......................................... 2-8
Programmable Automatic Door Locks
................ 2.9
Leaving Your Vehicle
................................... -2-10
Sliding Side Door
......................................... -2-1 0
Rear Doors ................................................. -2-1 3
Windows ........................................................ 2.16
Manual Windows
.......................................... 2.16
Power Windows
........................................... -2-1 7
Sun Visors ................................................... 2.17
Theft-Deterrent Systems .................................. 2.18
Passlock@
.................................................... 2.18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ................ 2.19
New Vehicle Break-In
.................................... 2.19
Ignition Positions
........ ................... 2.19 Starting
Your Engine
..................................... 2.21
Engine Coolant Heater
.................................. 2.22
Automatic Transmission Operation
................... 2.23
All-Wheel Drive
............................................ 2.26
Parking Brake
.............................................. 2.26
Shifting Into Park (P)
..................................... 2-27
Shifting Out
of Park (P) ................................. 2-29
Parking Over Things That Burn
....................... 2-30
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked
....... 2-31
Engine Exhaust
............................................ 2-30
Mirrors ........................................................... 2.32
Manual Rearview Mirror
................................ -2-32
Outside Manual Mirrors
.................................. 2.32
Outside Power Mirrors
................................... 2.32
Outside Convex Mirror
................................... 2.33
HomeLink@ Transmitter ................................... 2.34
Programming the HomeLink Transmitter
........... 2.35
Storage Areas ................................................ 2.38
Overhead Console
........................................ 2.39
Luggage Carrier
........................................... 2.44
Convenience Net
.......................................... 2.45
2-1

Remote Keyless Entry System
Operation
If your vehicle has this feature, you can lock and unlock
your doors from about
3 feet (4 m) up to 30 feet (9 m)
away using the remote keyless entry transmitter supplied
with your vehicle.
UNLOCK: When you
press UNLOCK, the
driver’s door will unlock
automatically, the parking
lamps will flash and the
interior lights will go on.
If you press UNLOCK again within three seconds,
all doors will unlock.
LOCK: Press LOCK to lock all the doors. Press LOCK
again within three seconds and the horn will chirp.
REAR 2X: When you press the REAR button twice
within three seconds to unlock the rear hatch or cargo
doors, the parking lamps
will flash and the interior lights
will go on. If the engine is running, the automatic
transmission must be in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) for
the REAR
2X button to operate.
& (Panic Alarm): When this button is pressed,
the horn will sound and the headlamps and taillamps
will flash for up to
30 seconds. This can be turned off by
pressing the panic button again, waiting for
30 seconds,
or starting the vehicle.
Matching Transmitter(s) to Your Vehicle
Each remote keyless entry transmitter is coded to
prevent another transmitter from unlocking your vehicle.
If a transmitter is lost or stolen, a replacement can
be purchased through your dealer. Remember to bring
any remaining transmitters with you when you go to
your dealer. When the dealer matches the replacement
transmitter to your vehicle, any remaining transmitters
must also be matched. Once your dealer has coded the
new transmitter, the lost transmitter will not unlock
your vehicle. Each vehicle can have a maximum of
four transmitters matched to
it.
2-5

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

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

Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. To find out how, see
Shifting Into
Park
(P) on page 2-27.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)
before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)
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 is in RUN. See
Automatic Transmission
Operation on page
2-23.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up
into PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift
out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
5. Have the system fixed as soon as you can.
you
want.
2-29