
The 2003 Chevrolet Astro Owner Manual
Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... I-!
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
............................................. 1-13
Child Restraints
....................................... 1-35
Air Bag System
....................................... 1-62
Restraint System Check
............................ 1-71
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
................................................. 2-1 6
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................ 2-1 8
Mirrors
.................................................... 2-32
HomeLink@ Transmitter
............................. 2-34
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
........... 2-19
Storage Areas
Instrument Panel .
Instrument Panel
Climate Controls
......................................... 2-38
........................................... 3-1
Overview .......................... 3-2
...................................... 3-18
Warning Lights. Gages and Indicators
......... 3-23
Audio System(s)
....................................... 3-38
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
........ 4-2
Towing
................................................... 4-29
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
All-Wheel Drive
........................................ 5-52
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-53
Front Axle
............................................... 5-54
Bulb Replacement
.................................... 5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-62
Tires
...................................................... 5-63
Appearance Care
..................................... 5-83
Vehicle Identification
................................. 5-91
Electrical System
...................................... 5-92
Capacities and Specifications
..................... 5-99
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
...... 5-1 01
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-10
Checking Things Under
the Hood
............... 5-11
Index ................................................................ 1

These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
KID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR FLAMES
SPARK OR COULD
EXPLODE FLAME
\\I/'
BAlTERY I
LATCH BOTH LAP AND
SHOULDER BELTS TO
PROTECT OCCUPANT
*&: @
DO NOT TWIST SAFETY
BELT WHEN AlTACHING
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
MOVE SEAT FULLY
\!$!
REARWARD /a
SECURE
CHILD
SEAT
PULL BELT
COMPLETELY
rHEN SECURE CHILD SEAT
POWER
WINDOW DO NOT INSTALL
A REAR-FACING
CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING POSITION
DO NOT INSTALL A
'ORWARD-FACING CHILD RESTRAINT IN THIS SEATING POSITION
DOOR LOCK UNLOCK LIGHTING
- MASTER SWITCH u- 0 ,
SIGNALS
TURN
LAMPS
Pf
RUNNING ***o
DAYTIME 0.0
LAMPS ea.
LAMPS $0
ENGINE
COOLANT
cc
TEMP
CHARGING
I-1
BATTERY SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
ENGINE OIL PRESSURE
Wb
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES COOLANT
FAN
OWNERS MANUAL
SERVICE
MANUAL
V

Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A: If possible, an older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint
a shouider beit can provide. The shouider belt
should not cross the face or neck. The lap
belt should fit snugly below the hips, just touching
the top of the thighs.
It should never be worn
over the abdomen, which could cause severe or
even fatal internal injuries in a crash.
Accident statistics show that children are safer
if they
are restrained in the rear seat.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike
other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown
out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety
belts properly.
If you have the choice, a child should sit next to a
window
so the child can wear a lap-shoulder belt and
get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide.
1-35

A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for
the child's body with the harness and also sometimes
with surfaces such as T-shaped
or shelf-like shields.
A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve the fit of the vehicle's safety belt system.
Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner,
and some high-back booster seats have a five-point
harness.
A booster seat can also help a child to see
out the window.
1-45

What Will You See After an
Air Bag Inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the air bag inflated.
Some components of the air bag module -the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s air bag, or the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s bag -will be hot for a short
time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the
driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor
does it stop people from leaving the vehicle. When
an air bag inflates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history
of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as
soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing problems
but can’t get out of the vehicle after an air bag
inflates, then get fresh air by opening
a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
l problems following an air bag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
1-68

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

Keys
mm
!aving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons.
A child or
others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate the power windows or
other controls or even make the vehicle move.
Don’t leave the keys in a vehicle with children.
2-2

To fully open the rear
doors, push in on the
clip and
lift the check
assembly up
off the
mounting bracket.
Do this on each door. Replace the check assemblies on
the mounting brackets before closing the doors.
It can be dangerous to drive with the rear
glass open because carbon monoxide (CO)
gas can come into your vehicle. You can’t see
or smell CO.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. If you must drive with the rear
glass open or if electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass through the seal between the body and the rear glass:
Make sure all other windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed and select the control setting that will force outside air into your vehicle. See ”Climate Controls”
in the Index.
instrument panel, open them
all the way.
If you have air outlets on or under the
See ”Engine Exhaust”
in the Index.
2-1 4