2003 CHEVROLET EXPRESS CARGO VAN Owners Manual

Engine Coolant Heater
In very cold weather, 0ÉF (-18ÉC) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
At temperatures above 32ÉF (0ÉC), use of the coolant
heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The cord for the engine coolant heater is located
on the driver's side of the engine compartment and
is attached to the hose for the power steering
reservoir.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a ®re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord
won't reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could be
damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
2-23

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.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don't leave your vehicle when the engine 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 ªShifting Into Park (P)º in the
Index. If you're pulling a trailer, see ªTowing a
Trailerº 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. With the ignition in RUN,
you must fully apply your regular brakes before you can
shift from PARK (P).
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way
into PARK (P) as you continue pressing the brake pedal.
Then move the shift lever into the gear you want. See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-29.
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.
2-24

{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
ªracingº (running at high speed) is dangerous.
Unless your foot is ®rmly 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 all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
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.You should use THIRD (3) (or, as you need to, a lower
gear) when towing a trailer to minimize heat build-up
and extend the life of your transmission.
SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). 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. If you
manually select SECOND (2), the transmission will drive
in SECOND (2). 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 lever
is put in FIRST (1), the transmission won't shift into ®rst
gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:If your 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.
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 handle, located just above
the parking brake pedal, marked BRAKE RELEASE to
release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
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. Always check to be
sure your parking brake is fully released before
you drive.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-31. That section shows
what to do ®rst to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. 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,
use the steps that follow. If you're pulling a
trailer, see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.
2-26

1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this:
·Pull the lever toward you.
·Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
2-27

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake ®rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch ®re.
You or others could be injured. Don't leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is ®rmly set before you leave it. After
you've moved the shift lever to PARK (P), hold
the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can
move the shift lever away from PARK (P) without ®rst
pulling it toward you. If you can, it means that the
shift lever wasn't fully locked into PARK (P).
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 ®nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called ªtorque
lock.º To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver's seat. To ®nd out how, see
Shifting
Into Park (P) on page 2-26.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)
beforeyou 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).
2-28

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 2-24.
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
you want.
5. Have the system ®xed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don't park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things
that can burn.
2-29

Engine Exhaust
{CAUTION:
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide (CO), which you can't see or
smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
·Your exhaust system sounds strange or
different.
·Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
·Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
·Your vehicle was damaged when driving
over high points on the road or over road
debris.
·Repairs weren't done correctly.
·Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
modi®ed improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into your
vehicle:
·Drive it only with all the windows down to
blow out any CO; and
·Have your vehicle ®xed immediately.
Running Your Engine While You
Are Parked
It's better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under
ªEngine Exhaust.º
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the climate control fan is at the highest setting.
One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust Ð with CO Ð can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
See ªWinter Drivingº in the Index.
2-30