2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE tow

Sliding Door Delayed Locking
If either sliding door is open when you use the power
door locks to lock the vehicle, the sliding door that
is open will not lock. Normally the last door closed
locking feature will be used to lock the sliding door after
it has been closed.
When the ignition is on or if the last door closed locking
feature has been overridden or programmed to be
off, the sliding door delayed locking feature will lock your
sliding door for you. Three seconds after a sliding
door is closed, all the doors will lock.
Lockout Protection
The lockout protection feature makes it difficult for you
to lock your keys in your vehicle. If the driver's door
is open while the keys are in the ignition, a chime will
sound and you will not be able to use your power
door lock switch to lock the vehicle.
If you don't leave the keys in the ignition or if you use
the manual door lock, you could still lock your keys
in your vehicle. Always remember to take your keys
with you.
To turn this feature off or on, see
Vehicle
Personalization on page 2-61.
Leaving Your Vehicle
If you are leaving the vehicle, take your keys, open your
door and set the locks from the inside. Then get out
and close the door.
Dual Sliding Doors
To open either sliding door from outside the vehicle, pull
the handle out and then pull the door toward the rear.
If you slide the door all the way back, the door will rest in
a detent position.
To move the door forward, you must ®rst pull the door
past the open detent position.
The driver's side sliding door is designed to open only a
little if the fuel door is open. If this ever happens,
don't try to force the sliding door. Just close the driver's
side sliding door. Then when the fuel ®ller door is
closed, the driver's side sliding door can be opened
normally.
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{CAUTION:
If your vehicle is facing downward on a steep
grade (15 percent or more), the door may not
stay open and could slam shut, possibly
injuring someone. To make sure the door does
not slam shut, turn on the power sliding door
feature. Then if the door closes, it will close
under the control of the power door system.
If you want to close the power sliding door(s) when the
override switch(es) is turned off, pull the inside or
outside handle or the edge of the door. Move the door
about 4 inches (10 cm) toward the closed position
and release it. The door will close completely and latch
for you.
To close the power sliding door(s) when the override
switch(es) is turned on, pull the inside or outside handle
and slide the door all the way forward to the latched
position.
Resetting the Power Sliding Door
The power sliding door may operate incorrectly or not at
all because of the following conditions:
·A low voltage or dead battery,
·disconnecting the battery, or
·if the instrument panel PWR/HEATED SEAT PSD
fuse or the underhood fuse 8, 27 or 29 are
removed or blown.
See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-96for more
information about your fuse panel.
If any of these conditions occur, the power sliding door
will need to be reset. If your vehicle has the dual
power sliding doors, both doors will have to be reset. To
reset a door, do the following:
1. Check to be sure the power sliding door is unlocked
and securely closed.
2. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
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Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
ªbreak-in.º But it will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
·Do not drive at any one speed Ð fast or
slow Ð for the ®rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not
make full-throttle starts.
·Avoid making hard stops for the ®rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time your new
brake linings are not 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.
·Do not tow a trailer during break-in. SeeTowing
a Trailer on page 4-36
for more information.
Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition, you can turn it to ®ve
different positions.
A (ACCESSORY):This is the position in which you can
operate your electrical accessories. Press in the
ignition switch as you turn the top of the key
toward you.
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B (LOCK):This is the only position from which you can
remove the key. This position locks your ignition,
steering wheel and transaxle.
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 these works, then your vehicle needs
service.
C (OFF):This position unlocks the ignition, steering
wheel and transaxle but, does not send power to
any accessories. Use this position if your vehicle must
be pushed or towed, but never try to push-start your
vehicle.
D (RUN):This is the position to which the switch
returns after you start your engine and release the
ignition key. This is the position for driving. Even when
the engine is not running, you can use RUN to
operate your electrical accessories and to display some
instrument panel warning lights.
E (START):This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the ignition key. The switch
will return to RUN for normal driving.If the engine is not running, ACCESSORY and RUN are
positions that allow you to operate your electrical
accessories, such as the radio.Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
With RAP, the power windows, power rear quarter
windows, audio system and the automatic level control
will continue to work up to 10 minutes after the
ignition key is turned to OFF and none of the doors are
opened.
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:Shifting into PARK (P) with the vehicle
moving could damage the transmission. Shift
to PARK (P) only when your vehicle is stopped.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine warms up.
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PARK (P):This gear position locks your front wheels.
It's the best position to use when you start your
engine because your vehicle can't move easily.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to fully
applyyour regular brakesbeforeyou can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in RUN. As you step on the
brake pedal, while in PARK (P), you may hear a
click from the solenoid of the system. This ensures that
the system is operating properly.
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 2-41.
{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.
Do not 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 will not move, even when
you are 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 are pulling a trailer, see ªTowing
a Trailerº in the Index.
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REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
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 transaxle, see If
You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-30.
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.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
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. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting our of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine racing may damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not racing when shifting
your vehicle.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and
you're:
·Going less than 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.
Notice:Driving your vehicle if you notice that it
is moving slowly or not shifting gears as you
increase speed may damage the transaxle. Have
your vehicle serviced right away. You can drive in
SECOND (2) when you are driving less than
35 mph (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D)
for higher speeds until then.
2-36

Warm-Up Shift
Your vehicle has a computer controlled transaxle
designed to warm up the engine faster when the outside
temperature is 35ÉF (2ÉC) or colder. You may notice
that the transaxle will shift at a higher vehicle speed until
the engine is warmed up. This is a normal condition
designed to provide heat to the passenger compartment
and defrost the windows more quickly. See
Climate
Control System on page 3-25for more information.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving,
but it offers more power and lower fuel economy than
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
·When driving on hilly, winding roads.
·When towing a trailer (so there is less shifting
between gears).
·When going down a steep hill.
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.
Notice:Driving in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h)
may damage the transaxle. Also, shifting into
SECOND (2) at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can
cause damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) instead of SECOND (2).
Notice:If your vehicle seems to start up rather
slowly, or if it seems not to shift gears as you go
faster, something may be wrong with a transaxle
system sensor. If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged. So, if this happens,
have your vehicle serviced right away. Until then,
you can use SECOND (2) when you are driving less
than 35 mph (55 km/h) and THIRD (3) for higher
speeds.
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 transaxle won't
downshift into ®rst gear until the vehicle is going slow
enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
2-37

Parking Brake
The parking brake is
located on the driver's side
under the instrument
panel.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot and push down on the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on. See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 3-41.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot while you push down on
the parking brake pedal with your left foot. (To release
the tension on the parking brake cable, you will need to
apply about the same amount of pressure to the
parking brake pedal as you did when you set the parking
brake.) When you remove your foot from the parking
brake pedal, it will pop up to the released position.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-36. That section shows
what to do ®rst to keep the trailer from moving.
2-38