
Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
.............................................1-30
Child Restraints
.......................................1-55
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-93
Restraint System Check
..........................1-103
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-9
Windows
.................................................2-24
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-27
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-31
Mirrors
....................................................2-44
OnStar
žSystem
......................................2-45
HomeLinkžTransmitter
.............................2-47
Storage Areas
.........................................2-51
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-61
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-25
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-35
Message Center
.......................................3-50
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-58
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-61Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-32
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-50
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-52
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-58
Tires
......................................................5-60
Appearance Care
.....................................5-87
Vehicle Identi®cation
.................................5-95
Electrical System
......................................5-96
Capacities and Speci®cations
...................5-103
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
....5-104
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-9
Index.................................................................1
2003 Chevrolet Venture Owner ManualM

Front Seats......................................................1-3
Manual Seats................................................1-3
Six-Way Power Seats.....................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-4
Head Restraints.............................................1-6
Rear Seats.......................................................1-7
Rear Seat Operation.......................................1-7
Second Row Safety Belt Stowage.....................1-7
Flip and Fold Feature.....................................1-7
Split Bench Seats...........................................1-8
Bucket Seats...............................................1-15
Captain Chairs.............................................1-22
Stowable Seat..............................................1-26
Safety Belts...................................................1-30
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-30
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts......1-34
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-35
Driver Position..............................................1-36
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-44
Right Front Passenger Position.......................1-45
Center Passenger Position
(Bucket Seat)............................................1-45
Center Passenger Position
(Bench Seat)............................................1-47
Rear Seat Passengers..................................1-48Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults..........................1-52
Safety Belt Pretensioners...............................1-54
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-54
Child Restraints.............................................1-55
Older Children..............................................1-55
Infants and Young Children............................1-58
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-61
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-65
Top Strap....................................................1-66
Top Strap Anchor Location.............................1-67
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)...........................1-69
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System....................................1-71
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position................................1-71
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center
Seat Position (Third Row Bench Seat)..........1-75
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center
Seat Position (Bucket Seat)........................1-77
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position....................................1-79
Built-In Child Restraint...................................1-82
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
The rear seats in your vehicle have levers and straps
used to adjust, remove and reinstall the seats. By using
the levers and straps, in the correct order, you can
easily remove the seats from the vehicle.
When you put the seats back in the vehicle, be sure to
follow the label on the back of the seat for proper
location.
Second Row Safety Belt Stowage
If your vehicle has a split bench seat in the second row,
use the clip on the safety belt to secure the belt after
it is disconnected from the mini-buckle. When removing
the second row split bench seat, secure the loose
end of the safety belt in this clip. This will keep the
safety belt from dangling and possibly striking
something.
Do not have the second row outside safety belt stored if
someone is sitting in the second row outside position.
Flip and Fold Feature
The rear seats in your vehicle can be folded forward.
Use this feature for exiting and entering third row seats.
1. If the seats have the adjustable head restraints,
push them fully down.
2. Fold the seatback ¯at
on the seat, by either
pulling on the nylon
strap on the rear of the
seat or lifting up on
the lever located on the
front of the seatback.
If the seat adjusts, slide
it all the way back.
3. Release the rear set of
hooks from the ¯oor
pins by pulling the
nylon strap located at
the base of the
seat; hang on to the
strap as the seat folds
forward.
1-7

6. To unlatch the front latches, squeeze the angled
bar toward the straight crossbar.
7. Remove the seat by rocking it slightly forward,
then toward the rear of the vehicle and then
pulling it out.
Repeat these steps for the other section of the split
bench seat.
Replacing the Split Bench Seats
{CAUTION:
If the seatback isn't locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
{CAUTION:
A seat that isn't locked into place properly can
move around in a collision or sudden stop.
People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure
to lock the seat into place properly when
installing it.
1-12

{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won't provide the
protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After installing the seat, always check to be
sure that the safety belts are properly routed
and attached, and are not twisted.
Make sure the seatback is in the upright position and
the safety belts are on the correct section of the seat.
Don't put the sections of the bench seat in so they face
rearward because they won't latch that way. If you
want more storage room behind the second row seat,
adjust each section by sliding it forward.
The split bench seats have seat position labels, located
on the back of each seat, showing where the seat
must go. Follow that diagram.The seat must be placed in the proper location for the
legs to attach correctly.
Make sure the seat is in the full rear position before
beginning this procedure.
1. Squeeze the angled bar toward the solid crossbar
while placing the front hooks of the bench seat onto
the front two ¯oor pins.
1-13

You can also lift the lever on the side of the seat to
release the rear latches from the ¯oor pins.
Do not let go of the strap or lever until the seat is
folded all the way forward.4. To unlatch the front latches, with the seat folded
forward, squeeze the angled bar toward the
straight crossbar.
5. Remove the seat by rocking it slightly forward, then
toward the rear of the vehicle and then pulling it
out. This should be done in one motion.
1-19

Make sure the seats are in the full rear position before
beginning this procedure.
1. With the seat folded, squeeze the angled bar
toward the straight crossbar while placing the
front hooks of the bucket seat onto the front two
¯oor pins.
2. Make sure the bucket
seat is angled so that
the front hooks
clear the ¯oor pins.
If the front legs are not attached correctly, the rear
legs will not attach to the rear set of ¯oor pins.
If the front latches are not attaching correctly, check
that the seat is in the full rear position.3. Firmly push the rear hooks onto the rear ¯oor pins
by pushing down the rear of the seat.
4. Try to raise the seat to check that it is locked down.
5. Lift the seatback recliner lever or pull the nylon
strap on the back of the seat and raise the
seatback until it locks upright.
6. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure that it
is locked in place.
1-21

2. Push the rear of the seat down to lock the rear
latches onto the rear set of ¯oor pins.
3. Push and pull on the seat to be sure it is properly
attached.
Stowable Seat
Your vehicle may have a stowable seat. The stowable
seat is a full bench seat and comes with the
convenience center. See
Convenience Center on
page 2-58for more information. The stowable seat can
be removed and replaced, or with the seatback
folded, it can lie ¯ush with the convenience center.
Folding the Seatback
{CAUTION:
If the seatback isn't locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
1-26