Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
.............................................1-13
Child Restraints
.......................................1-35
Air Bag System
.......................................1-62
Restraint System Check
............................1-68
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-18
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
HomeLink
®Transmitter
.............................2-32
Storage Areas
.........................................2-36
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-2
Climate Controls
......................................3-17
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-22
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-35
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-29Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
................. 5-9
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-50
Rear Axle
...............................................5-51
Front Axle
...............................................5-52
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-59
Tires
......................................................5-60
Appearance Care
.....................................5-91
Vehicle Identi cation
.................................5-99
Electrical System
....................................5-100
Capacities and Speci cations
...................5-107
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
....5-109
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-11
Index................................................................ 1
2004 Chevrolet Astro Owner ManualM
Q:If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident — even one that isn’t your fault — you
and your passengers can be hurt. Being a
good driver doesn’t protect you from things
beyond your control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less
than 40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, seeOlder Children on page 1-35
orInfants and Young Children on page 1-38. Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to
wear it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight.
To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
1-18
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s
more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash.
For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, seeDriver Position on page 1-18.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the
same way as the driver’s safety belt — except for one
thing. If you ever pull the lap portion of the belt out
all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking
feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all
the way and start again.
Center Passenger Position
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has rear bench seats, someone can
sit in the center positions.
1-27
Doors and Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers — especially children — can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked,
the handle will not open it. You increase
the chance of being thrown out of the
vehicle in a crash if the doors are not
locked. So, wear safety belts properly
and lock the doors whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out.
A child can be overcome by extreme
heat and can suffer permanent injuries
or even death from heat stroke. Always
lock your vehicle whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors
can help prevent this from happening.There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
To unlock your door from the outside, use your key
or remote keyless entry transmitter, if equipped.
For more information, seeRemote Keyless Entry
System Operation on page 2-5.
To lock or unlock the
front doors and sliding
side door from the inside,
slide the manual lock
levers. When the red
mark on the lock lever
is visible, the door
is unlocked.
2-7
Sliding Door Security Lock
Your vehicle may have
this feature. A sliding
door security lock helps
to prevent young children
or other passengers
from opening the sliding
door using the inside
door handle.
The security door lock is located near the front of the
sliding door.There are two labels on your vehicle to remind you
that you have this feature. One can be seen from the
outside on your sliding door. It is located near the bottom
of the door glass, toward the front of the door. The
other label is located on the front of the sliding door,
near the security door lock.
This feature prevents passengers from opening the
sliding side door from the inside.
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the lever all the way up.
2. Close the door.
To open the sliding side door while the security lock is
engaged, unlock the door and open it from the outside.
If you don’t cancel the security lock feature, adults or
older children who ride in the rear won’t be able to open
the sliding door from the inside. You should let adults
and older children know how the security door lock
works, and how to cancel the lock.
2-10