2004 CHEVROLET VENTURE battery

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-4. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation
on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has the
proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to x any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the SERVICE
ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light is on or not
working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
3-48

Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Message
This message will come on when your engine gets
too hot.
If this message comes on, it means that your engine
coolant has overheated. If you have been operating your
vehicle under normal driving conditions, you should
pull off the road, stop your vehicle and turn off the
engine as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-25.
Charging System Indicator Message
The charging system
battery symbol will come
on in the message
center when you turn on
the ignition as a check
to show you it is working.
It will remain on as long as the engine is not running. It
should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system. It could indicate
that you have problems with a generator drive belt, or
another electrical problem. Have it checked right
away. Driving while this indicator appears in the
message center could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the message on,
be certain to turn off all your accessories, such as
the radio and air conditioner. United States
Canada
3-52

Headphones
The entertainment system
includes dual channel,
wireless headphones. The
headphones have an
ON/OFF switch, a channel
A/B switch, and a volume
control.
To use the headphones, turn the switch located on the
left side to ON. An indicator light located on the right
side will illuminate. If the light does not illuminate,
the batteries may need to be replaced. See “Battery
Replacement” later in this section for more information.
Switch the headphones to OFF when not in use.If you move too far forward, step out of the vehicle or
break the line of sight between the headphones and the
display above the video screen, the sound in the
headphones will be degraded or will cut out entirely. If the
system is shut off, or the headphones are out of the line
of sight for more than three minutes, the headphones will
shut off automatically to save battery life.
If the channel switch, located on the right side, is on A,
the headphones will play the DVD or auxiliary device.
See “Stereo RCA Jacks” later in this section for
more information. If the channel switch is on B, the
headphones will play the rear seat audio system. See
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) (Without Entertainment System)
on page 3-116orRear Seat Audio (RSA) (With
Entertainment System) on page 3-118for more
information.
To adjust the volume on the headphones, use the
volume control located on the right side.
Notice:Do not store the headphones in heat or
direct sunlight. This could damage the headphones
and repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Keep the headphones stored in a cool, dry place.
3-109

Battery Replacement
To change the batteries, do the following:
1. Slide open the battery door located on the left side
of the headphones.
2. Replace the two AAA batteries in the compartment.
Make sure that they are installed correctly.
3. Slide the battery door shut.
If the headphones are to be stored for a long period of
time, remove the batteries and keep them in a cool,
dry place.
Stereo RCA Jacks
The RCA jacks are located on the DVD player faceplate.
They allow audio and video signals to be connected
from an auxiliary device such as a camcorder or a video
game unit. Adapter connectors or cables, not included,
may be required to connect the auxiliary device to
the RCA jacks. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions
for proper usage.To use the auxiliary function, connect a camcorder or a
video game unit to the RCA jacks and turn on the
auxiliary device. If you want to view a DVD, insert the
DVD into the DVD player. The system will automatically
switch to DVD and start to play. To switch between
the auxiliary device and the DVD, press the SOURCE
button on the DVD player or on the remote control. See
“DVD Player” and “Remote Control” later in this
section for more information.
Audio Speakers
Only one audio source can be heard through the
speakers at one time.
Audio from the radio or CD player will be heard through
all speakers when the front audio system is being
used and the rear seat audio system is off.
Sound from the DVD player or an auxiliary device can
be heard through all speakers when the front audio
system and rear seat audio are off and a DVD or
auxiliary device is playing.
To hear the DVD, auxiliary device, or rear seat audio
system while the front audio system is on, use the
headphones. While the rear seat audio system is on,
the rear speakers will be muted.
3-110

Battery Replacement
To change the batteries, do the following:
1. Remove the screw and open the battery door
located on the back of the remote control.
2. Replace the two AAA batteries in the compartment.
Make sure that they are installed correctly.
3. Replace the battery door and screw.
If the remote control is to be stored for a long period of
time, remove the batteries and keep them in a cool,
dry place.
DVD Distortion
There may be an experience with video distortion when
operating cellular phones, scanners, CB radios,
Global Position Systems (GPS)*, two-way radios, mobile
fax, or walkie talkies.
It may be necessary to turn off the DVD player when
operating one of these devices in or near the vehicle.
*Excludes the OnStar
®System.
Cleaning the DVD Player
When cleaning the outside DVD faceplate and buttons,
use only a clean cloth dampened with clean water.
Cleaning the Video Screen
When cleaning the video screen, use only a clean cloth
dampened with clean water. Use care when directly
touching or cleaning the screen, as damage may result.
3-115

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help
keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until
help comes.
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will need
to spin the wheels, but you do not want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as “rocking” can help
you get out when you are stuck, but you must use
caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle
can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment re or other damage. When you
are stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible.
Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h)
as shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle back
and forth, you can destroy your transaxle. See
“Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out.”
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-68.
4-32

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-20
Engine Coolant.............................................5-22
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-25
Engine Overheating.......................................5-25
Cooling System............................................5-28
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-36
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-38
Brakes........................................................5-39
Battery........................................................5-42Jump Starting...............................................5-43
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-48
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-50
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-50
Headlamps..................................................5-50
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and Parking
Lamps.....................................................5-52
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-54
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-56
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-56
Tires..............................................................5-58
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-68
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-69
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-71
Buying New Tires.........................................5-71
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-72
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-74
Wheel Replacement......................................5-74
Tire Chains..................................................5-75
Accessory Inator.........................................5-76
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-78
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-78
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-96
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system — for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you need new ones put in — be sure you get
new approved GM replacement parts. If you do not,
your brakes may no longer work properly. For example,
if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for
your vehicle, the balance between your front and rear
brakes can change — for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change in
many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco®battery. When it is time for a new battery, get
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery’s label. We recommend an ACDelco
®
battery.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
Vehicle Storage
If you are not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, remove the black, negative (−) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and
gas that can explode. You can be badly hurt if
you are not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-43for tips on working around a battery
without getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your
vehicle for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, seeTheft-Deterrent
Feature (Non-RDS Radios) on page 3-116or
Theft-Deterrent Feature (RDS Radios) on page 3-116.
5-42