2004 CHEVROLET VENTURE headlamp

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
GTurn and Lane-Change Signals
2Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
Flash-to-Pass
NWindshield Wipers
LWindshield Washer
ICruise Control
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is nished, the lever will return
automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will ash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by itself
when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrow
ashes faster than normal, a signal bulb may be burned
out and other drivers will not see your turn signal.
3-8

If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows do not go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and check the
fuse. SeeBulb Replacement on page 5-50andFuses
and Circuit Breakers on page 5-106.
If you have a trailer towing option with added wiring for
the trailer lamps, the signal indicator will ash at a
normal rate even if a turn signal bulb is burned
out. Check the front and rear turn signal lamps regularly
to make sure they are working.
Turn Signal On Chime
If either turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound to let the driver know
to turn it off. If you need to leave the signal on for more
than 3/4 mile (1.2 km), turn off the signal and then
turn it back on.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from high to low beam or
from low to high, pull the turn signal lever all the
way toward you and release it.When the high beams are
on, this light on the
instrument panel cluster
will also be on.
Your fog lamps will turn off when you switch to high
beams. Using your high beams in fog is not
recommended.
Flash-to-Pass
When the headlamps are off, pull the lever toward you
to momentarily switch on the high beams. This will
signal that you are going to pass. When you release the
lever, they will turn off.
3-9

Exterior Lamps
The control to the left of the steering column operates
the exterior lamps.
9(Off/Auto):Turning the control to this setting will
activate the automatic headlamps when it is dark enough
outside and turn off all the lamps and lights during the day
except the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).
;(Parking Lamps):Turning the control to this
setting turns on the parking lamps together with the
following:
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
Instrument Panel Lights
5(Headlamps):Turning the control to this setting
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
3-16

Lamps on Reminder
If the driver’s door is opened and you turn the ignition to
OFF or LOCK while leaving the lamps on, you will
hear a warning chime.
Daytime Running Lamps/Automatic
Headlamp System
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
rst sold in Canada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work, so be sure it is not covered. The DRL
system will make front parking and turn signal lamps
come on in daylight when the following conditions
are met:
The ignition is on
The exterior lamps control is off
The parking brake is released
When the DRL are on, only your front parking and turn
signal lamps will be on. Your instrument panel will
not be lit up.When it is dark enough outside, the exterior lamps will
come on automatically. When it is bright enough
outside, the exterior lamps will turn off and the DRL will
turn on. Of course, you may still turn on the headlamps
any time you need to.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
control is in the full bright position. See “Instrument
Panel Brightness Control” underInterior Lamps
on page 3-18.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL and automatic
headlamps off, set the parking brake while the ignition is
in OFF or LOCK. Then start the vehicle. The DRL
and automatic headlamps will stay off until you release
the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-17

Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can not see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But
as we get older these differences increase. A
50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you
are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They
may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver
who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a lm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and ash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep
your eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and
are not even aware of it.
4-18

Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlamps — not just your
parking lamps — to help make you more visible to
others.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared to have your
view restricted by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. SeeTires
on page 5-53.
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You will want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
4-22

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