2005 CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN hood open

Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine
might not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.
Fuel Regulator
Your vehicle has a fuel regulator that shuts the fuel off
when the engine reaches 5,600 rpm.
Engine Coolant Heater
If your vehicle has this feature, in very cold weather,
0°F (−18°C) or colder, the engine coolant heater
can help. You will get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
At temperatures above 32°F (0°C), use of the coolant
heater is not required. Your vehicle may also have
an internal thermostat in the plug end of the cord. This
will prevent operation of the engine coolant heater
when the temperature is at or above 0°F (−18°C) as
noted on the cord.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The engine coolant heater cord is located on the
driver’s side of the engine compartment, near
the power steering uid reservoir.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.
2-19

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a re. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake uid, windshield washer and
other uids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the handle with
this symbol on it. It is
located inside the
vehicle on the lower
driver’s side of
the instrument panel.
5-10

Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood, you will see the following:
5-12

Radiator Pressure Cap
Notice:If the pressure cap is not tightly installed,
coolant loss and possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly and tightly
secured.
The radiator pressure cap
is located in the engine
compartment on the
passenger’s side of the
vehicle. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for more
information on location.
Engine Overheating
You will nd an engine coolant temperature gage on
your vehicle’s instrument panel. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 3-30.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
{CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn
you badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay
away from the engine if you see or hear steam
coming from it. Just turn it off and get
everyone away from the vehicle until it cools
down. Wait until there is no sign of steam or
coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch re. You
or others could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out of the
vehicle until the engine is cool.
Notice:If your engine catches re because you
keep driving with no coolant, your vehicle can
be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
5-28

If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer. See “Driving on Grades” under
Towing a Trailer on page 4-34.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the windows as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues and you have not stopped, pull
over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, you can push down the
accelerator until the engine speed is about twice as
fast as normal idle speed for at least three minutes while
you are parked. If you still have the warning,turn off
the engine and get everyone out of the vehicleuntil it
cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-29

2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would not be able
to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding
could damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) and a manual
transmission in NEUTRAL before setting the
parking brake.
Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or accessory power outlets. Turn off all
lamps that are not needed. This will avoid sparks
and help save both batteries. And it could save the
radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminals on each
battery.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the battery installed
in your new vehicle. But if a battery has ller
caps, be sure the right amount of uid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care of that rst.
If you do not, explosive gas could be present.
Battery uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, ush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
5-42

2. Pull the connector out
and unplug the lamp.
3. Plug the new lamp into the connector.
4. Reverse Steps 1 and 2 to reinstall the headlamp.Composite Headlamps
1. Open the hood. SeeHood Release on page 5-10
for more information.
2. Remove the two
screws from the
sidemarker/turn signal
lamp assembly.
5-49

Underhood Fuse Block
The underhood fuse block is located toward the rear of
the engine compartment on the driver’s side of the
vehicle.
Lift the hood and open the cover to gain access to this
fuse block.
A fuse puller is included in the underhood fuse block.
You will also nd spare fuses.
5-96