2005 CHEVROLET VENTURE maintenance

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats ............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats ............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts ............................................. 1-28
Child Restraints ....................................... 1-48
Airbag System ......................................... 1-78
Restraint System Check ............................1-88
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Keys ........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-8
Windows ................................................. 2-22
Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................2-25
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ...........2-29
Mirrors .................................................... 2-41
OnStar
®System ...................................... 2-42
HomeLink®Transmitter ............................. 2-43
Storage Areas ......................................... 2-47
Vehicle Personalization .............................2-55
Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-4
Climate Controls ...................................... 3-24
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators ........3-32
Message Center ....................................... 3-46
Driver Information Center (DIC) ..................3-53
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-56Driving Your Vehicle
....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ........ 4-2
Towing ................................................... 4-34
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood ...............5-10
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-45
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement .........5-52
Tires ...................................................... 5-53
Appearance Care ..................................... 5-83
Vehicle Identication
................................. 5-91
Electrical System ...................................... 5-92
Capacities and Specications .....................5-99
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information ........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ...........................7-10
Index ................................................................ 1
2005 Chevrolet Venture Owner ManualM

Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the airbag system in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual
have information about servicing your vehicle and the
airbag system. To purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering Information on page 7-11.
{CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
airbag can still inate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualied to do so.
The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. If your vehicle
has a built-in child restraint, also periodically make sure
the harness straps, latch plates, buckle, clip, child
head restraint and anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other loose or damaged safety belt system
parts. If you see anything that might keep a safety
belt system from doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
If your vehicle has the built-in child restraint, torn or
frayed harness straps can rip apart under impact forces
just like torn or frayed safety belts can. They may not
protect a child in a crash. If a harness strap is torn
or frayed, get a new harness right away.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The airbag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
1-88

9(Fan):If the driver is adjusting the fan speed, use
this control. Turn the fan knob on the rear fan control
located below the main climate control system on
the switchbank to numeral 1, 2, or 3 to increase or
decrease airow to the rear seating area. Turn the fan
knob on the rear fan control to 0 to turn off the fan.
FAN:If a rear-seat passenger is adjusting the fan
speed, use this control. Press the FAN button on the
rear control panel. The display will show the current
setting. Press the left and right arrow buttons to cycle
through the available settings of OFF, LOW, MED,
and HIGH.
Temperature Control:If the driver is adjusting the
temperature, increase or decrease the temperature for
the entire vehicle using the temperature controls
located on the main climate control panel. The
air-conditioning system must be on to direct cooled air
to the rear of the vehicle. If it is not on, the temperature
in the rear of the vehicle will remain at cabin
temperature.
If a rear-seat passenger is adjusting the temperature,
press the TEMP button on the rear control panel.
Use the left arrow button to make the air cooler.
Use the right arrow button to make the air warmer.Rear Air Outlets
The outlet behind the left rear seat is the cold air return
outlet. Be sure to keep it free from obstructions.
Also, keep the area around the base of the center
instrument panel console, between and under the front
seats, free of objects that could also obstruct airow
to the rear seating area.
For more information on how to use the main climate
control system, seeClimate Control System on
page 3-24. For information on ventilation, seeOutlet
Adjustment on page 3-26.
Passenger Compartment Air Filter
Passenger compartment air, both outside and
recirculated air, is routed through a passenger
compartment lter. The lter removes most particles
from the air, including dust particles. Reductions
in airow, which may occur more quickly in dusty areas,
indicate that the lter needs to be replaced early. For
how often to change the air lter, seeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4.
3-30

4. Replace the lters by reversing Step 3. Make sure
the lters are inserted so that the sealing foam is
angled in the same direction on both lters. For the
type of lter to use, seeNormal Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 6-14.
5. Close the inner access door, while squeezing the
tab. Be sure it is tightly closed.
6. Snap the outer access panel into the back of the
glove box.
Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause
an expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you
or others from injury.Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As you will
see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briey when you start the
engine just to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages
and warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly – and even
dangerous. So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Your vehicle also has a message center that works
along with the warning lights and gages. SeeMessage
Center on page 3-46.
3-32

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Service Engine Soon Light in the
United States or Check Engine Light
in Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The SERVICE ENGINE SOON or check
engine light comes on to indicate that there is a problem
and service is required. Malfunctions often will be
indicated by the system before any problem is apparent.This may prevent more serious damage to your vehicle.
This system is also designed to assist your service
technician in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after awhile, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good, and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may
not be covered by your warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. United States
Canada
3-42

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. 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.
3-44

Here are four things that some owners ask about. All
these things are normal and do not indicate that
anything is wrong with the fuel gage.
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or a little less fuel to ll up than
the gage reads. For example, the gage reads half
full, but it took more or less than half of the
tank’s capacity to ll it.
The gage pointer may move while cornering,
braking or speeding up.
The gage may not indicate empty when the ignition
is turned off.
Message Center
The message center is located in the instrument
panel cluster. It gives you important safety and
maintenance facts.
Service Traction System Warning
Message
If your vehicle has the traction control system and this
message is displayed when you’re driving, there may be
a problem with your traction control system. Your
vehicle may need service.
When this message is displayed, the traction control
system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly.United States
Canada
3-46

Low Oil Pressure Message
Your vehicle is equipped with a low oil pressure warning
message.
Your oil pressure message lets you know when you
may have a problem with your engine oil pressure.
When the engine is running and this message appears,
the engine oil level may be too low. There may also
be another problem causing low oil pressure.
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches re. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this manual for changing
engine oil. United States
Canada
3-49