light CHEVROLET ASTRO 1996 User Guide

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Lamps
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Turn the knob to the master lamp symbol to turn on all
the lamps listed as well as the headlamps.
Turn the
knob to OFF to turn off your lamps.
Rotate the dial next to the lamp switch down to dim
your instrument panel lights.
Rotate the dial up to brighten you instrument panel
lights. If you rotate the dial all the way until it clicks,
your interior lamps will come on.
Headlamps
You can switch your headlamps from high to low beam
by pulling the multifunction lever toward you.
A circuit breaker protects your headlamps. If you have
an electrical overload, your headlamps will flicker on
and off. Have your headlamp wiring checked right away
I Your lamp switch is on the driver's side of the if this happens.
instrument panel.
Turn the
knob to the first position to turn on:
I 0 'parking Lamps ! 0 Taillamps
I * * License Plate Lamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
* 2-35

Headlamps On Reminder
A reminder tone will sound when your headlamps or
parking lamps
are turned on and your ignition is in the
OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY position. To turn the tone
off, turn the switch
to the OFF position.
Daytime Running Lamps (If Equipped)
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.
The DRL system will make your headlamps come
on at
a reduced brightness when:
the ignition is on,
the headlamp switch is off and
the parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on,
only your headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won’t be on.
Your instrument panel won’t be
lit up either. When
it begins
to get dark, your DRL indicator light is a
reminder
to turn your headlamp switch on. The other
lamps that come on with your headlamps will also
come
on.
When you turn the headlamp switch off, the regular
lamps will go off, and your headlamps will change to
the reduced brightness of DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake. The DRL 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.
2-36

Now, with the compartment
door closed, press the
button again
to make sure
the garage
door opener
operates properly.
With the garage door opener positioned properly and the
right number
of pegs in place, you should only have to
press the button slightly to operate the opener. Adjust the
position of the garage door opener and add or remove
pegs, as needed, until the opener operates properly.
Temperature and Compass Display
The outside air temperature and the compass are
displayed at the front
of the overhead console. The
control switches are located
to the left of the display.
2-44

Ashtl- - ys and Cigarette Lighter
The cigarette lighter is on the left of the engine
cover console.
To use the lighter, press it in all the way and let go.
When it’s ready, it will pop back by itself.
NOTICE:
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Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while it is heating,
If you do, it won’t be able to
back away from the heating element when it’s
ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the
lighter and the heating element.
The front ashtray is just above the passenger’s side
front cupholder.
To remove the front ashtray, open it and gently pull it
slightly past its stop.
To remove the ashtray on the sliding door, open it, press
down
on the inside tab and pull out.
You may have another ashtray
on the driver’s sidewall.
Press the right side to turn the ashtray around for use.
To remove the ashtray, open it and gently pull it off
the hinge.
I NOTICE:
Don’t put papers and other things that burn into
your ashtrays.
If you do, cigarettes or other
smoking materials could set them on fire,
causing damage.
2-48

Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You can
also swing them from side
to side. Your visors may have
an extension that can be pulled
out for additional glare
protection and
a strap for holding small items, such as maps.
Visor Vanity Mirror
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Some visors have mirrors built in, with or without lamps.
Just
lift the mirror cover on each visor to turn the lamps
on, if you have them.
Lighted mirrors also have a density switch to make
the
mirror lamps brighter or dimmer.
Accessory Power Outlets (Option)
If you have accessory power outlets, you can plug in
auxiliary electrical equipment. Just pull up from the
bottom
of the door and follow the proper installation
instructions that are included with any electrical
equipment that
you install.
There are two accessory power outlets located on the
passenger’s side
of the engine cover console.
Another accessory power outlet is located on the
driver’s side behind
the third row seating position,
near the floor.
These circuits are protected by
a fuse and have
maximum current levels.
I NOTICE:
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When using the accessory power outlets, maximum
electrical load must not exceed
25 amps. Always
turn
off any electrical equipment when not in use.
Leaving electrical equipment
on for extended
periods will drain your battery.
2-49

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
E
G.
H.
I.
Lamp Switches
Instrument Panel Dimmer
Multifunction Lever
Hazard Lamp Switch
Transmission Shift Lever
Ignition Switch
Rear Hatch Release
Rear Defogger
Comfort Controls
J. Rear A/C Control
K. Rear Heater Control
L. Rear WasherNiper
M. Front Ashtray
N. Accessory Power Outlets
0. Cupholders/Storage Tray
P. Front Storage Compartment
Q. Audio System
R. Cigarette Lighter
S. Hood Release
T. Dome Lamps OFF Button
2-51

Speedometer and Odom. er
Your
speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h). Your
odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers
(used in Canada).
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Your odometer is tamper resistant. The digital odometer
will read
999,999 if someone tries to turn it back.
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed.
If the new one can be set to the
mileage total
of the old odometer, then it must be. But if
it can’t, then it’s set at zero, and a label must be put on
the driver’s door to show the old mileage reading when
the new odometer was installed.
Trip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell you how far your vehicle has
been driven since you last set
the trip odometer to zero.
The trip odometer will appear in place
of your regular
odometer when you press the TRIP button.
To reset the trip odometer, press and hold the TRIP
button.
To change back to the regular odometer, press
the TRIP button again.
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 briefly 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.
2-53

Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a tone will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds,
then it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled, neither the tone nor the
light will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel,
which shows AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you
if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to
RUN
or START. Then the light
should
go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays
on, or comes on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
2-54

Charging System Indicator Light
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The charging system light
will come
on briefly when
you turn the ignition on, but
the engine is not running, as
a check
to show you the
light is working.
Voltmeter
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running, but the ignition is
on (in the
RUN position),
the gage shows your
battery’s state
of charge
in
DC volts.
Then 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 electrical charging system.
It could indicate that you have a loose accessory drive
belt, or another electrical problem. Have it checked
right away. Driving while this light is on could drain
your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain
to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and heatedair conditioner. When
the ignition is
running, the gage shows the
condition
of the charging system. Readings between
the low and high warning zones indicate the, normal
operating range.
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Readings in the low warning zone may occur when a
large number of electrical accessories are operating in
the vehicle and the engine
is left at an idle for an
extended period. This condition
is normal since the
charging system is not able to provide full power at
engine idle.
As engine speeds are increased, this
condition should correct itself as higher engine speeds
allow the charging system to create maximum power.
You can only drive for a short time with
the readings in
either warning zone. If you must drive, turn off all
unnecessary accessories.
Readings in either warning zone indicate a possible
problem in the electrical system. Have the vehicle
serviced as soon as possible.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If
the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
This light should come on
briefly when you turn the
ignition key to
RUN. If
it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn
you if
there’s a problem.
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