brakes CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN 2004 2.G Owners Manual

How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels.
It’s the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle can’t move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-26. If you are pulling a trailer,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-35.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transmission
shift lock control system. You have to fully apply your
regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when
the ignition key is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of
PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever – push the
shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Then move the shift lever into the gear
you wish. SeeShifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-28.
2-22

REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission,
seeIf You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
on page 4-28.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not running
at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down. You’ll shift
down to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D) should be used for normal towing.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving,
however it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D). You should use THIRD (3) when
carrying a heavy load or driving on steep hills.
SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want
to use your brakes off and on.
2-23

If you manually select SECOND (2), the transmission
will drive in second gear. You may use this feature
for reducing torque to the rear wheels when you
are trying to start your vehicle from a stop on slippery
road surfaces.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more
power (but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2).
You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or
mud. If the shift selector lever is put in FIRST (1),
the transmission won’t shift into rst gear until the
vehicle is going slow enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. If you
are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping
on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.Tow/Haul Mode Button
Your vehicle is equipped with a tow/haul button.
The button is located on the end of the column shift
lever. You can use this feature to assist when towing
or hauling a heavy load.
To select the tow/haul mode, press in the button.
The TOW/HAUL light on the instrument panel cluster
will come on. To go back to normal operation, press
the button again. The indicator light on the instrument
panel cluster will go out. SeeTow/Haul Mode Light
on page 3-34for more information.
2-24

Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull
the shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque
lock.” To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. To nd out how, seeShifting Into
Park (P) on page 2-26.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of PARK (P)beforeyou release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply your regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is in RUN. SeeAutomatic Transmission
Operation on page 2-22.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the system xed as soon as you can.
2-28

Rear Window Washer/Wiper
Your vehicle may have
this feature. The rear
window washer/wiper is
controlled by using
the switch located on the
instrument panel, next
to the audio system.
To turn the wiper on, slide the switch all the way
up to ON.
For delay wiping, slide the switch up to the center
position next to the word DELAY on the rear wiper
control. The wiper will cycle every nine seconds.
To wash the window, push in on the switch. Window
washer uid will continue to spray until the switch
is released. The wiper will continue with three more
wipes and then return to the setting that was chosen
before the lever was pushed.
Move the switch to OFF to turn off the rear
window washer.The rear window washer uses the same uid bottle as
the front windshield washer. If the uid level is low in the
washer bottle, you may not be able to wash your rear
window. If you can wash your windshield, but not
your rear window, check the uid level.
Cruise Control
Your vehicle may have this feature. With cruise control,
you can maintain a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h)
or more without keeping your foot on the accelerator.
This can really help on long trips. Cruise control
does not work at speeds below about 25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control shuts off.
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can not drive safely at a steady speed. So, do
not use your cruise control on winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire
traction can cause needless wheel spinning,
and you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
3-9

Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come
on when you start your engine and may stay on
for several seconds. That’s normal.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t
have anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes
and there’s a problem with your regular brakes. See
“Brake System Warning Light” earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should
come on briey when you turn the ignition key to RUN.
If the light doesn’t come on then, have it xed so it
will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows
the engine coolant
temperature. If the
gage pointer moves
to the red area, your
engine is too hot!
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 5-29. United States
Canada
3-28

{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reexes, perceptions, attentiveness,
and judgment can be affected by even a
small amount of alcohol. You can have a
serious — or even fatal — collision if you
drive after drinking. Please do not drink and
drive or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver who will
not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice,
it is easy to ask more of those control systems than
the tires and road can provide. That means you can
lose control of your vehicle.
4-5

Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeand
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That isperception time.Then you have to bring up
your foot and do it. That isreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second.
But that is only an average. It might be less with one
driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs
and frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This
is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following
distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary
braking. That means better braking and longer
brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
4-6

Anti-lock Brake System
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light on page 3-28.Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You
slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels. United States
Canada
4-7

The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply
your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Locking Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking rear axle
can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the
time, but when one of the rear wheels has no traction
and the other does, this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
4-8