steering CHEVROLET EXPRESS 2003 Owners Manual

If you were using a rear-facing child restraint in a
vehicle with an airbag off switch, turn on the right front
passenger’s airbag when you remove the rear-facing
child restraint from the vehicle unless the person
who will be sitting there is a member of a passenger
airbag risk group. SeeAirbag Off Switch on page 1-66.
{CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s airbag is turned
off for a person who is not in a risk group
identied by the national government, that
person will not have the extra protection of an
airbag. In a crash, the airbag will not be able
to inate and help protect the person
sitting there.
Do not turn off the passenger’s airbag unless
the person sitting there is in a risk group
identied by the national government. See
Airbag Off Switch on page 1-66for more on
this, including important safety information.
Airbag System
If it says AIR BAG on the middle part of the steering
wheel and AIR BAG on the instrument panel in front of
the right front passenger’s seat, your vehicle has
two airbags — one airbag for the driver and another
airbag for the right front passenger.
If it says AIR BAG on the middle part of the steering
wheel but it does not say AIR BAG on the instrument
panel in front of the right front passenger’s seat,
your vehicle has an airbag for the driver only.
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If it says AIR BAG on the middle part of the steering
wheel, but there is no right front passenger seat,
your vehicle has an airbag for the driver only.
Frontal airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of
injury from the force of an inating airbag. But these
airbags must inate very quickly to do their job
and comply with federal regulations.
Here are the most important things to know about the
airbag system:
{CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash
if you are not wearing your safety belt — even
if you have airbags. Wearing your safety belt
during a crash helps reduce your chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or being
ejected from it. Airbags are designed to work
with safety belts, but do not replace
them. Airbags are designed to deploy only in
moderate to severe frontal and near frontal
crashes. They are not designed to inate in
rollover, rear or low-speed frontal crashes, or
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
in many side crashes. And, for some
unrestrained occupants, airbags may provide
less protection in frontal crashes than more
forceful airbags have provided in the past.
Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety
belt properly — whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{CAUTION:
Airbags inate with great force, faster than the
blink of an eye. If you are too close to an
inating airbag, as you would be if you were
leaning forward, it could seriously injure you.
Safety belts help keep you in position before
and during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver should sit
as far back as possible while still maintaining
control of the vehicle.
1-60

Where Are the Airbags?
The driver’s airbag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.If your vehicle has one, the right front passenger’s
airbag is in the instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
1-62

{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
airbag, the bag might not inate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put
anything between an occupant and an airbag,
and do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
When Should an Airbag Inate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal airbags
are designed to inate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inate
only if the impact exceeds a predetermined deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds take into account
a variety of desired deployment and non-deployment
events and are used to predict how severe a crash
is likely to be in time for the airbags to inate and help
restrain the occupants. Whether your frontal airbags
will or should deploy is not based on how fast yourvehicle is traveling. It depends largely on what you hit,
the direction of the impact and how quickly your
vehicle slows down.
Airbags may inate at different crash speeds.
For example:
If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbag
could inate at a different crash speed than if
the object were moving.
If the object deforms, the airbag could inate at
a different crash speed than if the object does
not deform.
If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole) the
airbag could inate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a wide object (like a wall).
If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle the
airbag could inate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle goes straight into the object.
The frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger) are
not intended to inate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because ination
would not likely help the occupants.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have inated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. Ination is determined by the angle of the
impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in front
or near-frontal impacts.
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If the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of your
vehicle is 8,500 lb (3 855 kg) or above, your vehicle has
single stage airbags. If the GVWR is below 8,500 lb
(3 855 kg) then your vehicle has dual stage airbags. You
can nd the GVWR on the certication label on the
rear edge of the driver’s door. SeeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-29for more information.
Single Stage Airbags
If your vehicle has frontal airbags with single stage
deployment and your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that does not move or deform, the threshold level
is about 9 to 16 mph (14 to 26 km/h). (The threshold
level can vary, however, with specic vehicle design, so
that it can be somewhat above or below this range.)
Dual Stage Airbags
If your vehicle has frontal airbags with dual stage
deployment, the restraint will adjust according to the
crash severity. Your vehicle is equipped with electronic
frontal sensors which help the sensing system
distinguish between a moderate and a more severe
frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, these
airbags inate at a level less than full deployment. For
more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that
does not move or deform, the threshold level for the
reduced deployment is about 12 to 16 mph
(19 to 26 km/h), and the threshold level for a full
deployment is about 16 to 25 mph (26 to 40 km/h).
(The threshold level can vary, however, with specic
vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above
or below this range.)
Vehicles with dual stage airbags are also equipped with
special sensors which enable the sensing system to
monitor the position of both the driver and passenger
front seats. The seat position sensors provide
information which is used to determine if the airbags
should deploy at a reduced level or at full deployment.
What Makes an Airbag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The
sensing system triggers a release of gas from the
inator, which inates the airbag. The inator, airbag,
and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules
inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel
in front of the right front passenger.
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How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force
of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But airbags
would not help you in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts and many side impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those airbags. Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions.
What Will You See After an
Airbag Inates?
After an airbag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the airbag
inated. Some components of the airbag module — the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s airbag, or the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s
bag — will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but
not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from the vents in the deated airbags. Airbagination does not prevent the driver from seeing or
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can not get out of the vehicle after an airbag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
Airbags are designed to inate only once. After an
airbag inates, you will need some new parts for
your airbag system. If you do not get them,
the airbag system will not be there to help protect
you in another crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly other parts. The
service manual for your vehicle covers the need to
replace other parts.
1-65

Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records information after
a crash. SeeVehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders on page 7-9.
Let only qualied technicians work on your airbag
system. Improper service can mean that your
airbag system will not work properly. See your
dealer for service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s airbag, the bag
may not work properly. You may have to replace the
airbag module in the steering wheel or both the
airbag module and the instrument panel for the right
front passenger’s airbag. Do not open or break
the airbag coverings.
Airbag Off Switch
If the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of your
vehicle is 8,500 lb (3 855 kg) or above, your vehicle has
an airbag off switch. You can nd the GVWR on the
certication/tire label on the rear edge of the driver’s
door. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-29for
more information.
You can use the airbag off switch on the instrument
panel to turn off the right front passenger’s airbag.United States
Canada
1-66

Engine Coolant Heater
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 cord for the engine coolant heater is located
on the driver’s side of the engine compartment and
is attached to the hose for the power steering
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.
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 will be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
2-21

Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning ashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front
and rear turn signal lamps will ash on and off.
The hazard warning
asher button is located
on top of the steering
column.
Your hazard warning ashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key is not in
the ignition.
Press the button to make the front and rear turn signal
lamps ash on and off. Press the button again to
turn the ashers off.
When the hazard warning ashers are on, your turn
signals will not work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reective triangles, you can set them up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Horn
Press the horn symbol in the middle of the steering
wheel to sound the horn.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive. You can also raise it to the
highest level to give your legs more room when
you enter and exit the vehicle.
The lever is located on the lower left side of the
steering column.
3-6

To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to a comfortable
level, then release the lever to lock the wheel in place.
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
GTurn and Lane Change Signals.Turn and
Lane-Change Signals on page 3-8.
3Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer.Headlamp
High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8.
Flash-to-Pass Feature. SeeFlash-to-Pass on
page 3-9.
NWindshield Wipers. SeeWindshield Wipers on
page 3-9.
LWindshield Washer. SeeWindshield Washer
on page 3-10.
ICruise Control.Cruise Control on page 3-10.
For information on the exterior lamps, seeExterior
Lamps on page 3-13later in this section.
3-7