tow CHEVROLET EXPRESS 2004 Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts
.............................................1-10
Child Restraints
.......................................1-31
Airbag System
.........................................1-59
Restraint System Check
............................1-70
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
.................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-18
Mirrors
....................................................2-29
OnStar
®System
......................................2-31
Storage Areas
.........................................2-32
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-18
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-22
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-39
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
........ 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-34Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-43
Rear Axle
...............................................5-44
Front Axle
...............................................5-44
Noise Control System
...............................5-45
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-46
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-51
Tires
......................................................5-52
Appearance Care
.....................................5-82
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-91
Electrical System
......................................5-92
Capacities and Specications
.....................5-97
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 Express Owner ManualM

Power Seat
If your vehicle has front power seat(s), you can adjust
them with these controls located at the front center
of the seat cushion.
To raise or lower the seat, move the center knob up or
down. To move the seat forward or rearward, move
the center knob toward the right or left.
To raise or lower the front of the seat cushion, move the
right lever up or down. To raise or lower the rear of
the seat cushion, move the left lever up or down.
Reclining Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, lift the front of the lever located
on the inboard side of the seat cushion.
Move the seatback with your body and release the lever
to lock the seatback where you want it. Lean forward
and pull up on the front of the lever and the seatback will
go to an upright position.
1-4

The passenger’s side pin has a black cap with a
white “R” marked on it:
3. Pull the pin handle up to disengage the pin from
the retaining clip, then pull the pin out.
4. Repeat this procedure for the pin on the other
seat base.
5. Pull the seat rearward about 2 inches (5 cm) and
then lift the seat from the oor rails.
6. Remove the seat from the vehicle.7. For the rst row rear
seat, stow the safety
belt latch by attaching
the clip on the safety
belt latch to the trim just
inside the side door. For
the remaining rear
seats, stow the safety
belt latch plate on the
clip at the window trim.
1-7

{CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt.
The belt can not properly spread the impact
forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A belt
must be used by only one person at a time.
Q:What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is so small that the shoulder belt
is very close to the child’s face or neck?
A:If the child is seated in a rear outside seat position,
move the child toward the center of the vehicle.
SeeRear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults on page 1-28. If the child is
sitting in the second row center seat position, move
the child toward the safety belt buckle. In either
case, be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the
child’s shoulder, so that in a crash the child’s upper
body would have the restraint that belts provide.
If the child is so small that the shoulder belt is still
very close to the child’s face or neck, you might
want to place the child in a seat that has a lap belt,
if your vehicle has one.
1-32

Child Restraint Systems
An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a
motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed
to restrain or position a child on a continuous at
surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests toward
the center of the vehicle.A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with the
seating surface against the back of the infant. The
harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash,
acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.
1-39

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

Sliding Side Door
To open the sliding side door from outside, pull the
handle toward the rear of the vehicle. Then, slide the
door open.To close the sliding side door from outside, use the
outside door handle to slide the door toward the front of
the vehicle.
When the door slides closed completely, it will be ush
with the side of the body.
2-10

To open the sliding door from inside, turn the handle
upward and toward the rear of the vehicle. Then, slide
the door toward the rear of the vehicle to open it.To close the sliding door from inside, grasp the inside
handle and slide the door toward the front of the vehicle
to a closed position.
Make sure the door is completely closed before
driving away.
2-11

60/40 Swing-Out Side Door
To open the front portion of a 60/40 door from the
outside, pull out on the handle and pull it toward you.To open the front portion of a 60/40 door from the
inside, pull the handle toward you and push open
the door.
2-12

To open the rear portion of a 60/40 door from the
outside, pull the handle on the side of the rear door and
pull it toward you.
To close the 60/40 side doors, close the rear door rst.
Then close the front door. Check to make sure that
both doors are completely closed.
The front side swing-out door has a check strap
assembly in the door frame to keep the door from
opening beyond 90 degrees.
To open the door beyond 90 degrees, close the door
partially, pull the check strap toward you and then open
the door. When you close the door, the check strap
will automatically re-engage.
Rear Doors
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers — especially children — can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle will not open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors are not locked. So,
wear safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.
2-13