air condition CHEVROLET ASTRO 1996 User Guide

If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get
a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer. See “Driving on Grades” in
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
the Index.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open
the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just
to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you
can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, push the accelerator until
the engine speed is about twice as fast as normal idle
speed. Bring the engine speed back
to normal idle speed
after two or three minutes. Now see if the warning stops.
But then,
if you still have the warning, turn ofthe
engine
and get everyone out of the vehicle until it
cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-14

Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air
to cool the engine. In most every day driving
conditions, the clutch is not fully engaged. This
improves fuel economy and reduces fan noise. Under
heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or high outside
temperatures,
the fan speed increases when the clutch
engages.
So you may hear an increase in fan noise. This
is normal and should not be mistaken as the
transmission slipping or making extra shifts. It is merely
the cooling system functioning properly. The fan will
slow down when additional cooling is
not required and
the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when
you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if
you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a 4‘blowout,” here are a few
tips about what
to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well
out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid.
In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by steering the way
you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but
you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop -- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to
use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
5-22

Fuel
Use regular unleaded ‘gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
\.
ASTM D4814 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared-to
other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
87. If the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or hgher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service. But
don’t worry
if you hear a little pinging noise when you’re
accelerating or driving
up a hill. That’s nomal, and you don’t
have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid of pinging. It’s the
heavy, constant knock that means you have a problem. If
your vehicle is certified’ to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label),
it is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
I
specifications. If such fuels are not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your
authorized GM dealer for diagnosis to determine the
cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
.In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called MMT. If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on.
If this happens, return to your
authorized GM dealer for service.
6-3

Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter and the crankcase ventilation filter.
See “Scheduled
N ntenance Services” in the Index.
Operating th, mgine with the air cleaner off
can cause
you or others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air, it stops flame if
the engine backfires. If it isn’t there, and the
engine backfires, you could be burned. Don’t
drive with it
off, and be careful working on the
engine with the
air cleaner off.
NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed,
Change both the fluid and filter every
15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If
you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change
the fluid and filter every
30,000 miles (50 000 km).
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in
the Index.
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
6-20

Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
I A CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result
in costly brake repair.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed.
The sound may come and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except
when you are pushing
on the brake pedal firmly). Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly applied.
This does not mean something
is wrong with your brakes.
Free movement
of brake calipers and properly torqued
wheel nuts are necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect brake calipers
for movement, brake pads for wear, and evenly torque
wheel nuts
in the proper sequence to GM specifications.
6-34

Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B,
and C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing
the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability
to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause
the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination.
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory
to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will
not need to have your wheels
aligned again. However, if
you notice unusual tire
wear or your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset.
If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose,
the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel
nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace
it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
GM dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know
the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as
the one it replaces.
6-47

Fiberglass Springs Chemical Paint Spotting
,. Some weather and atmospherkconditions can create
a chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon
and attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This
damage can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
Don’t use corrosive or acidic cleaning agents, discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched
engine degreasers, aluminum cleaning agents or into the paint surface.
other harsh solvents to clean fiberglass springs;
they’ll damage the springs.
,NOTICE:
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, GM will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces
of new
vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles
(20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.
i
6-57

Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Not all air conditioning refrigerants are the same.
If the air conditioning system in your vehicle needs
refrigerant, be
sure the proper refrigerant is used.
If you’re not sure, ask your GM dealer.
Refrigerant should be added only by a qualified
A/C technician.
Air Conditioning Refrigerant Capacity
VPe
R- 134a
R- 134a
System
C-60**
C-69***
*All quantities are approximate.
**Front
A/C only.
***Front and Rear
A/C.
Quantity*
2.00 Ibs. (0.91 kg)
3.00 lbs. (1.36 kg)
NOTICE:
R-134a refrigerant is not compatible with R-12
refrigerant in an air conditioning system. R-12 in
an R-134a system
will cause compressor failure,
refrigerant
oil sludge, or poor air conditioning
system performance.
6-68

1 IMPORTANT.
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
LEVEL AND CHANGE
AS
RECOMMENDED
This section covers the maintenance required for your
vehicle. Your vehicle needs these services to retain its
safety, dependability and emission control performance.
Protection
Plan
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your lzew vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet, or your
GM
dealer for details.
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended mainteqance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or the wrong tire inflation can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle.
To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle
in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
7-1

How This Section is Organized
The remainder of this section is divided into five parts:
“Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what to
have done and how often. Some of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment,
you should
let your dealer’s service department or another qualified
service center do these jobs.
1
A CAUTION:
work on a vehicle can
be dangerous. In trying to do some jobs, you can
be seriously injured.
Do your own maintenance
work only if you have the required know-how
and the proper tools and equipment for the job.
If you have any doubt, have a qualified
technician do the work.
you are skilled enough to do some work on your
vehicle, you will probably want to get the service
information
GM publishes. See “Service and Owner
Publications’’ in the Index.
“Part B: Owner Checks and Services” tells you
what should be checked whenever you stop for fuel. It
also explains what you can easily do to help keep your
vehicle
in good condition.
“Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections”
explains important inspections that your GM dealer’s
service department or another qualified service center
should perform.
“Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants”
lists some products GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained. These products, or their
equivalents,
should be used whether you do the work
yourself or have it done.
“Part E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance is performed, be
sure to
write it down in this part. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition, it is a good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They may be needed to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
7-2