engine CHEVROLET ASTRO 1996 Owner's Manual

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
I I When your engine is not
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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If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still
on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
..
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed
for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when
you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully. If
it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released,
it means you have a brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ANTI -
LOCK
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 part.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
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Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system
is called OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. (In Canada,
OBD I1 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated
by the system before any problem is apparent, which
may prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is
on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come
on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system
on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service is required.
0 Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
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If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did
you just put fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed. This will
allow fuel
to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips should turn the light off.
0 Reduce vehicle speed.
0 Avoid h - -- -1 accelerations.
0 Avoid steep uphill grades.
0 If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues
to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains
on steady, see “If the Light Is On
Steady” following. If the light is still flashing follow the
previous steps, and drive
the vehicle to your dealer or
qualified service center for service. Did you
just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are
you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run
out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts
of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the
fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
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Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index).
Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine
not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation
on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn
on.
If you experience this condition, change the fuel brand
you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the
proper
fuel to turn the light off.
If none
of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools
to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage shows
the engine oil pressure in
psi (pounds per square inch)
when the engine
is running.
Canadian vehicles indicate pressure in kPa (kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary
with engine speed, outside
temperature and oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a
dangerously low oil level or other problems causing
low
oil pressure.
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I A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire.
You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
1 NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Check Oil Light
CHECK
OIL
This light should come
on briefly while
you are
starting your engine. If the
light doesn’t come
on, have
it repaired.
If the light comes on while starting and stays on, your
engine oil level should be checked.
Prior
to checking your oil level, be sure your vehicle is
on a level surface and has been shut off for several
minutes to allow the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Check your oil level and bring it up to the proper level.
See “Engine Oil” in
the Index.
The
oil level monitoring system only checks the oil
during the brief period between turning the key
on and
when the engine starts. It does
not check the oil level
while the vehicle is running.
Parking
on steep grades may cause the light to come on
even when the oil level is correct. If this happens, park
the vehicle
on a level surface and check the oil level.
2-61

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
If the gage pointer moves to
the red area, your engine is
too hot!
Daytime Running. Lamps, Indicator Light
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If your vehicle’was first
sold, when new, in Canada,
you will have this light on
the instrument panel.
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. It goes
on whenever the Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
are on. I
When it begins
to get dark, the DRL indicator light is a
reminder to
turn on your headlamps.
In “Problems on the Road,”
this manual shows you what
to do. See “Engine’Overheating” in the Index.

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Air Conditioning
Before using your vehicle’s air conditioning, open the
windows to clear the vehicle of hot air. This reduces the
time it takes for your vehicle to cool down. Then keep
your windows closed for the air conditioner to work at
its best.
You can use MAX A/C with the temperature knob in the
blue area, when it’s really hot outside and you need to
cool the inside air quickly. MAX A/C lets
in only a little
air from the outside.
If you first use MAX A/C, you can then use A/C
with
the temperature knob in the blue area, as soon as the
vehicle has cooled down,
so outside air will be going
through your vehicle.
If your vehicle has rear air conditioning, setting
it on LO
may enhance the front A/C performance by allowing
trapped refrigerant in the rear lines to circulate. The
rear air conditioning system will only send cooled
air if the front system is on. It can still be used to
circulate air, even if the front system is off.
When the air conditioning, DEFROST or BLEND is on,
you may notice a slight increase or decrease
in engine
speed, due to compressor operation. This is normal
because
the system is designed to cycle the compressor
on and off to keep the desired temperature.
Heating
On cold days, use HEATER with the temperature knob
in the red area. Outside air will be brought in through
the floor outlets. The heater works best
if you keep your
windows closed while using it.
If you use the optional engine coolant heater before
starting your engine, your heating system will produce
warmer air faster to heat the passenger compartment in
cold weather. See “Engine Coolant Heater”
in the Index.
3-5

You can turn the defogger off at any time by pressing
the button again. The defogger will shut itself off after
several minutes
so that the elass does not eet too hot. If
Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo and
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
U
the window still isn’t clear, turn the defogger on again. Press SET. Within
five seconds, press and hold the
SEEK right arrow until the correct minute appears on
the display. Press and hold
the SEEK left arrow until the
0 ~~
NOTICE: correct hour appears on the display.
L
Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo with
Compact
Disc Player
Scraping the inside of your rear window could
cut and damage the defogger. Your warranty
would not cover this damage. And don’t put
Press and hold HR until the correct hour appears on the
decals there, you might have to scrape them off. display. Press and hold MIN until the correct minute
appears on the display.
To display the clock with the
ignition
off, press RECALL and the time will be displayed
before the clock goes into the time-set mode.
Audio Systems for a few seconds. There is an initial two-second delay
Your Delco@ audio system has been designed to operate
easily and give years of listening pleasure. You will get
the most enjoyment out of
it if you acquaint yourself
with it first. Find out
what your Delco system can do
and how to operate all its controls, to be sure you’re
getting the most out of the advanced engineering that
went into
it.
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