lock CHEVROLET ASTRO 1996 Owner's Manual

To release the hatch using the optional Keyless Entry
hand-held transmitter, see “Keyless Entry System”
in
the Index.
To release the hatch and unlock the doors from the
outside
of the vehicle, put
the key in the lock and
turn clockwise.
Then, pull up
on the hatch and open the right rear door
first. Grasp the handle and pull the door open.
The hatch and doors will automatically lock when the
hatch is shut.
If
the hatch is partially closed, the rear doors will lock
and you will need to use the key or the REAR HATCH
button to unlock them.
Also, see the Caution following “Hatch,” located in
this section.
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number
of theft-deterrent
features, we know
that nothing we put on it can make
it impossible
to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves
-- so
don’t do it.
When you park your vehicle and open the driver’s door,
you’ll hear a chime reminding
you to remove your key
from the ignition and take
it with you. Always do this.
Your steering wheel will be locked, and
so will your
ignition and transmission. And remember to lock
the doors.
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Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables
out of sight.
Put them
in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle,
it’s best to lock it up and take your keys.
But what if you have to leave your ignition key? What if
you have to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
0 Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
glove box.
0 Remember to lock the storage compartment/glove
0 Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
box and take that key
with you.
New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your
modern vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
0
0
0
0
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 kmk) or
less for the first
500 miles (804 km).
Don’t drive at
any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow
a trailer during break-in. See
“Towing
a Trailer’’ in the Index for
more information.
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Ignition Positions
Use your ignition key to start your vehicle. The ignition key \
lets you turn the ignition switch
to five different positions.
C
ACCESSORY (A): This position lets you use things like
the radio and the windshield wipers when the engine is
off. To get into ACCESSORY, push in the key and turn
it toward
you. Your steering wheel will remain locked,
just as it was before
you inserted the key.
NOTICE:
Don’t operate accessories in the ACCESSORY
position for long periods
of time. Prolonged
operation of accessories in the ACCESSORY
position could drain your battery and prevent
you from starting your vehicle.
LOCK (B): This position locks your ignition, steering
wheel and transmission shift lever
in PARK (P). It’s a
theft-deterrent feature. You will only be able to remove
your key when the ignition is turned to
LOCK.
OFF (C): This position lets you turn off the engine but
still turn the steering wheel. Use
OFF if you must have
your vehicle in motion while the engine is off (for
example,
if your vehicle is being towed).
RUN (D): This is the position for driving.
START (E): This starts your engine.

NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it is all the way
in. If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start
in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your vehicle is
moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key
to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
I
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
~
damage your starter motor. ,
I
2-15

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
, ’
I
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
CAUTION: (Continued)
I I
I CAUTION: (Continued)
Don’t 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 won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer”
in the Index.
I
v
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P).range
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has a
brake-transmission shift interlock. You have to fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK
(P) when the ignition key is in the RUN position.
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. See
’‘Shifting Out of PARK
(P)” in this section.
2-1s

Locking Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your 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,
the locking feature will allow
the wheel with traction to
move the vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive (Option)
If your vehicle has
all-wheel drive, your
engine’s driving power
is
sent to all four wheels for
extra traction.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot.
Push down the parking brake pedal with
your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on.
This is like four-wheel drive, but there is
no separate
lever or switch
to engage or disengage the front axle.
It
is fully automatic, and adjusts itself as needed for
road conditions.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the brake release lever located
on the
lower left side of the steering column.
2-21

2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position like this:
0 Pull the lever toward you.
Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
remove the key from your ignition, your vehicle is in
PARK (P).
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Leaving Your Vehicle With the
E.noiqe Rmnnjnq
r
can be ( lgerous to we your vt cle wi
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have
to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into the PARK (P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move
the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without first pulling it toward
you. If you can, it means
that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock I
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 find 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 find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of
PARK (P) before you 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 transmission, so you can pull the shift
lever out
of PARK (P).
2-24

Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a brake-transmission shift interlock.
You have to fully apply your regular brake before you
can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in the
RUN position. See “Automatic Transmission” in
the Index.
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 want.
If
you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out
of PARK (P), try this:
I. 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 vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking nvPr Thiq Th: A R rn
CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that
can
burn.
2-25

Horn
To sound the horn, press the horn symbols on the
steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel (Option)
Turn' SignaVMultifunction Lever
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 exit and enter the vehicle.
I ' The lever on the driver's side of the steering column
includes your:
0 Turn and Lane Change Signals
0 Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
0 Windshield Wipers
0 Windshield Washer
To tilt t& wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the ' 0 Cruise Control (Option)
j lever. Move the steering wheel to a comfortable level,
I then release the lever to lock the wheel in place. I
2-29