open hood CHEVROLET ASTRO 1996 Owners Manual

To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
I
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use
a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. After you’ve used the coolant heater, be sure to store
the cord
as it was before to keep it away from moving
engine parts.
If you don’t, 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
GM dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give
you the best advice for that
particular area.
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If you have rear heating or rear air conditioning, you
will have adjustable vents in the rear of the vehicle to
help direct the airflow. The rear air conditioning vents
are located
in the headliner at the rear of the vehicle.
The rear heating vents are located next to the second
and third seat on the driver’s side
of the vehicle, near
the floor. You can move the vents to direct the flow of
air, or close
the vents altogether. When you close a vent,
it will increase the flow of air coming
out of any vents
that are open.
Ventilation Tips
Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or
any other obstruction (such as leaves). The heater
and defroster will work far better, reducing the
chance of fogging the inside of your windows.
Rear Window Defogger (Option)
If your vehicle has this option, the rear window will
have lines running across
the glass. These lines heat
your window.
For best results, clear the window
of as much snow or
ice as possible before using the rear window defogger.
. .. :. ,.
I
To turn on the rear window
defogger, find
the button
I to the left of the heater
controls with the defog
symbol
on it.
0 When you enter a vehicle in cold weather, turn the
blower
fan to HIGH for a few moments .before
driving
off. This helps clear the intake ducts of snow
and moisture, and reduces the chance of fogging the
inside
of your windows. Press the button until the light comes on, then release it.
The rear window defogger will
only work when the
ignition switch is in the RUN position.
3-7

1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with
a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured
if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transmission
in PARK (P) or a manual
transmission in NEUTRAL (N). If you have a
four-wheel-drive vehicle
with a manual transfer case
shift lever, be sure the transfer case
is not in
NEUTRAL (N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into
the cigarette
lighter or accessory power outlets. Turn off all lamps
that aren’t needed
as well as radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries.
In addition, it
could save your radio!
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
5-3

Engine Overheating
You will find a temperature gage on your vehicle’s
instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood.
Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
5-13

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

Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull the handle inside the vehicle
on the lower driver’s side of the kick panel. Then
go to the front of the vehicle and release the
secondary hood release.
6-8

When you open the hood, this is what you will see:
-
A. Windshield Washer Fluid Fill Location
B. Coolant Fill Location
C. Oil Dipstick Location
D. Transmission Dipstick/Fill Location
E. Air Cleaner
6-9
F. Oil Fill Location
G. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
I. Battery

Headlamps
Sealed Beam Lamps
1. Remove the four retainer
screws and the retainer.
2. Pull the connector out
and unplug the lamp.
3. Install the new bulb into the connector.
4. Reverse Steps 1 and 2 to reinstall the headlamp.
Composite Headlamps
1. Open the hood.
1
2. Remove the two screws
from the sidemarkedturn signal lamp.
6-37

Underhood Electrical Center
1
(-) I-)
(-1
[-)
(T)
E3
IIVC)
(-)
I
The underhood electrical center is located toward the
rear
of the engine compartment on the driver's side.
Lift the hood and open the cover to gain access to this
fuse block.
Feed
AUXB . . . . . .
AUX A . . . . . , . .
Relay
A/C Relay
IGN Relay
Starter Enable Relay
A/C Enable Relay
Empty Relay
Fuel Pump Relay
Usage
. . Upfitter Battery Feed
. . Upfitter Ignition Feed
6-64

At Least Twice a Year
Restraint System Check
Make sure the safety belt reminder light and all your
belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and anchorages are
working properly.
Look for any other loose or damaged
safety belt system parts. If you see anything that might
keep a safety belt system from doing its job, have it
repaired. Have any torn or frayed safety belts replaced.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced, (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Automatic Transmission Check
Check the transmission fluid level; add if needed. See
“Automatic Transmission’’ in the Index. A fluid
loss
may indicate a problem. Check the system and repair
if needed.
At Least Once a Year
Key Lock Cylinders Service
Lubricate the key lock cylinders with the lubricant
specified in Part
D.
Body Lubrication Service
Lubricate all body door hinges, the body hood, fuel door
and rear compartment hinges, latches and locks
including interior glove box and console doors, and
any
moving seat hardware. Lubricate the hood safety lever
pivot and prop rod pivot. Part
D tells you what to use.
More frequent lubrication may be required
when
exposed to a corrosive environment.
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