stop start CHEVROLET ASTRO 1996 Owners Manual

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:
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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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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.
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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
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damage your starter motor. ,
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2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START. If it doesn’t start in 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal
all the way down for five more
seconds, or until it starts.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), wait
15 seconds and start over.
When the engine starts, let go
of the key and the
accelerator pedal.
I NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the
way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer. If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Fuel Regulator
You have a fuel regulator that shuts the fuel off when the
engine reaches
5,600 rpm.
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather,
0°F (- 18°C) or colder,
the engine coolant heater
can help.
You’ll get easier starting and better fuel economy during
engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater should be
plugged
in a minimum of four hours prior to starting
your vehicle.
3 IL

REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
1 NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
A CAUTION:
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people
or objects. Don’t shift out of
PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting
out of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered
by your warranty.

DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down. You’ll shift
down to
the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE
(D) should be used for normal trailer towing.
THIRD
(3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however it offers more power and lower
fuel
economy than DRIVE (D). You should use THIRD (3)
when carrying a heavy load or driving on steep hills.
SECOND
(2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy.
You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed
as you go down steep
mountain roads, but
then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.
If you manually select SECOND
(2)’ the transmission
will drive
in second gear. You may use this feature
for reducing torque to
the rear wheels when you are
trying to start your vehicle from a stop on slippery
road surfaces. FIRST
(1): This
position gives you even more power
(but lower
fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can .
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is put
in FIRST (1)’ the transmission
won’t shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against
a solid
object. You could damage your transmission or
transfer case or both.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
PARK
(P) to hold your vehicle in position on
a hill.
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Windshield Winers
You control the windshield
wipers by turning the band
with the wiper symbol
on it.
For a single wiping cycle,
turn the band to MIST. Hold
it there until the wipers
start, then let go. The wipers
will stop after one wipe.
If -5
Windshield Washer
you want more wipes,-hold
the band on MIST longer.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can be very useful in light rain or
snow. Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to
LOW, the shorter the delay.
For steady wiping at low speed, turn the band away
from you
to the LOW position. For high-speed wiping,
turn the band further, to HIGH. To stop the wipers,
move the band to the OFF position.
Be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper blades
before using them.
If they're frozen to the windshield,
carefully loosen or thaw them.
If your blades do become
worn
or damaged, get new blades or blade inserts. At
the top of the multifunction lever, there's a paaale
marked with the windshield washer symbol and
PUSH. To
spray washer fluid on the windshield, press the paddle.
The wipers will clear the window and then either stop
or
return to your preset speed.
A CAUTION:
In freezing weather, don't use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
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Sunglasses Storage Compartment
The console has a sunglasses storage compartment.
Convenience Net (Option)
You may have a convenience net in the rear of your
vehicle to help keep small loads, like grocery bags,
in
place during sharp turns or quick stops and starts.
The net is not designed for larger, heavier items.
You can unhook the net so that it will lie flat when
you're
not using it.
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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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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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FWD (6): Press and hold this button to advance rapidly
within a track. You will hear the disc selection play at
high speed while you press the FWD button. This allows Playing a Cassette in the Remote Cassette
Tape Player (Option)
you to listen and find out when the disc is at the desired
selection. Release FWD to resume playing.
AM-FM: While in the CD mode, press this button to
stop playing the CD and play the radio. The CD symbol
will still display but the word CD will be replaced with
either AM, FMl or
FM2. (If the radio is turned off,
the disc stays in the player and will resume playing at
the point where it stopped.)
CD AUX: To switch between the player and the radio
when a disc is playing, press the AM-FM button.
To
return to the player, press CD AUX. When a disc is
playing,
the letters CD and the CD symbol will appear
on the display. (If the radio is turned off, the disc stays
in the player and will resume playing at the point where
it stopped.)
EJECT: Press this button to eject the disc from the
player and play the radio. When the same or a new disc
is inserted, the disc will start playing
on track one. If a
compact disc is
left sitting in the opening for more than
a few seconds, the player will pull
the CD back in. The
radio will continue playing. When the
ignition is off,
press this button to load a CD.
If you have an AM-FM Stereo Audio Compact Disc
Automatic Tone Control System that includes a remote
cassette player, the cassette player is located in the
center
of the instrument panel.
Your tape player is built
to work best with tapes that are
30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer than
that are
so thin they may not work well in this player.
To load a cassette tape with
the ignition off, first press
EJECT on the remote player. Then, insert the cassette
tape. The tape will play
if the ignition is on but the radio
is off.
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