CHEVROLET ASTRO 1997 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
E
G.
H.
I.
J.
Lamp Switches
Instrument Panel Dimmer
Multifunction Lever
Hazard Lamp Switch
Transmission Shift Lever
Ignition Switch
Rear Hatch Release
Rear Defogger
Comfort Controls Rear A/C Control K. Rear Heater Control
L. Rear WasherNiper
M. Front Ashtray
N. Accessory Power Outlets
0. Cupholders/Storage Tray
P. Front Storage Compartment
Q. Audio System
R. Cigarette Lighter
S. Hood Release
T. Dome Override Button
2-57

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know
how fast you’re going, about how much fuel remains, and many other things
you’ll need to know to drive safely
and economically.
2-58

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour
(km/h). Your
odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers
(used in Canada).
Your odometer is tamper resistant. The digital odometer
will read
999,999 if someone tries to turn it back.
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed.
If the new one can be set to the
mileage total
of the old odometer, then it must be. But if
it can’t, then it’s set at zero, and a label must be put on
the driver’s door to show the old mileage reading when
the new odometer was installed.
Trip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell you how far your vehicle has
been driven since you last set the trip odometer
to zero.
The trip odometer will appear in place of your regular
odometer when
you press the TRIP button.
To reset the trip odometer, press and hold the TRIP
button. To change back to the regular odometer, press
the TRIP button again.
2-59

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention
to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or
is a
problem with one
of your vehicle’s functions. As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just
to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate
when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to
let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle. When
one of the warning lights comes on and stays
on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells
you what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s
advice. Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning light
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a tone wi
come
on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless
the driver’s safety bel
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
.t 1:
S
I
is
~ also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds, then
it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled, neither the tone nor the
light will come
on.
2-60

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows
AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells
you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays
on after you start the
engine or comes
on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds 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.
Charging System Indicator Light
The charglng 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.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Voltmeter
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. 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.
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. Readings in
either warning zone indicate a possible
problem in the electrical system. Have the vehicle
serviced as soon as possible.
2-62

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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.
2-63

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Engine Co ~ ant Temperature Gage
If the gage pointer moves
to the red area, your engine
is
too hot!
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning lightisn’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 section.
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. 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.
In “Problems on
the Road,” this manual shows you what
to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
2-64

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon Light)
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
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. This 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:
0
0
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.
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.
2-65

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering
the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are 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. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
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. 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. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel
to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with
the cap properly
installed should turn the light
off.
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.
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.
2-66