towing CHEVROLET ASTRO 1997 2.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing From the Front
(Except All-Wheel Drive)
Tow Limits -- 35 mph (56 kd), 50 miles (80 km)
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the
front bumper system will be damaged. Use
wheel-lift or car-carrier equipment. Additional
ramping may be required for car-carrier
equipment. Use safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment. To
help avoid damage, install a towing dolly and
raise the vehicle until adequate clearance is
obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components
when using car-carrier
equipment. Always use T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook slots.
5-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing From the Front (All-Wheel Drive)
A towing dolly must be used under the rear wheels when
towing from the front.
I
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the
front bumper system will be damaged. Use
wheel-lift or car-carrier equipment. Additional
ramping may
be required for car-carrier
equipment. Use safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing
a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment. To
help avoid damage, install
a towing dolly and
raise the vehicle until adequate clearance is
obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components when using car-carrier
equipment. Always use T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook slots.
5-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing From the Rear
(Except All-Wheel Drive) I
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the rear
bumper system will be damaged. Use wheel-lift
or car-carrier equipment. Additional ramping
may be required for car-carrier equipment. Use
safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing
a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment.
To
help avoid damage, install a towing dolly and
raise the vehicle until adequate clearance is
obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
5-11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing From the Rear (All-Wheel Drive)
A towing dolly must be used under the front wheels
when towing from the reaK NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the rear
bumper system will be damaged. Use wheel-lift
or car-carrier equipment. Additional ramping
may be required for car-carrier equipment. Use
safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing
a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment.
To
help avoid damage, install a towing dolly and
raise the vehicle until adequate clearance is
obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
5-12

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling fan. When
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air
to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions, the clutch is not fully engaged. This
improves
fuel economy and reduces fan noise. Under
heavy vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or high outside
temperatures, the
fan speed increases when the clutch
engages.
So you may hear an increase in fan noise. This
is normal and should not be mistaken as the
transmission slipping or making extra shifts. It is merely
the cooling system functioning properly. The fan will
slow down when additional cooling
is not required and
the clutch disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine. It will go away as the fan clutch disengages.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if
you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what
to do:
If a front tire fails, the
flat tire will create a drag that
pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer
to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well
out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid.
In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering
the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but
you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat,
the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
5-22

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice
or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help
you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
1 NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle
as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and
you or others could be injured. And,
the transmission or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 kmh) as shown
on the speedometer. For information about using tire
chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains”
in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
5-36

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when
the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
regularly reaches
90 OF (32 ” C) or
higher.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter every
30,000 miles
(50 000 km).
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your
GM dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get
a false reading on the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
~ transmission fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which
is 180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
6-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance Schedule
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of
the conditions from the Short TripKity Maintenance
Schedule is true.
Do not use this schedule if the vehicle
is used for trailer towing, driven in a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the Short TripKity schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine oil to break
down slower:
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or every
I2 months, whichever occurs first).
Chassis Lubrication (or every
12 months, whichever
occurs first). Drive Axle Service. Tire Rotation.
Transmission Service (severe conditions
only).
Replacement. Air Cleaner Filter Replacement. Front
Wheel Bearing Repack
(2WD only) (or at each brake
relining, whichever occurs first). Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Drive Belt Inspection. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Positive
Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) Valve Inspection.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize rncrintenance services.
Be sure
to follow the complete maintenance schedule
on the following pages.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Automatic
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Fuel Filter
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
7-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
( 166 000 km) should be performed after 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) at the same intervals. The services shown
at
150,000 miles (240 000 km) should be performed at
the same interval after
150,000 miles (240 000 km).
See “Owner Checks and Services” and “Periodic
Maintenance Inspections’’ following.
Footnotes
‘f The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not
nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to the
completion
of the vehicle’s useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance
be recorded.
# Lubricate the front suspension, ball joints and kingpin
bushings, steering linkage and transfer case shift
linkage, parking brake cable guides, and brake
pedal springs.
+ A good time to check your brakes is during tire
rotation. See “Brake System Inspection’’ under “Periodic
Maintenance Inspection”
in Part C of this schedule.
:%* Drive axle service (see “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index for proper lubricant to use):
0
0
0
Locking Differential -- Drain fluid and refill at first
engine
oil change. At subsequent oil changes, check
fluid level and add fluid as needed. If driving
in
dusty areas or towing a trailer, drain fluid and refill
every
15,000 miles (25 000 km).
Standard Differential
-- Check fluid level and add
fluid as needed at every oil change. If driving in
dusty areas or towing a trailer, drain fluid and refill
every
15,000 miles (25 000 km).
More frequent lubrication may be required for
heavy-duty use.
7-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I Short lkip/City Maintenance Schedule I
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
(See footnote #.)
in dusty conditions. Replace filter if
necessary.
An Emission Control Service.
(See footnotef.)
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add
fluid as needed. Check constant velocity
joints and axle seals for leaking.
(See footnote
**.)
0 For Two-Wheel-Drive vehicles only: Clean
and repack the front wheel bearings (or
at
each brake relining, whichever occurs first).
0 Inspect air cleaner filter if you are driving
0 Change automatic transmission fluid and
filter if the vehicle is mainly driven under
one or more of these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90°F
(32°C) or higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditiorzs, change the jluid und.filter every
30,000 rniles (50 000 km).
DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY
7-10