belt CHEVROLET ASTRO 1998 2.G Workshop Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your
dealer will order
you an extender. It’s free. When you go
in
to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the
extender will be long enough for you. The extender will
be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle that
you choose. Don’t let someone else use it, and use it
only for the seat it is made to fit, To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly. If your vehicle has
a
built-in child restraint, also periodically make sure the
harness straps, latch plates, buckle, clip, retractors and
anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt and built-in child restraint
system parts. If you see anything that might keep a
safety belt or built-in child restraint system from doing
its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
If your vehicle has the built-in child restraint, torn or
frayed harness straps can rip apart under impact forces
just like torn or frayed safety belts can. They may not
protect
a child in a crash. If a harness strap is torn or
frayed, get
a new harness right away.
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.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new safety belts or
built-in child restraint parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the safety belts or built-in child restraint harness
straps were stretched, as they would be if worn during a
more severe crash, then
you need new safety belts or
harness straps.
1-68

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you ever see a label on a right front safety belt that
says
to replace the belt, be sure to do so. Then the new
belt will be there to help protect you in a collision.
You
would see this label on the belt near the latch plate. If safety
belts or built-in child restraint harness straps
are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision damage also
may mean you will need to have safety belt, built-in
child restraint or seat parts repaired or replaced. New
parts and repairs may be necessary even if the safety belt
or built-in child restraint wasn’t being used at the time
of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part
on the air bag system earlier
in this section.
1-69

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Door Locks
I
I
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won’t open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown out
of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be far
better
off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
Your vehicle
may be equipped with Remote Keyless
Entry. For more information, see “Remote Keyless
Entry” later in this section.
To unlock your door from the outside, use your key.
To lock the front doors and
sliding side door from the
inside, slide the lock levers
down. To unlock the front
doors and the sliding side
door from the inside, slide
the lock levers up.
Power Door Locks (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has power
door locks, press the power
door lock switch to lock
or
unlock all the doors at once.
2-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a tone will
come
on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their
safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light
will
also come on and stay on
for about 20 seconds,
then it will flash for about
55 seconds.
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
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. If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the tone
nor the light will come on.
2-58

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Charging System Indicator Light
The charging 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.
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.
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 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.
2-59

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3.
4.
5.
Press and hold the TAPE AUX button for five
seconds. The tape symbol
on the display will flash
for two seconds.
Insert the scrubbing action cleaning cassette while
the tape symbol is flashing.
Eject
the cleaning cassette after the manufacturer’s
recommended cleaning time.
When the cleaning cassette has been ejected, the cut tape
detection feature is active again.
You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will
not
eject on its own. A non-scrubbing action cleaner may
not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner.
The use
of a non-scrubbing action, dry-type cleaning
cassette is not recommended.
After you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for
five seconds
to reset the CLN indicator. The radio will
display
--- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes are subject
to wear and the sound quality
may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape is in good condition before
you have your tape
player serviced.
Care of Your Compact Discs
Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight
and dust. If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a
clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and
clean it, wiping from the center
to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling
discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the
edge
of the hole and the outer edge.
Care of Your Compact Disc Player
The use of CD lens cleaner discs is not advised, due to
the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with
lubricants internal
to the CD mechanism.
Fixed Mast Antenna
The fixed mast antenna can withstand most car washes
without being damaged.
If the mast should ever become
slightly bent,
you can straighten it out by hand. If the
mast is badly bent, as
it might be by vandals, you should
replace
it.
Check every once in a while to be sure the mast is still
tightened to the fender.
3-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is:
Drive defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts” in the Index.)
Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.”
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
“always expect the unexpected.” Assume
that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might
do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Rear-end collisions
are about the most preventable of
accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following
distance. It’s the best defensive driving maneuver, in both
city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle in
front of you is going
to brake or turn suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate
on
the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving
task
-- such as concentrating on a cellular telephone call,
reading, or reaching for something on the floor
-- makes
proper defensive driving more difficult and can even
cause
a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger
to help do things like this, or pull
off the road in a safe
place to do them yourself. These simple defensive
driving techniques could save your life.
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a
national tragedy. It’s the number one contributor
to the
highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs
to drive
a vehicle:
0 Judgment
Muscular Coordination

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find that your right wheels have dropped off the
edge
of a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.
If the level
of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should
be fairly easy. Ease off the
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly. accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer
so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
4-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached,
on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start
to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and
the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have
to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do
it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and shift to
PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
PARK (P) yet.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while
you:
0 Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
:ks.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the choc
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help
you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea
to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-36

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the CertificationRire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same
TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue
to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure
they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
I A CAUTION:
---
Mixing tires could cause you to lose contrc while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use
on your vehicle.
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehil , the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing
a crash. Use only radial-ply
tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
6-46