AIR CHEVROLET ASTRO 2000 Manual PDF

6-43
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service,
see your GM Warranty booklet for details.
CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.

Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air
-out and a serious
accident. See ªLoading Your Vehicleº in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Underinflated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.

Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.

Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certification/Tire label, which is on the rear edge of
the driver's door, shows the correct inflation pressures
for your tires when they're cold. ªColdº means your
vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours or driven
no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).

6-44
NOTICE:
Don't let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It's not. If your tires
don't have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:

Too much flexing

Too much heat

Tire overloading

Bad wear

Bad handling

Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:

Unusual wear

Bad handling

Rough ride

Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don't forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket
-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can't tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See ªWhen It's Time for New Tiresº and
ªWheel Replacementº later in this section for more
information. Make sure the spare tire is stored securely.
Push, pull, and then try to rotate or turn the tire. If it
moves, use ratchet/wheel wrench to tighten the cable.
See ªStoring a Flat or Spare Tire and Toolsº in
the Index.

6-46
When It's Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it's time for new tires is to check the
treadwear indicators, which will appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:

You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.

You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire's rubber.

The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.

The tire has a bump, bulge or split.

The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can't be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certification/Tire 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
ªMSº (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.
CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control 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.

6-48
Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load
-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your vehicle.

6-49
CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
It could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have a collision in which
you or others could be injured. Always use the
correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for replacement.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See ªChanging a Flat Tireº in the Index for
more information.Used Replacement Wheels
CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can't know how it's been used or
how far it's been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause an accident. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.

6-56
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
(If Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don't use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners, cleaners
with acid or abrasive cleaning brushes on them because
you could damage the surface. Do not use chrome polish
on any wheels other than chrome
-plated wheels.
Don't take your vehicle through an automatic car wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels.
Cleaning Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces on the body or wheels of the vehicle.
Petroleum
-based products may damage the paint
finish and tires.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti
-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Original manufacturer replacement parts will provide
the corrosion protection while maintaining the warranty.

6-57
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch
-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer's body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan
and exhaust system even though they have
corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system
can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet
-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, GM will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of new
vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.

6-60
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don't add anything electrical to your vehicle
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Some add
-on electrical equipment can
keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your vehicle, see ªServicing
Your Air Bag
-Equipped Vehicleº in the Index.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by a circuit breaker in
the lamp switch. An electrical overload will cause the
lamps to go on and off, or in some cases to remain off.
If this happens, have your headlamp wiring checked
right away.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow, ice, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor cools.
If the overload is caused by some electrical problem and
not snow, ice, etc., be sure to get it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the fuse panel protect the power
windows and other power accessories. When the current
load is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the problem is fixed or
goes away.

6-63
Fuse/Circuit
BreakerUsage
4 DRL Relay, Instrument
Panel Cluster
5 Rear Defogger
6 Cruise Module, TBC Module,
Instrument Panel Cluster,
Cruise Control Switch,
Electrochromic Mirror
7 Power Outlets, DLC,
Subwoofer Amplifier
8 Crank Circuit Fuse, Park/Neutral
Switch, Starter Enable Relay
9 License Plate Lamp, Taillamps,
Parking Lamps, Ashtray Lamp,
Panel Lights, Trailer Taillamps,
Front and Rear Sidemarker
Lamps, Door Switch Illumination,
Headlamp Switch Illumination,
Rear Seat Audio Illumination,
TBC Module
10 Air Bag System
11 Not UsedFuse/Circuit
BreakerUsage
12 L, M1, M2 Blower Motor, Rear
A/C Relay Coil, Front Cont.
Temp. Door Motor, HI Blower
Relay, Defogger Timer Coil
13 Cigarette Lighter, Door Lock
Switches, Dutch Door
Release Module
14 Cluster Illum, HVAC Controls,
Chime Module, Radio
Illumination, Rear Heat Switch
Illumination, Rear Wiper/Washer
Switch Illumination, Rear Liftgate
Switch Illumination, Remote
Cassette Illumination, O/H
Console, TBC Illumination
15 TBC Module, Headlamp Relay
16 Front Turn Signals, Rear Turn
Signals, Trailer Turn Signals,
Back
-Up Lamps, BTSI Solenoid
17 Front Wipers, Front Washer Pump
18 VCM
-Ign 3, VCM-Brake, Cruise
Stepper Motor Signal,
ATC Module

6-66
Fuse/Circuit
Breaker Usage
ECM
-B Fuel Pump Relay and Motor,
VCM, Oil Pressure
Switch/Sender
HORN Horn Relay and Horn
A/C COMP A/C Enable Relay
and Compressor
RR HTR/AC Rear Heater and A/C
ATC Active Transfer Case
FRT HVAC Front Heater and A/C
ENG
-I Oxygen Sensors, Camshaft
Position Sensor, Mass Air Flow
Sensor, Evaporative Emission
Canister Vent Solenoid
IGN
-E A/C Enable Relay Coil
ECM
-I Fuel Injectors 1-6, Crankshaft
Position Sensor, VCM, Coil
Driver Module (EST),
Ignition CoilFuse/Circuit
Breaker Usage
RH HDLMP Right Headlamp
LH Headlamp Left Headlamp
DIODE
-A/C Coil A/C
LIGHTING Courtesy Fuse, Pwr. Adj.
Mirrors Fuse, TBC
-Battery Fuse
BATT Power ACCY CB, Stop/Hazard
Fuse, Auxiliary Power Fuse,
Cigarette Lighter Fuse,
Radio Battery Fuse
IGN A Starter Relay, Ignition Switch
IGN B Ignition Switch
ABS Electronic Brake
Control Module
RAP Radio Accy, Power Windows
HTD MIR/RR
DEFOGRear Window Defogger,
HVAC Control Head
*A fuse puller is included in the underhood electrical
center. You will also find spare fuses.