ESP CHEVROLET ASTRO 2003 User Guide

Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the
water. This can happen
if the road is wet enough and
you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if
your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in
one or more is low. It can happen
if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see reflections
from trees, telephone poles or other vehicles, and
raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come
in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage your engine. Never drive through water that
is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle.
If you can’t avoid deep puddles or standing
water, drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
Flo..,ng or rushing water cr,,tes strong forces.
If you try to drive through flowing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle
can be carried away.
As little as six inches of
flowing water can carry away a smaller vehicle.
If this happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Don’t ignore police
warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through flowing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared to have your
view restricted by road spray.
See
Tires on page 5-63.
Have good tires with proper tread depth.
4-1 8

Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly
CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can’t see
it or
smell
it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side
of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will
help keep
CO out. Run your
engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get
and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and
do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until help comes.
4-27

Driving with a Trailer
If you ~ ve a rear-most window open and
you pull a trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide (CO) could come into your vehicle.
You can’t see or smell
CO. It can cause
unconsciousness or death. See “Engine
Exhaust” in the Index.
To maximize your safety
when towing a trailer:
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting on your trip.
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through a window
in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use
the climate control setting for maximum air because
it only recirculates the air inside
your vehicle. See “Climate Controls” in
the Index. Towing
a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that
the load
is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
4-37

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
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 system. 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.
4-40

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:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles (83 000 km).
See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page
6-4.
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
service.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the 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.
Notices 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
part or exhaust system parts, starting a fire.
Too little fluid could cause the transmission to
overheat. 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:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic
- especially in hot weather.
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).
5-25

3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower How to Add Fluid
level. The fluid level must be in the COLD area,
below the cross-hatched area, for a cold check or
in Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
the HOT area
or cross-hatched area for a hot check. what kind of transmission fluid to use. See Part D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on Daae 6-32. tu
Add fluid only after checking the transmission fluid while
it is hot. (A cold check is used
only as a reference.)
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level up to the
HOT area for a hot
check. It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less
than one pint
(0.5 L). Don’t ovetfi/l.
Notice: We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-Ill, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON@-Ill is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then flip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place. After
adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then flip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
5-27

Mix---J tires could cause yo-. JO 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 temporarily,
it was developed
for use on your vehicle. See “Compact Spare
Tire” in the index.
If you use bias-ply tires on yo^. vet,,Je, 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.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
5-67

Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and
a half
(1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices
and differences in road characteristics and climate.
Temperature - A, B, C
Traction - AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics. 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.
5-68

Used Replacement Wheels
Putting a uscu 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 a crash. If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new
GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
Notice: Use tire chains only where legal and only
when you must. Use only
SAE Class ”S” type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install them on the rear axle tires and tighten them as tightly
as possible with the ends securely fastened.
Drive slowly and follow the chain manufacturer’s
instructions.
If you can hear the chains contacting
your vehicle, stop and retighten them. If the contact
continues, slow down until
it stops. Driving too
fast or spinning
the wheels with chains on will
damage your vehicle.
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.
5-70

Customer Assistance Information
Customer Satisfaction Procedure
Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to
your dealer and to Chevrolet. Normally, any concerns
with the sales transaction or the operation of your
vehicle will be resolved by your dealer’s sales or service
departments. Sometimes, however, despite the best
intentions of all concerned, misunderstandings can
occur.
If your concern has not been resolved to your
satisfaction, the following steps should be taken:
STEP ONE: Discuss your concern with a member of
dealership management. Normally, concerns can
be quickly resolved at that level. If the matter has
already been reviewed with the sales, service or parts
manager, contact the owner of the dealership or
the general manager. STEP
TWO: If
after contacting a member of dealership
management, it appears your concern cannot be
resolved by the dealership without further help, contact
the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center by calling
1-800-222-1020. In Canada, contact
GM of Canada
Customer Communication Centre in Oshawa by calling
1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French).
We encourage you to call the toll-free number in order to
give your inquiry prompt attention. Please have the
following information available to give the Customer
Assistance Representative:
Vehicle Identification Number (This is available from
the vehicle registration or title, or the plate at the
top left of the instrument panel and visible through
the windshield.)
Dealership name and location
Vehicle delivery date and present mileage
When contacting Chevrolet, please remember that your
concern will likely be resolved at a dealer’s facility.
That is why we suggest you follow Step One first
if you
have a concern.
7-2