check transmission fluid CHEVROLET ASTRO 2003 Owners Manual

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transmission. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift
to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long
hill.
0
If you don’t shift down, y--. -.-. ces coul, Jet
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope. Coasting downh.-.
... .rlEUTL .. _L (N) or wit
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do all the work
of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Always have
your engine running and your vehicle in gear
when you go downhill.
e
e
I I
e
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads
in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones,
a falling rocks area
or winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.
4-23

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

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Service .......................................................... -5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work
......................... 5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
.............................................. 5-4
Fuel ................................................................ 5.5
Gasoline Octane ........................................... -5-5
Gasoline Specifications .................................... 5.5
California Fuel ............................................. -56
Additives
....................................................... 5.6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
............................... 5.7
Filling Your Tank
............................................ 5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
..................... 5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood .................... 5-1 1
Hood Release .............................................. 5.11
Engine Compartment Overview
...................... 5.14
Engine Oil
................................................... 5.15
Engine Cover ................. .... ........ 5.20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
................. ........ 5.24
Automatic Transmission Fluid
...................... 5.25
Engine Coolant ............................................. 5.28
Radiator Pressure Cap
.................................. 5.30
Engine Overheating
....................................... 5.31
Cooling System
............................................ 5.33
Engine Fan Noise
......................................... 5.39
Power Steering Fluid
..................................... 5.40
Windshield Washer Fluid
................................ 5.41 Brakes
........................................................ 5.42
Battery
........................................................ 5-46
Jump Starting
............................................... 5-47
All-Wheel Drive .............................................. 5-52
Rear Axle ....................................................... 5-53
Front Axle ...................................................... 5-54
Bulb Replacement .......................................... 5-55
Halogen Bulbs .............................. ..... 5-55
Headlamps .................................. ..... 5-55
Front Turn Signal Lamps ............................... 5-59
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5-61
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement .............. 5-62
Tires .............................................................. 5.63
Inflation
- Tire Pressure ................................ 5-64
Tire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5-64
When It
Is Time for New Tires ....................... 5-66
Buying New Tires
......................................... 5-66
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
.......................... 5-67
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
.................. 5-69
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5-69
Tire Chains
.................................................. 5-70
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................ 5.70
Changing a Flat Tire ..................................... 5.71
Compact Spare Tire ...................................... 5-82
Taillamps
.................................................... 5-60
5- 1

A. Windshield Washer Fluid
B. Engine Coolant
C. Engine
Oil Dipstick
D. Transmission Dipstick
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
F. Engine Oil Fill
G. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
I. Battery
Engine Oil
It is important to keep engine oil at the proper level. The engine oil dipstick has a yellow ring and is located
near the center of the engine compartment. See
Engine
information on location.
Checking Engine Oil Compartment Overview on page 5- 14 for more
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time
you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground. drain back into the
Oil pan. If YOU don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
5-1 5

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

Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C).
If it's colder than 50°F (IOOC), drive the vehicle
in THIRD
(3) until the engine temperature gage
moves and then remains steady for
10 minutes.
A cold fluid check can be made after the vehicle has
been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine
off,
but this is used only as a reference. Let the engine
run at idle for five minutes
if outside temperatures are
50°F (1 OOC) or more.
If it's colder than 50°F (IOOC), you may have to idle the
engine longer. Should the fluid level be low during
this cold check, you
must check the fluid hot before
adding fluid. Checking the fluid hot
will give you a more
accurate reading of the fluid level.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK
(P).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more. Then, without
shutting
off the engine, follow these steps:
The transmission dipstick has a red handle and is
located near the center of the engine compartment
behind the air cleaner. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-14
for more information on location.
1. Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick
and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull
it back out again.
5-26

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

1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice: If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can be
damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able
to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility
of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved
in the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) and a manual
transmission in NEUTRAL.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter
or accessory power outlets. Turn off all lamps
that aren’t needed as well as radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. In addition,
it could save your radio!
Nofice: If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on each
battery.
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water.
You don’t need to add water to the ACDelco@
battery installed in your new vehicle. But if
a battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water
to take care
of that first. If you don’t, explosive
gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
5-48

Selecting the Right Schedule
First you’ll need to decide which of the two schedules
is right for your vehicle. Here’s how to decide which
schedule to follow:
Short Trip/City Definition
Follow the Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance if any
one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
e
e
e
e
Most trips are less than 5 miles (8 km). This is
particularly important when outside temperatures
are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top
of your vehicle.
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police,
taxi or other commercial application.
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to break
down sooner.
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first). Chassis
Lubrication (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Drive Axle Fluid Check.
Every 6,000 Miles (IO 000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Engine Air
Cleaner Filter Inspection,
if driving in dusty conditions.
Front Wheel Bearing Repack (two-wheel drive only)
(or at each brake relining, whichever occurs first).
Automatic Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Engine Air Cleaner
Filter Replacement. Fuel Filter Replacement.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Transfer Case Fluid Change.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
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). Engine Accessory Drive Belt Inspection.
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete scheduled maintenance
on the following pages.
6-5

Long Trip/Highway Definition
Follow this scheduled maintenance only if none of
the conditions from the Short Trip/City Scheduled
Maintenance are 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 Trip/City
schedule for these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine under
highway conditions will cause engine oil
to break
down slower.
Long Trip/Highway Intervals
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or every
12 months, whichever occurs first).
Chassis Lubrication (or
12 months, whichever
occurs first). Drive Axle Fluid Check. Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Fuel Filter
Replacement. Engine Air Cleaner Filter Replacement.
Front Wheel Bearing Repack (two-wheel drive only)
(or at each brake relining, whichever occurs first).
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (normal conditions).
Transfer Case Fluid Change.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
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).
Engine Accessory Drive Belt Inspection.
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete scheduled maintenance
on the following pages.
6-6