instrument panel CHEVROLET ASTRO 2003 Owners Manual

The 2003 Chevrolet Astro Owner Manual
Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... I-!
Front Seats ............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
............................................. 1-13
Child Restraints
....................................... 1-35
Air Bag System
....................................... 1-62
Restraint System Check
............................ 1-71
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
................................................. 2-1 6
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................ 2-1 8
Mirrors
.................................................... 2-32
HomeLink@ Transmitter
............................. 2-34
Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
........... 2-19
Storage Areas
Instrument Panel .
Instrument Panel
Climate Controls
......................................... 2-38
........................................... 3-1
Overview .......................... 3-2
...................................... 3-18
Warning Lights. Gages and Indicators
......... 3-23
Audio System(s)
....................................... 3-38
Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
........ 4-2
Towing
................................................... 4-29
Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1
Service ..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
All-Wheel Drive
........................................ 5-52
Rear Axle ............................................... 5-53
Front Axle
............................................... 5-54
Bulb Replacement
.................................... 5-55
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-62
Tires
...................................................... 5-63
Appearance Care
..................................... 5-83
Vehicle Identification
................................. 5-91
Electrical System
...................................... 5-92
Capacities and Specifications
..................... 5-99
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
...... 5-1 01
Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-10
Checking Things Under
the Hood
............... 5-11
Index ................................................................ 1

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will tell you about something that can damage
your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be
covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the
notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different
words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle,
are shown along with the text describing the operation
or information relating to a specific component, control,
message, gage or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator reference the following
topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel ...
1-16

AIR
BAG
United States Canada
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG or the air bag symbol.
Where Are the Air Bags?
The system checks the air bag electrical system
for malfunctions. The light tells you
if there is an
electrical problem. See
Air Bag Readiness Light on
page
3-26 for more information.
The driver’s air bag is in the middle
of the steering
wheel.
1-64

The right front passenger’s air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
16 something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or
it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and don’t attach or put anything on the steering
wheel hub or on or near any other air bag
covering.
1-65

What Makes an Air Bag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle
is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag, and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger.
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the
protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute
the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s
upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually.
But air bags would not help you in many types
of
collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is
not toward those air bags. Air bags should never be
regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety
belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions.
1-67

What Will You See After an
Air Bag Inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the air bag inflated.
Some components of the air bag module -the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s air bag, or the instrument panel
for the right front passenger’s bag -will be hot for a short
time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be
some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the
driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor
does it stop people from leaving the vehicle. When
an air bag inflates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history
of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as
soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing problems
but can’t get out of the vehicle after an air bag
inflates, then get fresh air by opening
a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
l problems following an air bag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
1-68

e
e
e
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, you’ll need some new parts for your air bag
system.
If you don’t get them, the air bag system
won’t be there to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information about
the air bag system. The module records information
about the readiness of the system, when the system
commands air bag inflation and driver’s safety belt
usage at deployment. The module also records
speed, engine rpm, brake and throttle data.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air bag
system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice: If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, the bag
may not work properly. You may have to replace
the air bag module in the steering wheel or both the
air bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s air bag.
Do not open or break
the air bag coverings.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don’t want the system
to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system.
To purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications
Ordering Informqtion on page
7-1 1.
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
air bag can
still inflate during improper service.
You can be injured if you are close to an air bag
when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with
yellow tape or yellow connectors. They are
probably part of the air bag system. Be sure to
follow proper service procedures, and make sure the person performing work for you
is
qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
1-69

To fully open the rear
doors, push in on the
clip and
lift the check
assembly up
off the
mounting bracket.
Do this on each door. Replace the check assemblies on
the mounting brackets before closing the doors.
It can be dangerous to drive with the rear
glass open because carbon monoxide (CO)
gas can come into your vehicle. You can’t see
or smell CO.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. If you must drive with the rear
glass open or if electrical wiring or other cable
connections must pass through the seal between the body and the rear glass:
Make sure all other windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed and select the control setting that will force outside air into your vehicle. See ”Climate Controls”
in the Index.
instrument panel, open them
all the way.
If you have air outlets on or under the
See ”Engine Exhaust”
in the Index.
2-1 4

If you manually select SECOND (2), the transmission
will drive in second gear. You may use this feature
for reducing torque to the rear wheels when you
are trying to start your vehicle from a stop on slippery
road surfaces.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
If the
shift selector lever is put in FIRST
(I), the transmission
won’t shift into first gear until the vehicle is going
slow enough.
Notice: If your rear wheels won’t turn, don’t try
to drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were
up against a solid
object. You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal.
This could overheat and damage the transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
PARK (P) to hold
your vehicle in position on a hill.
Tow/HauI Mode Button
I
Q
Your vehicle is equipped with a tow/haul button.
The button is located on the end of the column shift
lever. You can use this feature to assist when towing
or hauling a heavy load.
To select the tow/haul mode, press in the button.
The TOW/HAUL light on the instrument panel cluster
will come on. To go back to normal operation, press the
button again. The indicator light on the instrument
panel cluster will go out. See
Tow/Hau/ Mode Light on
page 3-36 for more information.
2-25