warning light CHEVROLET ASTRO 2004 User Guide

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts Ð heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking Ð rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.Anti-lock Brake System
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay on. See
Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light on page 3-27. United States
Canada
4-7

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 are going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning does not 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 re¯ections
from trees, telephone poles or other vehicles, and
raindrops ªdimpleº the water's surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just is not 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 not avoid deep puddles or standing
water, drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
{CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
If you try to drive through ¯owing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can
be carried away. As little as six inches of
¯owing water can carry away a smaller vehicle.
If this happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not ignore police
warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through ¯owing 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.
·Have good tires with proper tread depth. SeeTires
on page 5-52
.
4-18

City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You will want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
·Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
·Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You will save time and energy.
See
Freeway Driving on page 4-20.
·Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough
to need it. When a light turns green, and just before
you start to move, check both ways for vehicles
that have not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.
4-19

Winter DrivingHere are some tips for winter driving:
·Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
·You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer ¯uid, a rag, some winter
outer clothing, a small shovel, a ¯ashlight, a red
cloth and re¯ective warning triangles. And, if you will be
driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
4-24

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission ¯uid to use. SeePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-30.
Using a funnel, add ¯uid down the transmission dipstick
tube only after checking the transmission ¯uid while it
is hot. (A cold check is used only as a reference.) If the
¯uid level is low, add only enough of the proper ¯uid
to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot check. It
doesn't take much ¯uid, generally less than one pint
(0.5 L).
Don't over®ll.
Notice:We recommend you use only ¯uid labeled
DEXRONž-III, because ¯uid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by ¯uid other than DEXRON
ž-III is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
·After adding ¯uid, recheck the ¯uid level as
described under²How to Check.²
·When the correct ¯uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then ¯ip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is ®lled with
DEX-COOLžengine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs ®rst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
žextended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see
Engine Overheating on
page 5-28.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
žcoolant will:
·Give freezing protection down to-34ÉF (-37ÉC).
·Give boiling protection up to 265ÉF (129ÉC).
·Protect against rust and corrosion.
·Help keep the proper engine temperature.
·Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOLžmay
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs ®rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
ž(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
5-25

·If you spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle's painted
surfaces, the paint ®nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle. If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
Appearance
Care on page 5-86.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal ®rmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are ®rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque speci®cations.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See
Brake System Inspection on page 6-29.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
5-41

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.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a speci®ed 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 signi®cantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
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 speci®ed 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.
5-71

A
Accessory Power Outlets.................................3-16
Activating the Theft-Deterrent Feature................3-48
Adding Equipment to Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle.......................................................1-70
Adding Washer Fluid.......................................5-38
Additional Program Information........................... 7-8
Additives, Fuel................................................. 5-6
Add-On Electrical Equipment............................5-95
Add-On Equipment..........................................4-35
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)......3-40, 3-43
Air Bag
Readiness Light..........................................3-26
Air Bag System..............................................1-63
Adding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle...............................1-70
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?....................1-67
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.........1-69
What Makes an Air Bag In¯ate?....................1-67
What Will You See After an Air
Bag In¯ates?...........................................1-68
When Should an Air Bag In¯ate?...................1-67
Where Are the Air Bags?..............................1-65
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine.................................5-21
Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM)...... 7-9
All-Wheel Drive...............................................5-47All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.........................2-24
All-Wheel-Drive Service Light............................3-35
AM ...............................................................3-50
AM-FM Radio.................................................3-39
Antenna, Fixed Mast.......................................3-50
Anti-lock Brake System..................................... 4-7
Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light..............3-29
Appearance Care............................................5-86
Care of Safety Belts....................................5-89
Chemical Paint Spotting...............................5-93
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle................5-87
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle..............5-90
Finish Damage............................................5-93
Sheet Metal Damage...................................5-92
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-93
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials................5-94
Weatherstrips..............................................5-89
Ashtrays........................................................3-17
Audio System(s).............................................3-38
AM-FM Radio.............................................3-39
Care of Your CD Player...............................3-50
Care of Your CDs........................................3-50
Fixed Mast Antenna.....................................3-50
Radio with CD............................................3-41
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)................................3-46
1

Audio System(s) (cont.)
Setting the Time for Radios with HR and
MN Buttons.............................................3-38
Setting the Time for Radios with the
Set Button..............................................3-38
Theft-Deterrent Feature................................3-47
Understanding Radio Reception.....................3-50
Automatic Headlamp System............................3-13
Automatic Transmission
Fluid..........................................................5-22
Operation...................................................2-21
Automatic Transmission Check..........................6-25
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control
System Check.............................................6-26
B
Backing Up....................................................4-42
Battery..........................................................5-42
Battery Replacement......................................... 2-5
Battery Run-Down Protection............................3-16
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.........................4-21
Bench Seat............................................1-11, 1-58
Body Lubrication Service..................................6-25
Brake
Parking......................................................2-24Brake (cont.)
System Inspection.......................................6-29
System Warning Light..................................3-28
Brake Adjustment............................................5-41
Brake Fluid....................................................5-39
Brake Pedal Travel.........................................5-41
Brake Wear...................................................5-41
Brakes..........................................................5-39
Braking........................................................... 4-6
Braking in Emergencies..................................... 4-9
Break-In, New Vehicle.....................................2-17
Bucket Seats, Rear.........................................1-12
Bulb Replacement...........................................5-49
Front Turn Signal Lamps..............................5-53
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-49
Headlamps.................................................5-50
Replacement Bulbs......................................5-55
Taillamps....................................................5-54
Buying New Tires...........................................5-70
C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-5
Canada ± Customer Assistance.......................... 7-4
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Canadian Roadside Assistance........................... 7-7
2

Canceling the Sliding Door
Security Lock..............................................2-10
Capacities and Speci®cations..........................5-102
Carbon Monoxide...........................4-24, 4-35, 2-28
Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-89
Your CD Player...........................................3-50
Your CDs ...................................................3-50
Cargo Van Models..........................................1-50
Cargo Vans...........................................1-41, 1-48
CD Messages................................................3-45
Center Passenger Position, Safety Belts.............1-27
Chains, Tires..................................................5-74
Charging System Light....................................3-27
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-30
Gages Warning Light...................................3-36
Checking Brake Fluid......................................5-40
Checking Coolant............................................5-26
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-13
Checking Things Under the Hood....................... 5-9
Checking Your Restraint Systems......................1-70
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-93
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-44
Infants and Young Children...........................1-38Child Restraints (cont.)
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-52
Older Children.............................................1-35
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System...................................1-55
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center
Seat Position...........................................1-58
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Outside Seat Position...............................1-55
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right
Front Seat Position...................................1-60
Top Strap...................................................1-48
Top Strap Anchor Location............................1-50
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-47
Cigarette Lighter.............................................3-17
Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-87
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-90
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-93
Weatherstrips..............................................5-89
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels..............................5-92
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.......................5-90
Cleaning Fabric/Carpet....................................5-87
Cleaning Glass Surfaces..................................5-89
Cleaning Interior Plastic Components.................5-89
3