battery CHEVROLET ASTRO 2005 User Guide

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation
on acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to x
any mechanical or electrical problems that may
have developed.Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the SERVICE
ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light is on or not
working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
3-32

Theft-Deterrent Feature
THEFTLOCK®is designed to discourage theft of your
vehicle’s radio. It works by using a secret code to
disable all radio functions whenever battery power is
interrupted.
The THEFTLOCK
®feature for the radio may be used or
ignored. If ignored, the radio plays normally and the
radio is not protected by the feature. If THEFTLOCK
®is
activated, the radio will not operate if stolen.
When THEFTLOCK
®is activated, LOC will appear on
the radio display to indicate a locked condition anytime
battery power has been interrupted. If the battery
loses power for any reason, you must unlock the radio
with the secret code before it will operate.
Activating the Theft-Deterrent Feature
The instructions which follow explain how to enter
your secret code to activate the THEFTLOCK®system.
Read through all nine steps before starting the
procedure.If you allow more than 15 seconds to elapse between
any steps, the radio automatically reverts to time
and you must start the procedure over at Step 4.
1. Write down any three or four-digit number
from 000 to 1999 and keep it in a safe place
separate from the vehicle.
2. Turn the ignition on.
3. Turn the radio off.
4. Press the 1 and 4 pushbuttons at the same time.
Hold them down until --- appears on the display.
Next you will use the secret code number which you
have written down.
5. Press MN and 000 will appear on the display.
6. Press MN again to make the last two digits agree
with your code.
7. Press HR to make the rst one or two digits agree
with your code.
8. Press AM FM after you have conrmed that the
code matches the secret code you have written
down. REP will appear on the display to indicate
that Steps 5 through 7 need to be repeated to
conrm your secret code.
9. Press AM FM again. SEC will appear on the display
to indicate that the radio is secure. The LED
indicator by the volume knob will begin ashing
when the ignition is turned off.
3-48

Unlocking the Theft-Deterrent Feature
After a Power Loss
Enter your secret code as follows; pause no more than
15 seconds between steps:
1. Turn the ignition on. LOC will appear on the
display.
2. Press MN and 000 will appear on the display.
3. Press MN again to make the last two digits agree
with your code.
4. Press HR to make the rst one or two digits agree
with your code.
5. Press AM FM after you have conrmed that the
code matches the secret code you have written
down. The display will show SEC, indicating
the radio is now operable and secure.
If you enter the wrong code eight times, INOP will
appear on the display. You will have to wait an hour
with the ignition on before you can try again. When you
try again, you will only have three chances, eight
tries per chance, to enter the correct code before INOP
appears.
If you lose or forget your code, contact your GM dealer.
Disabling the Theft-Deterrent Feature
Enter your secret code as follows; pause no more than
15 seconds between steps:
1. Turn the ignition on.
2. Turn the radio off.
3. Press and hold the 1 and 4 pushbuttons at the
same time until SEC appears on the display.
4. Press MN and 000 will appear on the display.
5. Press MN again to make the last two digits agree
with your code.
6. Press HR to make the rst one or two digits agree
with your code.
7. Press AM FM after you have conrmed that the
code matches the secret code you have written
down. --- will appear on the display, indicating that
the radio is no longer secured.
If the code entered is incorrect, SEC will appear on the
display. The radio will remain secured until the correct
code is entered.
When battery power is removed and later applied to a
secured radio, the radio will not turn on and LOC
will appear on the display.
To unlock a secured radio, seeUnlocking the
Theft-Deterrent Feature After a Power Lossearlier in
this section.
3-49

Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags,
oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{CAUTION:
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 cannot 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 does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is 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.
4-26

Trailer Wiring Harness
If you have the optional trailering package, your vehicle
will have an eight-wire harness, including the center
high-mounted stoplamp battery feed wire. The harness
is stored on the passenger’s side of the vehicle near
the rear wheel well. This harness has a 30 amp battery
feed wire and no connector, and should be wired by
a qualied electrical technician. After choosing an
aftermarket trailer mating connector pair, have the
technician attach one connector to the eight-wire trailer
harness and the other connector to the wiring harness
on the trailer.
Be sure the wiring harness on the trailer is taped or
strapped to the trailer’s frame rail and leave it loose
enough so the wiring doesn’t bend or break, but not so
loose that it drags on the ground. The eight-wire harness
must be routed out of your vehicle between the rear door
and the oor, with enough of the harness left on both
sides so that the trailer or the body won’t pull it.
If you do not have the optional trailering package, your
vehicle will still have a trailering harness. The harness
is located near the passenger’s side rear wheel
well. It consists of six wires that may be used by
after-market trailer hitch installers.The technician can use the following color code chart
when connecting the wiring harness to your trailer.Brown: Rear lamps
Yellow: Left stoplamp and turn signal
Dark Green: Right stoplamp and turn signal
White (Heavy Gage): Ground
Light Green: Back-up lamps
White (Light Gage): Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
Blue: Auxiliary circuit (eight-wire harness only)
Orange: Fused auxiliary (eight-wire harness only)
Store the harness in its original place. Wrap the
harness together and tie it neatly so it won’t
be damaged.
4-45

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
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....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Cover...............................................5-17
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-21
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-23
Engine Coolant.............................................5-26
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-28
Engine Overheating.......................................5-28
Cooling System............................................5-30
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-35
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-36Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-37
Brakes........................................................5-38
Battery........................................................5-42
Jump Starting...............................................5-42
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-47
Rear Axle.......................................................5-48
Front Axle......................................................5-49
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-50
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-50
Headlamps and Sidemarker Lamps.................5-50
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps..............5-54
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-55
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-56
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-57
Tires..............................................................5-58
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-59
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-61
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-64
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-65
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-66
Buying New Tires.........................................5-67
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-68
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-69
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding
Washer Fluid” underWindshield Washer Fluid
on page 5-37.
B. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. SeeCooling System
on page 5-30.
C. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
D. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick. See
“Checking the Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-23.
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-21.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 5-13.
G. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
underBrakes on page 5-38.
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 5-36.
I. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-42.
Engine Oil
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil
must be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If you do not do this,
the oil dipstick might not show the actual level.
2. 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.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the MIN line, then you will need
to add at least one quart of oil. But you must use
the right kind. This section explains what kind of oil to
use. For engine oil crankcase capacity, seeCapacities
and Specications on page 5-101.
Notice:Do not add too much oil. If your engine has
so much oil that the oil level gets above the upper
mark that shows the proper operating range,
your engine could be damaged.
5-13

Battery
Your vehicle has a maintenance free battery. When it is
time for a new battery, get one that has the replacement
number shown on the original battery’s label. We
recommend an ACDelco
®replacement battery. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for battery
location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
Vehicle Storage
If you are not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days
or more, remove the black, negative (−) cable from
the battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
are not careful. SeeJump Starting on page 5-42
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Also, for your audio system, seeTheft-Deterrent
Feature on page 3-48.
Jump Starting
If your vehicle’s battery has run down, you may want to
use another vehicle and some jumper cables to start
your vehicle. Be sure to use the following steps to do
it safely.
5-42

{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be covered
by your warranty.Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would not 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 rmly on both vehicles involved
in the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) and a manual
transmission in NEUTRAL before setting the
parking brake.
5-43

Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
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 are not needed. This will avoid sparks
and help save both batteries. And it could save the
radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminals on each
battery.
{CAUTION:
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
ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the battery installed
in your new vehicle. But if a battery has ller
caps, be sure the right amount of uid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care of that rst.
If you do not, explosive gas could be present.
Battery uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, ush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
5-44