parking brake CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN 1995 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking at Night
Parking
Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching your vehicle, it’s best
to lock it up and take your keys. But what
if you have to leave your ignition
key? What if you have to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
0 Put your valuables in a storage area out of sight.
0 Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
0 Then take the door key with you.
New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your modern vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate “break-in.” But
it will perform better in the long run if you follow these
guidelines:
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 kmh) or less for the first 500
miles (804 km).
0 Don’t drive at any one speed - fast or slow - for the first
500 miles (804 km). Don’t make full-throttle starts.
0 Avoid making hard stops for the first 200 miles (322 km) or
so. During this time your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean premature wear and
earlier replacement. Follow this “breaking-in” guideline
every time you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow a trailer during “break-in.” See “Towing a Trailer”
in the Index for more information.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged in? The answer
depends
on the weather, the kind of oil you have, and some other things.
Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact your GM
dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your vehicle. The dealer can give
you the best advice for that particular area.
Automatic Transmission
There are several
different positions for
your shift lever.
0 PARK (P) -This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best position to use
when you start your engine because your vehicle can’t move easily.
A CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is not I
fully in PARK (P) with the parking brake firmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is running unless you
have to.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your vehicle
won’t move, even when you’re on fairly level ground, always set
your parking brake and move the shift lever to PARK
(P). I
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If you’re pulling a
trailer,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking Brake
To Set the Parking Brake
Hold the regular brake
To Release the Parking Brake
pedal down with your
right foot. Push down
the parking brake
pedal with your left
foot.
If the ignition is
on, the brake system
warning light
will
come on.
Hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the
brake release lever.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause your rear brakes to
overheat. You may have to replace them, and you could also
damage other parts
of your vehicle.
If you are on a hill: See “Parking on Hills” in the Index.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill: See “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index. That section shows what to do first to keep the trailer
from moving.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Locking Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your rear axle can give you additional traction on
snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the
time, but when one of the rear wheels has
no traction and the other does, the
locking feature will allow the wheel
with traction to move the vehicle.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and set the parking
brake.
2. Move the shift
lever
into PARK
(P) position like
this:
Pull the lever
toward
you.
lever up as
far as
it will
go.
Move the
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can walk away from your
vehicle
with the ignition key in your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine running, be sure your
vehicle
is in PARK (P) and your parking brake is firmly set before you leave
it. After you’ve moved the shift lever into the
PARK (P) position, hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift lever away
from
PARK (P) without first pulling it toward you. If you can, it means that
the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into
PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your transmission into PARK
(P) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too much force on the
parking pawl in the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of
PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.” To prevent torque lock,
set the parking brake and then shift into
PARK (P) properly before you
leave the driver’s seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the
Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of PARK (P) before
you release the parking brake.
If “torque lock” does occur, you may need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill
to take some of the pressure from the transmission, so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a brake-transmission shift interlock. You have to fully
apply your regular brake before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is in the RUN position.
See “Automatic Transmission” in the Index,
If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever - push
the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application.
Then move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift out of PARK (P),
try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) Indicator Light
If your vehicle was
first sold, when new,
in Canada,
you will
have this light on the
instrument panel.
It goes on whenever the Daytime Running Lamps are on.
When it begins to get dark, the DRL indicator light is a reminder to turn on
your headlamps.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) make it easier to see the front of your
vehicle during the day. DRL can be helpful
in many different driving
conditions, but
they can be especially helpful in the short periods after dawn
and before sunset.
The DRL system will make your high-beam headlamps come
on at a
reduced brightness when:
The ignition is on,
The headlamp switch is off, and
The parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your high-beam headlamps will be
on. The
taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps
won’t be on. Your instrument panel
won’t be
lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, your DRL indicator light is
a reminder to turn
your headlamp switch on. The other lamps that come on with your
headlamps will also come
on.
When you turn the headlamp switch off, the regular lamps will go off, and
your high-beam headlamps
will change to the reduced brightness of DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking brake. The DRL will
stay
off until you release the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular headlamp system when
you need it.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine This light should come on briefly as you start the vehicle. If it doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the road and stop
carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer
to the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle’’
in the Index.)
b
A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly if the brake
system warning light is on. Driving with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident. If the light is st\
ill on
after you’ve pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have\
the
vehicle towed for service.
The brake system warning light will also come on when you set your
parking brake, and it will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it means you have a
brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
Standard Cluster Digital Cluster
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come on when you start your
engine and may stay on for several seconds. That’s normal. If the light
doesn’t come on, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a
problem.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine For more details about DRL, see “Headlamps and Vehicle Lighting” in this
section.
The
DRL indicator light is on whenever the ignition and the headlight
switch and parking brake are
off. For more details about DRL, see “Lights”
in this part.
Headlamp High Beam Indicator Light
This blue light is on
the driver’s side
of the
standard cluster.
If
you have the digital
cluster, it
is on the top
of the cluster.
The high beam
indicator light is
on
whenever you use
your high beam
headlamps.
For more details, see “Headlamp High-Low Beam Changer” in this part.
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal
indicator is
a light
with two green
arrows. It comes on
whenever you signal
a
turn or lane change.
Turn signal arrows are at the
top of the standard and digital clusters. For
more details, see “Turn and Lane Change Signal”
in this part.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
interior.
your mirrors
and your instruments frequently.
and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or
rolling terrain.
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.
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