tire type CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN 1995 2.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loss of Confrol
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an
escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by
not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems.
In the braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid too much throttle causes the
driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by easing your
foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and
quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering
quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your
driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more
limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid
sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engine braking by
shifting to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues
- such as enough water, ice or packed
snow on the road to make a “mirrored surface”
- and slow down when you
have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking
skid.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing service tow your vehicle.
They can provide the right equipment and know how to tow
it without
damage.
If your vehicle has been changed
or modified since it was factory-new by
adding aftermarket items like fog lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and
wheels, these things can be damaged during towing.
Before
you do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
0 Whether your vehicle has rear-wheel drive or the all-wheel-drive
option. If your vehicle has fog lamps, it cannot be towed from the front
with sling-type equipment.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When your vehicle
is being towed, have the ignition key off. The steering
wheel should be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with
a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s steering
column lock for this.
The transmission should be in NEUTRAL (N) and the
parking brake released.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine lnflation - Tire Pressure
The CertificatiodTire label which is on the rear edge of the driver’s door,
shows the correct inflation pressures for your tires, when they’re cold.
“Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours or driven
no more than a mile.
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or overinflation is
all right. It’s not. If your tires don’t have enough air
(underinflation) you can get:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you can get:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire pressure. Simply looking
at the tires will not tell you the pressure, especially if you have radial tires
- which may look properly inflated even if they’re underinflated.
If your tires
have valve caps, be sure to put them back on. They help prevent
leaks by keeping
out dirt and moisture.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When It’s Time for New Tires
Tread Wear
Indicators
One way to tell when
it’s time for new tires
is
to check the
treadwear indicators,
which will appear
when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6
mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire if:
You can see the indicators at three or more places around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep enough to show
cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that can’t be repaired well
because of the size or location of
the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at the
CertificatiodTire label.
The tires installed on
your vehicle when it was new had a Tire Performance
Criteria Specification (TPC Spec) number on each tire’s sidewall. When
you
get new tires, get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way, your
vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed to give proper
endurance, handling, speed rating, traction, ride and other things during
normal service
on your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS” (for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a TPC Spec number,
make sure they are the same size, load range, speed rating and construction
type (bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
Warning:
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
These grades are molded on the sidewalls of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or optional equipment
on General
Motors vehicles may vary with respect to these grades, all such tires meet
General Motors performance standards and have been approved for use on
General Motors vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform
to Federal safety requirements in addition
to these grades.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory
to give you the longest tire life and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will
not need to have your wheels aligned again.
However, if
you notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle pulling one way or
the other, the alignment may need to be reset.
If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels may need
to be
rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted or corroded. If
wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts
should be replaced. If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your GM dealer if any of
these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind
of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load carrying capacity, diameter,
width, offset, and
be mounted the same way as the one it replaces.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Chains
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has P235/65R15 size tires, don’t use tire chains;
they can damage your vehicle.
If you have other size tires, use tire chains only where legal and
only when you must. Use only
SAE Class “S” type chains that
are the proper size for your tires. Install them on the rear axle
tires and tighten them
as tightly as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can hear the chains
contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten them. If the contact
continues, slow down until it stops. Driving too fast or spinning
the wheels with chains on will damage your vehicle.
Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are toxic. Others can
burst into flame if
you strike a match or get them on a hot part of the
vehicle. Some are dangerous if
you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When
you use anything from a container to clean your vehicle, be sure to
follow the manufacturer’s warnings and instructions. And always open your
doors or windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
0 Benzene
0 Naphtha
Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
- some more than others - and they can all
damage your vehicle, too.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Don’t use any of these unless this manual says you can. In many uses, these
will damage your vehicle:
0 Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl or
leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your GM dealer has two GM cleaners, a solvent-type spot lifter and a
foam-type powdered cleaner. They will clean normal spots and stains very
well. Do not use them on vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
0 Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can - before they set.
0 Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area often. A soft
Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area only. If you use
brush may be used
if stains are stubborn.
them, don’t saturate the stained area.
0 If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire area immediately or
it will set.
Using Foam-Type CIeaner on Fabric
0 Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
0 Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask surrounding trim
along stitch or welt lines.
0 Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge.
0 Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge to remove the
suds.
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