weight CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN 1995 2.G Owners Manual

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).
2-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Luggage Carrier (Option)
I If you have the
luggage carrier, you
can load things
on top
of your vehicle. The
luggage carrier has
slats attached to the
roof, side rails, and
tiedowns.
NOTICE:
Loading cargo that weighs more than 200 pounds (91 kg) on the
luggage carrier may damage your vehicle. When you carry large
things, never let them hang over the rear or the sides of your
vehicle. Load your cargo
so that it rests on the slats and does not
scratch or damage the vehicle. Put the cargo against the side
rails and fasten it securely to the luggage carrier. Put the main
weight as far forward as you can.
Don’t exceed the maximum vehicle capacity when loading your vehicle. For
more information
on vehicle capacity and loading, see “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as you’re driving, check now and then to
make sure the luggage carrier and cargo are still securely fastened.
2-62

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they
are common. Allow enough following distance. It’s the best defensive
driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the
vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly.
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy.
It’s the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming
thousands
of victims every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness
Police records show that almost half of all motor vehicle-related deaths
involve alcohol. In most cases, these deaths are the result
of someone who
was drinking and driving. In recent years, some 18,000 annual motor
vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use of alcohol, with
more than
300,000 people injured.
Many adults
- by some estimates, nearly half the adult population -
choose never to drink alcohol, so they never drive after drinking. For
persons under
21, it’s against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and developmental reasons for these
laws.
The obvious way to solve this highway safety problem is for people never to
drink alcohol and then drive. But what if people do? How much is “too
much” if the driver plans to drive? It’s a lot less than many might think.
Although it depends on each person and situation, here is some general
information
on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone who
is drinking
depends upon four things:
How much alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking
The length of time it’s taken the drinker to consume the alcohol
According
to the American Medical Association, a 180-pound (82 kg)
person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will
end up with a BAC of about
0.06 percent. The person would reach the same
BAC by drinking three 4-ounce
(1 20 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed
drinks if each had
1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or
vodka.
4-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the same person
drank three double martinis
(3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an
hour, the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who
consumes food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat lower
BAC level.
There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have a lower relative
percentage of body water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body water,
this means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a
man of her same body weight when each has the same number of drinks.
The law in many
U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC of 0.10 percent. In
a growing number of U.S. states, and throughout Canada, the limit is 0.08
percent. In some other countries it’s even lower. The BAC limit for all
commercial drivers in the U.S. is 0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over
0.10 percent after three to six drinks (in one hour). Of
course, as we’ve seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and
how quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC
of 0.10 percent.
Research shows that the driving skills
of many people are impaired at a
BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All
drivers
are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics show that
the chance of being in a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a
BAC of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of 0.06 percent
has doubled his or her chance of having a collision. At a BAC level of
0.10
percent, the chance of this driver having a collision is twelve times greater;
at a level of 0.15 percent, the chance is twenty-five times greater!
The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink.
No
amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. “I’ll be
careful” isn’t the right answer. What if there’s an emergency, a need
to take
sudden action, as when a child
darts into the street? A person with even a
moderate
BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the
collision.
4-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loading Your Vehicle
PAYLOAD =-I
PSI/KPA (COLD)
-0
-0 < SEE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Certificatioflire
label is found on the
rear edge
of the
driver's door. The
label shows the size
of
your original tires and
the inflation pressures
needed to obtain the
gross weight capacity
of your vehicle.
This is called the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR
includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel, cargo, and tongue
weight, if pulling a trailer.
The CertificatiodTire label also tells you the maximum weights for the
front and rear axles, called Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
To find out
the actual loads on your front and rear axles, you need to go to a weigh
station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer
can help you with this. Be sure
to spread out your load equally on both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR) for either the front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it out.
Using heavier suspension components to get added durability might not
change your weight ratings. Ask your dealer
to help you load your vehicle
the right way.
4-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Your warranty does not cover parts or components that fail
because of overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle - like suitcases, tools, packages, or
anything else
- they will go as fast as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or
if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.
Payload
The Payload Capacity is shown on the Certification/Tire label. This is the
maximum
load capacity that your vehicle can carry. Be sure to include the
weight
of the people inside as part of your load. If you added any
accessories
or equipment after your vehicle left the factory, remember to
subtract the weight
of these things from the payload. Your dealer can help
you with this.
4-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailering Package
If your vehicle comes with the Trailering Package, there is also a load rating
which includes the weight
of the vehicle and the trailer it tows. This rating
is called the Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR).
When you weigh your trailer, be sure to include the weight of everything
you put in
it. And, remember to figure the weight of the people inside as
part of your load.
Your dealer can help you determine your GCWR.
Add-on Equipment
When you carry removable items, you may need to put a limit on how many
people you carry inside your vehicle. Be sure to weigh your vehicle before
you buy and install the new equipment.
NOTICE:
Your warranty doesn’t cover parts or components that fail
because of overloading.
4-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0
0
0
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles (800 km) your new
vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t
drive over
50 mph (80 kdh) and don’t make starts at full throttle. This
helps your engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads.
You should use DRIVE (D) (or, as you need to, a lower gear) when
towing a trailer. Operating your vehicle in
DRIVE (D) when towing a
trailer will minimize heat build-up and extend the
life of your
transmission.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends
on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude,
road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are
all important. And, it can also depend on any special equipment
that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice, or you can
write us
at the address listed in your Warranty and Owner Assistance
Information Booklet.
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
LlH 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure
because it affects the total or gross weight
of your vehicle. The gross vehicle
weight (GVW) includes the curb weight
of the vehicle, any cargo you may
carry in it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And if you will
tow
a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the
Index for more information about your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh
10% of the total loaded trailer weight (B). If you have a
“weight-distributing” hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12% of the
total loaded trailer weight
(B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then the tongue,
separately,
to see if the weights are proper. If they aren’t, you may be able to
get them right simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the limit for cold tires. You’ll find
these numbers on the Certification label at the rear edge
of the driver’s door
or see “Tire Loading” in
the Index. Then be sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit for your vehicle, including
the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are
a few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
0 If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will weigh more than
2,000 pounds (900 kg), be sure to use a properly mounted,
weight-distributing hitch and sway control
of the proper size. This
equipment is very important for proper vehicle loading and good
handling when you’re driving.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, then be sure to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch. If
you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your vehicle (see
“Carbon Monoxide”
in the Index). Dirt and water can, too.
4-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you’ll want
to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself
with the feel
of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a good
deal longer and not nearly as responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform (and attachments),
safety chains, electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the
trailer has electric brakes, start
your vehicle and trailer moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working.
This lets
you check your electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure, and
that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
4-30