octane CHEVROLET ASTRO CARGO VAN 2003 2.G Owners Manual

If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
·Reducing vehicle speed.
·Avoiding hard accelerations.
·Avoiding steep uphill grades.
·If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops ¯ashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to ¯ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle.Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see
ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still
¯ashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See
Filling Your Tank on page 5-8. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
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, mis®ring, 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.
3-32

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................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....................5-11
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-15
Engine Cover...............................................5-20
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-24
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-25
Engine Coolant.............................................5-28
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-30
Engine Overheating.......................................5-31Cooling System............................................5-33
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-39
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-40
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-41
Brakes........................................................5-42
Battery........................................................5-46
Jump Starting...............................................5-47
All-Wheel Drive..............................................5-52
Rear Axle.......................................................5-53
Front Axle......................................................5-54
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-55
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-55
Headlamps..................................................5-55
Front Turn Signal Lamps...............................5-59
Taillamps.....................................................5-60
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-61
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-62
Tires..............................................................5-63
In¯ation Ð Tire Pressure...............................5-64
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-64
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-66
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87
or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a
heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use
a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine. A
little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is
considered normal. This does not indicate a problem
exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary. If you are
using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service.
Gasoline Speci®cations
It is recommended that gasoline meet speci®cations
which were developed by the American Automobile
Manufacturers Association and endorsed by the
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association for better
vehicle performance and engine protection. Gasoline
meeting these speci®cations could provide improved
driveability and emission control system performance
compared to other gasoline.
In Canada, look for the
ªAuto Makers' Choiceº
label on the pump.
Canada Only
5-5

Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant where you buy
gasoline whether the fuel contains MMT. General
Motors does not recommend the use of such
gasolines. Fuels containing MMT can reduce the life of
spark plugs and the performance of the emission
control system may be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp may turn on. If this occurs, return to
your authorized GM dealer for service.Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to ®nd. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel wouldn't be
covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you'll be driving.
5-7

Part A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
In this part are scheduled maintenance services which
are to be performed at the mileage intervals speci®ed.
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you to keep
your vehicle in good working condition. But we don't
know exactly how you'll drive it. You may drive
short distances only a few times a week. Or you may
drive long distances all the time in very hot, dusty
weather. You may use your vehicle in making deliveries.
Or you may drive it to work, to do errands or in many
other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements. So please read
the following and note how you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your dealer.
This part tells you the maintenance services you should
have done and when to schedule them.When you go to your dealer for your service needs,
you'll know that GM-trained and supported service
people will perform the work using GM parts.
The proper ¯uids and lubricants to use are listed in
Part D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
them. All parts should be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you or anyone else drives the
vehicle.
These schedules are for vehicles that:
·carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will ®nd these limits on your vehicle's
Certi®cation/Tire label. See
Loading Your Vehicle on
page 4-29.
·are driven on reasonable road surfaces within
driving limits.
·use the recommended fuel. SeeGasoline Octane
on page 5-5
.
6-4

Fuel (cont.)
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-10
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-36
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Speci®cations.................................. 5-5
Low Warning Light.......................................3-37
System Inspection.......................................6-30
Fuses...........................................................5-93
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-93
Windshield Wiper.........................................5-92
G
Gage............................................................3-36
Check Gages Warning Light..........................3-36
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-30
Fuel..........................................................3-36
Oil Pressure...............................................3-34
Speedometer..............................................3-25
Voltmeter Gage...........................................3-28
Garage Door Opener.......................................2-34
Gasoline......................................................... 5-5
Octane........................................................ 5-5
Speci®cations............................................... 5-5Gasoline (cont.)
Gate Operator and Canadian Programming........2-36
GM Mobility Program for Persons with
Disabilities.................................................... 7-5
H
Hatch Release................................................2-15
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-4
Head Restraints............................................... 1-5
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer.................... 3-7
Headlamp Wiring............................................5-92
Headlamps....................................................5-55
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-55
Front Turn Signal Lamps..............................5-59
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-55
Highway Hypnosis...........................................4-22
Hill and Mountain Roads..................................4-22
Hitches..........................................................4-36
HomeLink
žTransmitter, Programming................2-35
HomeLinkžTransmitter....................................2-34
Hood............................................................5-11
Checking Things Under................................5-11
Release.....................................................5-11
Horn............................................................... 3-5
6