check engine CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER 1993 1.G Owner's Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you w\
ould when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoi\
d situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re to\
wing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need
to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move your hand to the left.
To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and\
, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than n\
ormal. Do this so
your trailer wheels won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road \
signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument \
panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,\
the trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes,
or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument pan\
el will flash for
turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think \
drivers behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. \
It’s important to
check occasionally
to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to \
around
45 mph
(70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
You should use
D (or as you need to, a lower gear) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in
D when towing a trailer will minimize heat buildup
and extend the life
of your transmission.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer attached, \
on a hill. If
something goes wrong, your rig could start to move. People can be injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into P (Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking brake, and \
shift to
P (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you:
Start your engine.
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re pulling a trailer. See
the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t ove\
rfill),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system, and brake adj\
ustment. Each of
these is covered in this manual, and the Index will help you find them
quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea
to review these sections before
you start your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
mailer Light Wiring
See “Trailer Wiring Harness” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what position your key \
is in,
and even
if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the flashers, pull out on the collar.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn signals won\
’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at the sid\
e of the road
about
300 feet (1 00 m) behind your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use another vehicle and some
jumper cables to start your vehicle. But please follow the ste\
ps below to
do it
safely.
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 don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all of these things
can hurt you.
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage to your vehicle that
wouldn’t be covered by your warranty. Trying
to start your vehicle I-
pushing or pulling it won’t work, and it could damage your vehicle.
I
To Jump Start Your Vehicle
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative
ground system.
I
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but be
sure the vehicles aren’t touching each other.
If they are, it could cause a
ground .connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able
to start your
vehicle, and the bad grounding could damage the electrical syst\
ems.
1 CAUTION
I
A You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the parking brake firmly
b on each vehicle. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or a
I manual transmission in N (Neutral).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all lights that aren’t
needed, and radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both \
batteries.
And
it could save your radio!
1’ NOTICE
Iv dar li 1. The Pairs f you leave your radio on, it could be t
Nouldn’t be covered bv vour warrallLv I
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the positive (t) and the
negative
(-) terminals on each battery.
1 CAUTION
A 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 flashlight
if you need more light.
You don’t need
to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery installed
in every new
GM vehicle. But if a battery has filler caps, be sure the
right amount of fluid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care of
that first. If you don’t, explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you. Don’t get
it on you. If
you accidentally get it in your eyes or on your skin, flush the place
I with water and get medical help immediately.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or missing in\
sulation. If
they do, you could get a shock. The vehicles could be damaged\
, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some things you should\
know.
Positive
(t) will go to positive (+) and negative (-) will go to negative
(-) or a metal engine part. Don’t connect (t) to (-) or you’ll get a
short that would damage the battery and maybe other parts,
too.
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Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment in the passenger
b compartment of the vehicle could cause injury. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose equipment could strike someone. Store all these\
in
I the proper place.
Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare was fully inflated when your vehicle\
was new, it
can lose air after a time. Check the inflation pressure regula\
rly. It should be
60 psi (420 kPa). The compact spare is made to go up to 3,000 miles
(5000 km), so you can finish your trip and have your full-size tire repaired\
or
replaced where you want. Of course, it’s best
to replace your spare with a
full-size tire as soon as you can. Your spare
will last longer and be in good
shape in case you need
it again.
Don’t use your compact spare on some other vehicle.
And don’t mix your compact spare or wheel with other wheels\
or tires. They
won’t fit. Keep your spare and its wheel together.
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using them will d\
amage your vehicle and destro) “re chc”? too. Don’t use
ti- chair - 3n your compacl
spare.
A
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment in the passenger
compartment
of the vehicle could cause injury. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose equipment could strike someone. Store all these\
in
the proper place.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service & Appearance Care
L
......... ..... -&-.A- -
I 5, "9
. .
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle \
. This Section
begins with service and fuel information. and then
it shows how to check
important fluid and lubricant levels
. There is also technical information about
your vehicle. and a section devoted to its appearance care
.
Service ........................................................................\
........................................... 6-3
Fuel
........................................................................\
................................................ 6-4
Checking Things Under the Hood
....................................................................... \
6-8
Hood Release
........................................................................\
............................ 6-8
Engine
Oil ........................................................................\
.................................. 6-9
Engine Cover
........................................................................\
........................... 6-15
Air Cleaner
........................................................................\
............................... 6-19
Automatic Transmission Fluid
........................................................................\
. 6-20
Rear Axle
........................................................................\
................................. 6-23
All-Wheel Drive
........................................................................\
........................ 6-23
Transfer Case
........................................................................\
.......................... 6-23
Front Axle
........................................................................\
................................. 6-24
Engine Coolant
........................................................................\
........................ 6-26
Power Steering Fluid
........................................................................\
............... 6-30
Windshield Washer Fluid
........................................................................\
......... 6-31
Brake Master Cylinder
........................................................................\
............. 6-32
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Replacing Brake System Parts ........................................................................\
.. 6-33
Fluid Leak Check
........................................................................\
........................ 6-34
Battery
........................................................................\
.......................................... 6-34
Vehicle Storage
........................................................................\
........................... 6-34
Bulb Replacement
........................................................................\
....................... 6-35
Other Maintenance Items
........................................................................\
........... 6-38
Loading Your Vehicle
........................................................................\
.................. 6-42
Tires ........................................................................\
.............................................. 6-44
Appearance Care
........................................................................\
........................ 6-52
Vehicle Identification Number
........................................................................\
..... 6-60
Service Parts Identification Label
...................................................................... 6-62
Capacities and Specification Charts
.................................................................. 6-64
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
........................................................................\
........ 6-68
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the U.S. or Canada,
unleaded fuel may be hard to find.
Do not’ use leaded gasoline. If you use
even one tank full, your emission controls won’t work well \
or at all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get fouled, the exhaust system \
can corrode,
and your engine oil can deteriorate quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor will
be damaged.
All of that means costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or contact a major oil
company that does business in the country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address
for advice. Just tell us where
you’re going and give your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors of Canada, Limited
International Export Sales
P.O. Box 828
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7N1, Canada
Filling Your Tank
PO389
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service & Appearance Care
Checking Things Under the Hood
Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull the handle inside the vehicle.
Then
go to the front of the vehicle and release the secondary hood release.
PO469
K3605
Lift the hood, release the hood prop from its retainer and pu\
t the hood prop
into the
slot in the hood.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and start a fire. These
include liquids like gasoline, oil, coolant, brake fluid, windsh\
ield
washer and other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others could
be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill things that will burn onto a
hot engine.
I I
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on properly.
I
~
K3607
Then lift the hood to relieve pressure on the hood prop. Remove the hood
prop from the slot in the hood and return the prop to its retainer. Then just
let the hood down and close
it firmly.
Engine Oil
It’s 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.
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