brake fluid CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER 1993 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The rear window washer system uses the same fluid bottle as t\
he windshield
washer system.
The rear window washer system will run out of fluid before th\
e windshield washer system, indicating you need to check your fluid level a\
nd fill the fluid
bottle.
Cruise Control (Option)
P04:
With Cruise Control, you can maintain a speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h)
or more without keeping your foot on the accelerator. This can\
really help on long trips. Cruise Control does not work at speeds below about\

25 mph
(40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the Cruise Control shuts off.
235

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hill and Mountain Roads
AM470001
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 enjoyab\
le.
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.
Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this:
Let your engine
do some of the slowing down. Don't make your brakes
do it all. Shift
to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill.
That way, you will
slow down without excessive use of your brakes.
* If you don't shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they
L b wouldn't work well. You would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
4-35

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
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 righ\
t hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
a
a
a
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.
Don’t let the steel in a hitch contact the aluminum on you\
r bumper.
If
you do, the two will corrode. You can use something like paint or plastic
tape to separate the steel and aluminum. The same steel to aluminum
problem can happen with fasteners too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trail\
er. Cross
the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue will not
drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer
or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for atta\
ching safety
chains. Always leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And,
never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs
its own brakes-and
Be sure to read and more than
1,000 pounds (450 kg) loaded, then
it needs
they must be adequate.
follow the instructions for the trailer brakes to install,
adjust and maintain them properly.
Don’t tap into your vehicle’s brake system
if the trailer’s brake system will use
more than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3~~) of fluid from your vehicle’s master cylinder.
If it does, both braking systems won’t work well. You could even \
lose your
brakes.
4-46

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000 psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If
not, the trailer brake system must not be used with your vehi\
cle.
if everything checks out this far, then make the brake fluid tap at the
port on the master cylinder that sends fluid to the rear brak\
es. But don’t use copper tubing for this.
If you do, it will bend and finally break off.
Use steel brake tubing.
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
so responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, 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 trail\
er brake controller
by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
If you have a rear-most window open and you pull a trailer with your
vehicle, carbon monoxide (CO) could come into your vehicle. You
can’t see or smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness or death (see
“Engine Exhaust” in the Index).
To maximize your safety when towing
a trailer:
Have your exhaust system inspected for leaks and make
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle through a window in the
rear, or another opening, drive with your front, main heating \
or
cooling system
on and with the fan on any speed. This will
bring fresh, outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use MAX NC
because it only recirculates the air inside your vehicle. See
“Comfort Controls” in the Index.
necessary repairs before starting
on your trip.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and
that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
4-47

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.
4-49

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.
5-4

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
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service & Appearance Care
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
6-2

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.
6-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal operating temperature,
which is
180°F to 200°F (82°C to 93°C).
To check transmission fluid hot: Get the vehicle warmed up by driving
about
15 miles (24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F (10°C). If
it's colder than 50°F (lO'C), drive the vehicle in D (Third Gear) until the
engine temperature gage moves and then remains steady for ten \
minutes.
Then follow the hot check procedures.
To check transmission fluid cold: A cold check is made after the vehicle
has been sitting for
8 hours or more with the engine off and is used only as
a reference. Let the engine run at idle for
5 minutes if outside temperatures
are
50°F (1 0°C) or more. If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may have to
idle the engine longer.
A hot check must follow when fluid is added during a
cold check.
To check the fluid hot or cold:
Park your vehicle on a level place.
Place the shift lever in P (Park) with the parking brake applied.
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever throu\
gh each
gear range, pausing for about three seconds in each range. Then,
position the shift lever in
P (Park).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
K3619
6-21