engine overheat CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER 1994 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Table of Contents
Introduction - How to Use this Manual
This section tells you how to use your manual and includes safety
and vehicle damage warnings and symbols.
Section 1 - Seats and Safety Restraints
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety restraints
properly.
Section 2 - Features & Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Section 3 - Comfort Controls & Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort
controls and how
to operate your audio system.
Section 4 - Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and
how to drive under different conditions.
Section 5 - Problems on the Road
This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while
driving, such as a flat tire or engine overheating.
Section 6 - Service & Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running
properly and looking good.
Section 7- Scheduled Maintenance Services
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and
what fluids and lubricants to use.
Section 8 - Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact your GM division for
assistance and how to get service publications. It also gives you
information on “Reporting Safety Defects’’ on page 84
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this
manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read.
iv

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine @ (Overdrive)
This position is for normal driving. If you need more power for
passing, and you’re:
- Going less than about 35 mph (56 kdh), push your accelerator
- Going about 35 mph (56 kdh) or more, push the accelerator pedal
pedal
about halfway down.
all the way down. You’ll shift down to the
next gear and have
more power.
@ should not be used when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, or
driving on steep hills. Select
“D” (Third Gear) when operating the
vehicle under any of these conditions.
0 D (Third Gear) - This is like @, but you never go into Overdrive.
You should use
“D’ (Third Gear) when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load or driving on steep hills.
2 (Second Gear) - This position gives you more power but lower fuel
economy. You can use
“2” (Second Gear) on hills. It can help control
your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want to use your brakes off and on.
If you manually select
“2” (Second Gear), the transmission will drive
in second gear. You may use this feature for reducing torque to the rear
wheels when you are trying to start your vehicle from a stop on
slippery road surfaces.
1 (First Gear) - This position gives you even more power (but lower
fuel economy) than
“2” (Second Gear). You can use it on very steep
hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the selector lever is put in
“1” (First
Gear), the transmission won’t shift into
“1” (First Gear) until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to drive. This might
happen if you were stuck in very deep sand or mud or were up
against
a solid object. You could damage your transmission or
transfer case or both.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold your vehicle there
with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat and damage
the transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
“P” Park to hold
your vehicle in position on
a hill.
2-19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Locking Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your rear axle can give you additional traction on
snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the
time, but when
one of the rear wheels has no traction and the other does, the
locking feature will allow the wheel with traction
to move the vehicle.
Parking Brake
To Set the Parking Brake:
I
I
Hold the regular brake
pedal down with your
right foot. Push down
the parking brake
pedal with your left
foot.
If the ignition is
on, the brake system
warning light will
come on.
To Release the Parking Brake:
Hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the
brake release lever.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause your rear brakes \
to
overheat. You may have to replace them, and you could also
damage other parts
of your vehicle.
2-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cigarette Lighter/Ashtrays
The optional cigarette
lighter is on the left
of
the engine cover
console. To use the
lighter, press it in all
the way and let go.
When it’s ready, it will
pop back by itself.
Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand while it is heating.
If you
do, it won’t be able to back away from the heating element when it’s ready.
That can make it overheat, damaging the lighter and the heating element.
To remove the front
ashtray, pull on the
front of it while
pressing
on the inner
tab.
2-48

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems can be
costly and
is not covered by your warranty.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
Standard Cluster
If you have the Standard Cluster, you have a gage that shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves to the “H” (red) side, your
engine
is too hot!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you have been
operating your vehicle under normal driving conditions, you shou\
ld pull
off
the road, stop your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
If you have a digital cluster, a box around the temperature symbol will also
flash when your engine is too hot.
2-63

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to do. See “Engine
Overheating” in the Index.
Voltmeter
Standard Cluster Digital Cluster
When your engine is not running, but the ignition is on (in the RUN
position), the gage shows your battery’s state of charge in DC volts. When
the ignition is running, the gage shows the condition of the charging system.
Readings between the low and high warning zones indicate the n\
ormal
operating range.
Readings
in either warning zone indicate a possible problem in the electrical
system.
On the digital cluster, a box around the voltmeter symbol will begin the
flash when the charging system needs service.
You can only drive for a short time with the readings in either warning zone.
If you must drive, turn off all unnecessary accessories.
2-64

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing 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 that 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 normal. Do this
so your trailer 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 panel 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.
4-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Problems on the Road
Section
5
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road .
Hazard Warning Flasher ..................................... 5-2
Other Warning Devices
...................................... 5-3
Jumpstarting
.............................................. 5-3
TowingYourVehicle
........................................ 5-7
Engine Overheating
...................................... 5-11
Engine Fan Noise
.......................................... 5-18
If a Tire Goes Flat ....................................... 5-18
Changing a Flat Tire
..................................... 5-19
Compact Spare Tire
..................................... 5-32
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud. Ice or Snow
. . ........ 5-33
5-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating
If Steam Is Coming From Your Enaine
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep driving with no
coolant, your vehicle can be badly damaged. The costly repairs \
would not be covered by your warranty.
5-11

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little
too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
0 Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning
with no sign of steam, try this for a minute
or
so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan speed and open the
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to “N” (Neutral).
window as necessary.
If you no
longer have the overheat warning, you can drive. Just to be safe,
drive slower for about ten minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there’s still
no sign of steam, push the accelerator until the engine speed is
about twice as fast as normal idle speed. Bring the engine speed back to
normal idle speed after two or three minutes. Now see if the warning stops.
But then, if you still have the warning, TURN
OFF THE ENGINE AND
GET EVERYONE OUT OF THE VEHICLE until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service help right away.
5-12