weight CHEVROLET ASTRO PASSENGER 1994 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your transmission into
“I?’ (Park) 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
“P” (Park). This is called “torque lock.” To prevent torque
lock, set the parking brake and then shift into “P” (Park) properly before
you leave the driver’s seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into ‘P’ (Park)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of “P” (Park)
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 “P” (Park).
Parking Over Things That Burn
I
8
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Luggage Carrier
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.
I 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively.
Please start
with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up.
(See “Safety Belts” in the Index.)
Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On city streets,
rural roads, or freeways,
it means “always expect the unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make
mistakes. Anticipate what they might do. Be ready for their mistakes.
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 takes away three things that
anyone needs to drive a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Police records show that almost half of all motor vehicle-related deaths
involve alcohol
- a driver, a passenger or someone else, such as a
pedestrian, had been drinking. In most cases, these deaths are the result of
someone who was drinking and driving. About
20,000 motor
vehicle-related deaths occur each year because of alcohol, and thousands of
people are injured.
Just how much alcohol is too much if a person plans to drive? Ideally, no
one should drink alcohol and then drive.
But if one does, then what’s “too
much”? It can
be 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 Content (BAC) of someone who is drinking depends
upon four things:
0 How much alcohol is in the drink.
0 The drinker’s body weight.
0 The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking.
0 The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume the alcohol.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result\

in costly repairs not covered by your warranty.
To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice in this section, and see your
GM
dealer for important information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
Every vehicle is ready for some trailer towing. If it was built with trailering
options, as many are, it’s ready for heavier trailers. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes in
handling, durability, and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it are many time-tested, important
trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these are important for your safety
and that of your passengers.
So please read this section carefully before you
pull a trailer.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
There are many different laws having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also where you’ll be
driving.
A good source for this information can be state or provincial
police.
0 Consider using a sway control if your trailer will weigh 2,000 pounds
(900 kg) or less. You should always use a sway control if your trailer
will weigh more than
2,000 pounds (900 kg).
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls.
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 kmh) 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 “D” (Drive) when towing a trailer. Operating your
vehicle in “D” (Drive) when towing a trailer will minimize heat
buildup and extend the life of
your transmission.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
A B
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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
e
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.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trailer,
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
attaching 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 more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg) loaded, then it needs
its own brakes
- and they must be adequate. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Your trailer brake system can tap into your vehicles’s hydraulic brake
system, except:
0 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Will the trailer parts take 3,000 psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not, the
trailer brake system must not be used with your vehicle.
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 brakes. 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 t\
he
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.
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(SERVICE ENGINE SOON )
This light on your instrument cluster lets you know when your emission
system needs service. The light will come on briefly when you start your
engine to let you know that the system is working. If it does not come on
when you start your engine, or if it comes
on and stays on while you’re
driving, your system may need service. Your vehicle should still be
driveable, but you should have your system serviced right away.
Loading Your Vehicle
The Certificationire
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 and cargo.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
I 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Payload
The Payload Capacity is shown on the CertificationRire 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.
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.
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