mirror CHEVROLET VENTURE 1998 Owners Manual

0 Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and i\
nformation on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2-2
2-4
2-8
2-12
2-13
2- 14
2-20
2-22
2-23
2-25 2-26
2-27
2-29
2-30
2-34
2-35
2-37 Keys
Door Locks
Keyless Entry System (Option)
Switchbanks
Sliding Door
Power Sliding Door (Option)
Liftgate
Theft
Content Theft-Deterrent (Option)
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Parking Brake Shifting Into PARK
(P)
Shifting Out of PARK (P) 2-38
2-38
2-39
2-40
2-50
2-53
2-60
2-6 1
2-65
2-66
2-78
2-7
8
2-80 2-82
2-86
2-98 Parking
Over Things That Burn
Engine Exhaust
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
Locks and Lighting Choices
Windows Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Sun Visors
Accessory Inflator System (Option)
Accessory Power Outlet Instrument Panel
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Option)
2-1
ProCarManuals.com

Battery Saver
Your vehicle has a feature to help prevent you from
draining the battery, in case you accidentally leave the
interior or underhood lamps
on. If you leave any of
these lamps on while the ignition is
in LOCK or OFF,
they will automatically turn off after 10 minutes. The
lamps won’t come back on again until you:
turn the ignition to RUN or ACCESSORY,
turn the interior lamps dial all the way to the right,
open (or close and reopen) a door that is closed.
Note that if your vehicle has less than 15 miles
(25 km)
on the odometer, the battery saver will turn off the lamps
after only three minutes. then
slightly back to the left; or
Mirrors
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lights behind you, pull the lever
toward you (to the night position). To return the mirror
to the day position, push the lever away from you.
Power Remote Control Mirrors
The control on the driver’s
door controls both outside
rearview mirrors.
Turn the control to the left to select the driver’s side
rearview mirror,
or to the right to select the passenger’s
side rearview mirror. Then
use the control to adjust each
mirror
so that you can just see the side of your vehicle
when you
are sitting in a comfortable driving position.
If you are not adjusting either mirror, leave the control
in the center off position. This prevents moving the
mirrors accidentally once you have them adjusted.
2-65
ProCarManuals.com

Both outside mirrors can be folded forward or rearward.
In the rearward position, they will fold almost flush with
the vehicle. This feature is particularly useful
in
automatic car washes.
Your mirrors have
a blue tint to reduce glare while
driving at night.
Convex Outside Mirror
Your passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved
so you can see more from
the driver’s seat.
A CAUTION: I
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
Storage Compartments
Your vehicle’s large carrying capacity can store many
items. If you have the extended wheelbase version, you
can carry things as large as a
4’ x 8’ piece of plywood.
You can also use the floor pins that are used to attach the
seats, to secure larger loads. This section also describes
storage areas for specific items like sunglasses and cups.
Glove Box
Your vehicle has a glove box below the instrument panel.
To open the glove box, lift the latch release. Use the key
to lock or unlock the glove box.
The glove box door has a detent to prevent the door
from lowering too far. Open the
glove box until the door
is partway open, then pull the door down if you need it
fully open.
To close the glove box, the door must be
pushed up past the detent.
In the door of the glove box, you will find a tissue pack
holder and clip for
a pen or pencil.
2-66
ProCarManuals.com

I NOTICE:
Don’t put papers and other things that burn
into your ashtrays.
If you do, cigarettes or
other smoking materials could set them on fire,
causing damage.
Side Ashtrays
To open the ashtray, press the right side and turn it open.
To remove the ashtray for cleaning, press the snuffer as
you lift up the bottom
of the ashtray.
Sun Visors
Visor Vanity Mirrors
Pull down the sun visor. Flip up the cover to expose
the vanity mirror.
Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirrors
(If Equipped)
Pull down the sun visor. Flip up the cover to expose the
vanity mirror. The lamps will come on when
you open
the cover.
Accessory Inflator System (Option)
Your vehicle may be equipped with an air inflator. With
it, you can inflate things like air mattresses and
basketballs, and
you can also use it to bring your tires up
to the proper pressure.
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You
can also remove them from the center mount and swing
them to the side.
2-78
ProCarManuals.com

Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass whde you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you’re following a larger
vehicle.
Also, you won’t have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way
is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And
if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
0 If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you
are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting
to turn.
0 If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver
to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease
a little to the rieht.
4-14
ProCarManuals.com

Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek
an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”\
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering
or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too
much throttle causes the driving wheels
to spin.
A cornering
skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal. If
your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll\

want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface” -- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
ProCarManuals.com

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired
-- by
alcohol or
drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Here are some tips on night driving.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Drive defensively.
Don’t
drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror
to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up
only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull
off the road in a safe place
and rest.
4-16
ProCarManuals.com

Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast
or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. At the entrance, there
is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway.
If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch
on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often
as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s
slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then
use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect
to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move
to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
4-22
ProCarManuals.com

Highway Hypnosis Hill and Mountain Roads
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in
less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you
do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take
a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency. Driving
on steep hills or mountains
is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
4-24
ProCarManuals.com

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 as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the 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 lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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,
4-38
ProCarManuals.com