2000 Chevrolet Astro Owner's Manual Litho in U.S.A. Part Number C2010 A © Copyright General Motors Corporation 1999 All Rights Reserved i Table of Contents Seats and Restraint Systems Section 1 Seats and Seat Controls Safety Belts Air Bag System Child Restraints Features and Controls Section 2 Keys and Door Locks Keyless Entry System Hatch Automatic Transmission All-Wheel Drive Operation (Option) Parking Brake Windows Tilt Wheel Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever Windshield Wipers Cruise Control Interior and Exterior Lamps Mirrors Storage Compartments Convenience Net/Luggage Carrier (If Equipped) Accessory Power Outlets HomeLink® Transmitter (Option) Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages Driver Information System (If Equipped) ii Table of Contents (cont'd) Comfort Controls and Audio Systems Section 3 Heating and Air Conditioning Setting the Radio Clock Radio/Cassette Player/CD Player Radio Theft-Deterrent Feature Your Driving and the Road Section 4 Braking/Anti-lock Brakes Steering Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions Off-Road Driving Recreational Vehicle Towing Loading Your Vehicle Towing a Trailer Problems on the Road Section 5 Hazard Warning Flashers Jump Starting Towing Your Vehicle Engine Overheating Changing a Flat Tire If You're Stuck iii Table of Contents (cont'd) Service and Appearance Care Section 6 Fuel Checking Fluids and Lubricants Bulb Replacement Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Tires and Wheels Appearance Care Electrical System/Fuses and Circuit Breakers Capacities and Specifications Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts Maintenance Schedule Section 7 Scheduled Maintenance Periodic Maintenance Inspections Recommended Fluids and Lubricants Maintenance Records iv Table of Contents (cont'd) Customer Assistance Information Section 8 Customer Satisfaction Procedures Customer Assistance Offices Roadside Assistance and Courtesy Transportation Warranty Information (See Warranty Manual) Reporting Safety Defects on page 8-10 Service Publications Index Section 9 In the Index you will find an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read. Please refer to the last page of this manual for your Service Station Guide v We support voluntary technician certification. GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and the name ASTRO are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name "General Motors of Canada Limited" for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual. Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be there if you ever need it when you're on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it. For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual: Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez votre concessionaire ou au: DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1577 Meyerside Dr. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1B9 vi How to Use this Manual Many people read their owner's manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you'll find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly. Safety Warnings and Symbols You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don't, you or others could be hurt. vii You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means "Don't," "Don't do this" or "Don't let this happen." In the notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. You'll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this book you will find these notices: NOTICE: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. viii Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. For example, these symbols are used on an original battery: CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING CAUSTIC BATTERY ACID COULD CAUSE BURNS AVOID SPARKS OR FLAMES SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BATTERY These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven: These symbols have to do with your lamps: MASTER LIGHTING SWITCH These symbols are on some of your controls: WINDSHIELD WIPER These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Here are some other symbols you may see: ENGINE COOLANT TEMP WINDSHIELD WASHER BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM FUSE DOOR LOCK UNLOCK TURN SIGNALS LIGHTER PARKING LAMPS FASTEN SEAT BELTS WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER HORN BRAKE HAZARD WARNING FLASHER POWER WINDOW DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER COOLANT SPEAKER ENGINE OIL PRESSURE VENTILATING FAN FUEL AIR BAG FOG LAMPS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ix Model Reference This manual covers these models: Cargo Van Passenger Van x Service Station Guide Windshield Washer Fluid See Section 6 Cooling System See Section 5 Tire Pressure See Section 6 For a More Detailed Look at What's Under the Hood See Section 6 Spare Tire Pressure See Section 5 Alternate Fuel Door Release Hood Release See Section 6 See Section 6 Battery See Section 6 Engine Oil Dipstick See Section 6 Remote Fuel Release Door See Section 6 Fuel Use unleaded gas only, 87 Octane or higher. See Section 6 Oil Viscosity Engine Oil See Section 6 Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Here you'll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts. 1-2 1-13 1-17 1-18 1-18 1-26 1-27 1-27 1-34 Seats and Seat Controls Safety Belts: They're for Everyone Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Driver Position Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Right Front Passenger Position Air Bag System Rear Seat Passengers 1-37 1-39 1-41 1-45 1-59 1-62 1-62 1-63 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults Center Passenger Position (Bench Seat) Children Child Restraints Larger Children Safety Belt Extender Checking Your Restraint Systems Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash 1- 1-1 Seats and Seat Controls This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them, take them out and put them back in. It also tells you about bucket and bench seats, power seats and head restraints. 2-Way Front Seat The bucket seats can be adjusted forward or rearward by the lever located at the front of the seat. Manual Front Seats CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver's seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you don't want to. Adjust the driver's seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Move the seat adjustment lever at the front of the seat toward the driver's door to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then release the lever and try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the seat is locked into place. 1-2 Manual Lumbar Support (If Equipped) Power Seats (If Equipped) If you have this feature, there will be a control pad located on the inboard side of the driver and passenger bucket seats. If you have this feature, there will be a knob located on the inboard side of the driver and passenger bucket seats. Turn the knob toward the front of the vehicle to increase lumbar support. Turn the knob toward the rear of the vehicle to decrease lumbar support. The front control makes the front of the seat go up and down. The center control makes the whole seat go forward, rearward, up or down. The rear control makes the rear of the seat go up and down. 1-3 Reclining Seatbacks There is a lever located on the inside of the seat to adjust the seatback. You can adjust the seatback by lifting the lever and leaning back. Release the lever to lock the seatback where you want it. Pull up on the lever, lean forward and the seat will go to an upright position. But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. 1-4 Head Restraints CAUTION: Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts can't do their job when you're reclined like this. The shoulder belt can't do its job because it won't be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt can't do its job either. In a crash the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. Head restraints are fixed on some models and adjustable on others. Slide an adjustable head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. Seatback Latches (Non-Touring Bench Seats) The seatback lever is located on the right rear of your seat. 1-5 To fold your non-touring bench seatback forward, pull up on the latch release lever while pulling the seatback toward the rear of the vehicle. CAUTION: If the seatback isn't locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked. After the latch has been released, push the seatback toward the front of the vehicle until it locks in place. To raise the seatback, unlock the seatback latch by pushing up on the lever while pushing down on the upper edge of the seatback. Move the seatback into the upright position. Make sure the seatback is locked when it is back in the upright position. 1-6 Rear Seats Bucket Seats Bench Seats If you have bench seats in your vehicle, each seat can carry up to three passengers. They can also be removed to increase storage space. The center bench and rear bench seats can be adjusted forward or rearward by the lever at the front of the seat. Move the seat adjustment lever located at the front of the seat toward the passenger's side to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then release the lever and try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the seat is locked into place. You may have rear bucket seats with an adjustment release bar located at the front of the seats. These seats can be adjusted forward or rearward with the release bar. Pull the release bar up to release the seat bottom and slide the seat where you want it. Then let go of the release bar and try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the seat is locked into place. The non-touring center bench seat has a pivoting right armrest. The left armrest can also be used as a storage compartment. The optional touring bench seats come with moveable armrests, individual reclining seatbacks, adjustable headrests and a fold-down center armrest console. 1-7 To raise or lower the center console, press the button located between the beverage holders. Sit in the center seating position only when the console is in an upright and locked position. For details about headrests, see "Head Restraints" in this section. To adjust your seatback, pull up on the lever located on the lower outside of the seat. 1-8 ...