Chevrolet Astro Passenger 1999 Owner's Manual

The 1999 Chevrolet Astro Owner’s Manual

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1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems

This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the air bag system.

2-1 Features and Controls

This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.

3-1 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems

This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.

4-1 Your Driving and the Road

Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.

5-1 Problems on the Road

This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.

6-1 Service and Appearance Care

Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.

7-1 Maintenance Schedule

This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.

8-1 Customer Assistance Information

This section tells you how to contact Chevrolet for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8

9-1 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.

-10.

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.

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We support voluntary technician certification.

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

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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.

Index

A good place to look for what you need is the Index in back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.

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.

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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.”

Vehicle Damage Warnings

Also, in this book you will find these notices:

NOTICE:

These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle.

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 Symbols

These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

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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:

DOOR LOCK

UNLOCK

FASTEN

SEAT

BELTS

POWER

WINDOW

AIR BAG

These symbols have to do with your lamps:

MASTER

LIGHTING

SWITCH

TURN

SIGNALS

PARKING

LAMPS

HAZARD WARNING FLASHER

DAYTIME

RUNNING

LAMPS

FOG LAMPS

These symbols are on some of your controls:

WINDSHIELD

WIPER

WINDSHIELD

WASHER

WINDSHIELD

DEFROSTER

REAR

WINDOW

DEFOGGER

VENTILATING

FAN

These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights:

ENGINE

COOLANT

TEMP

BATTERY

CHARGING

SYSTEM

BRAKE

COOLANT

ENGINE OIL

PRESSURE

ANTI-LOCK

BRAKES

Here are some other symbols you may see:

FUSE

LIGHTER

HORN

SPEAKER

FUEL

Model Reference

This manual covers these models:

Cargo Van Passenger Van

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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.

-2 Seats and Seat Controls

-12 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone

-16 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About

Safety Belts

-17 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

1 1

-17 Driver Position

-25 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

-26 Right Front Passenger Position

1 1

-26 Air Bag System

-34 Rear Seat Passengers

-- and the Answers

-37 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children

and Small Adults

1-40 Center Passenger Position (Bench Seat) 1

-41 Children

-46 Child Restraints

1 1

-59 Larger Children

-62 Safety Belt Extender

-62 Checking Your Restraint Systems

1 1

-63 Replacing Restraint System Parts After

a Crash

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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.

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.

2-Way Front Seat

The bucket seats can be adjusted forward or rearward by the lever at the front of the seat.

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.

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Manual Lumbar Support (If Equipped)

If you have this feature, there will be a knob 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.

Power Seats (If Equipped)

If you have this feature, there will be a control pad on the inboard side of the driver and passenger bucket seats.

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.

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Reclining Seatbacks

There is a lever 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.

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But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving.

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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.

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Head Restraints

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 on the right rear of your seat.

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T o fold your non-touring bench seatback forward, pull up on the latch release lever while pulling the seatback toward the rear of the vehicle.

After the latch has been released, push the seatback toward the front of the vehicle until it locks in place. T o 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.

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.

Rear Seats

Bucket Seats

You may have rear bucket seats with an adjustment release bar 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.

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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 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.

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T o adjust your seatback, pull up on the lever on the lower outside of the seat.

The center bench seatbacks will recline further back than the rear bench seatbacks.

The non 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

-touring center bench seat has a pivoting

-down center armrest console.

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T o raise or lower the center console, press the button 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.

Removing the Rear Seats

T o remove the rear seats, do the following:

1. If you are removing the center seat, remove the right lap T o do this, press the tip of a key into the release hole of the safety belt attachment while pulling up on the safety belt.

-shoulder belt.

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2. If you have a safety belt guide on your seat, pull the safety belt all the way out through the guide.

3. T o store the safety belt while the second row seat is removed, pull the belt out and put both buckles in the passenger’s side rear storage bin.

Route the belt out of the forward edge of the storage bin. Close the cover to retain the belt.

4. Pull up on the seatback latch on the right rear of the seat. Push the seatback down until it locks in place (non

-touring bench seats only).

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5. Lift up on the left and the right seat release levers at the same time. The latches are near the floor on the rear legs of the seat.

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6. Lift up on the rear of the seat to remove the seat assembly from the rear latch pins. Then, pull back and lift the seat out of the vehicle.

Your seat release latch lever is sprung with a

-stage mechanism. To fully release the latch, two

two levels of lift effort will be required. First, a low effort to overcome the first stage and then a moderate effort to fully release the latch.

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Replacing the Rear Seats

1. Lower the seat into position. Make sure the front retainers are hooked onto the anchor pins.

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2. Pull the seat down to latch the rear retainers. Make sure the seat is locked in by pulling up and down on the seat.

CAUTION:

A seat that isn’t locked into place properly can move around in a collision or sudden stop. People in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock the seat into place properly when installing it.

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3. T o raise the seatback on vehicles equipped with the non

-touring seat, unlock the seatback latch by

pushing up on the latch release lever at the right rear of the seat, 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.

4. If you are replacing the center seat, connect the right lap

-shoulder belt to the attachment on the seat

cushion. If you have a safety belt guide on your seat, pull the belt through the guide before reattaching the lap

-shoulder belt to the side of the seat. The release

hole should be facing outward. If you installed the safety belt with the release hole

facing inward (toward the seat), slide the plastic cover up so you can see the buckle. Disconnect the seat belt. Slide the cover back down and reinstall the belt correctly.

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CAUTION:

A safety belt that is twisted or not properly attached won’t provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After installing the seat, always check to be sure that the safety belts are not twisted and are properly attached.

Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone

This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts.

And it explains the air bag system.

CAUTION:

Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts are fastened properly too.

CAUTION:

It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly.

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Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. (See “Safety Belt Reminder Light” in the Index.)

In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.

You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.

A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away . Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed.

After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot!

Why Safety Belts Work

When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.

T ake the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on wheels.

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Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider

doesn’t stop.

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The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...

or the instrument panel ...

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or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.

You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why safety belts make such good sense.

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Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts

Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an

accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?

-- and the Answers

A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety

belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you’re upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted.

Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to

wear safety belts?

A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in

most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions.

-- not instead of them. Every air bag

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Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from

home, why should I wear safety belts?

A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an

accident your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn’t protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers.

Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h).

Safety belts are for everyone.

-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

Adults

This part is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about

safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see the part of this manual called “Children.” Follow those rules for everyone’s protection.

First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has.

We’ll start with the driver position.

Driver Position

This part describes the driver’s restraint system.

Lap-Shoulder Belt

The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear it properly.

1. Close and lock the door.

2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index) so you can sit up straight.

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3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don’t let it get twisted.

4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.

If the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt Extender” at the end of this section.

Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

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The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.

The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or a crash.

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Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster

Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt adjuster to the height that is right for you.

T o move it down, push in at the top of the arrows and move the height adjuster to the desired position. You can move the adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide. After you move the adjuster to where you want it, try to move it down without pushing in to make sure it has locked into position.

Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away from your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly

as much protection this way.

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CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should fit against your body.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

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CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is over an armrest.

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CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over an armrest like this. The belt would be much too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt. The belt force would then be applied at the abdomen, not at the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt goes under the armrests.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should

be worn over the shoulder at all times.

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CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which aren’t as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen.

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Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is twisted across the body.

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CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you wouldn’t have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer to fix it.

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