Chevrolet 1999 Astro User manual

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The 1999 Chevrolet Astro Owner’s Manual
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 8-10.
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.

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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.
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
Litho in U.S.A.
E
Copyright General Motors Corporation 1998
C9910 B First Edition All Rights Reserved

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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.

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

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Model Reference
This manual covers these models:
Cargo Van Passenger Van

1-
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1-1
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 Seats and Seat Controls
1-12 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
1-16 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts -- and the Answers
1-17 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1-17 Driver Position
1-25 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
1-26 Right Front Passenger Position
1-26 Air Bag System
1-34 Rear Seat Passengers
1-37 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults
1-40 Center Passenger Position (Bench Seat)
1-41 Children
1-46 Child Restraints
1-59 Larger Children
1-62 Safety Belt Extender
1-62 Checking Your Restraint Systems
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.
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.
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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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.
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.
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.
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.
To 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.

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To 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
To remove the rear seats, do the following:
1. If you are removing the
center seat, remove the
right lap-shoulder belt.
To do this, press the tip
of a key into the release
hole of the safety belt
attachment while pulling
up on the safety 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. To 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).
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
two-stage mechanism. To fully release the latch, 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.
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.
3. To 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.
Take 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.