Chevrolet 2001 Express Van User manual

1-800-CHEV-USA
( For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call 1-800-268-6800 )
that provides in an emergency:
1-800-CHEV-USA
( For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call 1-800-268-6800 )
Free lockout assistance
Free dead-battery assistance
Free out-of-fuel assistance
Free flat-tire change
Emergency towing
Courtesy
Transportation
Every
2001 Express
under warranty is
backed with the
following
services:
®

2001 Chevrolet Express
Owner's Manual
Litho in U.S.A.
Part Number C2114 A First Edition © Copyright General Motors Corporation 2000 All Rights Reserved i

ii
Table of Contents
Windows
Keys and Door Locks
Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
Automatic Transmission
Parking Brake
Tilt Wheel (Option)
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
Windshield Wipers
Cruise Control (Option)
Exterior and Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Accessory Power Outlets
Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages
Seats and Seat Controls
Safety Belts Air Bag System Restraint Systems for Children
Section
1
Section
2
Seats and Restraint Systems
Features and Controls

iii
Section
3
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
Section
4
Your Driving and the Road
Section
5
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Your Driving, the Road and Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control of a Vehicle
Braking
Steering
Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer
Heating and Air Conditioning
Setting the Radio Clock Radio/Cassette Player/CD Player Radio Theft-Deterrent Feature (If Equipped)
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
Changing a Flat Tire
If You're Stuck
Problems on the Road

iv
Fuel
Checking Fluids and Lubricants
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
Brakes
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires and Wheels
Appearance Care
Electrical System/Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Capacities and Specifications
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Maintenance Schedule
Service and Appearance Care
Section
7
Section
6
Scheduled Maintenance
Owner Checks and Services
Periodic Maintenance Inspections
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Maintenance Records

v
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Customer Assistance Information
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.
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
Please refer to the last page of this manual for your Service Station Guide

vi
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and the
name EXPRESS 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 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

vii
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.

viii
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.

ix
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
vehicleisdriven:
CHILD
RESTRAINT
TOP STRAP
ANCHOR
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
FUEL
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. Also see “Warning Lights and Gages” in the Index.

x
Model Reference
This manual covers these models:
Passenger Van
Cargo Van
Cab and Chassis

Service Station Guide
Oil Viscosity
Engine Oil
See Section 6*
Engine Oil Dipstick
See Section 6*
Fuel
See Section 6*
Cooling System
See Section 5*
Hood Release
See Section 6
Windshield Washer
Fluid
See Section 6
Spare Tire
See Section 5
Battery
See Section 6
Fuel Door
See Section 6*
Tire Pressure
See Section 6
For
a More
Detailed Look at
What's Under the Hood
See Section 6*
*For vehicles equipped with a diesel engine, see the Diesel Engine Supplement

1- 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
1-10 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
1-15 Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
1-16 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1-16 Driver Position
1-24 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
1-25 Right Front Passenger Position
1-25 Air Bag System
1-34 Rear Seat Passengers
1-38 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
1-40 Center Passenger Position
1-42 Children
1-48 Restraint Systems for Children
1-61 Older Children
1-64 Safety Belt Extender
1-64 Checking Your Restraint Systems
1-64 Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash

1-2
Seats and Seat Controls
This part tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them,
take them out and put them back in. It also tells you
about reclining front seatbacks.
Manual Front Seats
The bucket seats can be adjusted forward or rearward
with the lever located at the front of the seat.
To adjust the seat, pull the lever up to release the seat
bottom and 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.
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.

1-3
Power Seat (Option)
If your vehicle has a power seat on the driver’s or
passenger’s side, you can adjust it with these switches
located at the front center of the seat cushion.
To raise or lower the seat, move the center knob up or
down. To move the seat forward or rearward, move the
center knob toward the right or left.
You can raise and lower the front and rear of the seat.
To raise or lower the front of the seat, move the right
lever up or down. To raise or lower the rear of the seat,
move the left lever up or down.
Reclining Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, lift the front of the lever, which
is located at the inboard side of the seat cushion.
Move the seatback with your body and release the lever
to lock the seatback where you want it. Lean forward
and pull up on the front of the lever and the seatback
will go to an upright position.

1-4
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
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.

1-5
Rear Seats
Getting Into the Rear Seats
To make it easier for passengers to get into the rear
seats, use the fastener spot on the headliner and safety
belt sleeve. These will keep the safety belts out of the
way while people get into the rear seats.
Removing the Rear Seat
1. Disconnect the quick release latch plates for the lap
shoulder belts on the bench seat to be removed.
To do this, press the tip of a key into the release hole
of the safety belt buckle while pulling up on the
safety belt.

1-6
2. Lift the carpet/mat flap at the inboard side of the seat
base in the rear. 3. Locate the blue or yellow handle on the inboard side of the seat base and turn it up.
4. Once the blue or yellow handle is turned up, pull the
handle to remove the locking pin.

1-7
5. Stow the locking pin on the rear of the seat base in
the hole that is provided.
6. Repeat this procedure for the pin on the other
seat base.
7. Pull the seat rearward about two inches (5 cm) and
then lift the seat from the floor rails.
8. Remove the seat from the vehicle.
9. Install the trim covers to the floor rails. These are
supplied in a cardboard box at delivery.
10. For the first rear seat, stow the safety belt latch by
attaching the fastener strip on the safety belt latch
to the trim just inside the side door. There is also a
fastener strip provided for stowing the safety belt
latch for a four-passenger bench seat, if equipped.