User manual CHEVROLET ASTRO 2005

[. . . ] 2005 Chevrolet Astro Owner Manual Seats and Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3 Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ] 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. 4-41 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. Making Turns Notice: Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle. Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering. When you're turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this so your trailer won't strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Signal well in advance. 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. Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra wiring (included in the optional trailering package). The arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers you're about to turn, change lanes or stop. When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It's important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working. 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. 4-42 Driving On Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift down, you might have to use your brakes so much that they would get hot and no longer work well. You may want to shift the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often (e. g. , under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions). [. . . ] 7-10 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-93 Service Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-93 Ventilation Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21 Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ]