GEO - Tracker - Owners Manual - 1994 - 1994

1994 TRACKER 1994 Owner’s Manual Table of Contents Geo Tracker Introduction How to Use This Manual Systems =.= Part 1 Seats & Restraint Part 2 Features & Controls Part 3 Comfort Controls& Audio Systems and the Road = Part 4 Your Driving theon Road Part 5 Problems Care Part 6 Service & Appearance Schedule Maintenance Part 7 Part 8 Customer Assistance information 4 . ii : :: 99 1 131 I 155 I 203 233 I Including “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 236. Part 9 Printed in U.S.A. .: ;..:::; Index .................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .243 I Page Last Service Station Information Part No. 10260663 A Second Edition 1 ... How to Use This Manual Important Notes aboutThis Manual For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual Aux propriktaires canadiens: Vous pouvez Please keep this manual in your Geo, so it vous procurer un exemplaire de ce guide will be there if you ever need it when en fransais chez votre concessionaire ou au you’re on the road. If you sell the vehicle, DGN Marketing Services Ltd., 1500 please leave this manual in it so the new Bonhill Rd., Mississauga, Ontario L5T owner can use it. 1C7. 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 Motorsof Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division wherever it appears in this manual. ... 2 Published by: Chevrolet Motor Division General Motors Corporation General Motors, GM and the GM emblem, Chevrolet and the Chevrolet emblem, and Geo and the Geo emblem are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. @Copyright 1993 General Motors Corporation, Chevrolet/Geo Division. All Rights Reserved. CONVERTIBLE UTILITY HARDTOP UTILITY About Driving Your Tracker As with other vehicles of this type. f d u r e to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or an accident. Be sure to read the “on-pavement” and “off-road” driving guidelines in this manual. (See “Driving Guidelines” and “Off-Road Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle” in the Index.) 3... How to Use This Manual Part 1 - Seats & Restraint Systems: This part tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. Part 2 - Features & Controls: This part explains how to start and operate your Geo. Part 3 - Comfort Controls & Audio Systems: This part tells you howto adjust the comfort controls and how to operate your sound system. Part 4 - Your Driving and the Road: Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the roadand how to drive under different conditions. - H o w to Use This Manual Many people readtheir owner’s manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. This 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 isthe Index in back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list ofall ... 4 that’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it. Part 5 Problems on the Road: This part tells you whatto do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or engine overheating, etc. Parts 1-8: Each part of this manual begins with a brief list of its contents,so you can often find ata glance if a part contains the information you want. How to Use This Manual: This part tells you howto use your manual and includes safety and vehicle damage warnings and symbols. Part 6 - Service & Appearance Care: Here the manual tells you howto keep your Geo running properly and looking good. Part 7 - Maintenance Schedule: This part tells when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. Part 8 - Customer Assistance Information: This part includes important information about reporting safety defects and gives you details about the “Roadside Assistance” program. You will also find customer satisfaction phone numbers These mean there is something that (including customer satisfaction numbers could hurt you or other people. for the hearing and speech impaired), as well as the mediation/arbitration procedure. We’ve also included ordering information for service publications in this part. Safety Warnings and Symbols Service Station Information: This is a You will find a number of safety cautions quick reference of service information. in this book. We use a box with a gray You can find it on the last page of this background and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. In the gray 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. L You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbo means ”Don’t,” “Don’t do this,” or “Don’ let this happen.” 5. How to Use This Manual NOTICE: Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you will find on your vehicle. For example. these symbols are used on an original battery: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. Caution Possible Injury A Protect Eyes by Shielding Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this book you will find these notices. In the notice area, we tell you about something that can darnage 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 yellow for cautions. bluc for notices and the words CAUTION or NOTICE. ... 6 Caustic BatteryAcid Could Cause Burns @ These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven: Fasten Safety Belts These symbols have to do with your lights: Master lighting Switch Turn Signal Direction Hazard Warning Flashers Avoid Sparks or Flames Sparks or Flame Could Explode Battery 8 Headlight High Beam -0 0 Headlight Low Beam g0 Parking Lights =oo: Brightness Control 4 These symbols are on some of your controls: Recirculate Inside Air Windshield Wiper Circulate Outside Air Windshield Washer Bi-Level These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Engine Coolant Temperature Battery Charging System F l Fuel Windshield Defroster Vent Rear Window Wiper and Washer Engine Oil Pressure Heater Brake (Canada) Rear Window Wiper Rear Window Defogger Daytime RunningLights (Canada) .** **e Ventilating Fan f ... How to Use This Manual Here are some other symbols you may see: Hood Release Lighter Horn ...a k H e r e you'll find information about the seats in your Geo and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with safety belts. Part 1 Seats & Restraint Systems Seats and Seat Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Safety Belts: They're for Everyone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Why Safety Belts Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . , , . . . . . 16 Here Are Questions Many People Ask about Safety Belts - and the Answers . . I8 Safety Belt Reminder Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . , , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , , . . . . . . . . . 19 Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . 27 LargerChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Safety BeltExtender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Checking Your Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Replacing Safety Belts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 9 .. Seats and Restraint Systems Seats and Seat Controls This section tells you about theseats how to adjust them, and also about reclining front seatbacks, head restraints, seatback latches, easy entry seats and the folding rear seatback. I 3 Front Seat Reclining Front Seatbacks To adjust the seatback, lift the leveron the Iuter side of the seat. Release thelever to ock the seatback where you want it. Pull 1p on the lever, and the seat will go to its Iriginal upright position. But don’t have he seatback reclined if your vehicle is noving. Move the lever under the front seat 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 lockedinto place. . . .10 . ....: . &-:;. ..... ,..:. ,.. : r Head Restraints Head restraints are fixed on some vehicles 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 o f a neck injury in a crash. 11 . . . Seats and Restraint Systems To raise or lower the restraint, push in the release while you pull up or push down on the restraint. Easy Entry Seats The front seats of your vehicle make it easy to get in and out of the rear seat. 0 When you pull up on the recliner release lever, the seatback will tilt forward and the whole seat willslide forward. After someone gets into the rear seat area, move the seatback to its original position. Then move the seat rearward until it locks. 0 . . .I2 To get out, pull the release handle on the rear of the right frontseat. Folding Rear Seat The rear seat in your Geo folds to provide more cargo space. To fold the seat. lower the rear seatback and then flip the whole rear seat up against the front seats. 1. Swing the safety belt buckles forward and down. 3. Fold the seatback down. Pull the knobs on both sides o f the seatback. I f you have a split rear seat, you can f o l d half of the seat by pulling only the knob on the side you want to fold. 13 ... Seats and Restraint Systems 4. Unlock the bottom part of the seat. On the one-piece rear seat, pull ou the release ring. On the split rear sear, lift the release lever on either seat. 5. Lift the bottom of the seat up and pus1 it toward the front of the vehicle. ... I 4 i. Find the support bar on the bottom of the seat. This bar keeps the rear seat from unfolding. ’. Pull the inner end of the support off of the seat bracket and swing it down. ’. Push the support bar into the floor bracket. Be sure the support bar is secured. ‘0 unfold the seat: ieep your hands, safety belts and other bjects away from where the seat will :st. Pull the support bar out of the floor bracket and swing it up and toward the bottom of the seat. Push the support bar into the bracket on the bottom of the seat. Slowly pull the seat down to the floor. The seat should latch into place. Pull up on the bottom of the seat to be sure it is locked in position. Pull the seatback up and push it back. Push and pull the top of the seatback to be sure it is locked in place. c Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It alsotells you some things you should not do with safety belts. 1’his figure lights up as a reminder to bluckle up. (See “Safety Belt Reminder Light” in the Index.) I:n many states and Canadian provinces, tlhe law says to wear safety belts. Here’s vvhy: Thev work. tou never know if you’ll be in a crash. If rou do have a crash, you don’t know if it vi11 be a bad one. 1 few crashes are mild, and some crashes :an be so serious that even buckled up L person wouldn’t survive. But most :rashes are in between. In many of them, Ieople who buckle up can survive and lometimes walk away.Without belts they :odd have been badly hurt or killed. 4fter more than 25 years of safety belts n vehicles, the facts are clear. In most :rashes buckling up does matter . . . a lot! Seats and Restraint Systems Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. For example, if the bike is going 10 mph ( 16 km/h), so is the child. . . .I6 When the bike hits the block, it stops. But Fdke the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's the child keeps going! just a seat on wheels. Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. I'he rider doesn't stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ... 17. .. Seats and Restraint Systems Many People Ask about Safety Belts- and the Answers Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I’m wearing a safety belt? A: You could be - whether you’re or the instrument panel ... x the safety belts! With safety belts, you slowdown as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your ;trongest bones take the forces. That’s why safety belts make such good sense. wearing a safety belt or not. But you can easily unbuckle a safety belt, even if you’re upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you an unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. Q: Why don’t they just put in air bags so people won’t have to wear safety belts? A: Air bags are in some vehicles today and will be in more of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only - so they work with safety belts, not insteadof them. Every air bag system ever offered for sale has required the useof safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that ... l a w How to Wear Safety 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. Belts Properly 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 - even one that isn’t your f m l t - you and 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. Safety BeltReminder Light Adults This section 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 Geo, see the section after this one, called “Children.” Follow those rules for everyone’s protection. Nhen the key is turned to “ON” or ‘START,” a light will come on for about :ight seconds to remind people to fxten heir safety belts. Unless the driver’s afety belt is already buckled, a chime vill also sound. 19 ... Seats and Restraint Systems First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. We’ll start with the driver position. Driver Position This section describes the driver’s restraint system. ... 20 Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has a lap-shouldcr bclt. Here‘s how 10 wear il 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. 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. 5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt. 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 crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor. 2: What’s wrong with this? \: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won’t give nearly as much protection this way. 21 .. Seats and Restraint Systems 8 : What's wrong with this? : The shoulder- belt is worn under the arm. I t should be worn over- the shoulder at all times. Q: What's wrong with this? A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place. A CAUTION: m ... 22 You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your budy 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. C2: What's wrong with this? P\: The belt is twisted across the body. L 1 To unlatch the belt, just push the button Safety Belt Use during on the buckle. The belt should go back Pregnancy out of the way. Safety belts work for everyone, including Before you close the door, be sure the belt pregnant women. Like all occupants, they is out of the way. If you slam the door on are more likely to be seriously injured if it, you can damage both the belt and your they don’t wear safety belts. vehicle. A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as lowas possible throughout the pregnancy. The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’smore likely that the fetus won’t be hurt ina crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly. Passenger Positions Right Front Passenger Position The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt. See “Driver Position,’’ earlier in this part. When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock.If it does, let it go back all the way and start again. 23. .. Seats and Restraint Systems Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and start again. If the belt is not long eqough, see “Safety Belt Extender” at the endof 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. L Rear Seat Passengers It‘s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts. Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. Lap-Shoulder Belt The rear seats have lap-shoulder belts. Here’s how t o wear one properly. . . . 24 1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don’t let it get twisted. 2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. 3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part. 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 wouldapply 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, or if you pull the belt veri quickly out of the retractor. 25 . II . Seats and Restraint Systems Smaller Children and Babies I 0 To unlatch the belt,just push the button on the buckle. Children Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! That includes infants and all children smaller than adult size. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle. ...26 1 Child Restraints Be sure to follow the instructions for the restraint. You may find these instructions on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system in your vehicle, but the child also has to be secured within the restraint to help reduce the chance of personal injury. The instructions that come with the infant or child restraint will show you how to do that. Where to Put the Restraint Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. We at General Motors therefore recommend that you put your child restraint in the rear seat unless the child is an infant and you’re the only adult in the vehicle. In that case, you might want to secure the restraint in the front seat where you can keep an eye on the baby. Wherever you install it, be sure to secure the child restraint properly. Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child restraint in your vehicle - even when no child is in it. 27 ... Seats and Restraint Systems Top Strap If your child restraint hasa top strap, it should be anchored. ... 28 Securing a Child Restraint in the Rear Seat You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier section about the top strap if the child restraint has one. 1. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions for the child restraint. 2. Secure the child in the child restraint as the instructions say. 3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle's safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. If the shoulder belt goes i n front of the child's face or neck, put it behind the child restraint. 4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 1 5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the 6. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder way out of the retractor to set the lock. belt into the retractor while you push down on the child restraint. 7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s safety beltand let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger. 29 ... Seats and Restraint Systems The child restraint instructions will show you how. If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child's face or neck, put it behind the child restraint. Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier section about the top strap if the child restraint has one. 1. This is the only place in your vehicle where you can use a child restraint with a top strap. 2. Put the restraint on the seat. Follow the instructions for the child restraint. 3. Secure the child in the child restraint as the instructions say. 4. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle's safety belt through or around the restraint. ... 30 5. Bucklethe belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. L' 6. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the 7. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder way out of the retractor to set the lock. belt back into the retractor while you push down on the child restraint. 8. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle's safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again anc be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger. 3 1 ... Seats and Restraint Systems Larger Children Children who have outgrown child restraints should wear the vehicle’s safety belts. Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear seat. But they need to use the safety belts properly. 0 Children who aren’t buckled up can be thrown out in a crash. ... 32 0 Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other people whoare. I This applies belt force to the child’s Q. What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt, but the child is so small that the shoulder belt is very pelvic bones in a crash. Safety Belt Extender close tothe child’s face or neck? A: Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child’s shoulder, so that in a crash the child’s upper body would have the restraint that belts provide. %3L.---v. If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your dealer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will I wear, so the extender will be long enough for you. The extender will be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle that you choose. Don’t let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it to the regular safety belt. Checking Your Restraint Systems Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the child’s thighs. Now and then, make sure all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors, anchorages and reminder systems are working properly. Look for any loose parts or damage. If you see anything that might keep a restraint system from doing its job, have it repaired. 3 3 . .. Seats and Restraint Systems Replacing Safety Belts after a Crash If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts? After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary. But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn during a more severe crash, then you need new belts. If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision damage also may mean you will need to have safety belt or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts and repairs may be necessary evenif the belt wasn’t being usedat the time of the collision. ... 34 Q: What’s wrong with this? A: The belt is torn. Tom or frayed belts may not protect you in a crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is torn or frayed, get a new one right away. Before replacing any safety belt, see your dealer for the correct part number. You’ll need the model year and model number for your vehicle. The model year is on your title and registration. And you can find the model number on the Certificationpire label of your vehicle. See “Certification/Tire Label” in the Index. The model number on the replacement belt must be listed on the safety belt you want to replace. Pull the shoulder belt all the way out to see this label. Part 2 Features & Controls Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 DoorLocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 NewVehicle “Break-In” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Ignitionswitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 40 Starting Your Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automatic Transmission ................. ...................... 42 H e r e you can learn about the ............... ...................... 44 Manual Transmission Four-wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 many standard and optional Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 features on your Geo. and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 EngineExhaust information on starting. shifting Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 and braking. Also explained are Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 the instrument panel and the Adjustable Steering Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 warning systems that tell you if The Turn Signalbights Control/Headlight Beam Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 everything is working properly - Interior Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 and what to do if you have a 57 WindshieldWiperjWasherLever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . problem. RearWindow Wiperwasher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 60 Storage and Compartments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visors Sun ................................... .. . . . . . 61 62 Passenger Assist Grips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 AshtrayandLighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Instrument Panel and Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 72 ConvertibleTop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 I .. Features and Controls NOTICE: Your Geo has a number of features that can help prevent theft. But you can have a lot of trouble getting into your vehicle if you ever lock your keys inside. You may even have to damage your vehicle to get in. So be sure you have an extra key. Keys ... 36 c)ne key is used for the ignition, the d.oors, andall other locks. FYhen a new Tracker is delivered, the dealer removes the metal plate from the k.ey ring and givesit to the first owner. 1'he metal plate has a code on it that tells Y'our dealer or a qualified locksmith how tc3 make extra keys. Keep the code ina S afe place. If you lose your keys, you'll ble able to have new ones made easily Using this code. Door Locks \ \ There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle: From the outside, use your key. To lock the door, turn the key toward the front of the vehicle. To unlock the door, turn the key toward the rear. / To lock the door from the inside, push down the button on the door. To unlock it, pull up on the button. Leaving Your Vehicle If you are leaving the vehicle, take your key, open your door and set the locks from inside. Then get out and close the door. 37 . . . Features and Controls Tailgate Use your key to lock or unlock your tailgate. ... 38 If you have a convertible, be sure to unzil the rear plastic window completely befort opening the tailgate. See "Opening and Closing Your Rear Window" in the Index Open the tailgate with the bottom of the window still altached to the tailgate. When closing the tailgate be sure: e Both lower canvas top flaps are facini outward so they do not get caught in the tailgate. 0 The zipper connector is engaged correctly or you could damage your zipper. Theft Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities. Although your Geo has a number of theft deterrent features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it impossible to steal. However, there are ways you can help. Key in the Ignition If you walk away from your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an easy target for joy riders or professional thieves - so don’t do it. When you park your Geo and open the driver’s door, you’ll hear a chime reminding you to remove your key from the ignition and take it with you. Always do this. Your steering wheel will be locked, and so will your ignition. If you have an automatic transmission, taking your key out also locks your transmission. And remember to lock the doors. Parking at Night Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out of sight. Put them in a storage area, or take them with you. New Vehicle "Break-in" C NOTICE: Your modern Geo doesn‘t need an elaborate “break-in.” But it will perform better in the long run if you follow these guidelines: 0 0 Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less for the first 500 miles (804 km). Don’t drive at any one speed - fast or slow - for the first 500 miles (804 km). Don’t make full-throttle starts. 0 Avoid making hard stops for the first 200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time your new brake linings aren’t yet broken in. Hard stops with new linings can mean premature wear and earlier replacement. Follow this “breaking-in“ guideline every time you get new brake linings. Ignition Switch I Vith the key in the ignition switch, you an turn the switch to four positions: ,OCK (A): The only position in which ‘ou can remove the key. This locks your teering wheel, ignition and automatic ransmission. Press in the ignition switch s you turn the top of it toward you. f you have an automatic transmission, the gnition switch can’t be turned to ,LOCK” unless the shift lever is in the ‘ P ’(Park) position. LCC (B): Position in which you can bperate your electrical power accessories. t unlocks the steering wheel and ignition. Jse this position if your vehicle must be mhed or towed. 39. . Features and Controls ON (C):Position to which the switch returns after you start your engine and release the switch. The switch stays in the “ON’ position when the engine is running. But even whenthe engine is not running, you can use “ON’ to operate your electrical power accessories and to display some instrument panel warning and indicator lights. START (D): Starts the engine. When the engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch will return to“ON’ for normal driving. When the engine is not running, “ACC” and “ON’ allow you to operate your electrical accessories, such as the radio and ventilation fan. A warning chime will soundif you open the driver’s door when the ignition is in “ACC” or “LOCK” and the keyis in the ignition. ... 40 Starting Your Engine Automatic transmission: Move your shift lever to “P” (Park) or“N’(Neutral). Your engine won’t start in any other position - that’s a safety feature. To restart when you’re already moving, use “N’(Neutral) only. NOTICE: NOTICE: If your key seems stuck in “LOCK” and you can’t turn it, be sure it is all the way in. If it is, then turn thesteering wheel left and right while you turn the key hard. But turn the key only with your hand. Using a tool to force it could break the keyor the ignition switch. If none of this works, then your vehicle needsservice. Don’t try to shift to “P’ (Park) if your Geo is moving. If you do, you could damage the transmission. Shift to “P” (Park) only when your vehicle is stopped. Manual transmission: The gear selector should be in neutral. Hold theclutch pedal to the floor and start the engine. Your vehicle won’t start if the clutch pedal is not all the way down - that’s a safety feature. To start your engine: 1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your ignition key to “START.” When the engine starts, let go of the key. NOTICE: NOTICE: Holding your key in “START” for longer than 15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can damage your starter motor. Your engine isdesigned to work with the electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical parts or accessories, you could change the way the fuel injection system operates. Before adding electrical equipment, check with your dealer.If you don’t, your engine might not perform properly. 2. If it doesn’t startright away, hold your key in “ START” for about three seconds at atime until your engine starts. Wait about 15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining your battery. If your engine still won’t start, callyour dealer forhelp. If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see the part of this manual that tells how to do it without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index. Engine Coolant Heater (Engine Block Heatel‘) (CANADA) In very cold weather, 0OF (- 1 8 C) or colder, the engine coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle. To use the coolant heater: 1. Turn off the engine. 2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. 3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt outlet. O )riving through Deep Standing Water NOTICE: If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or standing water, water can come in through your engine’s air intake and badly damage your engine. If you can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive through them very slowly. 41 .. Features and Controls 1 NOTICE: After you’ve used the coolant heater, be sure to store the cord asit was before to keep it away from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could be damaged. How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged in? The answerdepends on the weather, the kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact a Geo dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your vehicle. The dealer There are several different positions for can give you the best advice forthat your shift lever. particular area. 0 P (Park) This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best position to use when you start your engine because your vehicle can’t move easily. Automatic Transmission -..42 Ensure the shift lever is fully in “F‘” (Park) range before starting the engine. Your Geo has a brake-transmission shift interlock. You have to fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift from “P” (Park) when the ignition key is in the “ON’ position. If you cannot shift out of “ P ’ (Park), ease pressure on the shift lever -push the shift lever all the way into “ P ’ (Park) and release the shift lever button as you maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever into the gear you wish. See “Shifting out of ‘P’ (Park)” in the Index. 0 R (Reverse) Use this gear to back up. 0 N (Neutral) In this position, your engine doesn’t connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re already moving, use “ N ’ (Neutral) only. Also, use “N” when your vehicle is being towed. ~~ To rock your vehicle back and forth to gelt out of snow, ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see “Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index. - Going less than about 15 mph (25 km/h), push your accelerator peda about halfway down. - Going about 15 mph (25 km/h) or more, push your accelerator pedal all the way down. You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power. 0 2 (Second Gear) This position gives you more power but lower fuel economy. You can use “2” on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. I NOTICE: Shifting to “R” (Reverse) while your vehicle is moving forward could damage your transmission. Shift to “R” only after your vehicle is stopped. D (Drive) This position is for normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and you’re: 0 NOTICE: Damage to your transmission caused by shifting out of “P” (Park) or “ N ’ (Neutral) with the engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty. Don’t shift into “2” unless you are going slower than 65 mph ( 105 km/h) with the transfer case in “4H’ or 35 mph (55 km/h) with the transfer case in “4L,” or you can damage your transmission. 43. Features and Controls L (Low Gear) This position gives you evenmore power (but lower fueleconomy) than “2.” You can use it on verysteep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the selector lever is put iln “L,” the transmission won’t shift intolow gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough. NOTICE: Don’t shift into “L,” (Low) at speeds above 40 mph (65 km/h) with the transfer case in “4L,” or you can damage your transmission. NOTICE: If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to drive. This might happen if you were stuck in verydeep sand or mud or were up againsta solid object. You could damage your transmission. Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold your vehiclethere with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat and damage the transmission. Use your brakes to hold your vehicle in position on a hill. ...44 0 2 (Second Gear) -Press the clutch pedal as you let up on the accelerator pedal and shift into “2.” Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedalas you press the accelerator pedal. 0 3,4 and 5 (Third, Fourth and Fifth Gears) - Shift into “3,” “4” and “5” the same way you do for “2.” Slowly let up on the clutch p6dalas you press the accelerator pedal. 0 To Stop - Let up on theaccelerator pedal and press the brGke pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the clutch pedal and the brake pedal,and shift to “Neutral.” is is your shift pattern. Here’s how to 0 Neutral - Use this position when erate your transmission: you start or idle your engine. 1 (First Gear) - Press the clutch 0 R (Reverse) - To back up, press pedal and shift into “1.” Then, slowly down the clutch pedal andshift into let up on the clutch pedal as you press “R.” Let up on the clutch pedal slowly the accelerator pedal. while pressing theaccelerator pedal. You can shift into “ I ” when you’re You cannot go from “5” (Fifth Gear) into going less than 20 mph (32 km/h). If “R” (Reverse). If you try, you will be you’ve come to a complete stop and locked out. You must first shift into it’s hard to shift into“1,” put the shift “Neutral,” move the leverto the left, back lever in “Neutral” and let up on the to the right, and thenshift into “R” clutch. Press the clutch pedal back (Reverse). This is a safety feature. down. Then shift into 1.” Manual Transmission F ive-Speed “ I NOTICE: I Shift to “R” (Reverse) only after your vehicle is stopped. Shifting to “R” (Reverse) while your vehicle is moving could damage your transmission. Also, use “R’ (Reverse) alongwith the parking brake forparking your vehicle. Shiff Speeds (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) This chart shows when to shift to the next higher gear for best fuel economy. MANUAL TRANSMISSION RECOMMENDED SHIFT SPEEDS, IN MPH (km/h) Acceleration Shift Speed Engine 1t o 2 2 t o 3 1.6L L4 45 15 35 26 8-valve 20 (72) (56) (42) (24) 3 to 44 Cruise Shift to5 1.6L L4 1545 40 25 16-valve (72)(64)(40)(24) 3 to 4 4 to 5 30 to 35 39 to 45 2 to3 to 26 Speed (32 to 42) to 56) (63 to 72) (48 If your speed drops below 20 mph (30 km/h), or if the engine is not running smoothly, you should downshift to the next lower gear. You may have to downshift two or more gears to keep theengine running smoothly or for good performance. .NOTICE: If you skip more than one gear when you downshift, or if you race the engine when you downshift, you can damage the clutch or transmission. I 45.. Features and Controls Four-wheel Drive If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send your engine's driving power to all four wheels for extra traction. To shift out of two-wheel drive and into four-wheel drive, lock the freewheeling hubs and move the transfer case shift lever to "4H" or "4L" (see the following). You should use "2H" for most normal driving. Rear wheel anti-lock brakes do not work Freewheeling Hubs when you shift into four-wheel drive. Your regular brakes will still work. When Your vehicle may have either manual or you shift back into two-wheel drive, your automatic freewheeling hubs. You must NOTICE: Driving in "4H" or "4L" positions for a long time on dry or wet pavement could shorten the life of your vehicle's drivetrain. I ' Manual To lock or unlock the hubs, you must park your vehicle (see "Shifting into 'P' (Park)" or "Parking Your Vehicle" i n the Index) and get out. To lock the hubs, turn the hub dials to "LOCK." I NOTICE: Don't drive in "2H" with the manual locking hubs in "LOCK." If you do. you could damage your front driveshaft parts. ... 46 To unlock the hubs, turn the hub dials to 'FREE." Automatic With automatic freewheeling hubs, you don’t have to get out of the vehicle to lock or unlock the hubs. To lock the hubs: 1. Stop your vehicle. 2. Shift the transfer case to “4H’ or “4L.” 3. Drive slowly forward and the hubs will lock. To unlock the hubs: 1. Stop your vehicle. 2. Drive seven feet (two meters) in the direction opposite to the direction you were driving before you stopped. 3. Then, press the clutch if you have a manual transmission, and shift the transfer case to “2H.”The hubs will unlock. 4L: This setting also engages your front axle to give you extra traction, but should be used only for driving downhill or on slippery,surfaces when you’re driving slower than 35 mph (55 km/h). Remember that driving in “4H” or “4L” may reduce fuel economy. Also, driving in four-wheel drive on dry pavement could cause your tires to wear faster and make your transfer case harder to shift. You can shift from “2H” to “4H’ or from “4W’ to “2H” at any speedif your hubs rransfer Case are locked and your wheelsare straight ?he transfer case shift lever is on the floor ahead. Your front axle will engage faster o the right of the driver. Use this lever to if you take your foot off the accelerator hift into and out of four-wheel drive. An pedal for a few seconds as you shift. ndicator light comes on when the transfer To shift into or out of 4L: :ase is in “4H’ or “4L.” 1. Stop your vehicle and shift your !H: This setting is for driving in most transmission to “N” (Neutral). treet and highway situations. Your front .xle is not engaged in two-wheel drive. 2. Shift the transfer case in one continuous motion. IH: This setting engages your front axle o help drive your vehicle. Use “4”’ Don’t pause in “ N ’ as you shift into vhen you need extra traction, such as on “4H,” or your gears could clash. vet or icy roads, or in most off-road ituations. q: Shift to this setting only when your rehicle needs to be towed. Features and Controls Shifting into “P” (Park) (AUTOMATIC TRANSMlSSlON) Parking To release the parking brake:Hold the brake pedal down. Pull the parking brake lever up until youcan push in therelease Parking Brake button. Hold the release button in as you To set the parking brake: Hold the brake move the lever all the way down. pedal down and pull up on the parking brake lever. If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will come on. Driving with the parking brake on can cause your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to replace them, and you could also damage other parts of your vehicle. NOTICE: If you are towing a trailer, see“Towing a Trailer” in the Index. ... 48 Leaving Your Vehicle with the Engine Running (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) A CAUTION: 1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and set the parking brake. 2. Move the shift lever into “P” (Park) position like this: 0 Hold in the button on the lever, and push the lever all the way toward the front of your vehicle. 3. If you have four-wheel drive, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear not in “N” (Neutral). 4. Move the key to “LOCK.” 5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can walk away from your vehicle with the key in your hand, your vehicle is i n “P” (Park). Xt can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the engine running. Your vehicle could move suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in “P” (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. I€ YOU have four-wheel driveand your transfer case is in “N” (Neutral), your vehicle will be free to roll, even if your shift leveris in “F‘” (Park). So be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear - not in“N’(Neutral). And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat and even catch fie. You or others could be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the engine running unlessyou have to. Torque Lock (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your transmission into “P” (Park) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift lever out of “P” (Park). This is called ”torque lock.” To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift into “P“ (Park) properly before you leave the driver‘s seat. To find out how, see “Shifting into ’P7 (Park)’‘ in the Index. When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of “P?’(Park) BEFORE you release the parking brake. If “torque lock” does occur, you may need to have another vehicle push yours a little uphill t o take some of the pressure from the transmission, so you can pull the shift lever out of ’bP’’(Park). Shifting outof P (Park) (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) Your Geo has a brake-transmission shift interlock. You have to fully apply your regular brake before you can shift from .‘P’’(Park) when the ignition is in the 49 ... Features and Controls “ON” position. See “Automatic Transmission” in the Index. If you cannot shift out of “P” (Park),ease pressure on the shift lever - push the shift lever all the way into “P” (Park) and release the shift lever button as you maintain brake application. Then press the shift lever button and move the shift lever into the gear you wish. Parking Your Vehitle /- 8 If you ever hold the brake pedal down bul still can’t shift out of “ P ’ (Park), try this: 1. Apply And hold the brake until the en( of step 6. 2. If the engine is running, shut it off. Turn the key to “ON” or “ACC.” 3. Find the access hole cover (A) on the driver’s side of the console, near the shift lever. 4. Remove the screw (B) and cover (A). 5. Inside you’ll see the return plate (C). Using your finger, move the return plate toward the rearof the vehicle until it stops. 6. Move the shift lever into the gear you want. 7. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can. ... 50 (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) Before you get out of yourvehicle, put your manual transmission in “R” (Reverse) and firmly apply the parking brake. If you have four-wheel drive, be sure your transfer case is in a drive gear. Your vehicle could roll if it isn’t. If your vehicle is equipped to tow a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. Running Your Engine While You’re Parked Engine Exhaust A CAUTION: I Parking over Things ThatBurn A CAUTION; Things that can bum could touch hot exhaust parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park over papers, leaves, dry p s s or other things that can bum. Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas carbon monoxide (CO), w l c h you can’t see or smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death. You might have exhaust comingin i f Your exhaust system sounds strange or different. a Your vehicle gets rusty underneath. a Your vehicle was damaged in a collision. * Your vehicle was damaged when driving over high points on the road or overroad debris. Repairs weren’t done correctly. Your vehicle or exhaust system had been modified improperly. If you ever suspect exhaustis coming into your vehicle: 0 Drive it only with all the windows down to blow out any CO; and Have your vehicle fixed immediatelv. * .I (AUTOMATlC TRANSMISSION) It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you ever have to, here some things to know. IA CAUTION: Idling the engine with the air system control off could allow dangerous exhaust into your vehicle (see the earlier Caution under “Engine Exhaust”). Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly carbon monoxide(GO) into your vehicle even if the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place this can happen i s a garage. Exhaust -with CO - can comein easily. NEVER park in a garage with the engine running. Another clased-in place canbe a blizzard. (See “Blizzard”in the Index.) 51 ... Features and Controls Windows Manual Windows Use the window crank to open andclose each door window. If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer case is in “ N ’ (Neutral), your vehicle will be free to roll, even if your shift lever is in “ P ’ (Park). So, be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear - not in “ N ’ (Neutral). Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t move. See “Shifting into ‘P’ (Park)” in the Index. If you’re parking ona hill and if you’re pulling a trailer, also see “Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index. ...52 Rear Swing-Out Side Windows To open this window, pullthe latch out and forward. Adjustable Steering To close the window, pull the latch in and back. w Horn To sound the horn, pressthe horn symbol on your steering wheel. Adjusting the steering column while driving canbe dangerous. The movementof tha column could startle or confuse you, causing you to lose control of the vehicle. Adjust the steering coIumn only when the vehicle is not being driven. An adjustable steering column allowsyo1 to adjust the steering column beforeyou drive. You can also raise it to the highest leveltc give your legs more room when you exit and enter the vehicle. 53 ... Features and Controls ~~ ~ ~~~~ To adjust the column, hold the steering wheel and lower the lever. Move the column to a comfortable level, then raise the lever to its highest position to lock the column in place. The Turn SignallLights irum Signal and Lane Change ndicafor ControllHeadlight 'he turn signal has two upward (for Beam Lever !ight) and two downward (for Left) 'he lever on the left side of the steering olumn includes your: 1 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator HeadlightHigh/LowBeamand Passing Signal LightingOperation 1 1 ...54 lositions. These positions allow you to ignal a turn or a lane change. b signal a turn, move the lever all the lay up or down. When the turn is inished, the lever will return utomatically. Operation of Lights Although your vehicle’s lighting system (headlights, parking lights, fog lamps, sidemarker lights and taillights) meets all applicable federal lighting requirements, certain states and provinces may apply their own lighting regulations that may require special attention before you operate these lights. For example, some jurisdictions may require that you operate your fog lamps A green arrow on the instrument panel Turn the outside part of the lever to only when your lower beam headlights will flash in the direction of the turn or control the lights. There are three are also on, or that headlights be turned lane change. positions for the light switch. on whenever you must use your windshield wipers. In addition, most To signal a lane change, just raise or OFF: All lights are off. jurisdictions prohibit driving solely with lower the lever until the green arrow starts -300:: The parking lights, taillights, parking lights, especially at dawn or dusk. to flash. Hold it there until you complete license plate light and the instrument your lane change. The lever will return by It is recommended that you check with panel lighting come on. The your own state or provincial highway itself when you release it. headlights are off. authority for applicable lighting As you signal a turn or a lane change, if /,,\ :The headlights and all other regulations. the arrows don’t flash but just stay on, a operating lights come on. signal bulb may be burned out and other drivers won’t see your turn signal. Lights On Reminder If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help If you turn the ignition off, remove the avoid an accident. If the green arrows key, open the door and leave the lights on, don’t go on at all when you signal a turn, a chime will remind you to turn off your check the fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit lights. Breakers” in the Index) and for burned-out bulbs. . ‘8’’- 55 ... Features and Controls Daytime Running Lights (Canada) To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking brake. The DRL will stay off The Canadian Federal Government has until you release the parking brake. decided that “Daytime Running Lighls” (DRL) area useful feature, in that DRL can make your vehicle more visible to pedestrians and other drivers during daylight hours. DRL arerequired on new vehicles sold in Canada. The low beam headlights will come on at reduced brightness in daylight when: 0 The ignition is on 0 The headlight switch is off, and Headlight HighlLow Ream The parking brake is released. First, you must have the headlights on. For high beams, push the turn signal lever When you turn on your headlights, the away from you. When the high beams are DRL will switch off and the exterior on, a blue light on the instrument panel lights will come on. When you turn off also will be on. It will go off when you the headlights, the exterior lights will go switch to low beam. To switch back to out and the low beams will change to the low beams, pull the lever toward you. reduced brightness of DRL again. The DRL indicator light on the instrument Passing Signal panel will go on whenever the DRL are With the lever in the low beam position, on. This light means that only the DRL pull the lever toward you to momentarily are on. When you turn on your exterior switch to high beam (to signal that you lights, this light will go out. are going to pass). When you release the Of course, you may still turn on the lever, the headlights will return to low headlights or passing signal any time you beam operation. need to. -a1 -I ... 56 Interior Lights Dome Light The dome light has a three position switch. 1: The light turns on and stays on whether or not a door is open. 2:The light comes on when a door is opened. 3: The light stays off even when a door is open. 3rightness Control rhis knob controls the brightness of your nstrument panel lights. Turn the knob to he right to brighten the lights or to the eft to dim them. Windshield WiperlWasher Lever The lever on the right side of the steering :olumn controls the windshield wipers md washers. vlove the wiper switch to the position yo1 vant: D OFF: The wipers are off. a INT: Intermittent wiper operation. In light rain or snow, you might want to use this position rather than continuous wiping. LO: The wipers will run continuouslq at low speed. HI: The wipers will run continuously at high speed. 57 ... Features and Controls For a single wiping cycle, push the lever to “MIST.” Hold it there untilthe wipers start, h e n let go. The wipers will stop after one cycle. If you want more cycles, hold the lever on “MIST.” longer. Washers NOTICE: 0 When using concentrated washer fluid, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for adding water. 0 Don’t mjx water with ready-to-use washer fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze and damqge your washer fluid tank and other parts of the washer system. Also, water doesn’t clean as well as washer fluid. 0 Fill your washer fluidtank only 3/4 full when it’s very cold. This allows for expansion, which could damage the tank if it is compldtel) full. 0 Don’t use radiator antifreeze in your wipdshield washer. It can damage your paint. Pull the wiper/washer lever toward you to spray washer fluid’on the windshield. The spray will continue until you release the lever. This will also turn on the low speed wipers. Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers. A circuit breaker will stop them until the motor cools.Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload. ...58 Convex Outside Mirror Your right side mirror is convex. A convex mirror‘s surface is curved so you can see more from the driver’s seat. ni I Rear Window WiperlWasher (OPTION) Mirrors Inside Rearview Mirror To turn on your rear wiper, push Q . An inside rearview mirror is attached Push Qagain to turn it off. above your windshield. The mirror has so that you can adjust it up and pivots To spray washer fluid on the rear window, down or side to side. push Q about halfway down. Washer fluid will spray as long as you hold IQ . To wash and wipe at the same time, push Inside Day/Night Rearview Mirror QI all the way in. You can adjust the mirror for day or night driving. Pull the tab for night driving to The washer and wiper will run as long as reduce glare. Push the tab for daytime you hold Q . To add washer fluid, see driving. “Windshield Washer Fluid” in the Index. 59 ... Features and Controls 3utside Manual Adjust Mirrors The mirrors should be adjusted by hand io that you can just see the side of your Iehicle, when you are sitting in a :omfortable position. ... 60 Storage and Compartments Glove Box To open the glove box, pull the latch toward you. Use your key to lock and unlock the glove box. loor Storage Compartments lach door has a storage compartment. --- - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ---__- Front Seat Side Pockets On the outside of each front seat is a storage pocket. Coinholder and Bin Your console has a coinholder and a smal storage bin. Instrument Panel Bins On the top center of the instrument panel is a storage bin. Cupholder Two cupholders are on the center console next to the parking brake lever. Sun Visors To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You can also swing them to the side. If the visors swing too easily, tighten the screw on the roof rail. 61 ... Features and Controls _r -’ I II V Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand while it is heating. If you do, it won’t be able to back away from the heating element when it’s ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the lighter and the heating element. 0 I Passenger Assist Grips Your Geo may have assist grips. Passengers can use the grips to help keep their balance over rough roads or during sharp turns. ...62 NOTICE: Ashtrays and Lighter Zigarette Lighter ro use the lighter, push the lighter in all he way and let go. When it’s ready, it wil mp back by itself. NOTICE: Don’t put papers and other things that burn into your ashtray. If you do, cigarettes or other smoking materials could set them on fire, causing damage. L \ I I1 E 7 l U Front Ashtray Pull the door to open it. To remove the ashtray, press down on the tab and pull out the ashtray. Rear Ashtray The rear ashtray is on the back of the :enter console. Pull the door to open it. To remove the ashtray, press down on the ab and pull the ashtray out. 63 ... Features and Controls . . . 64 Instrument Panel 1. Air Vent 2. Side Defroster Vent 3. Turn Signalbights Control/Headlight Beam Lever 4. Instrument Cluster 5. Hazard Warning Flasher 6. Windshield Wipermasher Lever 7. Rear Window Wiper Switch 8. Comfort Controls 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Audio System Lighter Assist Grip Glove Box Transmission Shift Lever Coinholder and Bin Transfer Case Shift Lever Parking Brake Lever 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. Ashtray Rear Window Washer Switch IgnitionSwitch Horn FuseBlock Rear Window Defogger Switch BrightnessControl 65 ... Features and Controls H UNLEADED FUEL ONLY and many other things you'll need to know to drive safely and economically. Optional Cluster Your instrument cluster is designed to let If you have the optional cluster, your you know at a glance how your ve.hicle is instrument panel gives you additional running. You'll know how fast you're information. The cluster includes a going, about how much fuel you have left tachometer. Instrument Paneland Clusters ... 66 Speedometer and Odometer Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (kmh). Your odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven, in either miles (used in the U.S.) or kilometers (used in Canada). - x1 000 dl RPM Your Geo’s odometer is tamper-resistant. If you can see silver lines between the numbers, probably someone has tried to turn it back. The numbers may not be true. You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a new odometer installed. If possible, the new one has to be set to the I same reading the old one had. If it can’t I Trip Odometer be, then it’s Set at zero, but a label on the The trip odometer can tell you how far driver’s door must show the old reading your vehicle has been driven since you and when the new one was installed. last set the trip odometer to zero. To set the trip odometer to zero, press the knob. 67 ... Features and Controls and Indicators This section describes the warning lights and gages that may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them. Warning lights and gages can signal that something is wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an expensive repair or replacement. Payingattention to your warning lights and gages could also save you or others from injury. Tachometer Warning lights go on when there may be or is a problem with one of your vehicle’s The tachometer shows engine speed in thousands of revolutions per minute functions. As you will see in the details (rpm). You can use it while driving to on the next few pages, some warning select correct shift points.The tachometelr lights come on briefly when you turn the may not return to zero when the engine is ignition keyjust to let you know they’re not running. working. If you are familiar with this !section, you should not be alarmed when 1this happens. Gages can indicate whenthere may be or Do not operate the engine with the 1is a problem with one of your vehicle’s tachometer in the red area, or engine 1functions. Often gages and warning lights damage may occur. work together to let you know when there’s a problem with your vehicle. When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows there may NOTICE: ... 68 I: be a problem, check the section thattells you what to do about it. Please follow the manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs can be costly - and even dangerous. So please get to know your warning lights and gages. They’re a big help. 0 1s I FUELONLY UNLEADED [I 0 The gage moves a little when you turn, stop or speed up. When you turn theengine off, the gage doesn’t go back to “E.” UNLEADEDFUEL ONLY J J Fuel Gage Your fuel gage shows about how much fuel is in your tank. When the gage first indicates “E,” you still have a little fuel left (about one or two gallons), but you need to get more right away. Here are four concerns some owners have had about the fuel gage. All these situations are normal and do not indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage, At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before the gage reads “F.” It takes more (or less) fuel to fill up than the gage reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but it took more (or less) than half of the tank’s capacity to fill it. ~~ Brake System Warning Light four Geo’s hydraulic brake system is livided into two parts. If one part isn’t vorking, the other part can still work and ;top you. For good braking, though, you leed both parts working well. four vehicle also has rear-wheel anti-lock )rakes. If the warning light comes on, here could be a brake problem with eithelr [our regular or rear-wheel anti-lock )rakes, or both. Have your brake system nspected right away. rhis light should come on as you start the lehicle. If it doesn’t come on then, have ii ixed so it will be ready to warn you if here’s a problem. 69 ... Features and Controls If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on. have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle“ i n the Index.) p\ CAUTION: Your brake system maynot be working properly if the brake system warning light is on, Driving with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident. If the light is still on after you’ve pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towedfor service. The brake system warning light will also come on when you set your parking brake, and it will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is fully released. it means you have a brake problem. ...70 ‘ngine Coolant Temperature Gage rhis gage shows the engine coolanl emperature. If the gage pointer moves to he ”H” (red) side. your engine is too hot! t means that your engine coolant has )verheatcd and you should stop your ehicle and turn off the engine HS s o o1~as Iossible. HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY! I n “Problems on the Road.” this manual shows what to do. See ”Engine Overheating” in the Index. Charging System Light This light will come on briefly when you turn on the ignition, but the engine is not running, as a check to show you it is working. Then it should go out when the engine starts. If it stays on or comes on while you are driving, you may have a problem with the electrical charging system. It could indicate that you have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this light is on could drain your battery. If you must drive a short distance with this light on, be certain to turn off all your accessories. such as the radio and air conditioner. I 1 1 NOTICE: If you keep driving your vehicle with this light on. after a while the ernission controls won't work as well, your fuel economy won't be a s good and your engine may not run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs not covered by your warranty. 1 Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light) A computer monitors operation of your fuel, ignition and emission control systems. This light should come on when the ignition is on, but the engine is not running, as a check to show you it is working. I f it does not come on at all, have it fixed right away. I f it stays on. or comes on while you are driving, the computer is indicating that you have a problem. You should take your vehicle in for service soon. Engine Oil Pressure Light If you have a problem with your oil?this light may stay on after you start your engine, or come on when you are driving. This indicates that there is not enough pressure to keep your engine properly ILJbricated and cool. The engine could be low on oil, or have some other oil related problem. Have it fixed right away. The oil light could also come on in three other situations. When the ignition is on but the engine is not running, the light will come on a s a test to show you it is working, but the light will go out when you turn the engine to "START." If it doesn't come on with the ignition on, you may have 71 Features and Controls Convertible Top (OPTION) a problem with the fuse or bulb. Have it fixed right away. Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, the light may blink on and off. This is normal. If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a moment. This is normal. Your convertible top features a sunroof, a removable rear window and a removable canvas top. A CAlJTtON: A CAUTION: Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low, If' you do, your engine can be~omeso hot that it catches fae. You UT ol;krerscould be burned. Check your oil as SQOD as possible and have yaw vehicle serviced. NOTICE: Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems can be costly and is not covered by your warranty. . . . 72 laytime Running Lights (DRL) ndicator Light (Canada) F your vehicle was first sold, when new, I Canada, you will have this light on the xtrument panel. It goes on whenever the laytime Running Lights are on. NOTICE: e Never raise or lower the top while the vehicle is moving, or drive with any e e 0 e e part of the top unfastened or partially removed. The wind could get under it and cause damage. Do not take your vehicle through an automatic car wash. It could damage your convertible top. Don’t try to lower or raise the convertible top or tap or beat on the plastic windows if your vehicle is out in cold weather,4 1 OF (5°C) or below. The cold can cause cracks and other damage to the windows and to the top as it is being lowered or raised. Don’t lower the top if it is damp or wet. After the top is down, the trapped water can cause stains, mildew and damage to the inside of your car. Be sure to dry off the top before you lower it. Don’t lower the convertible top if the rear flap or side windows are dirty. Dirt could scratch the side windows. The convertible top isn’t designed to carry weight. Never let anyone sit on the top, and don’t put anything on top of it when it is up, or it could be damaged. The parts of your convertible top are: 1. TopBow Latch 2. FrontTop Bow 3. HorizontalRoofSupport 4. RearTopBow 5. Strap 6. Strut 7. Clamp 8. Center Pillar 9. RoofRail 73 . . Features and Controls I Opening and Closing Your Sunroof 1. Lower your antenna and swing your sun visors down. 2. Squeeze the front top bow latch buttons and pull the latch back. ... 74 3. Unhookthelatchfromthefronttop bow. 'I 4. Swing the front top bow up andback while-folding the canvas top out from between the top bow and the roof support. Be sure that you don't pinch the canvas top between the front top bow arms and the roof rails. “\\ \ 5. Unfasten the holding strap near the dome light and pull it through the slot in the front top bow. 6. Fasten the holding strap to itself. 7. Push the front top bow latches down until they “click.“ 8. Swing your sun visors up and raise your antenna. Reverse the steps to close your sunroof. Be sure your front top bow is latched securely. Opening and Closing Your Rear Window Make sure your rear window is clean before you try to remove it. See “Special Care of Canvas Top” in the Index. 1. Unfaten the lower right corner flap t( uncover the zipper pull. Unzip the rear window. If the zipper is hard to move, you can lubricate it with beeswax, bar soap or silicone spray. Remove the window. . /3.. Features and Controls Removing and Installing Your Rear Window 1. Unfasten the lowercorner flaps on both sides. 2. There are two places on the canvas on the tailgate marked “PULL.” Pull at each place to unhook the rear window frame from the tailgate. Also, pull the canvas at the center of the tailgate. 3. Unzip and remove the rear window. .. .76 I. Lay the rear window inside-up on a clean, dry, flat surface and roll therear window from the bottom to the top. teverse the steps to install the rear vindow. Be sure the rear window is ‘ompletelyclosed before driving. temoving and Installing Your Canvas rOP Lower your antenna and swing your sun visors down. !. Remove your rear window.See “Removing and Installing Your Rear Window” in this section. 3. Unsnap the upper and lower straps 5. Unfaten the rear side windows from that connect the rear top bow to the side window frames. 1. From inside your vehicle, push out on the lower front corner metal support of the rear side window frames. the frames. 6. Hook the frames back to the body of your vehicle. Be sure the strap is above the frame so you don’t pinch the strap between the frame and the body of the vehicle. 0 7. Squeeze the front top bow latch buttons and pull the latch back. Snap the strap on the frame to itself. 77. Features and Controls Y J 8. Unhook the latch from the front top bow. ... 78 9. Swing the front top bow back so you'll have some slack in the canvas top. 10. Unhook the canvas top from the front top bow. 11. Unsnap the tension straps at the roof rails and pull the straps out of the plastic loops. 12. Unsnap the flaps (near the dome light) that hold the canvas top to the roof support. 13. Slide out the rear corner pieces. 14. Unsnap the canvas from the rear top bow. 15. Remove the canvas top from the vehicle and lay inside-up on a clean, dry, flat surface. 79 ... Features and Controls ~~ 16. Pull up and back on the rear top bow struts and swing each strut forward. 17. Clamp the struts to the rear top bow. ... 80 I ~ 18. Swing down the rear top bow and secure it with the strap at the inside center of your tailgate. 19. Pull the front top bow forward and lock it in place. teverse the steps to install your canvas op. Be sure: The front top bow is securely latched. The rear side window frames are installed all the way into the corners o f the canvas. b The rear side window frames are clamped to the body. b The rear straps on the side window frames are snapped. b The rear top bow struts are secure in their proper place. 'reparing Your Canvas Top for ;torage . Lay the canvas top inside-up on a clean, dry, flat surface. 2. Fold the side windows onto the top. Fold the front part of the canvas top over the windows. Lay the rear window on topof the folded canvas top. 5. Roll the canvas top around the rear window. 6. Store in a clean, dry location. 81 . ... 82 . .; 1 . 3 Part Comfort Controls8t Audio Systems Comfort Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heater Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Air Conditioner Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RearWindow Defogger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flow-Through VentilationSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Audiosystems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Settingtheclock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I n this part you’ll find out how to AM/FMStereo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . operate the comfort control AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . systems and audio systems AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . offered with your Geo. Be sure Understanding Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to read about the particular Care of Your Cassette Tape Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . system supplied with your Care of Your Compact Discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vehicle . Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 85 85 86 86 87 88 88 89 93 97 97 98 98 83 ... Comfort Controls and Audio Systems Air Intake Lever s: Choose this position to recirculate the inside air through the comfort control system. B: Choose this position to circulate outside air through the comfort control system. Heating 1. For the quickest results, move the air intake lever to 2. Move the airflow lever to w i . Q . -9 : This position directs air toward the 3. Move the temperature lever toward the right for warmer air. floor, the windshield and side windows. With this system, youcan control the : This position directs air to the 4. Move the fan levertoward . heating and ventilation in your Geo. If windshield. you have the air conditioning option, you 5. You should switch t o m o n c e in a can also control cooling. while to avoid stale air and cloudy Fan Control Lever windows. Your vehicle also has the flow-through Slide the lever away from “OFF’ to turn ventilation system described later in this the heating system on. Move thelever Bi-Level section. toward 3f to increase the fan’s speed. You may want to use bi-level oncool, Heater Controls Temperature Control Lever but sunny days. This setting directs Airflow Lever Slide the lever to change the temperature outside air toward your body and &J: This position directs the airflow of the air flowing from the system. Move warmer air toward your feet. through the instrument panel vents. it to the rightfor warmer air and to the 1. Move the air intake lever to &* : This position directs air through the left for cooler air. The airtemperature 2. Move the airflow lever to ,‘j. mstrument panel vents and toward the can’t be less than the outside air 3. Move the temperature lever to the floor. temperature. center. : This position directs air toward the floor. 4. Move the fanlevertoward . a,. Comfort Controls 9 + B. Ventilation Cooling For mild outside temperatures, when little heating or cooling is needed, you can still direct outside air through your vehicle. 1. Move the air intake lever to . 2. Move the airflow lever to$: . 3. Adjust the temperature lever to a comfortable setting. 4. Move the fan control lever to # . The air conditioner works best if you keep your windows closed. On very hot days, open the windows just long enough for the hot air to escape. 1. Push the “A/,’, button. 2. Move the air intake lever to-for normal cooling. For faster cooling . move the lever to& 3. Move the airflow lever to . 4. Move the temperature control lever toward the left. 5. Move the fan control lever to # . Defogging and Defrosting Windows 1. Slide the air intake lever to -. 2. Slide the airflow lever to to direct air to the windshield vents. 3. Slide the temperature lever toward the right. 4. Slide the fan lever to # . When the windshield is clear, turn down the fan speed. To defog the side windows, slide the . For increased airflow lever to airflow to the side vents, close the center vents . ,?A *> 4ir Conditioner Controls The air conditioning system uses the Sam :ontrols as the heating system. The unction of each lever is explained under ‘Heater Controls” in this part. The ncoming air is cooled and dehumidified nstead of being heated. UC: Push this button to change your :omfort control system from heating to lir conditioning. A light will come on when the air conditioning is on. The ‘A/C” button can also control the wmidity in your vehicle. Dehumidifying On days when it is raining or the humidity is high, follow these dehumidifying steps instead of thecooling directions. It will help clean windows that are cloudy with moisture. 1. Push the “A/,” button. 2. Move the air intake lever t o m . 3. Move the airflow lever to 4. Move the fan control lever toward 3s. 5. Adjust the temperature control lever to a comfortable setting. 9. 85 ... Comfort Controls and Audio Systems NOTICE: Don‘t use a razor blade or something else sharp on the inside of the rear window. I f you do, you could cut or damage the warming grid. and the repairs wouldn‘t be covcrcd by your warranty. ?ear Window Defogger ’he rear window defogger uses a varrning grid to remove fog from the rear .vindow. ’ress the switch t o turn on the defogger. 9n indicator light n,ill come on below the ;witch to remind you that the defogger is m. Press the switch again to turn the jefogger off. The rear window defogger vi11 also turn off if you turn the ignition ;witch to ”ACC” or “LOCK.” l o not attach anything like a temporary xhicle license or a decal across the lefogger grid on the rear window. ..86 Vow-Through Ventilation system ’our Geo‘s flow-through ventilation ,ystem supplies outside air into the whicle when it is moving. Outside air v i l l also enter the vehicle when the heater )r the ilir conditioning flln is running. Audio Systems Your Delco@audio system has been designed to operate easily and give years of listening pleasure. But you will get the most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it first. Find out what your Delco@system can do and how to operate all its controls, to be sure you’re getting the most out of the advanced engineering that went into it. Ventilation Tips 0 Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow, or any other obstruction (such as leaves). The heater and defroster will work far better, reducing the chance of fogging the inside of your windows. 0 When you enter a vehicle in cold weather, move the fan lever t o w a r d s for a few moments before driving off. This helps clear the intake ducts of snow and moisture, and reduces the chance of fogging the inside of your windows. 0 Keep the air path under the front seats clear of objects. This helps air to circulate throughout your vehicle. NOTICE: Before you add any sound equipment to your vehicle - like a tape player, CB radio, mobile telephone or two-way radio - be sure you can add what you want.If you can, it’s very important to do it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, Delco8 radio or other systems, and even damage them. And, your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation of sound equipment that has been added improperly. So, before adding sound equipment, check with your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules covering mobile radio and telephone units. 87 ... Comfort Controls and AudioSystems Setting theClock AM/FM Stereo 1, Press and hold "RCL" (TIME SET). At the same time. press and hold "TUNE 4'' (HR) until the correct hour appears. 2. Press and hold "RCL" (TIME SET). At the sane time press and hold "TUNE b"(MIN) until the correct minute appears. AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player 1. Press and hold "RCL/PROG" (TIME SET). At the same time, press and hold "TUNE 4" (HR) until the correct hour appears. 2. Press and hold "RCL/PROG" (TIME SET). At the same time press and hold "TUNE b"(MIN) until the correct minute appears. AMlFM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Player 1. Press and hold "RCL TA" (TIME SET). At the same time, press and hold "TUNE 4" (HR) until the correct hour appears. 2. Press and hold "RCL TA'' (TIME SET). At the same time press and hold "TUNE b"(MIN) until the correct minute appears. ..A8 STEREO 1:o§ AM/FM Stereo To Play the Radio Turn the "ON/VOL" knob to turn the system on or off. Volume: Turn the "ON/VOL" knob to adjust the volume. Finding a Station Hand: Press "AM-FM" to get AM or FM. The lighted display shows your selection. Tune: Press "TUNE b "or "TUNE 4" to go to a higher or lower station. Press and hold to continue tuning and release when you find your station. The display will show the frequency of each station tuned. Seek: Press "SEEK b "or "SEEK 4" and the radio will tune to the next higher or lower station and stay there. Pushbuttons: The six pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. To set the pushbuttons for up to 12 stations (6 AM and 6 FM), just: 1. Tune in the station. 2. Press and hold one of the pushbuttons for at least two seconds. The sound will go away for a second and will return when the station is stored. Repeat these steps for each pushbutton. Setting the Tone Treble: Turn the “TREB” knob to the right to hear more treble. Bass: Turn the “BASS” control behind the “TREB” knob to the right to hear more bass. Adjusting the Speakers Fade: Turn the “FADE’ knob to move the sound between the front and rear speakers. Balance: Turn the “BAL” conrrol behind the “FADE’ knob to move the sound between the left and right speakers. Recall Press “RCL” to see the station being played for a moment. Or, press it if you want to see the time when the ignition is off. AM!FMStereo with Cassette Tape Player To Play the Radio Turn the “ON/VOL” knob to turn the system on or off. Volume: Turn the “ON/VOL” knob to adjust the volume. Tune: Press and hold “TUNE b’,or “TUNE 4’’to go to higher or lower stations. Release when you find your station. The display will show the frequency of each station tuned. Seek: Press “SEEK b”or “SEEK 4’’ and the radio will tune to the next higher or lower station and stay there. Finding a Station Band: Press “AM-FM” to get AM, FM1 or FM2. The lighted display shows your selection. 89. .. Comfort Controlsand Audio Systems Pushbuttons: The six pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. To set the pushbuttons for up to 18 stations (6 AM, 6 FM1 and 6 FM2), jus#: 1. Tune in the station. 2. Press and hold one of the pushbuttons for more than two seconds. The sound will go away for a second and will return when the station is stored. Repeat these steps for each pushbutton. Preset Scan: Press the “PRESET SCAN’ button to hear each of yourpreset stations for a few seconds. When you want to stop at a Chosen statioq, press “PRESET SCAN” again. Setting the Tone Treble: Turn the “TREB” knob to the right to hear more treble. Bass: Turn the“BASS” control behind the “TREB” knpb to the right to hear more bass. Treble and bass cannotbe adjusted manually when “TONE SELECT” is on. Loud: To increase the bass tone at low volumes, press the “LOUD” button. Tone Select: Press “TONE SELECT” to choose preset treble and bassequalization ...90 settings designed for “ROCK,” “NEWS,” ”POP,” “JAZZ’ and “CLASSICAL.” “ROCK” will appear when you first press “TONE SELECT.” Each time you press it, another setting will appear on the display. Press it after “CLASSICAL” and tone control will be back to the treble and bass knobs. The longer side with the tape visible should face to the right. If you hear nothing or hear just a garbled sound, it may not be in squarely. Press “MA” to remove the tape and start over. Once the tape is playing, use the knobs for volume, fade and balance,just as you do for radio. The lighted arrows show which side of the tape is playing. Adjusting the Speakers Metal Tapes: Your bias is set Fade: Turn the “FADE’ knob to move the automatically. When a metal or chrome tape is inserted, “MTL” will appear on the sound between the front and rear display. speakers. Balance: Turn the “BAL” control behind Fast Forward: Press “FF” to advance rapidly to another part of the tape. Press the “FADE” knobto move the sound “FF,” “RCL/PROG’ or “HA” to return to between the right and left speakers. playing speed. Recall Rewind: Press “ R E V to reverse the tape rapidly. Press “ R W , ” “RCL/PROG” or Press “RCL” to see the station being ”A.“ to return to playing speed. played for a moment. Or, press itif you want to see the time when the ignition is Next Selection: Press “NEXT” to go off. forward to the beginning of the next selection. Press “NEXT” again or press To Play a Cassette Tape “RCLPROG’ or ‘ ,.A’ to cancel this Your tape player is built to work best with function. tapes that are 30 to 45 minutes long on For “NEXT” to work properly, your tape each side. Tapes longer than thatare so must have at least three or four seconds of thin they may not work well in this player. silence between each selection. Previous Selection: Press “PREV” to go back to the beginning of the last selection. Press “PREV” again or press “RCL/PROG” or “HA’, to cancel this function. Program: Press “RCL/PROG” to switch from one side of the tape to the other. Your cassette tape player can play continuously because the player has an auto-reverse feature. Noise Reduction: Press 00 @toremove noise from Dolby@ B NR-encoded tapes. Dolby@ B Noise Reduction manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. “Dolby@” and the 00 @symbolare trademarks of Dol by Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Eject: Press “HA’, to remove the tape and switch to radio. Radio Monitor: Press the “RADIO MNTR” button to hear the radio when you are fast forwarding or reversing a cassette tape. You can use the “TUNE,“ “SEEK” and “PRESET-SCAN?’ buttons while in the radio monitor mode. rheft Deterrent Feature You are now ready to enter your security code. Don’t wait more than 15 seconds The theft deterrent feature for the AM/FM between steps. ;tereo with cassette tape player can be lsed or ignored. If ignored, the system 5. Press “4SEEK b’’and/or Aays normally. If it is used, your system “+ TUNE ’, and “0000” will appear won‘t be usable if it’s ever stolen. on the display. 6. Press “SEEK+” and hold it until the Setting Your Security Code first digit of yourcode appears. The instructions below tell you how to Release the button. mter a security code into the system. If 7. Press “SEEK F”and hold it until the qour vehicle loses battery power for any second digit of your code appears. -eason, you must enter the security code Release the button. lgain before the system will turn on. 8. Press “TUNE +” and hold it until the 1. Write down any four-digit number and third digit of your code appears. keep it in a safe place. Release the button. 2. Turn on the ignition switch to the 9. Press “TUNE F”and hold it until the “ACC” or “ON” position. fourth digit of your code appears. 3. Turn the audio system off. Release the button. 4. Press the “1” and “4” buttons together. 10. Press “AM-FM” after you have Hold them down until “- - - -” shows checked that the code you entered is on the display. the one you wrote down. “rEP” will appear in the display, which means you need to repeat steps 5 through 9. 11. Press “AM-FM” again and the displaJ will now show “SEC.” 91 ... Comfort Controlsand Audio Systems How to Shut Off the Theft-Deterrent Feature If your radio is secured (“SEC” shows on the display) and you wishto disable it, enter your security code as follows, pausing no more than 15 seconds between steps: 1. Press the “1” and “4” buttons together. Hold them down until “SEC” shows on the display. You are now ready to enter your security code. 2. Press the “SEEKA” button and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. 3. Press the “SEEK b”button and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. 4. Press the “TUNE 4” button and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. ...92 5. Press the “TUNEb”button and hold To Unlock the System After a Power it until the fourthdigit of your code appears. 6. Press “AM-F’”’ after you have checked that the code you entered matches the one you wrote down. ----” should now appear in the display. If the code is correct, the radio will now operate. If the code is wrong, “Err” will appear in the display. Loss If power is disrupted to the radio while in the “SEC” mode, the unit will not work and “LOC” will show on the display whenever the ignition is on.To unlock the unit: 1. Press ‘‘4SEEK F’’and/or ‘‘4TUNE by’ and “000.0” will appear on the display. 2. Press the “SEEKd” button and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. 3. Press the “SEEK b”button and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. 4. Press the “TUNE4”button and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. 5. Press the “TUNE b”button and hold , it until the fourth digit of your code appears. 6. Press “AM-FM” after you have checked that the code matches the one you wrote down. Now “SEC” will appear on the display. 64 Seek: Press “SEEK F” or “SEEK 4’’ and the radio will tune to the next higher or lower station and stay there. Pushbuttons: The six pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. To set the pushbuttons for up to 18 stations (6 AM, 6 FM1 and 6 FM2), just: 1. Tune in the station. 2. Press and hold one of the pushbuttons for more than two seconds. The sound will go away for a second and will return when thestation is stored. Repeat these steps for each pushbutton. Preset Scan: Press the “PSCAN’ button to hear each of yourFM preset stations for a few seconds. When you wantto stop at a chosen station, press“PSCAN” again. L (STOP) (EJECT) AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Player To Play theRadio Turn the “ON/VOL” knob to turn the system on or off. Volume: Turn the “ON/VOL” knob to adjust the volume. Finding a Station Band: Press “AM-FM” to get AM, FMl or FM2. The lighted display shows your selection. %ne: Press and hold “TUNE F”or “TUNE 4’’to go to higher or lower stations. Release when you find your station. The display will indicate the frequency of each station tuned. Setting the Tone Treble: Turn the “TREB” knob to the right to hear more treble. Bass: Turn the “BASS” control behind the “TREB” knob to the right to hear more bass. Treble and bass cannot be adjusted manually whenl“TONE SELECT” is on. Loud: To increase the bass tone at low volumes, press the “LOUD” button. 93 ... Comfort Controls and Audio Systems Previous Selection: Press “PRV” to go :ach side. Tapes longer than thatare so :hin they may not work well in this player. lack to the beginning of the selection. ?rem “PRV” again or press “RCL VA” or The longer side with the tape visible ‘STOP’ tocancel this function. ;hould face to the right. If you hear Por “NXT” and “PRV” to work properly, lothing or hear just a garbled sound, it your tape must have at leastthree or four nay not be in squarely. Press “STOP’ or seconds of silence between each ‘EJECT” to remove the tape and start selection. mer. Repeat: Press “RPT” to go to the Once the tape is playing, usethe knobs For volume, fade and balance, just as you beginning of the selection and playit 3gain. Press “RPT” again to cancel this io for radio. The lighted arrows show Adjusting the Speakers Function. which side of the tape is playing. Fade: Turn the “FADE” knob to move the Metal Tapes: Your bias is set Noise Reduction: Press 00 to remove sound between thefront and rear noise from Dolby@ B NR-encoded tapes. automatically. When a metal or chrome speakers. tape is inserted, “MTL” will appear on the Dolby@B Noise Reduction manufactured Balance: Turn the “BAL” control behind display. under license from Dolby Laboratories the “FADE’ knob to move the sound Licensing Corporation. Fast Forward: Press “FF” to advance between the right andleft speakers. rapidly to another part of the tape. Press “Dolbya7’ and the 00 symbol are “FF,” “RCLVA” or “STOP’ to return to trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Recall playing speed. Licensing Corporation. Press “RCLVA” to see the station being Rewind: Press “REW’ to reverse the tape Radio Monitor: When playing a tape, played for a moment. Or, press it if you rapidly. Press “REW,”“ R C L ~ A ”or press “RDM” during “FF”or“REW’ to want to see the time when the ignition is “STOP’ to return to playing speed. hear the radio. Press “RDM’ again to turn off. the radio off. During “RDM’ operation, Next Selection: Press “NXT” to go only “TUNE,” “SEEK’ and “PSCAN’ forward to the beginning of the next To Play a Cassette Tape will work. selection. Press “NXT” again or press Your tape player is built to work best with “RCL vA’’or “STOP” to cancel this Tape Sides: Press “RCL VA” to switch tapes that are 30 to 45 minutes long on function. from one side of the tapeto the other. Tone Select: Press “TONE SELECT” to choose preset treble and bass equalization settings designed for “ROCK,” “NEWS,” “POP,” “JAZZ” and “CLASSICAL.” “ROCK” will appear when you first press “TONE SELECT.” Each time you press it, another setting will appear on the display. Press it after “CLASSICAL” and tone control will be back to the treble and bass knobs. ...94 Stop: Press “STOP” to stop the tape and switch to radio. Eject: Press “EJECT” to remove the tape and switch to radio. To Play a Compact Disc Don’t use the mini-discs (3” singles). They won’t eject. Use full-size compact discs. Insert your disc into the CD slot on your audio system. If the disc comes back out, it could be that: 0 The disc is upside down. 0 It is dirty, scratched, or wet. There is too much moisture in the air. (If there is, wait about one hour and try again.) If you see “Err” on the display, the disc player is too hot to play the disc. Press “RCL VA’’to take “Err” off the display. Track Number and Playing Time: Press “RCL VA” to see which track is playing. Press it again within five seconds to see how long it has been playing. The track number also appears when the disc is inserted or you change the volume. Previous Track: Press “PRV” to hear a track again. If you hold this button, or press it more than once, the disc will return to previous tracks. Next Track: Press ”NXT” to hear the next track now (instead of waiting until the present track is finished). If you hold this button, or press it more than once, the disc will advance further. Rewind: Press and hold “REW” to return rapidly to a favoritepassage. Release it to play the passage. Fast Forward: Press and hold “FF” to advance quickly within a track. Release it to resume playing. Compression: Press “COMP’ to make soft and loud passages more nearly equal in volume. Repeat: Press “RPT” once to hear a selection over again. Rasdom: Pressing “RDM” will cause the CD player to play the tracks back in random order. To cancel the random feature, press “RDM,” “STOP” or “RPT.” Stop: Press “STOP” to stop playing the disc and switch to radio. Press “STOP” again to restart the disc at the point where it stopped. Press “AM-FM” to cancel CD operation and listen to the radio. CD-Tape: Press “CD-TP” to switch between playing a tape and a CD when both are inserted. Eject: Press “EJECT” to eject the disc and the radio will play. The disc will start playing at track 1 when you reinsert it. Special Eject If you choose, you can eject only the tape or CD when you have both a CD and a tape in your audio system. CD Only: To eject only the CD, press “EJECT” and then press “REW.” Tape Only: To eject only the tape, press “EJECT” and then press “PRV.” 95 ... Comfort Controlsand Audio Systems You are now ready to enter your security Theft Deterrent Feature The theft deterrent feature for the AMEM code. Don’t wait more than 15 seconds stereo with cassette tape and compact disc between steps. 5. Press “4SEEK b”and/or player can be used or ignored. If ignored, “4TUNE b”and “0000” will appear the system plays normally. If itis used, on the display. your system won’t be usable if it’sever stolen. 6. Press “SEEKI” and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. Setting Your Security Code Release the button. The instructions below tell you how to 7. Press “SEEK b”and hold it until the enter a security code into the system. If second digit of your code appears. your vehicle loses batterypower for any Release the button. reason, you must enter the security code 8. Press “TUNE 4”and hold it until the again before the system will turn on. third digit of your code appears. 1. Write down any four-digit number and Release the button. keep it in a safe place. 9. Press “TUNE b”and hold it until the 2. Turn on the ignition switch to the fourth digit of your code appears. “ACC” or “ON’ position. Release the button. 3. Turn the audio system off. 1p. Press “AM-FM’ after you have checked that thecode you entered is 4. Press the “1” and “4” buttons together. the one you wrote down.“rEP’ will Hold them down until “- - - -” shows appear in the display, whichmeans on the display. you need to repeat steps 5 through 9. 11. Press “AM-FM” again and the display will now show “SEC.” How to Shut Off the Theft-Deterrent Feature If your radio is secured (“SEC” shows on the display) and you wish to disable it, enter your security code as follows, pausing no more than 15 seconds between steps: 1. Press the “1” and “4” buttons together. Hold them down until “SEC” shows on the display. You are now ready to enter your security code. 2. Press the “SEEKI” button and hold it until the f i s t digit of your code appears. 3. Press the “SEEK b”button and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. 4. Press the “TUNE 4”button and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. 5. Press the “TUNE b”button and hold it until the fourth digit of your code appears. 6. Press “AM-F’”’ after you have checked that the code you entered matches the one you wrote down. LL - - - - should now appear in the display. ” ...96 If the code is correct. the radio will operate. If the code is wrong, “Err” will appear in the display. To Unlock the System After a Power Loss If power is disrupted to the radio while in the ”SEC” mode, the unit will not work and ”LOC” will show on the display whenever the ignition is on. To unlock the unit: 1. Press “4 SEEK b“and/or ‘‘4TUNE b”and “0000” will appear on the display. 2. Press the “SEEK 4“ button and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. 3. Press the “SEEK b‘*button and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. 4. Press the “TUNE 4’‘button and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. 5. Press the “TUNE b”button and hold it until the fourth digit of your code appears. 6. Press “AM-FM” after you have checked that the code matches the one you wrote down. Now “SEC” will appear on the display. Understanding Radio Reception FM Stereo FM stereo will give you rhe best sound. But FM signals will reach only about I O to 40 miles ( 16 to 65 ktn). And, tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to come and go- A 1LI The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range, however, can cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it. Care of Your Cassette Tape Player A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes, or a damaged mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored i n their cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight. and extreme heat. If they aren’t. they may not operate properly or cause failure of the tape player. Your tape player should be cleaned regularly each month or after every I5 hours o f use. If you notice a reduction in sound quality. try a k n o w n good cassette lo see i f ‘ the tape or the tape player is at f‘ault. If this other cassette has no improvement in sound quality. clean the tape player. 97 . . Comfort Controls and Audio Systems Clean your tape player with a wiping-action, non-abrasive cleaning cassette, and follow the directions provided with it. Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality may degrade over time. Always make sure that the cassette tape is in good condition before you have your tape player serviced. ... 98 Care of Your Compact Discs InteQna Handle discs carefully. Store them in thei original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. 11 the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and clean it, wiping from the center to theedge. Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling discs. Pick up discs by c grasping theouter edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. Jse the knob on the end of the antenna to aise the antenna or to push it back down. :eep the antenna mast clean for good erformance. dways lower the antenna before entering car wash. If you havethe convertible ~ palso , lower the antenna before :moving or installing the top. I 4 Part Your Driving and the Road I H e r e YOU'II find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We've also included many other useful tips on driving . ......................................... DefensiveDriving . . DrunkenDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IControl of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Driving Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IOff-Road Driving w i t h Your GL'OFour-wheel Drive Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DrivingatNight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Driving in the Rain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ICity Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FreewayDriving ................................................. Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WinterDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Towin~aTrL?iler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RecreationalVehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 100 102 107 108 116 117 119 120 121 122 125 129 1 99 . . . Your Driving andthe Road Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your Geo: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts” in the Index.) Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads, or freeways, it means “always expect the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do. Be ready for their mistakes. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. It’s the best defensive driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly. . . ,100 Drunken Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy. It‘s the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every year. Alcohol takes away three things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: 0 Judgment 0 MuscularCoordination Vision Police records show that almost half of all motor vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol - a driver, a passenger or someone else, such as a pedestrian, had been drinking. In most cases, these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking and driving. About 20,000 motor vehicle-related deaths occur’each year because of alcohol, and thousands of people are injured. Just how much alcohol is too much i f a person plans to drive‘? Ideally, no one should drink alcohol and then drive. But if one does, then what’s “too much”‘?It :an be a lot less than many might think. Although it depends on each person and situation, here is some general information on the problem. The Blood Alcohol Content (BACj of someone who is drinking depends upon four things: How much alcohol is in the drink. The drinker’s body weight. The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking. The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume the alcohol. DRINKING THAT Will RESULT IN A BAC OF .05% IN THE TIME SHOWN 1 HOURS ’ HOURS HOUR According to the American Medical Association, a 180-pound (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce (355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the same BAC by drinking three 4-ounce (120 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1- 1/2 ounces (45 ml)of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka. It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person‘s BAC would be close t o 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food just before or during drinking will have a slightly lower BAC level. 100 120 la0 160 160 200 220 240 BODY WEIGHT IN POUNDS The law in most U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC of 0.10 percent. In Canada the limit is 0.08 percent, and in some other countries it’s lower than that. The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three t o six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we’ve seen. it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them. But it’s very important to keep in mind that the ability to drive is affected well below a RAC of 0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching 0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being in an accident increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of 0.06 percent (three beers in one hour for a 180-pound or 82 kg person) has doubled his or her chance of having an accident. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of that driver having an accident is six times greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the chances are twenty-five times greater! And, the body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. ‘‘I’ll be careful” isn’t the right answer. What if there’s an emergency, a need to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street? A person with a higher BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision. 101 . m . Your Driving and the Road There’s something else about drinking and driving that many people don’t know. Medical research shows thatalcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries worse. That’s especially true for brain, spinal cord and heart injuries.That means that if anyone who has been drinking driver or passenger - is in a crash, the chance of being killed or permanently disabled is higher thanif that person had not been drinking. And we’ve already seen that the chance of a crash itself is higher for drinking drivers. Braking Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at the places where thetires meet the road. Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s easy to askmore of those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose control of your vehicle. ... I O 2 Braking action involvesperception time and reaction time. First, you haveto decide to push on the brake pedal. That’s perceptiontime. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That’s reaction time. Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But that’s only an average.It might be less with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could bea lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry,icy); tire tread; and the conditionof your brakes. Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts -heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking - rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and longer brake life. I f your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, ir may take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push. R Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) Your vehicle has an advanced electronic braking system that can help you keep it under control. Here‘s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet. You‘re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS. A computer senses that the rear wheels are slowing down. I f one of the rear wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will work the brakes at the rear wheels. It is programmed t o make the most of available tire and road conditions. As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on rear wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly. Remember: Anti-lock doesn‘t change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal. I f you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop. even though you have anti-lock brakes. To Use Anti-Lock: Use rear-wheel anti-lock like regular brakes. You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise outside your vehicle, but this is normal. Let anti-lock work for you, but remember: Your front wheels can still stop rolling. If 103.. Your Driving and the Road that happens, release enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels rollingagain so that you can steer. With the four-wheel drive option, you won’t have anti-lock braking when you shift into four-wheel drive. But you will have regular braking. When you shift back into two-wheel drive, you will have anti-lock again. Braking in Emergencies At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard braking. You have the rear-wheelanti-lock braking system. Your front wheels can stop rolling when you brake very hard. Once they do, the vehicle can’t respondto your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was headed when the front wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic. So, use a “squeeze” braking technique. This will give you maximum braking while maintaining steering control. You do this by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure. When you do, it will help maintain steering control. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking. ... l o 4 Steering you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Power Steering Suppose you’re steering through a sharp If you lose power steering assist because curve. Then you suddenly apply the the engine stops or the system is not brakes. Both control systems - steering functioning, you can steer but it will take and braking - have to do their work much more effort. where the tires meet the road. Adding the hard braking can demand too much at Steering Tips those places. You can lose control. Driving on Curves The same thing can happen if you’re steering through a sharp curve and you It’s important to takecurves at a suddenly accelerate. Those two control reasonable speed. - steering and accelerationsystems A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen oncurves. can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and make you lose Here’s why: control. Experienced driver or beginner, each of What should you do if this ever happens? us is subject to the same laws of physics Ease up on the brake or accelerator pedal, when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road surface makesit steer the vehicle the way you want it to possible for the vehicle to change its path go, and slow down. when you turn the front wheels. If there’s Speed limit signs nearcurves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of course, no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle the posted speeds are based on good going in the same direction. If you’ve weather and road conditions. Under less ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, favorable conditions you’ll want to go you’ll understand this. slower. The traction you can getin a curve depends on the condition of your tires and If you need to reduce your speedas you approach a curve, do it before you enter the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway. Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking - if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the time for evasive action - steering around the problem. Your Geo can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes, but not enough to lock your front wheels. It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the leftor right depending on the space available. 4n emergency like this requires close ittention and a quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object. The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly. Iff-Road Recovery 7ou may find sometime that your right ,heels have dropped off the edge of a oad onto the shoulder (A) while you’re riving. f the level of the shoulder is only slightl: lelow the pavement, recovery should be airly easy. Ease off the accelerator and hen, if there is nothing in the way, steer o that your vehicle straddles the edge of he pavement. You can turn the steering vheel up to 1/4 turn (B) until the right ront tire contacts the pavement edge. ?hen turn your steering wheel to go traight down the roadway. 105 ... Your Driving andthe Road Passing The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver? Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents - the head-on collision. So here are some tips for passing: “Drive ahead.’’ Look down the road, to the sides, and to crossroads for situations that might affect your passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time. Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken center line usually ... l o 6 0 0 indicates it’s all right to pass (providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic. Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces your area of vision, especially if you’re following a larger vehicle. Also, you won‘t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance. When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t get too close. Time your move so you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a “running start” that more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back. And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity. 0 0 0 0 0 If other cars are lined up to passa slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the blind spot. Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. (Remember that your rightoutside mirror is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is.) Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle. Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn. If you’re being passed, make it easy for the followingdriver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right. I f your vehicle starts t o slide, ease your foot 011' the accelerator pedal and quickly Let's review what driving experts say steer the way you want the vehicle to go. about what happens when the three If you start steering quickly enough. your control system (brakes, steering and vehicle may straighten out. 41ways be acceleration) don't have enough friction ready for ;I sccond skid if it occurs. where the tires meet the road to do what Of course, traction is reduced when water, the driver has asked. snow. ice. gravel. or other material is on In any emergency. don't give up. Keep the road. For safety, you'll want to slow trying to steer and constantly seek an down and adjust your driving t o these escape route or area of less danger. conditions. It is important t o slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping Skidding distance will be longer and vehicle In a skid. a driver can lose control o f the control more limited. vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most While driving on a surface with reduced skids by taking reasonable care suited to traction. try your best to avoid sudden existing conditions. and by not steering, acceleration, o r braking "overdriving" those conditions. But skids (including engine braking by shifting EO a are always possible. lower gear). Any sudden changes could The three types of skids correspond to cause the tires to slide. You may not your Geo's three control systems. In the realize the surface is slippery until youtbraking skid your wheels are.n't rolling. In vehicle is skidding. Learn t o recognize the steering or cornering skid, too much such a s enough water, warning clues speed or steering i n a curve causes tires to ice or packed snow on the road to make ;1 slip and lose cornering force. And i n the "nlir~-or.ed surf'rlce"- and slow down acceleration skid too much throttle causes when you have any doubt. the driving wheels to spin. Remember: The rex-wheel anti-lock A cornering skid and an acceleration skid braking system (RWAL) helps avoid only are best handled by easing your foot off a rear braking skid. In a braking skid the accelerator pedal. (where the front wheels are no longer loss of Control ~ rolling), release enough pressure o n the brakes t o get the front wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you have t o stop suddenly. As long as the I'ront wheels are rolling, you will have sleering control. Driving Guidelines This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a utility vehicle in Consumer Information Regulations issued by the National I-lighway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States Department of Transportation. Utility vehicles have higher ground clearance and a narrower track to make them capable of performing in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design characteristics give them a higher center of gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better view of the road allowing you to anticipate problems. They are not designed for cornering at the same speeds a s conventional 2-wheel drive vehicles any no re than low-slunl7 '.'p -, orts cars are designed to perform satisfitctorily under off-road conditions. If at all possible, avoid shurp turns or abrupt maneuvers. 107 . . . Your Driving and the Road Before You Go Off-Roading There are some things to do before you go out. For example, be sure t o have a l l necessary maintenance and service work done. Be sure you read all the information Off-Road Driving with about your four-wheel drive vehicle in Your Geo Four-wheel this manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully inflated‘? Are the fluid Drive Vehicle levels up where they should be‘? What are This off-road guide is for vehicles that the local laws that apply to off-roacting have four-wheel drive. where you’ll be driving? If you don’t Also, see “Anti-lock Brakes” in the Index. know, you should check with law If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel enforcement people in the area. Will you drive, you shouldn’t drive off-road unless be on someone’s private land? If so, be you’re on a level, solid surface. sure to get the necessary permission. Off-road driving can be great fun. But it Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road does have some definite hazards. The Driving greatest of these is the terrain itself. There are some important things to “Off-roading” means you’ve left the great remember about how to load your North American road system behind. vehicle. Traffic lanes aren‘t marked. Curves aren’t The heavies1 things should be on the banked. There are no road signs. Surfwes load floor and forward of your rear can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. axle. Put heavier items a s far forward I n short, you’ve gone right back to nature. a s you can. Off-road driving involves some new e Be sure the load is secured properly, skills. And that’s why it’s very important so driving on the off-road terrain that you read this guide. You’ll find many doesn’t toss things around. driving tips and suggestions. These will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable. As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or vehicle rollover. = .lo8 You’ll find other important information in this manual. See “Vehicle Loading” and ”Tires” i n the Index. Traveling to Remote Areas It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your route. You are much less likely to get bad surprises. Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of any blocked or closed roads. It’s also a good idea to travel with at least one other vehicle. If something happens to one of them, the other can help quickly. Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to read the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch can be handyif you get stuck. But you’ll want to know how to use it properly. Getting Familiarwith Off-Road Driving It’s a good idea to practice in an area that’s safe and close to home before you go into the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some new and different driving skills. Here’s what we mean. Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to listen for unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms, hands, feet, and body you’ll need to respond to vibrations and vehicle bounce. Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road driving. One of the best ways to control your vehicle is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep in mind. At higher speeds: 0 you approach things faster and you have less time to scan the terrain for obstacles. 0 you have less time to react. 0 you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles. 0 you’ll need more distance for braking, especially since you’re on an unpaved surface. Scanning the Terrain Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain and its many different features. Here are some things to consider. Surface Conditions. Off-roading can take you over hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering, acceleration, and braking of your vehicle in different ways. Depending upon the kind of surface you are on, you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning, delayed acceleration, poor traction, and longer braking distances. Surface Obstacles. Unseen or hidden obstacles can be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can startle you if you’re not prepared for them. Often these obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some things to consider: 0 Is the path ahead clear? 0 Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead? 109 ... Your Driving and the Road Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more discussion of these subjects later.) 0 Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly? When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a firm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can jerk the wheel out of your hands if you’re not prepared. When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t control the vehicle as well or at all. Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s especially important to avoid sudden acceleration, sudden turns, or sudden braking. In a way, off-road driving requiresa different kind of alertness from driving on paved roads and highways. There are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe and what isn’t. Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At the 0 . . .I10 very time you need special alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have a serious - or even fatal -accident if you drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. (See “Drunken Driving” in the Index.) Driving On Off-Road Hills Off-road driving often takes you up, jown, or across a hill. Driving safely on hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can md can’t do. There are some hills that ;imply can’t be driven, no matter how well built the vehicle. Approaching a Hill When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one of those hills that’sjust too steep to climb, descend, or cross. Steepness can be hardto judge. On a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline with onlya small change in elevation where you can easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeperas you near the top, but you may not see this because the crest of the hill is hidden by bushes, grass, or shrubs. Here are some other things to consider as you approach a hill. Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply steeper in places? Is there good traction on thehillside, or will the surface cause tire slipping? Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you won’t have to make turning maneuvers? Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path (boulders, trees, logs or ruts)? What’s beyond the hill?Is there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk thehill if you don’t know. It’s the smart wayto find out. 0 Is the hill simply too rough‘? Steep hills often have ruts, gullies, troughs and exposed rocks because they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion. 0 0 Driving Uphill Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some special steps. 0 Use a low gear and get a firm grip on the steering wheel. Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain your speed. Don’t use more power than you need, because you don’t want your wheels to start spinning or sliding. Try to drive straight up the hill if at a1 possible. If the path twists and turns, you might want to find another route. 0 0 Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill. Attach a flag to the vehicle to tnake you more visible to approaching traffic on trails or hills. Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill to let opposing traffic know you’re there. Use your headlights even during the day. They make you more visible t o oncoming traffic. Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I can’t make it up the hill? A: If this happens, there are some things you should do, and there are some things you must not do. First, here’s what you should do: 0 0 0 0 Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake. I f your engine is still running, shift the transmission into reverse, release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in reverse. If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to restart it. With the brake pedal depressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to “P” (Park) (or, shift to “N” (Neutral) if your vehicle has a manual transmission) and restart the engine. Then, shift to reverse, release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in reverse. As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position. This way, 111 ... Your Driving and the Road you'll be able t o tell if your wheels are 0:Suppose, after stalling, I try t o back stl-aisht and maneuver as you back down the hill and decideI just can't down. It's best t h u r ~ L i);\c.l; I c'lown the do it. What should I do? hill with your wheeis straight rather A: Set the parking brake, put your than in the left or right direction. transmission in "P'* (Park) (orthe Turning the wheel too far to the left o r manual transmission in first gear). and right w i l l increase the possibility of a turn off the engine. Leave the vehicle rollover. and go get some help. Exit on the Here are some things you must not do if uphill side and stay clear of the path you stall, or are about to stall, when going the vehicle would take if it rolled up a hill. downhill. Do not shift thc transfer Never attempt to prevent a stall by case to "N" (Neutral) when you leave shifting into "N" (Neutral) (or the vehicle. Leave it in some gear. depressing the clutch. if you have a manual transmission) to "rev-up" the engine and regain forward rnornentum. This won't work. Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and you could go out of control. Instead. apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift Driving Downhill into reverse, release the parking brake, When off-roading takes you downhill, and slowly back straight down. JOU'II want to consider a number of 0 Never attempt to turn around if you hings: are about to stall when going up a hill. D How steep is the downhill'? Will I be If the hill is steep enough to stall your able to maintain vehicle control'? vehicle, it's steep enough to cause you to roll over if y o u turn around. If you D What's the surfilce like? Smooth? can't make it up the hill, you must Rough'! Slippery'?Hard-packed dirt? back straight down the hill. Gravel'? . . .112 Q: Are there some things I should not Are there hidden surface obstacles? do when driving down a hill? Ruts? Logs? Boulders? 0 What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is A: Yes! These are important because if there a hidden creek bank or even a you ignore them you could lose river bottom with large rocks? control and have a serious accident. If you decide you can go down a hill When driving downhill, avoid turns safely, then try to keep your vehicle that take you across the incline of the headed straight down, and use a low gear. hill. A hill that’s not too steep to drive This way, engine drag can help your down may be too steep to drive brakes and they won’t have to do all the across. You could roll over if you work. Descend slowly, keeping your don’t drive straight down. vehicle under control at all times. Never go downhill with the transmission in “N” (Neutral), or with the clutch pedal depressed in a manual shift. This is called “free-wheeling.” Your brakes will have to do all the work and could overheat and fade. Avoid braking so hard that you lock the front wheels when going downhill. If your front wheels are locked, you can’t steer your vehicle. If your wheels lock up during downhill braking, you may feel the vehicle starting to slide sideways. To regain your direction, just ease off the brakes and steer to keep the frontof the vehicle pointing straight downhill. 0 Q: Am I likely to stall when going downhill? A: It‘s much more likely to happen going uphill. But if it happens going downhill, here’s what to do. 0 0 0 0 Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking brake. Shift to “P” (Park) (or to Neutral with the manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart the engine. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight down. If the engine won’t start, get out and get help. Driving Across an Incline Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across the incline of a hill. If this happeris, you have todecide whether to try to drive across the incline. Here are some things to consider: 0 A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be too steep to drive across. When you go straight up or down a hill, the length of the wheel base (the distance from the front wheels to the rear wheels) reduces the 113 :. . Your Driving andthe Road likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end. But when you drive across an incline. the much more narrow track width (the distance between the left and right whecls) may not prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving across an incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels. This could cause a downhill slide or a rollover. 0 Surfkce conditions can be a problem when you drive across il hill. Loose gravel, muddy spots. or even wet grass can cause your tires to slip sideways, downhill. If the vehicle slips sideways. it can h i t something that will trip it ( a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over. 0 Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of the incline even worse. If you drive across a rock with the uphill wheels, or if the downhill wheels drop into a rut o r depression. your vehicle can tilt even more. For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully whether to try t o drive across an incline. Just because the trail goes across the incline doesn’t mean you have to drive it. The last vehicle t o iry it might have rolled over. . . .I14 Drivihg across an incline that’s too steep will make your vehicle roll over. You could be seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt about the steepness of the incline, don’t drive across it. Find another route instead. Q: What if I’m driving across an incline that’s not too steep, but I hit some loose gravel and start to slide downhill. What should I do‘? A: If you feel your vehicle starting to slide sideways, turn downhill. This should help straighten out the vehicle and prevent the side slipping. However a much better way to prevent this is to get out and “walk the c o m e ” so you know what the surface is like bcforc you drive it. Stalling on an Incline If your vehicle stalls when you’re crossing an incline, be sure you (and your passengers) get out on the uphill side, even if the door there is harder to open. If you get out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll over, you’ll be right in its path. If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path the vehicle will take if it does roll over. A CAUTION: Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice When you drive i n mud, snow or sand, your wheels won't get good traction. You can't accelerate as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you'll need longer braking distances. It's best to use a low gear when you're i n mud -the deeper the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving so you don't get stuck. When you drive on sand, you'll sense a change in wheel traction. But it will depend upon how loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand (as on beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink into the sand. This has an effect on steering. accelerating, and braking. You may want to reduce the air pressure in your tires slightly when driving on sand. This will improve traction. Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfaces, it's very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you will have difficulty accelerating. .4nd if you do get moving, poor steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide out of control. A CAUTION: Driving in Water Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But heavy rain can mean tlash flooding, and tlood waters demand extreme caution. Find out how deep the water is before you drive through it. If it's deep enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe, don't try il - you probably won't get through. Also, water that deep can damage your axle and other vehicle parts. If the water isn't too deep, then drive through i t slowly. At fast speeds. water splashes on your ignition system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you get your tailpipe under water. ,4nd, as 115 ... Your Driving andthe Road long as your tailpipe is under water, you'll exhaust system for damage. Also, check never be able to start your engine. When you go through water, remember that when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer to stop. the fuel lines and cooling systemfor any leakage. Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for additional information. 4 After Off-Road Driving Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody, chassis or under the hood. These accumulations can be a fire hazard. After operation in mud orsand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked. These substances can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and . . .116 Driving at Night Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired - by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Here are some tips on night driving. Drive defensively. Don't drink and drive. Adjust your inside rearview mirrorto reduce the glare from headlights behind you. Since you can't see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles. vehicle with Inisaimed headlights), slow. down a little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching lights. Keep your windshield and a l l the glass on 0 your vehicle clean - inside and out. 0 Glare at night is nladc much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass can build up a f i l m caused by dust. Dirty Night Vision glass makes lights dazzle and flash more No one can see 11s well at night as in the than clean glass would. making the pupils daytime. But as we get older these of your eyes contract repeatedly. differences increase. A SO-year-old driver may require at least twice as much light to Remember that your hcacilights light up far less of' LI roadway when you are i n a see the same thing a ( night :is a turn or curve. 20-year-old. Kecp your eycs moving: that way, it's What you do i n the daytime can also casier to pick out dimly lighted objects. affect your night vision. For example. if you spend the day i n bright sunshine you Just as your headlights should be checked regularly for proper aim. so should your are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes eyes be examined regulurly. Some drivers will have less trouble adjusting t o night. suffer from night blindness - the But if you're driving, don't wear inability to see i n dim light - and aren't sunglasses at night. They may cut down even aware of i t . on glare from headlights. but they also make a lot of things invisible. You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It c;tn take a second or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes t o readjust to the dark. When you are k e d with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn't lower the high beams. or a Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light up only so much road ahead. In remote areas. watchfor animals. If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place m d rest. Driving in the Rain Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road you can't stop, accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn't as good as on dry roads. And, if your tires don't have much tread left, you'll get even less traction. It's always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to f a l l while you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement. The heavier the rain. the harder it is t o see. Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good shape. a heavy rain can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road, and even people walking. 117 . . . Your Driving and the Road It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your windshield washer tank filled. Replace your windshield wiper inserts when theyshow signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate from the inserts. Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going throughsome car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them. Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires that they can actually ride on the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road. Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your tires haven’t much tread orif the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning. Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when it is raining. Some Other Rainy Weather Tips Turn on your low-beam headlights not just your parking lights- to help make you more visible to others. 0 Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be especially careful when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourselfmore ... I 1 8 0 clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road spray. Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See "Tires" in the Index.) Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is there because the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not cleared the intersection or may be running the red light. City Driving One ofthe biggest problems with city streets is the arnount of trafl'ic o n them. You'll want t o watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to traffic signals. Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving: 0 Know the best way to get t o where you are going. Get a city rnap and plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just a s you would for a cross-country trip. Try t o use the freeways that rlrn and crisscross tnost large cities. You'll save time and energy. (See the next section, "Freeway Driving.") 119.. . Your Driving and the Road I’he exit ramp can be curved, sometimes 13egin to check traffic. Try todetermine where you expect to blend with the flow. p i t e sharply. The exit speed is usually Try to merge into the gap at close to the 3osted. Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not to your sense of 1prevailing speed. Switch on your turn motion, After driving for any distance at fsignal, check your mirrors and glance twer your shoulder as often as necessary. higher speeds, you may tend to think you Try to blend smoothly with the traffic are going slower than youactually are. 1flow. Once you are on the freeway, adjust your Before Leavingon a Long Trip !speed to the posted limit or to the Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested, If you must start when you’re not prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay in the 1 Fresh - such as after a day’s work Iright lane unless you want to pass. don’t plan to make too many miles that Before changing lanes, check your Fist part of the journey. Wear comfortable 1mirrors. Then use your turn signal. clothing and shoes you can easily drive Just before you leave the lane, glance in. Iquickly over your shoulder to make sure Ithere isn’t another vehicle in your “blind” [s your vehicle readyfor a long trip?If you keep it serviced and maintained, it’s spot. ready to go. If it needs service, have it IOnce you are moving on the freeway, done before starting out. Of course, make certain you allow a reasonable you’ll find experienced and able service following distance. Expectto move experts in Geo dealerships all across slightly slower at night. North America. They’ll be ready and When you wantto leave the freeway, willing to help if you need it. move to the proper lane well in advance. Here are some things you can check If you miss your exit do not, under any before a trip: circumstances, stop and back up. Drive Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the on to the next exit. reservoir full? Are all windows clean inside and outside? 1 Freeway Driving Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules. The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. At the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the freeway. If you have a clear view of thefreeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you should . . .I20 Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape? Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels? Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean? Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the recommended pressure? 0 Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your route? Should you delay your trip a short time to avoid a major storm system? 0 Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps? Highway Hypnosis Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever. There is something about an easy stretch of road with the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it happento you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a second, and you could crash and be injured. What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can happen. Then here are some tips: 0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior. 0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your instruments frequently. 0 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as an emergency. Hill and Mountain Roads Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or rolling terrain. If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See “Off-Road Driving” in the Index for information about driving off-road.) Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. ILI . .. Your Driving and the Road 0 Know how to go down hills. The moslt important thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. 1 If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope. A CAUTION: Coasting downhill in “N”(Neutral) or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down.They could get so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You could crash. Always have your engine running and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill. . . .122 0 0 0 0 Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission. and you can climb the hill better. Stay in y o ~ own ~ r lane when driving on two-lane roads i n hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut ~tcross[he center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. As you go over the top of a h i l l . be alert. There could be something in your lane. like a stalled car or an accident. You n ~ a ysee highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action. Winter Driving Here are some tips for winter driving: Have your Geo in good shape for winter. Be sure your engine coolant mix is correct. You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle. Include an ice scraper7a small brush or broom. a supply of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth, and a couple of reflective warning triangles. And, i f you will be driving under severe conditions, include :I small bag of sand, ;I piece o f old carpet o r a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure yo11 properl}, secure these i t e m i n your vehicle. Driving on Snow or Ice Most o f the time. those placcs where your tires meet the road probably have good traction. Howe\w-. it’ thcrc is snow or ice between y o u r tires antl the road, you can Iwve ;I very slippery situation. You‘ll have ;t l o t less traction or “grip“ and will need to be very careful. What‘s the worst time for this’?“Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be slick a n d hurd t o drive on. Rut wet ice can be even more trouble because i t nlay offer the least traction o f a l l . You can get ”wet ice” when it’s about freezing (32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to f a l l . Try to avoid hiving on wet ice until salt and sand :rews can get there. Whatever the condition - smooth ice. packed. blowing or loose snow - drive with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction. If y o u accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under the tires even more. Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability t o make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even though you have a n anti-lock braking system. you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See “Anti-lock” i n the Index. 0 Allow greater following distance on any slippery road. 0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you h i t H spot that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road. ice patches may appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of trees. behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surftlce o f a curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch o f ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steerins maneuvers. 123 ... Your Driving and the Road If You’re Caught in a Blizzard If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a serious situation. You should probably stay with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help and you canhike through the snow.Here are some things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your passengers safe: Turn on your hazardflashers. Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that you’ve been stopped by the snow. Puton extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you. If you have no blanketsor extra clothing, make body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor mats -anything you can wrap around yourself or tuck under your clothingto keep warm. You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful. . . ,124 Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your headlights. Letthe heater run for awhile. Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when youfeel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve thefuel as long 3s you can. To help keepwarm, you can get out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half houror so until help comes. Towing a Trailer NOTICE: Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by your warranty, To pull a trailer correctly, follow the advice in this section, and see your Geo dealer for important information about towing a trailer with your vehicle. Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify If You Do Decide to Pull a Trailer what the vehicle trailering capacity is for If you do, here are some important points. your vehicle, you should read the There are many different laws having information in “Weight of the Trailer” that to do with trailering. Make sure your appears later in this section. But trailering rig will be legal, not only where you is different than just driving your vehicle live but also where you’ll be driving. by itself. Trailering means changes in A good source for this information handling, durability, and fuel economy. can be state or provincial police. Successful, safe trailering takes correct Consider using a sway control. You equipment, and it has to be used properly. can ask a hitch dealer about sway That’s the reason for this section. In it are controls. many time-tested, important trailering Don’t tow a trailer at all during the tips and safety rules. Many of these are first 500 miles (800 km) your new important for your safety and that of your vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or passengers. So please read this section other parts could bedamaged. carefully before you pull a trailer. Then, during the first 500 miles (800 Load-pulling components such as the km) that you tow a trailer, don’t drive engine, transmission, wheel assemblies, over 50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t and tires are forced to work harder against make starts at full throttle. This helps the drag of the added weight. The engine your engine and other parts of your is required to operate at relatively higher vehicle wear in at the heavier loads. speeds and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements. 125 ... Your Driving and the Road Three important considerations have to do with weight: Weight of the Trailer How heavy can atrailer safely be? It should never weigh more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg), But even that can be too heavy. It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle. You can ask yourdealer for our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at: Customer Assistance Department Chevrolet/Geo P.O. Box 7047 Troy, MI 48007-7047 In Canada, write to: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Assistance Center 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7 . . ,126 A B Weight of the TrailerTongue The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it affects the total or gross weight of your vehicle. The gross vehicle weight (GVW includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you maycarry in it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And if you will tow a trailer,you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle willbe carrying that weight, too. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index for more information about your vehicle’s maximum load capacity. If you’re using a“dead-weight” hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded trailer weight(B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch, the :railer tongue (A) should weigh 12% of ;he total loaded trailer weight (B). After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are proper. If they uen’t, you may be able to get them right simply by moving some items around in the trailer. Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires Be sure your vehicle’s tiresare inflated to the limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the Certification label at the rear edge of the driver’s door or see “Tire Loading” in the Index. Then be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for your vehicle. Hitches It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roadsare a few reasons why you’ll need theright hitch. Here are some rules to follow: 0 If you use a step bumper hitch, and your trailer tongue has a V-shaped foot, your bumper could be damaged in sharp turns. Check the distance from the front edge of the foot to the middle of the hitch ball socket. If the distance is less than 12 inches, take the foot off the trailer tongue. Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do, then be sure t o seal the holes later when you remove the hitch. If you don't seal them, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your vehicle (see "Carbon Monoxide" in the Index). Dirt and water can, too. own brakes -and they must be adequate. Be sure t o read and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes so you'll be able to 0 install, ad-just and maintain them properly. Don't tap into your vehicle's brake system if the trailer's brake system will use more than 0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of fluid from your vehicle's master cylinder. If it does. both systems won't work well. You could even lose your brakes. Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000 Safety Chains psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not, You should always attach chains between the trailer brake system must not be your vehicle and your trailer. Cross the used with your vehicle. safety chains under the tongue of the If everything checks out this far. then trailer so that the tongue will not drop to make the brake fluid tap at the port on the road if it becomes separated from the the master cylinder that sends fluid to hitch. Instructions about safety chains the rear brakes. But don't use copper may be provided by the hitch tubing for this. If you do, it will bend manufacturer or by the trailer and finally break off. Use steel brake manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer's tubing. recommendation for attaching safety chains. Always leave just enough slack so Driving with a Trailer Towing a trailer requires a certain amount you can turn with pour rig. And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground. of experience. Before setting out for the open road, you'll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel Trailer Brakes of handling and braking with the added If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 weight of the trailer. And always keep in pounds (450 kg) loaded, then it needs its mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly so responsive as your vehicle is by itself. Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform. safety chains, electrical contwxtor. lights, 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 lights and any trailer brakes are still working. Following Distance Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as y o u would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns. Passing You'll need more passing distance up ahead when you're towing a tnliler. And. because you're B good deal longer, you'll need to go much farther beyond the 127 . . . Your Driving and the Road passed vehicle before vou can returnto your lane. 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. When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument panel willflash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailerare 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. 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 Making Turns When you’re turning with a trailer, make might have to use your brakes so much that they would get hot and no longer wider turns thannormal. Do this so your work well. trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, On a long uphill grade, shift down and road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in reduce your speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of advance. engine and transmission overheating. Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer If you are towing a trailer and you have a manual transmission with fifth gear, When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal flasher and you may prefer not to use fifth gear. Just drive in fourth gear (or, as you need to, extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever you .a lower gear). signal a turn or lane change. Properly Parking on Hills hooked up, the trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to You really should not park your vehicle, turn, change lanes or stop. with a trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, yourrig could . . 128 .-’ start to move. People can be injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged. But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s how to do it: 1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “F’” (Park) yet, or into gear for a manual transmission. 2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels. 3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load. 4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking brake, andthen shift to ‘T” (Park), or “R”(Reverse) for a manual transmission. 5. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be surethe transfer case is in a drive gear -not in “N” (Neutral). 6. Release the regular brakes. 2. Letup on the brake pedal. 3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks. 4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks. When You Are Ready to Leave after Parking on a Hill 1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you: Start your engine; Shift into a gear; and 0 Releasetheparkingbrake. Maintenance When Trailer Towing Your vehicle will need service more often when you're pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more on this. rhings that are especially important in :railer operation are automatic .ransmission lluid (don't overfill), engine oil?axle lubricant, belts, cooling system, and brake adjustment. Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index will help you find them quickly. If you're trailering, it's a good idea to review these sections before you start your trip. Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are tight. I I Recreational Vehicle Towing There may be times when you want to :ow your Geo behind another vehicle for Jse at your destination. Be sure to use the proper towing equipment designed for -ecreational towing. Follow the Instructions for the towing equipment. rowing Your Geo from the Rear rhe best way to tow your Geo is from the -ear. Follow these steps: 1. Put the rear wheels on a dolly. I NOTICE: I Do not tow your Geo with the rear wheels i n contact with the ground. or the transmission could be damaged. 1 129. . . Your Driving andthe Road 3. Shift your automatic transmission into 2. Set the parking brake. 3. I f your Geo is a four-wheel-drive vehicle, set your manual freewheeling hubs to ”FREE” or unlock your automatic I‘reewheeling hubs. See “Four-wheel Drive” i n the Index. 4. Turn the ignilion key to ”ACC’‘ to unlock the steering wheel. 5. Clamp the steering wheel i n a straight-ahead position, with a clamping device designed for towing. 6. Release the parking brake. I NOTICE: I Make sure that the towing speeddoes not exceed 55 mph (90 km/h), or your Geo could be badly damaged. ~~ Towing Your Geo from the Front NOTICE: If your vehicle has automatic freewheeling hubs o r two-wheel drive, do not tow it on all four wheels. If you do, your transmission could be damaged. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle with manual freewheeling hubs, i t can be towed from the front with a l l four wheels on the ground. Follow these steps: 1. Set the parking brake. 2. Turn the ignition key to “ACC” t o unlock the steering wheel. . . .130 (Park), or your manual transmission into “2” (Second). 4. Shift the transfer case to “N” (Neutral). 5. Set the hubs to “FREE.” See “Four-wheel Drive” in the Index. 6. Reledse the parking brake, Stop towing every 200 miles (300 km) and start the engine. Leave the transfer case shift lever in ”N” (Neutral). Shift your automatic transmission to “D” (Drive); leave a manual transmission in “2” (Second) and release the clutch. Run the engine a t medium speed for one minute to circulate the oil in the transfer case. Turn the ignition key to “ACC.” Now, you can continue towing your Geo. “P” I I NOTICE: Make sure the towing speed does not exceed SO mph (80 km/h), or your Geo could badly be damaged. I It /A\ H e r e you'll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road. D Part 5 Problems on the Road Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................ JumpStarting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Towing Yourvehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . If You're Stuck: I n Sand, Mud, Ice o r Snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132 133 136 140 I46 IS3 I 131 . . . Problems on the Road j Hazard Warning Flashers Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They also let police know you have a problem. Your front and rear turn signal lights will tlash on and off. . .. I 3 2 Press the button in to make your front and rear turn signal lights flash on and off. Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what position your key is in, and even if the key isn't in. To turn off the flashers, push the switch again. When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn signals won't work. Other Warning Devices If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m>behind your vehicle. I Jump Starting If your battery has run down, you may want to use another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your Geo. But please follow the steps below to do it safely. NOTICE: Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your warranty. Trying to start your Geo by pushing or pulling it could damage your vehicle, even if you have a manual transmission. And if you have an automatic transmission, it won’t start that way. To Jump Start Your Geo: 1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative ground system. NOTICE: 2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching each other. If they are, it could cause a ground connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to start your Geo, and the bad grounding could damage the electrical systems. 3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all lights that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it could save your radio! I NOTICE: I If you leave your radio on, it could be badly damaged. The repairs wouldn’t covered be your bywarranty. I I If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged. 133 ... Problems on the Road 4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on each. 5. Check that the jumper cables don’t 1 have loose or missing insulation.If they do, you could get a shock. The vehicles could be damaged, too. . . .134 6. Positive (+) goes to positive (+) and negative (-) goes to negative (-) or a metal engine part. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+) terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one. 7. Don't let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the positive (+) terminal of the good battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one. 8. Now connect the black negative (-) cable to the good battery's negative (-) terminal. Don't let the other end touch anything until the next step. 9. 'The other end o f the negative cable doesn't go to the dead battery. It goes t o a heavy, unpainted metal part on the engine of the vehicle with the dead battery. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the tiead battery. but not near engine parts that move. The electrical connection is j u s t as good there. but the chance o f sparks getting back to the battery is much less. 10. N o w start the vehicle with the good bartcry ~ l n drun the engine for a while. 11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. I f i t won't start after a few tries. it probably needs service. 135.. Problems on the Road That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that is has the four-wheel-drive option. e The make, model, and year of your vehicle. e Whether you can still move the shift levers for the transmission and transfer case, if you have one. If there was an accident, what was damaged. When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator know that this manual contains detailed towing instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to see them. 0 h I B C 2. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent electrical shorting. Take care that they don't touch each other or any other metal. A. Heavy Metal Engine Part B. GoodBattery C. DeadBattery .. I 3 6 Towing Your Vehicle Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing service tow your Geo. The usual towing equipment is a sling-type ( A ) or a wheel-lift (B) or car carrier (C) tow truck. If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these instructions and illustrations may not be correct. Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers. When you call, tell the towing service: A dolly must be used when towing from the front. G A CAUTION: To help avoid injury to you or others: 0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is being towed. i. Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds. 0 Never tow with damaged parts not fully secured. 0 Never get underyour vehicle after it has been liftedby the tow truck. 0 Always use seperate safety chains on each side when towing a vehicle. 0 Never use T-hooks. Use “J” hooks instead. When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping device designed for towing service. Do not use the vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The transmi.ssion and transfer case, if you have one, should be in “Neutral” and the parking brake released. Don’t have your vehicle towed with the rear wheels in contact with the ground. If a vehicle must be towed from the front with sling-type or wheel lift equipment, the rear wheels must be supported on a dolly. If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, don’t have it towed on the front wheels unless you must. I f a vehicle with four-wheel drive must be towed on the front wheels, set your tnanual, freewheeling hubs to “FREE” or unlock your automatic freewheeling hubs, and set your transfer case to two-wheel drive. If your vehicle must be towed on the front wheels, don‘t go more than 55 rnph (90 km/h). 131 ... Problems on the Road I/ / I i’ront Towing Hook-ZJps ittach “J” hooks to the rear of lower :onlrol arms inboard of springs. Position 4x4 wood beam across sling :hains and against lower control arm fron machment brackets. Position the lower Tour vehicle, called the GVWR (Gross 7Jehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR id u d e s the weight of the vehicle, all 0ccupants, fuel and cargo. Never exceed tlne GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross BYtle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either tlhe front or rear axle. F ind, if you do have a heavy load, you Should spread it out. Don’t carry more tlhan 400 pounds (18 1 kilograms) in your Tear area when four people are in your t wo-wheel drive vehicle. If you have a f our-wheel drive vehicle, don’t carry rnore than 200 pounds (91 kilograms) in 1{our reararea when four people are in Tour vehicle. ) ..I82 Your warranty does not cover parts or components that fail because of overloading. ~ I [f you put things inside your vehiclelike suitcases, tools, packages, or anything else -they will go as fast as the vehicle goes. If you haveto stop or turn quickly, or if there is a crash, they’ll keep going. ! A CAUTION: 1 Tires We don't make tires. Your new vehicle comes with high quality tires made by a leading tire manufacturer. These tires are warranted by the tire manufacturers and their warranties are delivered with every new Geo. If your spare tire is a different brand than your road tires, you will have a tire warranty folder from each of these manufacturers. 183 ... Service and Appearance Care Inflation - Tire Pressure The Certificatioflire label which is on the driver’s door shows the correct inflation pressures for your tires, when they’re cold. ‘Told” means your vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours or driven no more than a mile. NOTICE: Don’t letanyone tell you that underinflation PI:overinflation is all right. It’s not. If your tires don’t have enough air (underinflation) you can get: i Too much flexing 0 Too much heat 0 Tire overloading 0 0 Badwear Bad handling 0 Bad fuel economy. If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you can get: 0 Unusualwear 0 0 Bad handling Rough ride 0 Needless damage from road hazards. . . .I84 When to Check: Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check the tire pressure of the spare tire. How to Check: Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire Ixessure. Simply looking at the tires 1will not tell you the pressure, t:specially if you have radial tires 7which may look properly inflated even .f they’re underinflated. [f your tires have valve caps, be sure to Jut them back on. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture. I 4 ’ire Inspection and Rotation ’0 make your tires last longer, have them nspected and rotated at the mileages ecommended in the Maintenance Ichedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance lervices” in the Index. Jse this rotation pattern. F your spare wheel does not match your lther wheels, you may want to use this lattern. f your vehicle has front tires with ifferent load ratings or tread designs such as all season vs. o d o f froad) than he rear tires, don’t rotate your tires front 3 rear. ifter the tires have been rotated, adjust he front and rear intlation pressure as hown on the Certificationflire label. dake certain that all wheel nuts are lroperly tightened. See “Wheel Nut ’orque” in the Index. Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the p a s to which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts becomeloose &er a time. The wheel could come off and cause an accident. When you change a wheel, remove any rustor dirt from places wherethe wheel attachesto the vehicle. In an emergency, you can use a clothor a paper towel to do this; butbe sure to use a scraper or wire brush later,if you needto, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See “Changing a Rat Tire” in the Index.) 185 ... - Service and Appearance Care 0 When It’s Time for New Tires One way to tell when it’s time for new tires is to check the treadwear indicators, which will appear when your tires have only 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or less of tread remaining. You need a new tire i f 0 You can see the indicators at three or more places around the tire. 0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s rubber. The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep enough to show cord or fabric. The tire has a bump, bulge or split. . . ,186 The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that can’t be repaired well because of the size or location of the damage. Buying New Tires To find out what kind andsize of tires you need, look at the Certificationnire label. The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec) number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires, get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way, your vehiclewill continue to have tires thatare designed to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating, traction, ride and other things during normal service on your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread design, the TPC number will be followed by a “MS” (for mud and snow). If you ever replace your tires with those not having a TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size, load range, speed rating and construction type (bias, bias-belted or radial) as your original tires. Uniform Tire Quality Grading The following information relates to the system developed by the UnitedStates National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which grades tires by treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.) Treadwear The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wearrate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditionsof their use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm due to variationsin driving habits, service practicesand differences in road characteristics and climate. corresponds to alevel of performance which all passenger car tires must meet under the FederalMotor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the Traction - A, B, C minimum required by law. The traction grades, fromhighest to Warning: The temperature grade for this lowest are: A, B, and C. They represent tire is established for atire that is properly the tire’s ability to stop onwet pavement inflated and not overloaded. Excessive as measured under controlled conditions speed, underinflation, or excessive on specified governmenttest surfaces of loading, either separately orin asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C combination, can cause heat buildup and may have poor traction performance. possible tire failure. Warning: The traction grade assigned to These grades aremolded on the sidewalls this tire is based on braking of passenger car tires. (straight-ahead) traction tests and does While the tires available as standard or not include cornering (turning)traction. optional equipment on General Motors vehicles may vary with respect to these Temperature -A, B, C grades, all such tires meet General Motors The temperature grades areA (the performance standards and have been highest), B, and C, representing the tire’s approved for use on General Motors resistance tothe generation of heat and its vehicles. All passenger type (P Metric) ability to dissipate heat when tested under tires must conform to Federal safety controlled conditionson a specified requirements in addition to these grades. indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire The wheels on your vehicle were aligned life, and excessive temperaturecan lead to and balanced carefully at the factory to sudden tire failure. The gradeC give you the longest tire life and best overall performance. In most cases, you will not need to have your wheels aligned again. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels may need to be rebalanced. Wheel Replacement Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly rusted. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your Geo dealerif any of these conditions exist. Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need. Each new wheel should have the same load carrying capacity, diameter, width, offset, and be mounted the same way as the one it replaces. 187 ... Service and Appearance Care If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the right wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for your Geo model. NOTICE: The wrong wheel can also cause problems with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odometer calibration, headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance, and tire or tire chain clearance to the body and chassis. Used Replacement Wheels A CAUTION: Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or how many miles it’s been driven. It couldfail suddenly and cause an accident. If you have to replace awheel use a new GM original equipmentwheel. .. .188 Tire Chains NOTICE: Use tire chains only where legal and only when you must. Use only SAE Class “S” type chains that are the proper size for your tires. Install them on the tires of the drive axle (fourwheel drive vehicles can use chains on both axles). Tighten them as tightly as possible with the ends securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain manufacturer’s instructions. If you can hear the chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten them. If the contact continues, slow down until it stops. Driving too fast with chains on will damage your vehicle. Don‘t use any of these unless this manual says you can. In many uses, these will damage your vehicle: 0 Alcohol Laundry Soap Bleach ReducingAgents Cleaning the lnsideof Your Geo Appearance Care Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some are toxic. Others can burst into flame if you strike a match or get them on a hot part of the vehicle. Some are dangerous if you breathe their fumes in a closed space. When you use anything from a container to clean your Geo, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings and instructions. And always open your doors or windows when you’re cleaning the inside. Never use these to clean your vehicle: Gasoline 0 Benzene Naphtha 0 Carbon Tetrachloride Acetone 0 Paint Thinner Turpentine Lacquer Thinner Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth. Your Geo dealer has two GM cleaners, a solvent-type spot lifter and a foam-type powdered cleaner. They will clean normal spots and stains very well. Do not use them on vinyl or leather. Here are some cleaning tips: Always read the instructions on the cleaner label. Clean up stains as soon as you can - before they set. Nail Polish Remover They can a l l be hazardous - some more thanothers - and they can all damage your vehicle, too. 189 ... Service and Appearance Care Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area often. A soft brush may be used if stains are stubborn. Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area only. If you use them, don’t saturate the stained area. If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire area immediately or it will set. Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt. Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines. Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the directions on the container label. Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge. Don’t saturate the material. Don’t rub it roughly. As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge to remove the suds. Rinse the section with a clean, wet sponge. . . .I90 0 Wipe off what’s left with a slightly damp paper towel or cloth. Then dry it immediately with a blow dryer or a heat lamp. I NOTICE: I Be careful with a hair dryer o r heat lamp. You could scorch the fabric. Wipe with a clean cloth. Using Solvent-Type Cleaner an Fabric First, see if you have to use solvent-type cleaner at all. Some spots and stains will clean off better with just water and mild soap. If you need to use a solvent: 0 Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material with a clean, dull knife or scraper. Use very little cleaner, light pressure and clean cloths (preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at the outside of the stain, “feathering” toward the center. Keep changing to a clean section of the cloth. 0 When you clean a stain from fabric, immediately dry the area with an air hose, hair dryer, or heat lamp to help prevent a cleaning ring. (See the previous NOTICE.) Fabric Protection Your Geo has upholstery that has been treated with Scotchgard Fabric Protector, a 3M product. Scotchgard” protects fabrics by repelling oil and water, which are the carriers of most stains. Even with this protection, you still need to clean your upholstery often to keep it looking new. Further information on cleaning is available by calling 1-800-433-3296 (in Minnesota, 1-800-642-6167). Special Cleaning Problems Greasy or oily stains: Such as grease, oil, butter, margarine, shoe polish, coffee with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic creams, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar and asphalt. 0 Carefully scrape off excess stain. Followthe solvent-type instructions described earlier. Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and asphalt will stain if left on a vehicle seat fabric.They should be removed as soon as possible. Be eareful, because the cleaner will dissolve them and may cause them to spread. Non-greasy stains: Such as catsup, coffee (black), egg, fruit,fruit juice, milk, soft drinks, wine,vomit, urine and blood. Carefully scrape off excess stain, then sponge the soiled area with cool water. If a stain remains, follow the foam-type instructionsdescribed earlier. If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine, treat the area with a waterhaking soda solution: 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup (250 ml) of lukewarm water. If needed, clean lightly with solvent-type cleaner. Combination stains: Such as candy, ice cream, mayonnaise, chili sauce and unknown stains. Carefully scrape off excess stain, then clean with cool water and allow to dry. 0 If a stain remains, clean it with solvent-type cleaner. 0 Cleaning Vinyl Use warm water and a clean cloth. 0 Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You may have to do it more than once. Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if yoa don’t get them off quickly. Use a cleancloth and solvent-type vinyl cleaner. ueaning the Top of the Instrument Panel Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones orwaxes may cause annoying reflectionsin the windshield and even make it difficult to see through the windshield under certain conditions. Care of Safety Belts Cleaning Leather Keep belts clean and dry. Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or saddle soap. For stubborn stains, use a mild solution of 10% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alchohol)and 90% water. Do not;bleach or dye safety belts. Never use oils, varnishes, If you do, it may severely weaken solvent-based or abrasive cleaners, them, In a crash they might not be furniture polish or shoe polish on able to provide adequate protection. leather. Clean safetybelts only with mild soap and lukewarm water. Soiled leather should be cleaned immediately. If dirt is allowed to work into finish,it can harm the leather. Glass Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM Part No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner will remove normal tobacco smoke and dust films. 191 ... Service and Appearance Care Cleaning the Outsideof Your Geo your dealer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials” in the Index.) Your Geo has a “basecoat/clearcoat” pain The paint finish on your vehicle provides finish. The clearcoat gives more depth beauty, depth of color, gloss retention and and gloss to the colored basecoat. Always durability. use waxes and polishes that are Washing Your Vehicle non-abrasive and made for a basecoatfclearcoat paint finish. The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold water. Cleaning the Outside of the Windshield Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays and Wiper Blades Machine compounding or aggressive of the sun. Don’t use strong soaps or polishing on a basecoatfclearcoat If the windshield is not clear after using chemical detergents. Use liquid hand, paint finish may dull the finish or the windshield washer, or if the wiper dish or car washing (mild detergent) leave swirl marks. blade chatters when running, wax or other soaps. Don’t use cleaning agents that material may be on the blade or are petroleum based, or contain acid or windshield. abrasives. All cleaning agents should be Protecting Exterior Bright Metal Parts Clean the outside of the windshield with flushed promptly and not allowed to dry Bright metal parts should be cleaned GM Windshield Cleaner, Bon-Ami on the surface, or they could stain. Dry regularly to keep their luster. Washing Powder@(GM Part No. 105001 1). The the finish with a soft, clean chamois or a with water is all that is usually needed. windshield is clean if beads do not form 100% cotton towel to avoid surface However, you may use GM Chrome when you rinse it with water. scratches and water spotting. Polish on chrome or stainless steel trim, Clean the blade by wiping vigorously High pressure car washes may cause if necessary. with a cloth soaked in full strength water to enter your vehicle. Use special care with aluminum trim. To windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the Finish Care avoid damaging protective trim, never blade with water. use auto or chrome polish, steam or Occasional waxing or mild polishing of Wiper blades should be checked ona caustic soap to clean aluminum. A your Geo may be necessary to remove regular basis and replaced when worn. residue from the paint finish. You can get coating of wax, rubbed to high polish, is recommended for all. bright metal parts. GM approved cleaning products from Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may cause scratches. Avoid placing decals on the inside rear window, since they may have to be scraped off later. If abrasive cleaners are used on the inside of the rear window, an electric defogger element may be damaged. Any temporary license should not be attached across the defogger grid. NOTICE: . . .I92 Special Care for Canvas Top To protect the canvas top: 0 After you wash the vehicle, make sure the top is completely dry before you open orremove it. 0 Don’t get any vinyl cleaner on the vehicle’s painted finish; it could leave streaks. Don’t go through automatic car washes; the canvas top couldbe damaged. The plastic windows are pliable and can be scratchedif you don’t take these precautions when you clean them: 0 Wipe off dust with a soft cotton cloth moistened with clean, cool or lukewarm water. Don’t use a “dry” cloth. Wipe in one directiononly, not back and forth. 0 To remove frost, snow or ice, use lukewarm water. Don’t use a scraper or any de-icing fluids. 0 Wash the windows with a soft cloth and clean, cool orlukewarm water. Never use a dry cloth, hot water, strong soapor detergent, solvents or harsh cleaning agents. Rinse thoroughly and wipe with a slightly moist soft, clean cloth. Don’t put any labels, stickers or tape on windows. It’s hardto remove adhesives left on the window when such items areremoved. If a sticker or label must be removed, remove any adhesive left on the window while the adhesive is still soft and sticky. Press on a new sticker or piece of tape and then lift it off again; keep doing this until all the adhesive lifts off with the sticker or tape. Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped) Your aluminum wheels have a protective zoating similar to the painted surface 3f your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps, :hemicals, chrome polish, abrasive cleaners or abrasive cleaningbrushes on them because you could damage this coating. After rinsing thoroughly, a wax 1miay be applied. NOTICE: If you have aluminum wheels, don’t use an automatic carwash that has hard silicon carbide cleaningbrushes. These brushes can take off the protective coating. Tires Your Geo dealer has a GM White Sidewall Tire Cleaner. You can use a stiff brush with the cleaner. When applying a tire dressing, always take careto wipe off any overspray or splash from painted surfaces. Petroleum-based products may damage the paint finish. Weatherstrips Silicone greaseon weatherstrips will make them last longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak.Apply silicone grease with a cleancloth at least every six months. During very cold, damp weather more frequent application may be required. (See“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.) Sheet Metal Damage If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or replaced to restore corrosion protection. 193 ... Service and AppearanceCare Foreign Material Calcium chloride and other salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bad$droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, and other foreign matter can damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain on painted Surfaces.Use cldners that &e marked safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter. Finish Damage Any stone chips, fractui-es ordeep scratches in the finish should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode quickly and may develop into amajor repair expense. Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up materials available from YOU^ dealer or other service outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected in your dealer’s body and paint shop. ... I 9 4 Underbody Maintenance Chemical Paint Spotting Chemicals used for ice and snow removal Some weather and atmospheric conditions and dust control can collect on the underbody; If these are not removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and exhaust system even though they have corrosion protection. At least every spring, flush these materials .from the underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud and othef deb& can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas of the frame should be loosened before being flushed. Your dealer or an underbody vehicle washing system can do this for you. can create a chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fallu p ~ nand attack painted surfaces on your vehicle.This damage can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped discolorations, and small irregulai dark spots etched into the paint surface. Although no defect in the paint job causes this, Geo will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase, whichever comes first. I AppearanceCareMaterialsChart IPART NUMBER I SIZE DESCRIPTION USAGE I *Not recommendedfor pigskin suede leather. See your General Motors Dealerfor these products. See the Index under “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” for other products. 195 ... Service and Appearance Care 9 Service Parts Identification Label You’ll find this label inside the glove box m the door. It’s veryhelpful if you ever 1need to order parts. On this label is: B -yourVIN, i Vehicle Identification Number (VZN) the model designation, IB paint information, and l a list of all production options and special equipment. Be sure that this label is not removed 1From the vehicle. rhis is the legal identifier for your Geo. It lppears on a plate in the front corner of he instrument panel, on the driver’s side. fou can see it if you look through the windshield from outside your vehicle. h e VIN also appears on the Vehicle ktification and Service Parts labels and he certificates of title and registration. Add-on Electrical Equipment NOTICE: Don’t add anything electrical to your Geo unless you check with your dealer first. Some electrical equipment can damage your vehicle and the damage wouldn’t be coveredby your warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can keep other components from working as they should. Engine Identification rhe eighth character in your VIN isthe :ngine code. This code will help you denti€y your engine, specifications, and meplacement parts. I. . .I96 Fuses and Circuit Breakers The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from short circuits by fuses, circuit breakers and thermal links in the wiring itself. This greatly reduces the chance of fires caused by electrical problems. The main fuse box is in your engine compartment OR the right side. It protects all electrical loads. For access to the main fuses, pull off the cover. A spare fuse is also inside the fuse box. bother fuse box is under the left side of he instrument panel. The fuses here Jrotect each separate circuit including leadlights. If you have electrical failure, :heck here first. Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you replace a bad fuse with a new one of the correct size. I f you ever have a problem on the road and don’t have a spare fuse, you can borrow one. Just pick some feature of your vehicle that you can getalong without - like the radio or cigarette lighter -and use its fuse, if it is the size you need. Replace it as soon as you can. Before replacing a fuse, turn every vehicle electrical \witch off. 197. I Service and Appearance Care 10 - Wiper/Washer ( 15A) 1 1 - Rear Defogger (1 5A) 12 - Heater (25A) 13 - Rear Wheel Anti-Lock Main Relay (20A) 14 - Electronic Fuel Injection Main Relay ( 15A) Main Fuse Block 1 - Generator to Battery Circuit (60A) 2 - Circuits Only Active When Ignition Switch is in “ACC,” “ON” or “START” (50A) 3 - Circuits Always Active (40A) 4 - Circuits Always Active (30A) nstrument Panel Fuse Block - Right Headlight (15A) - Left Headlight; High Beam Indicatol Light ( 1 SA) Taillights; Interior Light; Sidemarker Lights; Instrument Cluster Lights ( 1 SA) . - Stop Lights; Horn (15A) - Hazard Lights (15A) I - Door Lock (Option) (20A) ’ - Lighter; Radio (20A) 1 - Ignition System; Warning and Indicator Lights ( 1 SA) 1 - Turn Signal Lights; Back-up Lights ( 1 SA) ~ I- ~ . . .198 Replacement Bulbs Back-up ........................................................ 1156 Center High-Mounted Stop ........................................... 921 Dome ...................................................... 96051559 Front Parking and Turn Signal .................................... 1157 NA Headlight (Halogen) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9004 Heater or Air Conditioning Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96052599 Indicator and Warning 9433184 Brake ..................................................... Charging System ............................................ 9433 184 CheckEngine ............................................... 9433184 Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9433 184 4WD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9433184 9433 184 Headlight High Beam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SafetyBelt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9433184 9433184 Turnsignal ................................................. InstrumentCluster ............................................. 9605 156 Licenseplate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 9433184 Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rear Defogger Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9606 1736 RearHazardand Turn Signal ........................................ 1156 Rearparkingandstop ............................................. 1157 9606 1736 Rear Wipermasher Switch ..................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Sidemarker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 ... Service and Appearance Care Capacities and Specifications Engine Type .......................................... . * L4 .......... Compression Ratio 8-Valve Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.9: 1 16-Valve Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.5: 1 1-342 Firingorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fuel Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fuel Injection Piston Displacement ........................................ 97 CID (1.6L) Valve Arrangement .................................... In-Head “V” Type AC Belt Tension ... Deflect Belt 0.24-0.35 in. (6-9 mm) @ 22 I lbs. (10 kg.) Pressure Fan Belt Tension Inspection . . . . . . Deflect Belt 0.24-0.32 in. (6-8 mm) @ 22 lbs. (10 kg.) Pressure Replacement . . . . Deflect Belt 0.20-0.28 in. (5-7 mm) @ 22 lbs. (10 kg.) Pressure Thermostat Temperature Specification ......................... 180°F (82°C) Replacement Parts Air Cleaner Filter 8-Valve Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13780-61AAO 16-Valve Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13780-58B20 26-60s Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engine Oil Filter .............................................. 96062415 AC Type GF571 Fuel Filter .............................................. 96058079 PCVValve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Radiator Pressure Cap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 psi Spark Plug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . R43XLS (0.028” - 0.032” Gap) .. .200 Capacities (Approximate) The following approximate capacities aregiven in U.S. and metric conversions. Air Conditioning” . . . . . . . . . . . . . See the refrigerant information label under hood. Automatic Transmission 3.0 qt. (2.8 L)** Drain and Refill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overhaul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.4 qt. (5.1 L) Cooling System Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.5 qt. (5.2 L) Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.6 qt. (5.3 L) Crankcase With Filter Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.5 qt. (4.2 L)* Without Filter Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.2 qt. (4.0 L) Front Differential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1 qt. (1 .O L) Fuel Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.1 gal. (42 L) Manual Transmission 1.6 qt. ( 1.5 L) ** Four-wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Two-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8 qt. (1.7 L) ** Rear Differential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3 qt. (2.2 L) Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8 qt. ( 1.7 L) T Not all air conditioning refrigerants are the same. If the air conditioning system in your vehicle needs refrigerant, be sure the proper refrigerant is used. If you’re not sure, ask your Geo dealer. * When changing the oil filter, additionaloil may be needed. Recheck the oil level after filling. See “Engine Oil”in the Index. ** Recheck fluid level after filling. See “Automatic Transmission Fluid” or “Manual Transmission Fluid” in the Index. 201 ... Service and Appearance Care Wheel Nuts Wheel Nut Torque ..................... ... . . 60 lb. ft. (80 N*m) Vehicle Dimensions Wheelbase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tread Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 5 . 0 ” .. .202 86.6” (2 200 mm) 54.9” (1 395 mm) 55.1”(1400mm) 142.5”(3620mm) 64.2” (1 630 mm) (1651mm) . IMPORTANT: KEEP THE ENGINE OIL AT THE PROPER LEVEL AND CHANGE AS RECOMMENDED Maintenance Schec ule Section T h i s part covers the maintenance required for your Geo . Your vehicle needs these Each services to retain its safety. dependability and emission control performance. 204 Introduction: A Word about Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Your Vehicle and the Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 How This Part Is Organized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 A Scheduled Maintenance Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Using Your Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Selecting the Right Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 Schedule1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Schedule11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214 . . . . . . . . . 218 B . Owner Checks and Services .................... At Fuel Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 At Least Once a Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 Twice At Least a Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219 AtLeastOnceaYear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 223 C Periodic Maintenance Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 D 228 E MaintenanceRecord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Protection Plan Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan supplements your new car warranties. See your GM dealer for details . 203 ... Maintenance Schedule Introduction: A Word about Maintenance We at General Motors want to help you Your Vehicle and the keep your vehicle in good working Environment condition. But we don’t know exactly how you’ll drive it. You may drive very short distances only a few times a week. Or you may drive long distances all the time in very hot, dusty weather. You may use your vehicle in making deliveries. Or you may drive it to work, to do errands or in many other ways. Because of all the different ways people use their GM vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may even need more frequent checks and replacements than you will find in the schedules in this part. So please read this part and note how you drive. If you have any questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition, see your Geo dealer, the place many GM owners choose to have their maintenance work done. Your dealer can be relied upon to use proper parts and practices. . . .204 Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the environment. All recommended maintenance procedures are important. Improper vehicle maintenance or the removal of important components can significantly affect the qualityof the air we breathe. Improper fluid levels or even the wrong tire inflation can increase the level of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our environment, and to help keep your vehicle in good condition, please maintain your vehicle properly. How This Partis Organized The remainder of this part is divided into five sections: “Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows what to have done and how often. Some of these services can be complex, so unless you are technically qualified and have the necessary equipment, you should let your dealer’s service department or another qualified service center do these jobs. f you are skilled enough todo some work on your vehicle, you will probably want to get the service information SM publishes. You will find a list of wblications and how to get them in this nanual. See “Service Publications” in he Index. ‘Section B: Owner Checks and Services” ells you what should be checked whenever you stop for fuel. It also :xplains what you can easily do to help :eep your vehicle in good condition. “Section C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections” explains important inspections that your Geo dealer’s service department or another qualified service center should perform. “Section D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists some products GM recommends to help keep your vehicle properly maintained. These products, or their equivalents, should be used whether you do the work yourself or have it done. “Section E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for you to record the maintenance performed on your vehicle. Whenever any maintenance is performed, be sure to write it down inthis section. This will help you determine when your next maintenance should be done. In addition, it is a good idea to keep your maintenance receipts. They may be needed to qualify your vehicle for warranty repairs. Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services Using Your Maintenance Schedules Selecting the Right Schedule First you’ll need to decide which of the two schedules is right for your vehicle. Here’s how to decide which schedule to follow: Schedule I Is any one of these true for your vehicle? Most trips are less than 4 miles (6 km). Most trips are less than 10 miles (16 km) when outside temperatures are below freezing. The engine is at low speed most ofthe time (as in door-to-door delivery, or in stop-and-go traffic). You operate your vehicle in dusty areas or off-road frequently. D You tow a trailer. [f any one (or more) of these is true for your driving, follow Schedule I. This section tells you the maintenance services you should have done and when you should schedule them. Your Geo dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to be happy withit. If you go to your dealer for your service needs, you’ll knoNI that GM-trained and supported service people will perform the work using genuine GM parts. These schedules are for vehicles that: carry passengers and cargo within recommended limits. You will find these limits on your vehicle’s Tire-Loading Information label. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index. are driven on reasonable road surfaces Schedule I1 within legal driving limits. Follow Schedule I1&no if none of the use the recommended unleaded fuel. lbove conditions is true. See “Fuel” in the Index. 205. .. Maintenance Schedule Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services (Cont.) Schedule l Follow Schedule I if your vehicle is MAINLY driven under one or more of the following conditions: e When most trips are less than 4 miles (6 km). a When most trips are less than 10 miles (16 km) and outside temperatures remain below freezing. a When most trips include extended idling and/or frequent low-speed operation, as in stop-and-go traffic. a When towing a trailer. When operating in dusty areas or off-road frequently. Schedule I should also be followed if the ITEM NO. 1 WHAT TO SERVICE WHEN TO PERFORM See “E,xplanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I und 11. Miles (kilomerers) or Months (whichever occursfirst). Engine OTI and Filter Change* Every 3,000 miles ( 5 000 km) or 3 months. Tire and Wheel Rotation and Inspection Every 6,000 miles (10 000 km). 3 Fan (Water Pump) Drive Belt Service See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I and 11. 4 Camshaft Timing Belt Replacement* At 60,000 miles (100 000 km). See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I and 11. Cooling System Service” Every 30,000 miles (50 000krn) or 30 months. 2 - 5 - Every 15,000 miles (25 000 km) or 15 rnonlhs. Wheel Bearine Insuection 6 See “Explanationof Scheduled Maintenance Transmission (All) and Transfer Case 7 Services” followingSchedules I and 11. Differential (Four-wheel Drive) Service 9 % See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance taxi or other commercial applications. Propeller Shafts and U-Joints Inspection 8 Services” followingSchedules I and 11. * An Emission Control Service. Every 3,000 miles ( 5 000 km) or 3 months. Freewheeling Hubs Inspection (if equipped) 9 t The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board has Every 30,000 miles (50 000 km). Spark Plug Replacement* 10 determined that the failure to perform this Every 60,000 miles (100 000 km) o r 60 months. Spark Plug Wire Replacement” 11 maintenance item will not nullify the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to the completion of vehicle useful lfc. General Morors, howeve); urges that all recommended maintenance services be performed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance be recorded in “SectionE: Maintenance Record.” . . .206 7 12 Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) Valve Reulacement* Every 50.000 miles (X3 000 km). 13 Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System Inspection* Every 50,000 miles (83 000 km). The services shown on this chart up to 60,000 miles (100 000 km) should be performed after 60,000 miles (100 000 km) at the same intervals. MILES (000) 3 1 6 17.5 1 9 112115 118 121 122.5 124127 130 133 136 137.5 ( 3 9 142145 I 4 8 I 5 0 151 152.5 I 54 157 1 6 0 KILOMETERS (000) 207. .. Maintenance Schedule Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services(cont.) Schedule / (Cont.) ITEM NO. * An Emission Control Service. t The US.Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board has determined that the failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to the completion of vehicle useful life. General Motors, however, urges that all recommended maintenance services be performed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance be recorded in “SectionE: Maintenance Record.” 14 15 WHEN TO PERFORM Miles (kilometers)or Months (whichever occurs first). See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I and 11. Air Cleaner Filter Replacement* I FuelTank, Cap and Lines Inspection*t I See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I and 11. 16 Fuel Filter Replacement* Every 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 30 months. 17 Fuel Injector Inspection” Every 100,000 miles (166 000 km). 18 l9 Oxygen Sensor Replacement* I Evaporative Emissions Canister Replacement* 2o Engine Control Module (ECM) and Associated Sensors Inspection* 21 System Hoses Inspection* 22 ~~ 23 Three Wav Catalvtic Converter Inspection* I Engine Timing and Distributor Check* I Every 80,000 miles (133 000 km). Heated Every 100,000 miles (166 000 km). Every 100,000miles (1 66 000 km). Every 60,000 miles (100 000 km). Emission I Every 100,000 miles- (166 000 k m l \ - - - ~~ I Every 60,000 miles (100 000 km). 24 Engine Idle Speed Check*? Every 15,000 miles (25 000 km). 25 26 27 Valve Lash (Clearance) Inspection* Every 15,000 miles (25 000 km). Power Steering System Inspection Every 7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 7.5 months. Wiring Harness and Connectors Inspection* Every 60,000 miles (100 000 km) or 60 months. 28 . .,208 WHAT TO SERVICE See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I and 11. Service Every 60,000 miles (100 000 km). Brake Fluid The services shown on this chartup to 60,000 miles (100 000km) should be performed after 60,000 miles(100 000 km) at the same intervals. I MILES (000) 209. . Maintenance Schedule Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services (Cant.) I I Schedule 11 Follow ScheduleI1 ONLY if none of the drivinp conditions specified in Schedule I apply. ITEM NO. I WHAT TO SERVICE WHEN TO PERFORM See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I and I I . Miles (kilometers) or Months (whichever occursFrst). * An Emission Control Service. t The US.Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air ResourcesBoard has determined that the-failure to pevform this maintenance item will not nuh& the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior tothe completion of vehicle useful life. General Motors, however, urges that all recommended maintenance services be pevformed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance be recorded in “Section E: Maintenance Record. ’’ I . . 210 1 Engine Oil 2 Tire and and Filter Change* Wheel Rotation and Inspection Every 7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 7.5 months. Every 7,500 miles (12 500 km). 211 ... Maintenance Schedule Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services (Cont.) Schedule /I (Cont.) ITEM NO. * An Emission Control Service. t The U S . Environmental Protection Agency WHAT TO SERVICE WHEN TO PERFORM See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I and 11. Miles (kilometers) or Months (whichever occurs first). Air Cleaner Filter Replacement* See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I and 11. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection*? See “Explanation of Scheduled Maintenance Services” following Schedules I and 11. Fuel Filter Replacement* Every 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 30 months. Fuel Injector Inspection* Every 100,000 m i i s (166 000 km). Heated Oxygen Sensor Replacement* Everv 80.000 miles ( 1 33 000 km). Evaporative Emissions Canister Replacement* Every 100,000 miles (166 000 km). 20 Engine Control Module (ECM) and Associated Sensors Inspection” Every 100,000miles (166 000 km). 21 Emission System Hoses Inspection* or theCalifornia Air Resources Board has determined that the failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to the completion of vehicle useful life. General Motors, however, urges that all recommended maintenance services be performed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance be recorded in “SectionE: Maintenance Record.” - Everv 60.000 miles (100 000 km). ~~ . . .212 Three Way Catalytic Converter Inspection* Every 100,000 miles (166 000 km). Engine Timing and Distributor Check* Every 60,000 miles (100 000 km). Engine Idle Speed Check*? Every 15,000 miles (25 000 km). Valve Lash (Clearance) Inspection* Every 15,000 miles (25 000 km). Power Steering System Inspection Every 7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 7.5 months. Wiring Harness and Connectors Inspection* Every 60,000 miles (100 000 km) or 60 months. Brake Fluid Service Every 60,000 miles (100 000 km). The services shown on this chart up to 60,000 miles (100 000km) should be performed after 60,000 miles ( 100 000 ktn) at the same intervals. MILES (000) 3 1 6 17.519 112115118121 122.5 124127130133136 137.5 139142145 I 4 8 I 5 0 151 152.5 I 5 4 157 I 6 0 KILOMETERS (000) 213 i ... Maintenance Schedule Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services (Cont.) ITEM &planation of Scheduled NO. SERVICE Maintenance Services ?allowing are explanations of the services isted in Schedule I and Schedule II. h e proper fluids and lubricants touse are .isted in Section D. Make sure whoever rervices your vehicle uses these. All parts should be replaced and all necessary repairs done before you or anyone else ~ i v e the s vehicle. NOTE: To determine your engine’s displacement and code, see “Engine Identification”in the Index. ITEM NO. SERVICE 1 -e Oil and Filter Change* Always use SH or SG Energy To determine the preferred viscosity for your vehicle’s engine (e.g., S A E 5W-30 or S A E 10W-30), see “Engine Oil” in the Index. 2 3 Conserving II oils of proper viscosity. The “SH”or “SG” designation may be shown alone, or in combination with others, such as “SHKD,” “SH, SG, CD,” “SG/CD,” etc. 4 * An Emission Control Service. . . ,214 Tire Wheel Rotation and Jnspectioq - For proper wear and maximum tire life, rotate your tires following the instructions in this manual. See “Ties, Inspection and Rotation’’ in the Index. Check the tires for uneven wear or damage. If you see irregular or premature wear, check the wheel alignment. Check for damaged wheels also. Fan (Water Pump) Drive Belt S e r v k - Inspect and adjust if necessary at 30,000 mile (50 000 km), or 30 month intervals. Replace the belt at 60,000 miles (100 000 km) and 120,000 miles (200 000 km). -shaft Timin? Belt Replacemeat” - Replace every 60,000 miles (100 000 km) and ITEM NO. SERVICE 5 then inspect after 30,000 miles (50 000 km). Coolin? Sys&nSemice* Drain, flush and refill the system with new orapproved recycled coolant conforming to GM Specification 182SM. Keep coolant at the proper mixture as specified. See “Coolant” in the Index. This provides proper freeze and boil protection, corrosion inhibitor level and maintains proper engine operating temperature. Inspect hoses and replace if they are cracked, swollen or deteriorated. Tighten screw-type hose clamps. Clean the outside of the radiator and air conditioning condenser. Wash the pressure cap and neck. To help ensure proper operation, we recommend a pressure test of both the cooling system and the nressure cap. - ITEM NO. SERVICE 6 Wheel Bearin?InsDection 7 ITEM NO. SERVICE - Inspect for wear and proper adjustment. Relubricate the bearings if grease is contaminated. Transmission (All) and Transfer Case Differential (Four-wheel Drive) Service For the manual transmission and transfer case differential, check the fluid level every time the oil is changed. See “Manual Transmission Fluid” and “Transfer Case” in the Index. Inspect for damageand leaks and change the fluid every 15,000 miles (25 000 km)or 15 months for Schedule I conditions and every 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 30 months for Schedule II conditions. For the automatic transmission, check the fluid level every time the oil ischanged. See “Automatic Transmission Fluid” in the Index. Inspect for damage and leaks and change 8 9 the fluid every 15,000 miles (25 0o0 km) or 15 months for Schedule I conditions and 100,000 miles ( 166 000 km) for Schedule I1 conditions. Replace the automatic transmission cooler hoses every 45,000 miles (75 000 km). Propeller Shafts and U-Joints Inspection - Inspect for looseness and damage. Do this every,.l5months, or at 15,000 mile (25 000 km) intervals, more frequently if used off-road or for pulling a trailer. Tighten U-joint flange bolts if necessary. Freewheeling Hubs InsDection /If Equipped) - Inspect the locking front hubs for correct operation. Repair or replace if necessary. (Both hubs must operate correctly for the front axle to power the frontwheels.) ITEM NO. SERVICE 10 Spark Plug Replacement” - 11 Replace spark plugs with the proper type. See “Replacement Pans” in the Index. Spark Plup Wire Replacement” Replace wires. Check the boot fit at the distributor and at the spark plugs. Operation in extreme cold and/or on salted roads may require more frequent replacement. * An Emission Control Service. t The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency or the CaliforniaAir Resources Board has determined that thefailure to perform this maintenance item will not null@ the emission warranty or limit recall liabilityprior to the completion of vehicle usefullife. General Motors, however, urges that all recommended maintenance services be pegormed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance be recorded in “SectionE: Maintenance Record.’’ 215 ... Maintenance Schedule scection A: Scheduled Maintenance Services (Cont.) 1 ITEM NO. SERVICE 12 Positive Crankcase Ventilation {PCV) Valve Replacement* Inspect valve for proper function. Replace the valve every 50,000 miles (83 000 km) as well as any worn, plugged or collapsed hases. 13 Exhaust Gas Recirculation {EGR)System Inspection* lpspect at50,pOO mile (83 000 km) intervals. Cleaner Filter Replacement*14 Replace every 30,000 miles (50 ODD km) or more often under dusty conditions. Ask your dealer for the proper replacement intervals for your driving qonflitions. 1 ITEM NO. SERVICE 16 17 18 19 20 15 Fuel Tank. Cap and Lines w e c t i o n * t - Inspect fuel tank, cap, lines and hoses for damage or-leaks.Inspect fuel cap gasket for an evenfiller neck imprint or any damage at 30,000 miles (50 000 h). Replace parts as ...216 21 needed. Replace the cap and gasket at 60,000 mile (100 000 km) intervals. Fuel Filter Re&uxmmt* Replace the fuel filter every 30,000 miles (50 000 km), or sooner if clogged. Fuel Injector Inspectim* Inspect at 100,000 mile ( 166 000 km) intervals, Heated O w n Sensor dacemea* - Replace at 80,000 miles (133 000 km). E vat i v e E-ns Canister Redacernent" - Replace at 100,000 mile (166 000 km) intervals. m e Control Module (ECM) and Associated Sensors Jnspectipn* - Inspect at 100,000 mile (1.66 000 km) intervals. . . lsslon Svstem Hoses Inspection" - Inspect at 60,000 mile (100 OD0 km) intervals. - 0 . ITEM NO. SERVICE 22 Three-way C U y t l c Convertex Jnspection" - Inspect at 100,000 mile (166 000 km) intervals. At each si1 change, inspect the entire exhaust system for leaks and loose fittings,especially if the vehicle is used off-road. . . 23 e-E Timing and Dlstnbutor Check* - Adjust the timing to the underhood label specifications. Inspect the inside and outside of the distributor cap and rotor for cracks, carbon tracking and corrosion. Clean or replace as needed. * An Emission Control Service. t The US.Environmental Protection Agency or the California 4ir Resources Eoard has determined that thefailure toperjorm this maintenance itemwill not nullifjt the emission warranty or limit recall liabiliw prior to the completion of vehicle useful life. General Motors, however, urges that all recommended maintenance services bepetfiimed at the indicated intervalsand the maintenancebe recorded in "SectionE: Maintenance Record." ITEM NO. SERVICE 24 Engine Idle Speed-Check*t - 25 26 Check the idle speed and adjust it to underhood label specifications. Valve Lash (Clearance) Inspection” - Inspect the valve lash and adjust if necessary. Power Steering System Inspection - Check the power steering gear box, pump and hose connections for leaks or damage. Check the fluid level on the dipstick. See “Power Steering Fluid” in the Index. Check the drive belt for cracks, fraying and wear. Check belt tension. There should be 0.24-0.35” (6-9 mm) deflection when you press your thumb midway between the pulleys. Adjust or replace belt as needed. * An Emission Control Service. ITEM NO. SERVICE 27 Wiring Harness and Connectors 28 Inspection* - Inspect the underhood wiring harness for loose connections, chafed wires and damage. Brake Fluid Service - Drain, refill and bleed the brake system every 60,000 miles (100 000 km). Use only new DOT-3 fluid from a sealed container. The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board has determined that the failure top e ~ o r mthis maintenance itemwill not nullify the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior tothe completion of vehicle useful life. General Motors, however, urges that all recommended maintenance services be performedat the indicated intervals and the maintenance be recorded in “Section E: Maintenance Record.” r 217 ... Maintenance Schedule iection B: Owner Checks and Services Listed below are owner checks and services which should be performedat the intervals specified to help ensure the safety, dependability and emission control performance of your vehicle. Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once. Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown in Section D. At Each Fuel Fill (It is important for you or a service station attendant to perform these underhoodchecks at each fuel fill.) CHECK OR SERVICE I WHAT TO DO Engine Oil Level Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if necessary. See “Engine Oil” in the Index for further details. Engine Coolant Level Check the engine coolant level and add the proper coolant mixif necessary. See “Coolant” in the Index for further details. Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check the windshield washer fluid level in the windshield washer tank and add the proper fluidif necessary. See “Windshield Washer Fluid” in the Index for further details. Hood Latch Operation Pull the primary hood latch release handle inside the vehicle. The secondary latch should keep the hood from opening all the way when the primary latch is released. Make sure the hood closes firmly. See “Hood Release” in the Index for further details. . ..218 At Least Once a Month r I CHECK I OR SERVICE I WHAT TO DO Tire Inflation Check tire inflation. Make sure they are inflated to the pressures specified on the Tire-Loading Information label located on the driver’s door lock pillar. See “Tires” in the Index for further details. Cassette Deck Clean cassette deck. Cleaning should be done every 15 hours of tape play. See “Audio Systems” in the Index for further details. At least Twice a Year CHECK OR SERVICE Fluid Level Check WHAT TO DO Check the transfer case, axle differential(s) and automatic or manual transmission fluid levels and.add as needed. See “Transfer Case,” “Axle, Rear” “Axle, Front” and “Automatic Transmission” or “Manual Transmission” in the Index. A fluid loss in these systems could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected and repaired at once. 219 ... Maintenance Schedule Section B: Owner Checks and Services (Cont.) At Least Once a Year CHECK OR SERVICE WHAT TO DO Key Lock Cylinders Lubricate the key lock cylinders with thelubricant specified in Section D. Body Lubrication Lubricate all bodydoor hinges. Also lubricate all hinges and latches, including thosefor the hood, rear compartment, glove box door,console door and anyfolding seat hardware. Section D tells you what to use. Starter Switch 1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room around the vehicle. 2. Firmly apply both the parking brake(see “Parking Brake” in the Index if necessary) and the regular brake. NOTE: Do not use the accelerator pedal, and be ready to turnoff the engine immediately if it starts. 3. On automatic transmission vehicles, try to start the engine in each gear. The starter should work only in “P” (Park) or “N” (Neutral). If the starter works in anyother position, your vehicle needs service. On manual transmission vehicles, put the shift lever in“N” (Neutral), push the clutch down halfway and try to start the engine. The starter should work only whenthe clutch is pushed down all the way to the floor. If the starter works when the clutch isn’t pushedall the way down, your vehicle needs service. 1 - . .220 At Least Once a Year (CONT.) CHECK OR SERVICE Brake Transmission Shift Interlock - BTSI (Automatic Transmission) Steering Column Lock ! WHAT TO DO I 1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room around the vehicle. It should be parked on a level surface. 2. Firmly apply the parking brake. (See “Parking Brake” in the Index if necessary). NOTE: Be ready to apply the regular brake immediately if the vehicle begins to move. 3. With the engine off, turn the key to the “ON” position, but don’t start the engine. Without applying the regular brake, try to move the shift lever out of “P” (Park) with normal effort, If the shift lever moves out of “P” (Park) , your vehicle’s BTSI needs service. While parked, and with the parking brake set, try to turn the key to “LOCK” in each shift lever position. 0 With an automatic transmission, the key should turn to “LOCK” only when the shift lever is in “P” (Park). With a manual transmission, the key will turn to “LOCK” only if you push the key in farther, while turning it towards “LOCK.” On vehicles with the key release lever, try to turn the key to “LOCK” without pressing the lever. The key should turn to “LOCK” only with the key lever depressed. On all vehicles, the key should come out only in “LOCK”. LLI I I’ ... Maintenance Schedule Section B: Owner Checks and Services (Cont.) At Least Once a Year (CONT.) CHECK OR SERVICE WHAT TO DO Parking Brake and Automatic Transmission “P” (Park) Mechanism Check Park on a fairly steep hill, with the vehiclefacing downhill. Keeping_ _ yourfoot on the regular brake, set the parking brake. 0 To check the parking brake: With the engine running and transmission in “N” (Neutral), slowly remove foot pressure from the regular brake pedal.Do this until the vehicle is held by the parking brake only. To check the “P” (Park) mechanism’s holding ability: Shift to “P” (Park). Then release all brakes. If your vehicle is four-wheel drive, be sure the transfer case is not in “N” (Neutral). Underbody Flushing I ..222 At least every spring, use plain waterto flush any corrosive materials from the underbody. Take care to clean thoroughly any areas where mud and otherdebris can collect. Maintenance Schedule Section C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections Listed below are inspections and services which should be performed at least twice a year (for instance, each spring and fall). You should let your GM dealer’s service dep,artment or other qualified service center do these jobs. Make sure any necessary repairs are completed at once. ‘ 7 m i - OR SERVICE I I I WHAT SHOULD BE DONE Restraint Systems Now and then, make sure all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors, anchorages and reminder systems are working properly. Look for any loose parts or damage. If you see anything that might keep a restraint system from doing its job, have it repaired. Steering, Suspension and Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Boot and Seal Inspection Exhaust System Inspection Inspect the froht and rear suspension and steering system for damaged, loose or missing parts, signs of wear, or lack of lubrication. Inspect the power steering lines and hoses for proper hookup, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Clean and then inspect the drive axle boot seals for damage, tears or leakage. Replace seals if necessary. Throttle Linkage InsDection Inspect the complete exhaust system. Inspect the body near the exhaust system. Look for broken, damaged, missing or out-of-position parts as well as open seams, holes, loose connections, or other conditions which could cause a heat build-up in the floor pan or could letexhaust fumes into the vehicle. See “Engine Exhaust’’ in the Index. Inspect the throttle linkage for interference or binding, and for damaged or missing parts. Replace parts as needed. I 223. I Maintenance Schedule Section C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections (cont.) INSPECTION OR SERVICE WHAT SHOULD BE DONE Rear Axle (All) and Front Axle (FourWheel Drive) Service Check the gear lubricant level and add if needed. See “Rear Axle”and “Four-Wheel Drive” in the Index. A fluid loss may indicate aproblem. Check the system(s), and repair the system(s) if needed. Refer to “Scheduled Maintenance Services,” earlier in this part, to determine when to change the lubricant. Brake System Inspection Inspect the complete system. Inspect brake lines and hoses for proper hookup, binding, leaks, cracks, chafing, etc. Inspect disc brake pads for wear and rotors for surface condition.Also inspect drum brake linings for wear and cracks. Inspect other brake parts, including drums, wheel cylinders, calipers, parking brake, etc. Check parking brake adjustment. You may need to have your brakes inspected more often if your driving habits or conditionsresult in frequent braking. NOTE: A low brake fluid level can indicate worn disc brake pads which mayneed to be serviced. Also, if the brake system warning light stays on or comes on, something may be wrong with either the regular or rear wheel anti-lock brake system, or both systems. See “Brake System Warning Light” in the Index. Clutch System Service Check clutch pedal free travel and adjust as necessary. See “Clutch Adjustment” in the Index. . ...224 . Maintenance Schedule Section D: Recommended Fluids & Lubricants NOTE: Fluids and lubricants identified below by name, part number or specification may be obtained from your GM Dealer. USAGE FLUID/LUBRICANT Engine Oil API service SH or SG Energy Conserving I1 oils of the proper viscosity. The “SH” or “SG” designation may be shown alone or in combination with others, such as “SH/CD,” or “SH, SG, CD,” “SGKD,” etc. To determine the preferred viscosity for your vehicle’s engine, see “Engine Oil” in the Index. Engine Coolant 50/50 mixture of water (preferably distilled) and good quality ethylene glycol base antifreeze (GM Part No. 1052753 or equivalent) conforming to GM Specification 1825M or approved recycled coolant conforming to GM Specification 1825M. Hydraulic Brake System Delco-Supreme 11’” Brake Fluid (GM Part No. 1052535 or equivalent DOT-3 brake fluid). Parking Brake Guides Chassis lubricant (GM Part No. 1052497 or equivalent)or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI Grade 2, Category LB or GC-LB. DEXR0N’-IIE Automatic Transmission Fluid. Power Steering System Manual Transmission SAE 75W-90 GL-4 (GM Part No. 12346074 Castrol‘ Syntorq GL-4 or equivalent) or SAE 75W-90 GL-5 Gear Lubricant. Automatic Transmission DEXRON3-III or DEXRON”-IIE Automatic Transmission Fluid. 225. .. Maintenance Schedule Section D: Recommended Fluids & Lubr*icants(Cont.) FLUID/LUBRICANT USAGE Key Lock Cylinders Lubricate with Multi-Purpose Lubricant (GM Part No. 12345120) or synthetic SAE 5W-30 engine oil. Manual Transmission Shift Linkage Chassis lubricant (GM Part No. 1052497 or equivalent) or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI Grade 2, Category LB or GC-LB. Automatic Transmission Shift Linkage Engine oil. Clutch Linkage Pivot Points Lithium base grease. Floor Shift Linkage Engine oil. Chassis Lubrication Chassis lubricant (GM Part No. 1052497 or equivalent) or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI Grade 2, Category LB or GC-LB. . .226 FLUID/LUBRICANT USAGE Rear Axle (All) and Front Axle (FourWheel Drive) SAE 7SW-90 GL-5 Hypoid Gear Lubricant. Windshield Washer Solvent GM Optikleen@Washer Solvent (GM Part No. 1051515) or equivalent. Transfer Case (FourWheel Drive) SAE 75W-90 GL-4 Gear Lubricant. Hood Latch Assembly a. Pivots and Spring Anchor b. Release Pawl a. Engine oil. b. Chassis lubricant (GM Part No. 1052497 or equivalent) or lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI Grade 2, Category LB or GC-LB. Hood, Door and Liftgate Hinges, Rear Folding Seat, Fuel Door Hinge, Rear Compartment Lid Hinges Engine oil or Lubriplate Lubricant (GM Part No. lOSOlO9). Weatherstrips Dielectric Silicone Grease (GM Part No. 12345579 or equivalent). J See “Replacement Parts” in the Index for recommended replacement filters, valves and spark plugs. 227. .. Maintenance Schedule Section E: Maintenance Record After the scheduled services are performed, record the date, odometer reading and who performed the service in the columns indicated. When completing the Maintenance Performed column, insert the numbers from the Schedule I or Schedule I1 maintenance charts which correspond to the maintenance performed. Also, you should retain all maintenance receipts. Your owner information portfolio is a convenient place to store them. DATE . . .228 ODOMETER READING SERVICED BY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED OATE ODOMETER READING SERVICED BY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED 229 . .. Maintenance Schedule Section E: Maintenance Record (Cont.) DATE ODOMETER READING SERVICED BY ~~ . . .230 MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ODOMETER READING DATE I MAINTENANCE PERFORMED SERVICED BY I I I I I I I 231 .., Maintenance Schedule Section E: Maintenance Record (cont.) DATE . . ,232 ODOMETER I SERVICED BY READING 1 MAINTENANCE PERFORMED Part 8 Customer Assistance Information H e r e you will find out how to contact ChevroletlGeo if you need assistance. This part also tells you how to obtain service publications and howto report any safety defects. Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . . 234 Customer Assistance tor the Hearing or Speech Impaired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . 234 GM Participation in BBB AUTO LINE - Alternative Dispute Resolution Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Chevrolet/Geo Roadside Assistance Program . . , . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Canadian Roadside Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Service Publications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 233 I . II . Customer Assistance Information Customer Satisfaction Procedure Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to your dealer and Chevrolet/Geo. Normally, any concern with the sales transaction or the operation of your vehicle will be resolved by your dealer’s Sales or Service Departments. Sometimes, however, despite the best intentions of all concerned, misunderstandings can occur. If your concern has not been resolved to your satisfaction, the following steps should be taken: STEP ONE: Discuss your concern with a member of dealership management. Normally, concerns can be quickly resolved at that level. I f the matter has already been reviewed with the Sales, Service, or Parts Manager, contact the owner of the dealership or the General Manager. STEP TWO: If after contacting a member of dealership management, it appears your concern cannot be resolved by the dealership without further help, contact the ChevroletEeo Customer Assistance Center by calling 1-800-222- 1020.In Canada, contact GM . . .234 of Canada Customer Assistance Center in Oshawa by calling 1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French). In Mexico, call (525) 254-3777. In Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands. call 1-809-763- I3 IS. In all other overseas locations,, contact GM North American Export Salcs in Canada by calling 1-905-644-4I 12. For prompt assistance. please have the following information available t o give the Customer Assistance Representative: 0 Yourname.address.homeand business telephone numbers 0 VehicleIdentificationNumber (This is available from the vehicle registration or title, or the plate at the left top of the instrument panel and visible through the windshield.) Dealershipnameandlocation Vehicledeliverydateandpresent mileage Nature of concern We encourage you to call the toll-free number listed previously in order to give your inquiry prompt attention. However. if you wish to write Chevrolet/Geo, write to: Chevrolet/Geo Customer Assistance Center P.O. Box 7047 Troy, MI 48007-7047 Refer to your Warranty andOwner Assistance Information booklet for addresses of Canadian and GM Overseas offices. When contacting Chevrolet/Geo, please remember that your concern will likely be resolved in the dealership, using the dealership’s fxilities, equipment and personnel. That is why we suggest you follow Step One first if you have a concern. Customer Assistance for the Hearing or Speech Impaired (TDD) To assist customers who have hearing difficulties, Chevrolet/Geo has installed special TDD (Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf) equipment at its Customer Assistance Center. Any hearing or speech impaired customer who has access to a TDDor a conventional teletypewriter (TTY) can communicate with Chevrolet by dialing: 1-800-TDD-CHEV ( 1-800-833-2438). (TDD users in Canada can dial I-800-263-3830.} GM Participation in BBB AUTO LINE = Alternative Dispute Resolution Program * If you are not satisfied after following the Customer Satisfaction Procedure, you may contact the BBB using the toll-free telephone number, or write them at the following address: BBB AUTO LINE Both Chevrolet/Geo and your Council of Better Business Bureaus Chevrolet/Geo dealer are committed to 4200 Wilson Boulevard making sure you are completely satisfied Suite 800 with your new vehicle. Our experience Arlington, VA 22203 has shown that, if a situation arises where Telephone: 1-800-955-5 100 you feel your concern has not been To file a claim, you will be asked to adequately addressed, the Customer provide your name and address, your Satisfaction Procedure described earlier in vehicle identification number (VIN), and this section is very successful. a statement of the nature of your There may be instances where an impartial third-party can assist in arriving complaint. Eligibility is limited by vehicle age and mileage, and other factors. at a solution to a disagreement regarding We prefer you utilize the Customer vehicle repairs or interpretation of the Satisfaction Procedure before you resort New Vehicle Limited Warranty. To assist to AUTO LINE, but you may contact the in resolving these disagreements Chevrolet/Geo voluntarily participates in BBB at any time. The BBB will attempt to resolve the complaint serving as an BBB AUTO LINE. intermediary between you and BBB AUTO LINE is an out-of-court Chevrolet/Geo. If this mediation is program administered by the Better Business Bureau system to settle disputes unsuccessful, an informal hearing will be scheduled where eligible customers may between customers and automobile manufacturers. This program is available present their case to an impartial free of charge to customers who currently third-party arbitrator. own or lease a GM vehicle. 1 The arbitrator will make a decision which you may accept or reject. If you accept the decision, GM will be bound by that decision. The entire dispute resolution procedure should ordinarily take about forty days from the time you file a claim until a decision is made. Some state laws may require you to use this program before filing a claim with a state-run arbitration program or in the courts. For further information, contact the BBB at 1-800-955-5100 or the Chevrolet/Geo Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222- 1020. *This program may not beavailable in all states, depending on state law. Canadian owners refer to your Warranty and Owner Assistance information booklet. General Motors reserves the right to change eligibility limitations and/or to discontinue its participation in this program. 235. .. Customer Assistance Information Reporting Safety Defects to the United States Government If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in addition to notifying General Motors. If NHTSA receives similar complaints,it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles. it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your dealer, or General Motors. To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-01 23 in the Washington, D.C. area) or write to: NHTSA U.S. Department of Transportation Washington, D.C. 20590 You can also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from the Hotline. . . .236 Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian Government If you live in Canada, and you believe that your vehicle has a safety defect. you should immediately notify Transport Canada, in addition to notifying General Motors of Canada Limited. You may write to: Transport Canada Box 8880 Ottawa, Ontario K I G 332 Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada) in a situation like this, we certainly hope you’ll notify us. Please :all us at 1-800-222- 1020, or write: Chevrolet/Geo Customer Assistance Center P.O. Box 7047 Troy, MI 48007-7047 In Canada, please call us at 1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854(French). Or, write: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Assistance Center 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L I H 8P7 w Chevrolet/Geo Roadside Assistance Program To enhance Chevrolet/Geo's strong commitment to customer satisfaction, Chevrolet/Geo is excited to provide the services of the Chevrolet/Geo Roadside Assistance Center. Roadside Assistance is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, by calling 1 -800-CHEV USA (1 -800-243-8872). This toll-free number will provide you over-the-phone roadside assistance with minor mechanical problems. If your problem cannot be resolved over the phone, our advisors have access to a nationwide network of dealer recommended service providers. The following services are available: 0 Towing 0 Locksmith 0 Tire Repair 0 Rental car or taxi 0 Additional services asnecessary The Roadside Assistance Center uses companies that will provide you with quality and priority service. When roadside services are required, our advisors will explain any payment obligations that may be incurred for utilizing outside services. For prompt assistance when calling, please have the following available to give to the advisor: 0 Vehicle Identification Number 0 License plate number Vehicle color 0 Vehicle location 0 Telephone number where you can be reached 0 Vehicle mileage 0 Description of problem Canadian Roadside Assistance Vehicles purchased in CANADA have an extensive ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE Program accessible from anywhere in Canada or the U.S.A. Please refer to the separate brochure provided by the dealer or call 1-800-268-6800 for emergency services. w Courtesy Transportation Chevrolet/Geo offers Courtesy Transportation for customers needing warranty service. Courtesy Transportation will be offered in conjunction with the coverage provided by the BUMPER TO BUMPER New Vehicle Limited Warranty to retail and retail lease purchasers of 1994 ChevroletlGeo passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Courtesy Transportation includes: 0 One-way SHUTTLE RIDE for any warranty repair completed during the same day. 0 Up to $30 maximum daily VEHICLE RENTAL allowance for any overnight warranty repair up to 5 days. OR 237.. . Cu.stomer Assistance Information 0 Up to $30 maximum daily CAB, BUS, or OTHER public transportation Service Publications [nformation on how to obtain Product Service Publications (PSP’s) and Indexes 3s described below is applicable only in OR $e fifty U.S. states (and the District of 0 Up to $10 daily FUEL allowance for Columbia) and only for carsand light rides provided by another person (i.e., trucks with GVWR less than 10,000 friend, neighbor, etc.) in lieu of rental pounds (4536 kg). or other public transportation for [n Canada, information pertaining to any overnight warranty repair up to Product Service Bulletins and Indexes 5 days. can be .obtained by writing to: Note: All Courtesy Transportation General Motors of Canada Limited arrangements will be administeredby Service Publications Department your ChevroletIGeo dealership service 1908 Colonel Sam Dr. management. Claim amounts should Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8W reflect all actual costs. Chevrolet/Geo regularly sends its 0 ChevroletlGeo Courtesy dealers useful service bulletins about Transportation is not part of the ChevroletlGeo products. ChevroletlGeo BUMPER TOBUMPER New Vehicle monitors product performance in the Limited Warranty. Chevrolet‘Geo field. We then prepare bulletins for reserves the right to make any servicing our products better. Now, you changes or discontinue Courtesy can get these bulletins too. Transportation at any time without Bulletins cover various subjects. Some notification. pertain to the proper use and care of your For additional program details, contact vehicle. Some describe costly repairs. your ChevroletlGeo dealer. Others describe inexpensive repairs In Canada, please consult your GM which, if done on time with the latest Dealer for information on courtesy parts, may avoid future costly repairs. transportation. Some bulletins tell a technician how to allowance in lieu of rental for any overnight warranty repair up to 5 days. . . .238 :epair a new or unexpectedcondition. 3thers describe a quicker way to fix your vehicle. They can help a technician service your vehicle better. Most bulletins apply to conditions affecting a small number of cars or trucks. Your Chevrolet/Geo dealer or a qualified technician may have to determine if a specific bulletin applies to your vehicle. [ndividual PSP’s If you don’t want to buy all the PSP’s issued by ChevroletlGeo for all car or truck models in the model year, you can buy individual PSP’s, such asthose which may pertain to a particular model. To do this, you will first need to see our index of PSP’s. It provides a variety of information. Here’s what you’llfind in the index andhow you can get one: What You’ll Find in the Index: 0 A list of all PSP’s published by ChevroletlGeo in a model year (1 990 or later). PSP’s covering all models of ChevroletlGeo cars or light trucks (less than 10,000 pounds (4 536 kg) GVWR) are listed in the same index. 0 0 Ordering information so you can buy the specific PSP’s you may want. Price information for the PSP’s y ~ p may want to buy. How You Can Get an Index: Indexes are published periodically. Most of the PSP’s which could potentially apply to the most recent Chevrolet/Geo models will be listed in the most recent publication for that model year. p i s means you may want to wait until the end of the model year before ordering an index, if you are interested in buying PSP’s pertaining to a current model year car or truck. Some PSP’s pertaining to a particular model year vehicle may be published in later years, and these would be listed in the later year’s index. When you order an index for a model year that is notover yet, we’ll send you the most recently published issue. Check the ordering form for indexes for earlier model years. Cut out the ordering form, fill it out, and mail it in. We will then see to i i that an index is mailed to you. There is no charge for indexes for the 1990- 1994 model years. Toll-Free Telephone Number If you want an additional ordering form for an index, just call toll-free and we’ll be happy to send you one. Automated recording equipment will take your name and mailing address. The number to call is 1-800-55 1-4 123. A VERY IMPORTANT REMINDER: These PSP’s are meant for technicians. They are not meant for the “do-it-yourselfer.” Technicians have the squipment, tools, safety instructions, and know-how to do a job quickly and safely. Chevrolet/Geo Service Publications You can get these by using the order form. 239. . . Form Customer Assistance Information 1994 CHEVROLET/GEO SERVICE PUBLICATIONS ORDERING INFORMATION The following publications covering the operation and servicing p u r vehicle of can be purchased by filling out the Service Publications Order hrm in this book and mailing it with p u r check, moneyorder or credit card information to Helm, Incorporated (address listed below). CURRENT PUBLICATIONSFOR 1994 GEO TRACKER SERVICE MANUALS PRODUCT SERVICE PUBLICATIONS Service Manuals have the diagnosis, repair and overhaul information Product Service Publications (PSP’s), are bulletins, letters and articles on engines, transmission, axle, suspension, brakes, electrical, steerpublished for trained dealer service personnel. See Service Publicaing, body, etc. tions listed previously in this section. A cumulativePrice index is publishedNumber quarterly during the current model Form Model by Chevrolet in the model year. 1994 year. The indexes list all PSP’s published Geo Tracker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ST-377-94 $60.00 NOTE: Please specify special body or engine types on order form. PSP Index Write information in the Form Number column. For example: Turbo, Year Price Convertible. .. . Free 1994 PSPI-94. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1993 PSPI-93. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Free OWNER’S INFORMATION ............................ Free 1990-92 PSPI-90-92 Owner publications are written directly for Owners and intended to provide basic operational information about the vehicle. The Owner’s Manual includes the Maintenance Schedule for all models. PSP Bound Bulletin Book (CompleteYear Bulletins) Year Description Form Price Number 1994 Geo Tracker Owner’s Manual 1991 All PSP’S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40.00 PSP-91-4 In Portfolio:lncludes RMfo/io,Owner‘s Manualand Warranty Booklet. 1990 All PSP’S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PSP-904 40.00 1994 Geo Tracker In-Portfolio . . . . . . . . . . .lo260660 $15.00 For subscription information call Helm, Incorporated. Without Portfolio: Includes Owner‘s Manual. 1994 Geo Tracker WithoutPortfolio . . . . . .lo260663 $10.00 , CURRENT & PAST MODEL ORDER FORMS Address Service Publications are available for current and past model Chevrolet/Geo vehicles.To request an order form, please specify year and model name of vehicle. .. .240 all inquiries to: HELM, INCORPORATED RO. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 For information and inquiries call:1-800-?82-4356 CHEVROLET/GEO SERVICE PUBLICATIONS ORDER FORM NOTE: Please complete form below (Print or Type) and MAIL TO: Post Office Box 07130, Detroit, Michigan 48207 ORDER TOLL FREE 1-8001782-4356 (Monday-Friday 8:OO A.M.-6:00 P.M. EST) NOTE Dealers and Companies please provide dealer company or name, and also the name of the person to whose attention the shipment should be sent. For purchases outside U.S.A. please write to the above address for quotation. NAME) (CUSTOMER (ATENTON) (STREET ADDRESS-NO P.O. BOX NUMBERS) + Prices are subject to change withoutnotice without incurring obligation. Orders cannot be returned w'Wout prior authorization.A restocking fee may apply. ( A P T . NO.) 11111 r l Account Number: Expiration Date molyr: 11111m r l l Check here if your billing address is different from your shipping addressshown. (CUSTOMER SIGNATURE) J NOTE TO CANADIAN CUSTOMERS A lllisted pricesare quoted in US. funds. Canadian residentsare to make C ~ ~ WA m S i n V.S. funds. TocovsrCanadian Wage,add $11.5Oplus the U.S. Handling Charge. Requestsfor manuals prlnted in French shouldbe directed to Canadtan General Motors dealerships. Pleaw allow adequate time for postal senrice. 241 ... Notes . .242 A bout Driving Your Tracker . . . . . ABS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add-on Electrical Equipment . . . . . Adding Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Additives. Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjustment. Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjustable Steering Column . . . . . . Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Air Conditioner Controls . . . . . . . . . Air Filter Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . Air Intake Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Airflow Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alignment and Tire Balance. Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aluminum Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AM/FM Stereo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . With Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . With Cassette Tape Player . . . . . . Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anti-Lock Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . To Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appearance Care and Materials . . . . Appearance Care. Service and . . . . . Approaching a Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ashtrays and Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . ................. Ashtray. Front Ashtray. Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assist Grips. Passenger . . . . . . . . . . 3 103 196 171 165 169 53 165 85 166 84 84 187 193 88 93 89 98 103 103 I89 195 155 110 62 63 63 62 Audio Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Audio Systems. Comfort Controls and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Automatic Freewheeling Hubs . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Axle.Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Axle . Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 B a b i e s . Smaller Children and (Safety Belts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Balance. Wheel Alignment 187 and Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BBB Auto Line - Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. GM Participation in . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Before Leaving on a Long Trip . . . . 120 Belt. Lap-Shoulder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Bi-Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Bin. Coinholder and . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Bins. Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Blizzard. If You’re Caught in a . . . 124 Box. Glove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Brakes Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Anti-Lock (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 74 Master Cylinder . . . . . . . . . . 174 Parking . . . . . . . . . 48 Brakes PedalTravel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i76 System Parts. Replacing . . . . . . . . 176 System WarningLight . . . . . . . . . 69 Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i27 Wear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Braking (Control of a Vehicle) . . . . . 102 Braking in Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . 104 “Break.In. NewVehicle . . . . . . . . 39 Bright Metal Parts. Protecting Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Brightness Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Center High-Mounted Stoplight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Front Parking and Turn Signal . . . 178 Headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Rear Combination . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 Rear Sidemarker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Sidemarker . . . . . . . . . ..179 Bulbs.Halogen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Bulbs. Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 .. C a n a d i a n Roadside Assistance . . . 237 Canvas Top Preparing for Storage . . . . . . . . . . 80 Removing and Installing Your . . . 76 Special Care for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Capacities and Specifications . . . . . . 200 Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 243 ... Index Care Appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Canvas Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Cassette Tape Player . . . . . . . . . . 97 Compact Discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Case. Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Case. Transfer (Service) . . . . . . . . . . 170 Cassette Tape. To Play a AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Cornpact Disc Player . . . . . 94 AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Player. AM/FM Stereo with . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Cassette Tape Player. AM/FM Stereo with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Cassette Tape Player. Care ofYour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Certification/Tire Label . . . . . . . . . . 18 1 Chains. Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Changing a Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 ChargingSystem Light . . . . . . . . . . 70 CheckEngineLight . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Checking Things under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 Checking Your Restraint Systems . . 33 Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . 194 Chevrolet/Geo Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 ... 244 Chevrolet/Geo Service Publications (OrderingInformation) . . . . . . . . 240 ChildRestraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Rear Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Right Front Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Top Strap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Where to Put the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Children(SafetyBelts) . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Children. Larger (SafelyBelts) . . . . 32 Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Circuit Breakers. Fusesand . . . . . . . 196 CityDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I19 Cleaner. Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Cleaning AluminumWheels . . . . . . . . 193 Canvas Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Fabric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I90 Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Inside of Your Geo . . . . . . . . . . . . 189 Instrument Panel. Top of . . . . . . . 19 1 Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 1 Outside ofYour Geo . . . . . . . . . . 192 Problems. Special . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 Vinyl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . 192 Clock.Setting the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Clutch Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I69 Coinholderand Bin . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Comfort Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Compact Disc. To Play a . . . . . . . . . 95 Compact Disc Player. AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and . . . . . . . . . 93 Compact Discs. Care of Your . . . . . . 98 Compartments. Door Storage . . . . . . 60 Compartments.Storageand . . . . . . . 60 Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Control. Loss of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Controls Air Conditioner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 84 Comfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Features and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Convertible Top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 59 Convex Outside Mirror . . . . . Coolant Adding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 Engine ..................... 170 Heater. Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 How to Add to the Coolant Recovery Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 How to Add to the Radiator . . . . . 144 Temperature Gage. Engine . . . . . . 70 85 Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . 237 Cupholder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Curves. Driving on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 DriverPosition (Safety Belts) . . . Customer Assistance for the Hearing or Speech Impaired (TDD) . . . . . 234 Driving Across an Incline . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customer Assistance Information . . 233 At Night .................... Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . 234 City ........................ D a m a g e . Finish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Downhill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Damage. Sheet Metal . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Daytime Running Lights . . . . . . . . . 56 Drunken .................... Daytime Running Lights Indicator Freeway .................... Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Light ....................... 72 In Mud. Sand. Ice or Snow . . . . . Deep Standing Water. In theRain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Driving through . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 In Water .................... Defects. Safety 0ff.Road. With Your Geo FourReporting to General Motors . . . . 236 Wheel-Drive Vehicle . . . . . . . . Reporting to the Canadian On Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 On Off-Road Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . Reporting to the United States OnSnow or Ice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Through Deep Standing Water . . . Uphill ...................... Defogger. Rear Window . . . . . . . . . 86 Winter ...................... Defogging and Defrosting Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 With a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dehumidifying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Your Tracker.About . . . . . . . . . . . Dimensions. Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Drunken Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . 156 Dome Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 E a s y Entry Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Door Locks .................... 37 Electrical Equipment. Add-on . . . . . Door Storage Compartments . . . . . . 60 Emergencies.Brakingin . . . . . . . . . Downhill. Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Emergencies. Steering in . . . . . . . . . Drive. Four-wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Drive. Four-wheel (Service) . . . . . . 170 20 Engine Coolant ..................... 170 Coolant (Block) Heater . . . . . . . . 41 113 1 16 Coolant Temperature Gage . . . . . 70 119 51 Exhaust ..................... 100 Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 112 Oil ........................ 162 Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 100 Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 120 107 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 115 Starting Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 117 Environment. Your Vehicle 115 204 andthe ..................... Exhaust. Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 108 Extender. Safety Belt . . . . . . . 1 . . . . 33 104 Exterior Bright Metal Parts. I10 Protecting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 123 41 F a b r i c Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 111 FanControl Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 122 Features and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . 35 127 Filling YourTank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 3 Filter.Air.Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 166 100 Finish Care (Paint) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 FinishDamage (Paint) . . . . . . . . . . . 194 12 Flashers.HazardWarning . . . . . . . . 132 196 Flat Tire. Changing a . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 104 Flat. If a Tire Goes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 105 Flow-ThroughVentilation System . . 86 245 .. Index Fluid Automatic Transmission . . . . . . . 167 Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Manual Transmission . . . . . . . . . . 168 Power Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Windshield Washer . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Folding Rear Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Foreign Countries. Fuels in . . . . . . . 1.57 Foreign Material PaintDamage . . . . 194 Four-wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Four-wheel Drive (Service) . . . . . . . 170 Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle. Off-Road Driving WithYour Geo . . . . . . . . 108 Freeway Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Freewheeling Hubs Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Front Ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 170 Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 SeatSidePockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Seatbacks. Reclining .......... IO TowingHook-ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 69 FuelGage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . 157 Fuse Block, Instrument Panel . . . . . 198 Fuse Block, Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Fusesand Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . 196 ...246 Gages Engine Coolant Temperature . . . . 70 Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Warning Lights and Indicators . . . 68 GasolinesforCleaner Air . . . . . . . . 157 Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 GM Participation in RBB Auto Line . Alrernative Dispute Resolution Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235 Grips . Passenger Assist . . . . . . . . . . 62 Guidelines. Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Recovery Tank . . . . . . . . 142 How to Add Coolant to the ..144 Radiator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hubs. Freewheeling Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Hydroplaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 Hypnosis. Highway . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Identification Number. Vehicle . . . . Identification. Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . If You’re Stuck: In Sand. Mud. Ice o r Snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ignition Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Incline. Driving Across an . . . . . . . . Incline. Stalling on a n . . . . . . . . . . . Intlation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . Inside Day/Night Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . . . InstrumentCluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Instrument PanelBins ........... Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . Instrument Panel . Cleaning the Topof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Interior Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H a l o g e n Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . . . 132 Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 1 Headlight High/Low Beam . . . . . . . 56 Headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Heater Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Heater. EngineCoolant (Block) . . . . 41 Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 1 Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . 121 Hill. Approaching a . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 I O Hitches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Hood Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IS9 Hood . Checking Things under the . . 159 Hook.Ups . Front Towing . . . . . . . . . 138 Hook.Ups. Rear Towing . . . . . . . . . I39 Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 J u m p Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 196 146 153 39 113 114 184 59 59 66 64 61 198 191 57 133 1 Locks. Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 36 Lossof Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Lubricant L a b e l . Certification/Tire . . . . . . . . 181 Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Label. Service Parts Identification . . 196 Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169 Lamp. Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . 7 1 Recommended . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Lane Change Indicator. Transfer Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 Turn Signal and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Lap-Shoulder Belt (Safety Belts) . . . 20 M a i n Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198 Larger Children (Safety Belts) . . . . . 32 Maintenance Leaving YourVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Inspections. Periodic . . . . . . . . . . 223 Leaving Your Vehicle with the 228 Record ..................... Engine Running . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 203 Schedule .................... Lighter. Ashtrays and . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Services. Scheduled . . . . . . . . . . . 206 Lights Underbody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Brake System Warning . . . . . . . . . 69 When Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . 129 Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . 71 Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Manual Check Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Adjust Mirrors. Outside . . . . . . . . 60 Daytime Running . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Freewheeling Hubs . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Daytime Running Lights TransmissionFluid . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Transmission. Five-Speed . . . . . . 44 57 Dome ...................... Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . 71 MasterCylinder.Brake . . . . . . . . . . 174 Gages and Indicators.Warning . . 68 Mirrors Interior ..................... 57 Convex Outside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . 71 Inside Daymight Rearview . . . . . 59 Operation of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Inside Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Safety Belt Reminder . . . . . . . . . . 19 Outside ManualAdjust . . . . . . . . 60 Lights On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 MountainRoads.Hill and . . . . . . . . 121 Loading Your Vehicle .... . 181 Keys ....................... N e w Vehicle “Break-In” . . . . . . . Night Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NightVision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nuts.Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 116 117 202 Odometer. Speedometer and . . . . . 66 Odometer.Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Off-Road Driving After ....................... 116 Before You Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Getting Familiar With . . . . . . . . . 109 Loading Your Vehicle for . . . . . . . 108 On Hills .................... 110 With Your Geo Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Oil. Engine .................... 162 Opening and Closing Your Rear Window .................... 75 Opening and Closing Your sunroof ..................... 74 Operation of Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Outside Manual Adjust Mirrors . . . . 60 Overheating. Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Owner Checks and Services . . . . . . . 218 P (Park) Shifting into . . . P (Park). Shifting out of . . . . . . . 48 . . . . 49 247 ... Paint ChemicalSpotting . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 FinishCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 FinishDamage ............... 194 Foreign Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Parking Brake ...................... 48 OnHills(TrailerTowing) ...... 128 OverThingsThat Burn ........ 51 YourVehicle ................. 50 Parts. Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 PassengerAssistGrips ........... 62 Passenger Positions (Safety Belts) . . 23 RearSeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 RightFront . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Passengers. Rear Seat (SafetyBelts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Passing ....................... 106 PassingSignal ................. 56 PedalTravel.Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Periodic Maintenance Inspections . . 223 Pockets.FrontSeatSide . . . . . . . . . . 61 PowerSteering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 PowerSteeringFluid . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Pregnancy. Safety BeltUse during .................... 23 Preparing Your Canvas Top for Storage ..................... 80 Pressure Cap. Radiator . . . . . . . . . . . 172 Problems on the Road . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Rear Protecting Exterior Bright Metal WindowDefogger ............ 86 192 Parts ....................... Publications.Service . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Window Wipermasher . . . . . . . . 59 Window. Opening and Closing 75 Questions Many People Ask about Your ..................... Window. Removing and Installing Safety Belts- and the Answers. Your ..................... 76 Here are .................. 18 Rearview Mirror Inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Radiator Pressure Cap . . . . . . . . . . 172 Inside Daymight ............. 59 Radiator. How to Add Coolant to the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 RecliningFrontSeatbacks . . . . . . . . 10 RadioReception.Understanding . . . 97 Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Radio. To Play the AM/FMStereo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Recovery Hooks. Using the . . . . . . . 154 Recovery.Off-Road . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape andCompactDiscPlayer ..... 93 Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . 129 Release. Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape ...... 19 89 ReminderLight.SafetyBelt Player .................... . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Rain. Driving in the . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Reminder.LightsOn Rainy Weather Tips. Some Other . . . 118 Remote Areas. Traveling to ....... 109 Removing and InstallingYour Rear CanvasTop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Axle ....................... 169 Removing and Installing Your RearWindow ................ 76 SeatPassengers(SafetyBelts) ... 33 Seat. Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Replacement Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Seat. Securing a Child Restraint Bulbs (Part Numbers) . . . . . . . . . . 199 in the ..................... 28 Bulbs (Service) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 Swing-OutSideWindows . . . . . . 52 Parts ....................... 200 TowingHook-Ups . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Wheel ...................... 187 Wheels.Used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 ReplacingBrake System Parts . . . . . 176 Replacing Safety Belts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . 236 Restraint Systems. Seats and . . . . . . 9 Restraints Checking Your System . . . . . . . . . 33 Child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 I1 Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where to Putthe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Right Front Passenger Position (Safety Belts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Right Front Seat. Securing a Child Restraint in the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Road. Problems on the . . . . . . . . . . . 13I Road. Your Driving and the . . . . . . . 99 Roads. Hill and Mountain . . . . . . . . 121 Roadside Assistance Program. Chevrolet/Geo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237 Roadside Assistance. Canadian . . . . 237 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Rotation. Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185 Running Lights. Daytime . . . . . . . . . 56 Running Your Engine while You’reParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Safety Belts Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 How to Wear Properly . . . . . . . . . 19 Lap-Shoulder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Larger Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Questions People Ask . . . . . . . . . 18 Reminder Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . . . 34 Smaller Children and Babies . . . . 26 They’re for Everyone . . . . . . . . . . 15 Use during Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . 23 Why They Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Safety Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Safety Defects Reporting to General Motors . . . . 236 Reporting to the Canadian Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Reporting to the United States Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Safety Warnings and Symbols . . . . . 5 Scanning theTerrain . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Schedule. Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . 203 Scheduled Maintenance Services . . . 206 Scheduled Maintenance Services. Explanation of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 14 Seats And Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . 9 And Seat Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 S a f e t y Belts Adults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Easy Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Folding Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Care of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 26 Seatback. Reclining Front . . . . . . . . 10 Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Securing a Child Restraint Rear Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 RightFrontSeat Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 And Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . 155 Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . 196 Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Publications Ordering Information. Chevrolet/Geo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Work. Doing Your Own . . . . . . . . 156 Setting theClock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Shift Speeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Shifting into P(Park) . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Shifting outof P(Park) . . . . . . . . . . 49 107 Skidding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Smaller Children and Babies (Safety Belts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Snow or Ice. Driving on . . . . . . . . . . 123 Speakers. Adjusting the AM/FM Stereo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Player . . . . . 94 AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape 90 Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special Care for Canvas Top . . . . . . 193 Specifications. Capacities and . . . . . 200 Speedometer and Odometer . . . . . . . 66 Stalling on an Incline . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Starting Your Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Starting. Jump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 249 . . Index SteamCorningfromYourEngine . . 140 Steering ...................... 104 Column.Adjustable . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Fluid.Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 In Emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Storage Compartments. Door . . . . . . . . . . 60 Preparing Your Canvas Top for . . 80 Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 Stuck: In Sand. Mud. Ice or Snow . . 153 Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Sunroof. Opening and Closing Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Switch. Ignition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Symbols. Safety Warnings and . . . . 5 Symbols. Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tailgate ....................... Tank. Filling Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TemperatureControlLever ....... Terrain.Scanning the . . . . . . . . . . . . Theft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theft Deterrent Feature AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape andCompactDiscPlayer . . . . . AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thermostat .................... ... 250 68 38 158 84 109 39 96 91 172 Tips.Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tips.Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Balance. Wheel Alignment and . . Buying New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing a Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . InflationPressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . InspectionandRotation . . . . . . . . Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Temperature Grades . . . . . . . . . . . TractionGrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treadwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UniformQualityGrading . . . . . . . ....... WhenIt’sTimeforNew Tone. Setting the AM/FM Stereo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape andCompactDiscPlayer . . . . . AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player .................... Top Strap (Child Restraints) . . . . . . . Top. Convertible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Torque Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Towing A Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FrontHook-Ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RearHook-Ups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RecreationalVehicle . . . . . . . . . . YourVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TrailerBrakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 87 183 187 186 188 146 184 185 18I 187 187 186 186 186 89 93 90 28 72 49 Trailer.Towing a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 TransferCase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 TransferCase (Service) . . . . . . . . . . 170 Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Fluid.Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Fluid.Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Transportation.Courtesy . . . . . . . . . 237 Traveling to RemoteAreas . . . . . . . 109 Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Trip. Before Leaving on a Long . . . . 120 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator .................... 54 Turn SignalLights Control/Headlight Beam Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . UnderstandingRadioReception ... Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . Uphill. Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UsedOil.WhattoDoWith ....... Used Replacement Wheels . . . . . . . . UsingtheRecovery Hooks . . . . . . . 194 97 186 111 165 189 154 125 Vehicle Control of a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 138 Damage Warnings ............ 6 139 Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 129 Environment and Your . . . . . . . . . 204 136 IdentificationNumber (VIN) . . . . 196 127 ding Vehicle Leaving Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loading Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Off-Road-Driving With Your Geo Four-Wheel-Drive . . . . . . . . . . Parking Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rocking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Towing Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Towing . Recreational . . . . . . . . . . Washing Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ventilation System . Flow-Through . . . . . .. .. Ventilation Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vision. Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Visors . Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W a r n i n g. Devices . Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lights. Gages andIndicators . . . . Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vehicle Darnage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Washer Fluid. Windshield . . . . . . . . Washers Windshield . . . . . . . . . . . . Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . Water. Driving in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Water. Driving Through ............... Deep . I 37 I 81 108 SO 154 176 7 I36 129 192 85 86 87 11 7 61 132 132 68 S Veatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Weight of the Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Wheel Nut Torque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 Vheels Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 187 Aluminum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Used Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Where to Put the Restraint ...... . . 2 7 (Child Restraints) Nhy Safety Belts Work . . . . . . . . . . 16 Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Defogging and Defrosting . . . . . . 85 Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Rear Swing-Out Side . . . . . . . . . . 5.2 RearDefogger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 windshield Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Washers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 Wipermasher Lever . . . . . . . . . . 57 Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 Wiperwasher, Rear Window . . . . . . 59 Wipermasher Lever. Windshield . . 57 Wipers . Windshield . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 6 174 58 Y o u r Drivingand 192 1I S the Road . . . . 99 41 251 ... Notes .. .252 253. .. . . .254 255.. . ssure Service Station Information Cooling System Reservoir Hood Release See Page 159 Check and add coolant g d y at the coolant recovery tank. The fluid should be at the “FULL” mark when the engine is warm. If the engine is cool, the level should be at the “LOW” mark or a little higher. See Page 170 Washer Windshield Fluid Reservoir Engine Oil Dipstick See Page 174 See Page 162 Battery Engine Oil Fill Cap See Page 163 (IIl Il Il 1 n 1 The Delco Freedom“ battery needs no water. See Page 176 IIII H See Tire-Loading Information label on the inside of the rear edge of the driver’s door. See Page 181 Tire Spare See Tire-Loading Information label on the inside of the rear edge of the driver‘s door. See Page 181 Capacity I 1 U.S. Gal. (42 L). LJse unleaded gas only, 87 octane or higher. See Page 156 i r ! CF CERTIFIED L L 1I r WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION THROUGH Natlonai institute for AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE ILI GM