light CHEVROLET TRACKER 1997 Workshop Manual

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. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter. Turn
off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries.
In addition, it could save your radio!
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive
+ and negative (-) terminals on each battery.
I A CAUTION:
I
An electric fan can start up even when the
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and
tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
-
CAUTION:
If your vehicle has air conditioning, the auxiliary
electric fan under the hood can start
up even
when the engine
is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
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Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight
if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of
fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that first. If you don’t, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or
on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
A CAUTION:
-
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.
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Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear (or
with a manual transmission, between FIRST (1) or
SECOND
(2) and REVERSE(R)), spinning the wheels
as little
as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is
in gear. If that doesn’t get you
out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out, Or,
you can use your recovery hooks if your vehicle has
them. If you do need to be towed
out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
Using the Recovery Hooks
Your vehicle is equipped with recovery hooks. The
recovery hooks are provided
at the front and rear of your
vehicle. You may need to
use them if you’re stuck
off-road and need to be pulled
to some place where you
can continue driving.
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The cap is behind a hinged door on the passenger’s side
of your vehicle. On four-door models, use the key to the
vehicle to unlock the
fuel door.
To take off the cap, turn it slowly
to the left
(counterclockwise).
1 /1 CAUTION:
If you get gasoline on yourself and then
something ignites it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out on you
if you open the
fuel filler cap
too quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise
to stop. Then unscrew
the cap all the
way.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces
as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside of Your Geo”
in the Index. When you
put the cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise)
until you hear at least three clicks. Make
sure you
fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp”
in
the Index.
I
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit or have proper
venting. This may cause
your malfunction
indicator lamp to light and your fuel tank and
emissions system may be damaged. See
“Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in the Index.
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Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps
are on.
Then lift the hood to relieve pressure
on the hood prop.
Remove the hood prop from the slot in the hood and
return the prop to its retainer. Then let the hood down
and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
If the engine oil pressure
light
on the instrument
panel comes on, it means
you need to check your
engine oil
level right away.
For more information, see “Engine Oil Pressure Light”
in the Index. You should check your engine oil level
regularly; this is an added reminder. It’s
a good idea
to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order
to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and
the vehicle must be on level ground.
Turn off the engine and
give the oil a few minutes
to drain back into the oil
pan. If
you don’t, the oil
dipstick might not show the
actual level.
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Front Axle
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Periodic Maintenance Inspections” and “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the differential is at operating temperature (warm),
add enough lubricant to raise the level to the bottom of
the filler plug
hole.
If the differential is cold, add enough lubricant to raise
the level to 1/2 inch
(I 2 mm) below the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -33°F (-36°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 258°F (125°C).
0 Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
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Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel
nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected. Also, the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time the tires
are removed for rotation or changing. When you
have the front brakes replaced, have
the rear brakes
inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection”
in Section 7 of this
manual under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections”.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or
if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign
of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you have to have new ones put in
-- be sure you
get new approved
GM replacement parts. If you don’t,
your brakes may
no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change
in many other ways if
someone puts in
the wrong replacement brake parts.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow
tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate 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 conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based
on braking (straight ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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Don’t use any of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Geo
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 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:
1. Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
2. Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
3. Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area
often.
A soft brush may be used if stains are stubborn.
4. Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area
only. If you use them, don’t saturate the stained area.
5. If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it will set.
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
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 and 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.
Wipe
off what’s left with a slightly damp paper towel
or cloth.
Dry it immediately with a blow dryer.
Wipe with
a clean cloth.
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Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on 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:
1. Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material with
2. Use very little cleaner, light pressure and clean cloths
(preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at the
outside
of the stain, “feathering” toward the center.
a clean, dull
knife or scraper.
3. Keep changing to a clean section of the cloth.
4. When you clean
a stain from fabric, immediately
dry the area with a blow dryer to help prevent a
cleaning ring.
Fabric Protection
Your Geo has upholstery that has been treated with
Scotchgard” Fabric Protector, a
3M product. It 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
Stains caused by grease, oil, butter, margarine, shoe
polish, coffee with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic
creams, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar and asphalt
can be removed as follows:
1. Carefully scrape off excess stain.
2. Follow the solvent-type instructions described earlier.
Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and asphalt will stain
if left
on a vehicle’s seat fabric. They should be removed as
soon as possible. Be careful, because the cleaner will
dissolve them and may cause them to spread.
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