brake light CHEVROLET TRACKER 1994 User Guide

Your Driving and the Road
long as your tailpipe is under water, you'll
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.
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 or sand, have the
brake linings cleaned and checked. These
substances can cause glazing and uneven
braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust system
for damage.
Also, check
the fuel lines and cooling system for any
leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent
service due to off-road
use. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule for additional
information.
4 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 mirror to
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.
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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 they show
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 through some 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 or
if
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 yourself more
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0
0
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?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
weather outlook along your route?
Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
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 happen
to 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.
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Include an ice scraper7 a 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,
if you will be driving under severe
conditions, include
:I small bag of sand, ;I
piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap
bags to
help provide traction. Be sure yo11
properl}, secure these item in your
vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time. those placcs where your
tires meet the road probably have good
traction.
Howe\w-.
it’ thcrc is snow or ice between
your tires antl the road, you can Iwve ;I
very slippery situation. You‘ll have ;t lot
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 and
hurd to drive on. Rut wet ice can be even
more trouble because
it nlay offer the
least traction
of all. You can get ”wet ice”
when it’s about freezing
(32°F; 0°C) and
freezing rain begins to fall. 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 you accelerate too fast,
the drive wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your
ability
to make a hard stop on a slippery
road. Even though you have
an anti-lock
braking system.
you’ll want to begin
stopping sooner than
you would on dry
pavement.
See “Anti-lock” in the Index.
0
0
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road
might be fine
until you hit 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
of a curve or
an overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear.
If you
see a patch of 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.
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0
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
to 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.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between
your vehicle and your trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of the
trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to
the road if
it becomes separated from the
hitch. Instructions about safety chains
may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer
or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer's
recommendation
for attaching safety
chains. Always leave just enough slack
so
you can turn with pour rig. And, never
allow safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000
pounds (450 kg) loaded, then it needs its
own brakes -and they must be adequate.
Be sure
to read and follow the instructions
for the trailer brakes so you'll be able to
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
psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not,
the trailer brake system must not be
used
with your vehicle.
If everything checks out this far. then
make the brake fluid tap at the port on
the master cylinder that sends fluid
to
the rear brakes. But don't use copper
tubing for
this. If you do, it will bend
and finally break off. Use steel brake
tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount
of experience. Before setting out for the
open road, you'll want
to get to know
your rig. Acquaint yourself
with the feel
of handling and braking with the added
weight
of the trailer. And always keep in
mind that the vehicle you are driving is
now a good deal longer and not nearly 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
you 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
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Your Driving and the Road
passed vehicle before vou can return to
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.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal.
Do this so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lights will also
flash, telling other drivers you’re about to
turn, change lanes or stop. When towing
a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs
are still working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes
so much
that they would get hot and no longer
work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around
45 mph
(70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transmission overheating.
If
you are towing a trailer and you have
a manual transmission with fifth gear,
you may prefer not
to use fifth gear. Just
drive in fourth gear (or, as
you need to,
.a lower gear).
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle,
with a trailer attached, on a hill. If
something goes wrong, your
rig could 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
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load.
trailer wheels.
4. Reapply the regular brakes.
Then
apply your parking brake, and then
shift to
‘T” (Park), or “R” (Reverse)
for a manual transmission.
5. If you have a four-wheel-drive
vehicle, be sure the transfer case is
in
a drive gear - not in “N” (Neutral).
6. Release the regular brakes.
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~ Service and Appearance Care
r
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive
with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
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.
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.
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.
If your brake pedal goes down farther
than normal, your rear drum brakes may
need adjustment. Adjust them by backing
up and firmly applying the brakes a few
times.
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.
Vehicles we design and test have
top-quality GM brake parts in them, as
your Geo does when it is new. 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
genuine
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.
Battery
Every new Geo has a Delco Freedoms
battery.
You never have to add water to
one
of these. When it’s time for a new
battery, we recommend a Delco
Freedoma battery. Get one that has the
catalog number shown on the original
battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle
for
25 days or more, take off the black,
negative
(-) cable from the battery. This
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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 could
fail suddenly
and cause an accident.
If you have
to replace a wheel
use a new GM
original equipment wheel.
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 (four-
wheel 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.
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Replacement Bulbs
Back-up ........................................................ 1156
Dome
...................................................... 96051559
Center High-Mounted Stop
........................................... 921
Front Parking and
Turn Signal .................................... 1157 NA
Headlight (Halogen) ............................................... 9004
Heater
or Air Conditioning Control ............................... 96052599
Charging System
............................................ 9433 184
Engine Oil Pressure
.......................................... 9433 184
4WD
...................................................... 9433184
Headlight High Beam
......................................... 9433 184
Instrument Cluster
............................................. 9605 156
Rear Defogger Switch ......................................... 9606 1736
Rear Hazard and
Turn Signal ........................................ 1156
Rear Wipermasher Switch
..................................... 9606 1736
Indicator and Warning
Brake
..................................................... 9433184
CheckEngine
............................................... 9433184
SafetyBelt
................................................. 9433184
Turnsignal
................................................. 9433184
Licenseplate
..................................................... 194
Lighter
...................................................... 9433184
Rearparkingandstop
............................................. 1157
Sidemarker ......................................... ............ 194
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Maintenance Schedule
Section C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections (cont.)
INSPECTION
OR SERVICE
Rear Axle (All) and
Front Axle (Four-
Wheel Drive) Service
Brake System
Inspection
Clutch System Service
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
Check the gear lubricant level and add if needed. See “Rear Axle” and “Four-Wheel Drive” in
the Index. A fluid loss may indicate a problem. 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.
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 conditions result in frequent
braking.
NOTE: A low brake fluid level can indicate worn disc brake pads which may need to be serv-
iced. 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.
Check clutch pedal free travel and adjust
as necessary. See “Clutch Adjustment” in the Index. ..
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