tires CHEVROLET TRACKER 1994 Owner's Manual

~ 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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:enter High-Mounted Stoplight
Hardtop)
i, remove the bulb:
. Remove the side pins.
!. Pull the housing forward.
1. Turn the socket counterclockwise and
pull
it out.
I. Pull the bulb out of the socket.
i. Reverse the steps with a new bulb.
ll TIRE PLACARD
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Center High-Mounted Stoplight
(Convertible)
To remove the bulb:
1, Remove the two screws and the lens
housing.
pull
it out.
2. Turn the socket counterclockwise and
3. Pull the bulb out of the socket.
4. Reverse the steps with a new bulb.
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight
it may properly carry. The
Tire-Loading Information label found
on
the driver’s door lock pillar tells you the
proper size, speed rating and
recommended inflation pressures for the
tires on your vehicle.
It also gives you
important information about the number
of people that can be
in your vehicle and
the total weight that
you can carry. This
weight is called the Vehicle Capacity
Weight and includes the weight
of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
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! 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.
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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 let anyone 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 Bad wear
0 Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you can get:
0 Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
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
I
1
t
7
xessure. Simply looking at the tires
will not tell
you the pressure,
:specially if you have radial tires
-
which 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.
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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.
odoff road) 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
pas to which it is fastened, can
make wheel nuts become loose &er
a time. The wheel
could come off and
cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to
the vehicle. In an emergency, you
can use a cloth or a paper towel to
do this; but be sure to use a scraper
or wire brush later, if you need to,
to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing
a Rat Tire” in the Index.)
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-
Service and Appearance Care
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
if
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
0 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 and size 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 vehicle
will
continue to have tires that are 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 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.)
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
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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. 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.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s
resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade
C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or
in
combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
These grades are molded on the sidewalls
of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or
optional equipment on General Motors
vehicles may vary with respect to these
grades, all such tires meet General Motors
performance standards and have been
approved for use on General Motors
vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric)
tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements in addition to these grades.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to 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 dealer if 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.
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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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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 or remove it.
vehicle’s painted finish; it could leave
streaks.
Don’t go through automatic car
washes; the canvas top could be
damaged.
The plastic windows are pliable and can
be scratched if you don’t take these
precautions when you clean them:
0 Don’t get any vinyl cleaner on the
0
0
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 direction only, not
back and forth.
To remove frost, snow or ice, use
lukewarm water. Don’t use a scraper
or any de-icing fluids.
Wash the windows with a soft cloth
and clean, cool or lukewarm water.
Never use a dry cloth, hot water,
strong soap or detergent, solvents or
harsh cleaning agents. Rinse
thoroughly and wipe with a slightly
moist soft, clean cloth.
1
Don’t put any labels, stickers or tape
on windows. It’s hard to remove
adhesives left on the window when
such items are removed.
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 cleaning brushes
on them because you could damage this
coating. After rinsing thoroughly, a wax
mi ay be applied.
NOTICE:
If you have aluminum wheels, don’t
use an automatic car wash that has
hard silicon carbide cleaning brushes.
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 care to wipe
off any overspray
or splash from painted surfaces.
Petroleum-based products may damage
the paint finish.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will
make them last longer, seal better, and
not stick or squeak. Apply silicone
grease with a clean cloth 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.
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Maintenance Schedule
Section A: Scheduled Maintenance Services (Cont.)
&planation of Scheduled
Maintenance Services
?allowing are explanations of the services
isted in Schedule
I and Schedule II.
he proper fluids and lubricants to use 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
~ives the 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
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.
* An Emission Control Service.
ITEM
NO. SERVICE
2
3
4
To determine the preferred
viscosity for your vehicle’s
engine (e.g.,
SAE 5W-30 or SAE
10W-30), see “Engine Oil” in
the Index.
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
Servk
- 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
then inspect after 30,000 miles
(50 000 km).
Drain, flush and refill the system
with new or approved 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.
5 Coolin? Sys&nSemice* -
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