transmission CHEVROLET TRACKER 1995 Owner's Manual

0 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.
Know how to go down hills. The most 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.
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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 your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads
in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center
of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
You may
see 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.
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Recreational Vehicle Towing
There may be times when you want to tow your Geo
behind another vehicle for use at your destination. Be
sure to use the proper towing equipment designed for
recreational towing. Follow the instructions for the
towing equipment.
Towing Your Geo from the Rear
The best way to cow your Geo is from the rear. Follow
these steps:
1. Put the rear wheels on a dolly.
I NOTICE:
Do not tow your Geo with the rear wheels in
contact with the ground,
or the transmission
could be damaged.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. If your Geo is a four-wheel-drive vehicle, set your
manual freewheeling hubs
to FREE or unlock your
automatic freewheeling hubs. See “Four-wheel
Drive” in the Index.
4. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the steering
5. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
wheel.
position, with a clamping device designed for
towing.
6. Release the parking brake.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
55 mph
(90 km/h), or your Geo could be badly
damaged.
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Towing Your Geo from the Front
I NOTICE:
If your vehicle has automatic freewheeling hubs
or 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, it can be towed from the front with
all four wheels on the ground. Follow these steps:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the steering
wheel.
3. Shift your automatic transmission into PARK (P), or
your manual transmission into SECOND
(2).
4. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N).
5. Set the hubs to FREE. See “Four-wheel Drive” in
the Index.
6. Release the parking brake.
Stop towing every
200 miles (300 km) and start
the engine. Leave the transfer
case shift lever in
NEUTRAL (N). Shift your automatic transmission
to
DRIVE (D); leave a manual transmission in
SECOND
(2) with the clutch engaged. Run the engine
at 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.
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Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity
is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that
appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability, and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many
of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine,
transmission, wheel assemblies, and tires are forced
to
work harder against the drag of the added weight. The
engine
is required to operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s
more, the trailer adds considerably
to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having
to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will
be legal, not only where you live but
also where
you’ll be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You
can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear
in at the
heavier loads.
If
you have an automatic transmission, you should use
DRIVE (D) (or, as
you need to, a lower gear) when
towing
a trailer. Operating your vehicle in DRIVE (D)
when towing a trailer will minimize heat build-up and
extend the
life of your transmission. If you have a
manual transmission and
you are towing a trailer, it’s
better
not to use FIFTH (5) gear. Just drive in
FOURTH (4) gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
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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
PARK
(P) 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, and then shift to PARK
(P), or REVERSE (R)
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
NEUTRAL
(N).
6. Release the regular brakes.
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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 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up 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.
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. Things that
are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (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.
4-51
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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.
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.
Wying 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:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
~ ~ ~
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.
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Towing Your Vehicle
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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:
0 A dolly must be used when towing from the front.
That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever for the
transmission and transfer case, if you have
one.
the four-wheel-drive option.
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.
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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 transmission
and transfer
case, if you have one, should be in
NEUTRAL (N) 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 rear 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. If a vehicle with
four-wheel-drive must be towed
on the front wheels, set
your manual, 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 mph (90 km/h).
5-7
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam,
the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If
you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D) for automatic transmissions.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can drive.
Just to be safe, drive slower for about ten minutes. If the
warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still
no sign of steam, you can idle the engine for two
or
three minutes while you’re parked, to see if the warning
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