steering CHEVROLET TRACKER 1995 Owners Manual

Theft New Vehicle LLBreak-In”
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.
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:
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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.
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.
Don’t tow a trailer during “break-in.” See
“Towing a Trailer” in the Index for more
information.
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Ignition Switch
I n 1 With the key in the
ignition switch, you
can turn the switch to
four positions:
I I
LOCK (A): The only position in which you can remove
the key. This locks your steering wheel, ignition and
automatic transmission. Press in the ignition switch as
you turn the top
of it toward you.
If you have an automatic transmission, the ignition
switch can't be turned
to LOCK unless the shift lever is
in the
PARK (P) position.
ACC (B): The position that you can operate your
electrical power accessories.
It unlocks the steering
wheel and ignition. Use this position if
your vehicle
must be pushed
or towed.
ON (C): The position that the switch returns to after you
start your engine and release the switch. The switch
stays in the
ON position when the engine is running. But
even when the 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): The position that 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 sound if you open the driver's
door when the ignition is in
ACC or LOCK and the key
is in the ignition.
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Starting Your Engine
Automatic transmission:
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 the steering 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 key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature.
To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL
(N) only,
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Geo is
moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Manual transmission:
The gear selector should be in neutral. Hold the clutch
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.
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To close the window, pull the latch in and back.
Horn
To sound the horn, press the horn symbol in the center
of your steering wheel.
Adjustable Steering Column (Option)
An adjustable steering column allows you to adjust the
steering column before
you drive.
You can also raise it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when
you exit and enter the vehicle.
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,
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The Turn SignaYLamps
ControVHeadlamp Beam Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
0 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
Headlamp High/Low Beam and Passing Signal
0 Lighting Operation
nrn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal has two upward (for Right) and two
downward
(for Left) positions. These positions allow
you to signal
a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn
is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
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Lamps On Reminder Windshield Wipermasher Lever
If you turn the ignition off, remove the key, open the
door and leave the lamps on, a chime will remind you to
turn
off your lamps.
Headlamp High/Low Beam
First, you must have the
headlamps on. For high
beams, push the turn signal
lever away from you. When
the high beams are
on, a
blue light on the instrument
panel also will be on.
It will
go
off when you switch to
low beam.
To switch back to low beams, pull the lever toward you.
Passing Signal
With the lever in the low beam position, pull the lever
toward you to momentarily switch to high beam (to
~ signal that you are going to pass). When you release the
lever, the headlamps will return to low beam operation. The lever
on the right side
of the steering column
controls the windshield wipers
and washers.
Move the wiper switch to the position you want:
OFF: The wipers are off.
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 continuously at low speed.
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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 the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more
of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. 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 be a 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 condition
of your brakes.
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Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
You have the rear-wheel anti-lock braking system. Your
front wheels can stop rolling when
you brake very hard.
Once they do, the vehicle can’t respond to 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.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you
can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of us is subject to
the same laws
of physics when driving on curves. The
traction
of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle
to change its path when you turn
the front wheels.
If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction.
If you’ve ever
tried
to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in
a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can
control.
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Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control
systems
-- steering and braking -- have to do their
work where the tires meet the road. Adding the hard
bralung can demand too much at those places. You can
lose control.
The same thing can happen if you’re steering through
a
sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those two
control systems
-- steering and acceleration -- can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road
and make
you lose control.
What should
you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle
the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that
you should
adjust your speed.
Of course, the posted speeds are
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
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. (See “Braking in Emergencies’’
earlier in this section.) It is better to remove
as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer
around the problem,
to the left or right depending on the
space available.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a
curve, do it before you enter 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.
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An emergency like this requires close attention 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.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you're driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can
turn the steering wheel up to 114 turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn
your steering wheel to
go straight down the roadway.
OFF ROAD RECOVERY
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