tow CHEVROLET TRACKER 1996 Service Manual

Attach a separate safety chain around the outboard end
of each lower control arm.
Rear Towing
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 kmh).
A towing dolly must be used under the front wheels
when towing from the reur.
r
Attach J-hooks around the axle tube.
I NOTICE:
Take care not to damage the brake pipes on the
axle tubes.
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
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.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
0 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
or
DRIVE (D) for automatic transmissions.
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE @
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can dnve.
Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the
warning doesn’t come back on, you can dnve 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 stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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If a Tire Goes Plat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especiaIIy
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak put slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about
what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal
and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go.
It may be
very
bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
I
’ A CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people.
You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle
from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift
lever in PARK (P) or shift a manual
transmission to FIRST (1) or
REVERSE
(R).
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle,
be sure the transfer case is in
a drive
gear
-- not in NEUTRAL (N).
4. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
~~
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A CAUTIQN:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after
a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the 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.
k!, CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
6. Replace the wheel nuts with the rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel. Tighten each nut by hand
until the wheel
is held against the hub.
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Rocking your vehicle to.get it out: Using the Recovery Hooks
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, b’etween 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.
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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A CAUTION:
The recovery hooks, when used, are under a lot of
force. Always pull the vehicle straight
out. Never
pull on the hooks at a sideways angle. The hooks
could break off and
you or others could be
injured from the chain or cable snapping back.
NOTICE:
Never use the recovery hooks to tow the vehicle.
Your vehicle could be damaged and
it would not
be covered by warranty.
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Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
iApBrh, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
When to Add Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD mark, then you’ll need
to
add some oil. But you must use the right kind. This
part explains what kind of oil to use. For crankcase
capacity, see “Capacities
and Specifications” in the Index.
NOTICE:
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the upper
mark that shows the proper operating range,
your engine could be damaged.
Just fill it enough to put the level somewhere in the
proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when you’re through.
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As shown in the chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your
vehicle. However, you can use SAE
1OW-30 if it’s going
to be 0°F (-1 8 “C) or above. These numbers on an oil
container
show its viscosity, or thickness. Do not use
other viscosity oils, such
as SAE 20W-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
“Starburst”
symbol. Failure to use the
recommended oil can result in engine damage
not covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your Geo dealer is ready
to advise if
you think something should‘be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
0
e
e
0
e
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
You operate your vehicle in dusty areas or
off-road frequently.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine
oil to
break down sooner.
If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your
oil and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none of them is true, change oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 7.5 months -- whichever
occurs first.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warned
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
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3. Pull out the filter.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32” C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not
require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
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Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
0 Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
0 With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever
in PARK (P).
Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more. Then,
without shutting
off the engine, follow
these steps:
1.
2.
Pull out the dipstick
and wipe it with
a clean
rag or paper towel.
Push it back
in all the
way, wait three seconds
and then pull it back
out again.
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