check engine light CHEVROLET TRACKER 1998 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Air bags inflate with great force, faster than the
blink of an eye.
If you’re too close to an inflating
air bag, it could seriously injure you. This is true
even
with reduced-force frontal air bags. Safety
belts help keep you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with
reduced-force air bags. The driver should sit as
far back as possible while still maintaining
control of the vehicle.
6& CAWTION:
Children who are up against, or very close to, an
air bag when it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. This is true even
if your vehicle has
reduced-force frontal air bags. Air bags plus
lap-shoulder belts offer the best protection for
CAUTION: (Continued) adults, but not
for young children
and infants.
Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its air
bag system is designed for them. Young children
and infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide. Always secure
children properly in your vehicle.
To read how,
see the part of this manual called (‘Children” and
see the caution labels on the sunvisors and the
right front passenger’s safety belt.
AIR
BAG
There is an air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows AIR BAG.
The system checks the air
bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if
there is an electrical
problem. See “Air Bag Readiness Light” in the
Index
for more information.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But
if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your
dealer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you go
in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the
extender will be long enough for you. The extender will
be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle that
you choose. Don’t let someone else
use it, and use it
only for the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all
your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If
you see
anythmg that might keep a safety belt system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect
you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
N~SO look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow
starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release
it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows
don’t flash but just stay on, a signal bulb may be burned
out and other drivers won’t
see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a
turn, check the fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit
Breakers” in the Index) and for burned-out bulbs.
Lamps On Reminder
If you turn the ignition off, remove the key, open the
door and leave the lamps on, a tone will remind you
to
turn off your lamps.
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
First, you must have the headlamps on. For high beams,
push the
turn signal lever toward the instrument panel.
When the high beams are
on, a 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.
Flash-to-Pass
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help
you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you
know when
there’s
a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you
are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about
it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to
ON or START, a light will
come on and stay on to
remind people to fasten
their safety belts, unless
the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, a tone will also
sound.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows
AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should
go out. This means
the system is ready.
If
the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to
ON. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
Charging System Light
This light will come on
briefly when you turn on the
ignition, but the engine
is
not running, as a check to
show you it is working.
Then it should go out when
the engine starts.
If the light stays on or comes on while you are driving,
you may have a problem with the electrical charging
system. It could indicate that you have a loose generator
drive belt or another electrical problem. Have it checked
right away. Driving while this light is on could drain
your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with this light
on, be
certain to
turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
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- .. ~

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon
Light)
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
control systems.
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
fuel, ignition and emission
This system is called OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The
SERVICE ENGINE SOON light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light
will also come on durinp a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0 Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system
on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and service may be required.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear,
misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once
the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn
on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
hll tank of the proper fuel to turn the light
off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Light
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine,
or come on when
you are driving.
This indicates that there is not enough pressure to keep
your engine properly lubricated and cool. The engine
could be low on oil, or have some other oil related
problem. Have it fixed right away.
The oil light could also come
on in three other situations.
e
e
e
When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a test
to show you it is
working, but the light will go out when you turn the
engine to START.
If it doesn’t come on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have it fixed right away.
Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, the
light may blink on and off. This is normal.
If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a
moment. This
is normal.
2-65

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil
as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Power Indicator Light (If Equipped)
POWER
This light comes on when
the power mode selector
switch is turned to
POWER
(P) with the
ignition switch in the
ON position.
This light comes on as a check for approximately
5 seconds when the ignition key is turned to ON
or START.
Overdrive Off Light (If Equipped)
O/D OFF
This light comes on when
the automatic four-speed
transmission has been
converted to the three-speed
mode and the overdrive is
turned
off.
This light also comes on as a check for approximately
5 seconds when the ignition key is turned to ON
or STmT.
2-66

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops.
Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking.
If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will
use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (Option)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is
an advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
ABS
If your vehicle has anti-lock
brakes, this warning light on
the instrument panel will
come on briefly when you
start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive away, your anti-lock brake system will check
itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
If there’s
a problem with the anti-lock brake system, the
anti-lock brake system warning light will stay on or
flash. See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” in
the Index.
4-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to
glare from headlamps behind you.
slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light
to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But
if you’re driving, don’t wear sunglasses
at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they
also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more
than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you
are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren’t even aware of it.
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