instrument panel CHEVROLET TRACKER 1998 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones
take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make
such good sense.
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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 How the Air Bag System Works
Where are the air bags?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel. The
right front passenger’s
air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If something is between an occupant and an air
bag, the bag might
not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person. The path
of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t
put anything between an occupant and an air
bag, and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering.
When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crash. The
air bag will inflate
only
if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.” If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is
about
8 to 12 mph (1 3 to 19 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The
air bag is
not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and
how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or
near-frontal impacts.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See “Off-Road
Driving” in the Index for more tips on off-road driving.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel.
Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts.
Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags would
not help you in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts and
side impacts, primarily
because an occupant’s motion
is not toward those air
bags. Air bags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in
moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so
quickly that some people may not even realize the
air bag inflated. Some components
of the air bag
module
-- the steering wheel hub for the driver’s
air bag,
or the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s bag
-- will be hot for a short time. The parts
of the bag that come into contact with you may
be
warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some
smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated air
bags. Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from
seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it
stop people from leaving the vehicle.
’ A CAUT IN: rn
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with
a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out
as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air
by opening a window or door.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields
are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
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0
e
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, you’ll need some new
parts for your air bag
system. If you don’t get them, the air bag system
won’t be there to help protect you in another crash.
A
new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to reglace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped wityi a,t-fslsh sensing
and diagnostic module, which records information
about the air bag system. The module records
information about the readiness of the system,
when the sensors
are activated and driver’s safety
belt usage at deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air
bag system. Improper service can mean that your
air bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer
for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s air bag, the bag may not work properly.
You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s air bag.
Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as
water up to
the carpeting or higher -- or if water enters
your vehicle and
soaks the carpet, the air bag controller
can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens, and then
you start your vehicle, the damage could make the air
bags inflate, even if there’s
no crash. You would have to
replace the air bags
as well as the sensors and related
parts. If your vehicle is ever in a flood, or
if it’s exposed
to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid needless
repair costs by turning off the vehicle immediately.
Don’t
let anyone start the vehicle, even to tow it, unless
the battery cables are first disconnected.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine e Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel a\
nd the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
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Keys
Door Locks Tailgate
Theft
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions Starting Your Engine
Automatic Transmission Operation
Manual Transmission Operation
Four-wheel Drive (If Equipped)
Parking Brake
Shifting Into PARK (P) (Automatic
Transmission Only) Shifting Out
of PARK (P) (Automatic
Transmission)
Parking Over Things That Burn
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Engine Exhaust
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
(Automatic Transmission)
Windows
Horn
Turn SignaYMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps Mirrors Storage Compartments
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
Sun Visors
Convertible Top (If Equipped)
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Cluster
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tailgate
It can be dangerous to drive with the tailgate
window open because carbon monoxide (CO) gas
can come into your vehicle. You can’t see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the tailgate window open
or
if electrical wiring or other cable connections
must pass through the seal between the body and
the tailgate window:
0 Make sure all windows are shut.
0 ’hrn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on CIRCULATE. That will force outside
air into your vehicle. See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index.
0 If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
Tailgate Lock Release
Use your key to lock or unlock your tailgate.
If you have a convertible, you can still open
or close
the tailgate with the rear window
closed.
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although
your vehicle 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ignition Positions
m I With the key in the ignition
rr
4 I
switch, you can turn the
switch to four positions.
LOCK (A): This is the only position in which you can
remove the key. This locks your steering wheel, ignition and automatic transmission.
If you have
an automatic transmission, the ignition
switch can’t be turned to
LOCK unless the shift lever is
in
PARK (P).
ACC (B): This is the position in which 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): This is 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): This is 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.
A warning tone 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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen
if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud
or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission.
Use your brakes to hold your
vehicle in position on a hill.
Power Mode Selector Switch
A power mode selector
switch is included
with
the four-speed automatic
transmission.
When
you need more power for climbing hills or
quicker acceleration, press
the P (POWER) switch. The
POWER indicator light on the instrument panel comes
on. For normal driving, press the N (NORMAL) switch.
The POWER indicator light goes
off.
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