towing CHEVROLET TRACKER 1999 2.G Owner's Manual

5-
Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
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5-1
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5
-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5
-2 Other Warning Devices
5
-3 Jump Starting
5
-8 Towing Your Vehicle
5
-8 Engine Overheating5
-11 Cooling System
5
-18 If a Tire Goes Flat
5
-18 Changing a Flat Tire
5
-28 If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow

Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
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5-8
Towing Your Vehicle
CAUTION:
To help avoid serious personal injury to you
or others:

Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
being towed.

Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.

Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.

Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.

Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.

Use only the correct hooks.
NOTICE:
Use the proper towing equipment to avoid
damage to the bumper, fascia or fog lamp areas
of the vehicle.
With current trends in automotive styles and design, it is
essential that the correct towing equipment is used to
tow a vehicle. Your vehicle can be towed with wheel
-lift
or car carrier equipment.
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your vehicle towed. See ªRoadside
Assistanceº in the Index.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle's instrument panel. See ªEngine Coolant
Temperature Gageº in the Index.

Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
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5-29 Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If you have a
four
-wheel drive vehicle, shift into 4HI. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear (or
with a manual transmission, between 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. By slowly spinning
your wheels in the forward and reverse directions, you
will cause a rocking motion that may free your vehicle.
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 ªTowing Your Vehicleº in the Index.
Using the Recovery Hooks
JE±15±0024±X
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.

Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
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6-20
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 15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:

In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90F (32C) 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, change the fluid and filter every
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See ªScheduled Maintenance Servicesº in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at the dealership
service department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading on
the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission. Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.

Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
Scheduled Maintenance
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7-7
Long Trip/Highway Definition
Follow this scheduled maintenance only if none of
the conditions from the Short Trip/City Scheduled
Maintenance is true. Do not use this schedule if the
vehicle is used for trailer towing, driven in a dusty area
or used off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City
schedule for these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine oil to break
down slower.
Long Trip/Highway Intervals
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or every 7.5 months, whichever occurs first).
Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Automatic
Transmission Service (severe conditions only).
Passenger Compartment Air Filter Inspection. Valve
Lash (Clearance) Adjustment (1.6L Code 6 engine
only). Propeller Shafts and U
-Joints Inspection
(or every 15 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection (or every 24 months, whichever
occurs first). Cooling System Service (or every
30 months, whichever occurs first). Spark Plug
Replacement. Air Cleaner Filter Replacement.
Passenger Compartment Air Filter Replacement. Fuel
Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection. Front Wheel Bearing
Repack (2WD only) (or at each brake relining,
whichever occurs first). Manual Transmission Fluid
Change. Transfer Case Fluid Change. Differential
Fluid Change. Fuel Filter Replacement (or every
30 months, whichever occurs first).
(Continued)

Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance
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7-11
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)

Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.

Inspect air cleaner filter if you are driving in dusty conditions.
Replace filter if necessary.
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote
.)
For Two-Wheel-Drive vehicles only: Clean and repack the front wheel
bearings (or at each brake relining, whichever occurs first).
Change automatic transmission fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven
under one or more of these conditions:
± In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly reaches
90F (32C) 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, change the fluid
and filter every 100,000 miles (166 000 km).
Change manual transmission fluid.
Change transfer case fluid.
Change differential fluid.
(Continued)ACTUAL
SERVICED BY:MILEAGE
DATE

Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance
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7-15
± 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, change the fluid
and filter every 100,000 miles (166 000 km).

Rotate tires. See ªTire Inspection and Rotationº in the Index for proper
rotation pattern and additional information. (See footnote +.)

Change manual transmission fluid.

Change transfer case fluid.

Change differential fluid.

Inspect the valve lash and adjust if necessary (1.6L Code 6 engine only).
An Emission Control Service.

Replace fuel filter (or every 30 months, whichever occurs first, or sooner if
filter is clogged).
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote
.)
Inspect propeller shafts and u
-joints for looseness and damage (or every
15 months, whichever occurs first). Inspect more frequently if used off
-road
or for pulling a trailer. Tighten u
-joint flange bolts if necessary.

Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance
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7-17
45,000 Miles (75 000 km)

Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.

For Two-Wheel-Drive vehicles only: Clean and repack the front wheel
bearings (or at each brake relining, whichever occurs first).

Replace automatic transmission fluid hose (or every 45 months, whichever
occurs first).

Change automatic transmission fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven
under one or more of these conditions:
± In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly reaches
90F (32C) 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, change the fluid
and filter every 100,000 miles (166 000 km).
Inspect air cleaner filter if you are driving in dusty conditions.
Replace filter if necessary.
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote
.)
Change manual transmission fluid.
Change transfer case fluid.
(Continued)ACTUAL
SERVICED BY:MILEAGE
DATE

Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance
Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
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7-20
60,000 Miles (100 000 km) (Continued)

For Two
-Wheel-Drive vehicles only: Clean and repack the front wheel
bearings (or at each brake relining, whichever occurs first).

Change automatic transmission fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven
under one or more of these conditions:
± In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly reaches
90F (32C) 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, change the fluid
and filter every 100,000 miles (166 000 km).
Inspect engine accessory drive belts (or every 24 months, whichever
occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
Drain, flush and refill cooling system (or every 30 months, whichever occurs
first). See ªEngine Coolantº in the Index for what to use. Inspect hoses.
Clean radiator, condenser, pressure cap and neck. Pressure test the cooling
system and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote
.)
Replace spark plugs.
An Emission Control Service.

Short Trip/City Scheduled Maintenance
Second Printing for Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual ± 1999
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7-24
75,000 Miles (125 000 km) (Continued)
± 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, change the fluid
and filter every 100,000 miles (166 000 km).

Inspect air cleaner filter if you are driving in dusty conditions. Replace filter
if necessary.
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote
.)
Change manual transmission fluid.
Change transfer case fluid.
Change differential fluid.
Inspect the valve lash and adjust if necessary (1.6L Code 6 engine only).
An Emission Control Service.
Inspect propeller shafts and u
-joints for looseness and damage (or every
15 months, whichever occurs first). Inspect more frequently if used off
-road
or for pulling a trailer. Tighten u
-joint flange bolts if necessary.