transmission CHEVROLET TRACKER 2001 2.G Owner's Manual

2-72
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.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transmission,
exhaust, intake or fuel system of your vehicle or
the replacement of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light to come on. Modifications to these systems
could lead to costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. This may also result in a failure to pass
a required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
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 during a malfunction in
one of two ways:

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.

2-76 Four-Wheel-Drive Light (If Equipped)
This light comes on when
the ignition switch is on
and the transfer case lever
is in one of the four
-wheel
drive positions.
See ªFour
-Wheel Driveº in the Index.
Power Indicator Light (If Equipped)
This light comes on when
the power mode selector
switch is turned to ªPº
(power) with the ignition
switch in the ON position.
This light comes on as a check for approximately
five seconds when the ignition key is turned to ON
or START.
Overdrive Off Light (If Equipped)
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
five seconds when the ignition key is turned to ON
or START.

4-22
Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and I can't make it up the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here's what you should do:

Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the
parking brake.

If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R).

If your engine has stopped running, you'll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) (or, shift to NEUTRAL (N) if your
vehicle has a manual transmission) and restart the
engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as
straight as possible in REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position. This
way, you'll be able to tell if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It's best that you
back down the hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.
Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are
about to stall, when going up a hill.

Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) (or depressing the clutch, if you
have a manual transmission) to ªrev
-upº the engine
and regain forward momentum. This won't work.
Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and
you could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle.
Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back straight down.

Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall
when going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to
stall your vehicle, it's steep enough to cause you to
roll over if you turn around. If you can't make it up
the hill, you must back straight down the hill.

4-23
Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide I just can't do it. What
should I do?
A:Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) (or the manual transmission in
FIRST (1)) and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would
take if it rolled downhill. Do not shift the transfer
case to NEUTRAL when you leave the vehicle.
Leave it in some gear.
CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the transmission
is in PARK (P) (or, if you have the manual
transmission, even if you're in gear). This is
because the NEUTRAL position on the transfer
case overrides the transmission. You or someone
else could be injured. If you are going to leave
your vehicle, set the parking brake and shift the
transmission to PARK (P) (or, put your manual
transmission in FIRST (1)). But do not shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL. Leave the transfer
case in the 2H, 4H or 4L position.

4-25
Q:Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you
ignore them you could lose control and have a
serious accident.

When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that's not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across.
You could roll over if you don't drive straight down.

Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N), or with the clutch pedal pressed
down in a manual shift. This is called
ªfree
-wheeling.º Your brakes will have to do all the
work and could overheat and fade.

Unless you have anti
-lock: Avoid braking so hard
that you lock the wheels when going downhill. If
your wheels are locked, you can't steer your vehicle.
If your wheels lock up during downhill braking, you
may feel the vehicle starting to slide sideways. To
regain your direction, just ease off the brakes and
steer to keep the front of the vehicle pointing
straight downhill.
Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It's much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
it happens going downhill, here's what to do.

Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.

Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the
manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.

Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.

If the engine won't start, get out and get help.

4-39
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can
make your trips safer and more enjoyable. See
ªOff
-Road Drivingº in the Index for information
about driving off
-road.

Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.

Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
CAUTION:
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get
so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going down
a hill. You could crash. Always have your engine
running and your vehicle in gear when you
go downhill.

Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift
down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool
your engine and transmission, and you can climb
the hill better.

Stay in your own lane when driving on two
-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.

As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something in your lane, like a stalled car
or an accident.

4-44
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
There may be times when you want to tow your vehicle
behind another vehicle for use at your destination. Be
sure to use the proper towing equipment designed for
recreational towing. Follow the instructions for the
towing equipment.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Rear
The best way to tow your vehicle is from the rear.
Follow these steps:
1. Put the rear wheels on a dolly.
NOTICE:
Do not tow your vehicle with the rear wheels in
contact with the ground, or the transmission
could be damaged.

4-45
2. If your vehicle is a four-wheel-drive vehicle, turn the
ignition key to ON, move the transfer case lever into
NEUTRAL and make sure the 4WD light on the
instrument panel cluster is turned off. See
ªFour
-Wheel Driveº in the Index.
3. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
4. Make sure the front wheels are facing straight
forward and secure the steering wheel with a steering
wheel clamping device designed for towing.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
55 mph (90 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Front
(Four-Wheel-Drive Only)
NOTICE:
If your vehicle is a two-wheel drive model, do not
tow it on all four wheels. If you do, your
transmission could be damaged and the damage
would not be covered by your warranty.

4-46
Follow these steps:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Shift your automatic transmission into PARK (P), or
your manual transmission to SECOND (2).
3. With the ignition key in the ON position, move the
transfer case to NEUTRAL and make sure the 4WD
light on the instrument panel cluster is off. See
ªFour
-Wheel Driveº in the Index.
4. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
5. Release the parking brake.
NOTICE:
If you tow your four-wheel-drive vehicle from
the front, make sure to move the transfer case
into NEUTRAL or your vehicle could be badly
damaged and the damage would not be covered
by your warranty.
Stop towing every 200 miles (300 km) and start the
engine. Leave the transfer case shift lever in
NEUTRAL. Shift your automatic transmission to
DRIVE (D); leave a manual transmission in
SECOND (2) with the clutch engaged. Run the engine at
medium speed for one minute to circulate oil in the
transfer case. Turn the ignition key to ACC. Now, you
can continue towing your vehicle.
NOTICE:
The front wheels transmit shocks during towing.
The steering column may not be strong enough to
withstand the shocks. Always unlock the steering
wheel before towing.
NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not
exceed 50 mph (80 km/h), or your vehicle could
be badly damaged.

4-49
Towing a Trailer
CAUTION:
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your dealer for advice
and information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in ªWeight of the Trailerº
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That's the reason for this section. In it are many
time
-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load
-pulling components such as the engine,
transmission, wheel assemblies and tires are forced to
work harder against the drag of the added weight. The
engine is required to operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What's
more, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.