CHEVROLET TRACKER 2004 2.G Owners Manual

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is ®lled with DOT-3
brake ¯uid. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake ¯uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The ®rst is that the
brake ¯uid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the ¯uid level goes back up. The other reason is
that ¯uid is leaking out of the brake system.If it is, you should have your brake system ®xed, since a
leak means that sooner or later your brakes will not
work well, or will not work at all.
So, it is not a good idea to ªtop offº your brake ¯uid.
Adding brake ¯uid will not correct a leak. If you add ¯uid
when your linings are worn, then you will have too
much ¯uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake ¯uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake ¯uid, it can spill on
the engine. The ¯uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
¯uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system. See ªChecking Brake Fluidº
in this section.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check your brake ¯uid. See
Part C: Periodic
Maintenance Inspections on page 6-28.
5-39

Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the
brake ¯uid without
taking off the cap.
Just look at the brake ¯uid reservoir. The ¯uid level
should be above MIN. If it is not, have your brake
system checked to see if there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system,
make sure the level is above the MIN but not over
the MAX mark.
What to Add
When you do need brake ¯uid, use only DOT-3 brake
¯uid. Use new brake ¯uid from a sealed container
only. See
Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-30.Always clean the brake ¯uid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of ¯uid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or
they may not even work at all. This could
cause a crash. Always use the proper brake
¯uid.
Notice:
·Using the wrong ¯uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system
parts so badly that they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in the wrong kind of
¯uid.
·If you spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle's painted
surfaces, the paint ®nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle. If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
Appearance
Care on page 5-85.
5-40

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum
brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal ®rmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are ®rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque speci®cations.
Your rear drum brakes do not have wear indicators, but
if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the
rear brake linings inspected immediately. Also, the rear
brake drums should be removed and inspected each
time the tires are removed for rotation or changing.
When you have the front brake pads replaced, have the
rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See
Brake System Inspection on page 6-29.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
5-41

Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system Ð for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in Ð be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you do
not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change Ð for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change
in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
battery. When it is time for a new battery, get one that
has the replacement number shown on the original
battery's label. We recommend an ACDelco
žbattery.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
Vehicle Storage
If you are not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days
or more, remove the black, negative (-) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
{CAUTION:
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
are not careful. See
Jump Starting on
page 5-43
for tips on working around a battery
without getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your
vehicle for longer storage periods.
5-42

Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to follow the steps below to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
·They contain acid that can burn you.
·They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
·They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling it
will not work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle's system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren't touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don't want. You wouldn't be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake ®rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) or a manual transmission
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter. Turn off the radio and all lamps that aren't
needed. This will help reduce sparks and help save
both batteries. And it could save your radio!
5-43

4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (-) terminal locations on
each battery. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more information on battery
location.
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has air conditioning, the
auxiliary electric fan under the hood can start
up even when the engine is not running and
can injure you. Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
¯ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the battery installed
in your new vehicle. But if a battery has ®ller
caps, be sure the right amount of ¯uid is there.
If it is low, add water to take care of that ®rst.
If you don't, explosive gas could be present.
Battery ¯uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, ¯ush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
5-44

{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables don't have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
a positive (+) battery terminal if the vehicle has
one. Negative (-) will go to a heavy, unpainted
metal engine part or to a remote negative (-)
terminal if the vehicle has one.
Don't connect positive (+) to negative (-) or you'll
get a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts too. And don't connect the
negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the dead battery. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
7. Don't let the other end touch metal. Connect it to
the positive (+) terminal of the good battery.
Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle
has one.
5-45

8. Now connect the black
negative (-) cable to
the negative (-)
terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
negative (-) terminal
if the vehicle has one.
Don't let the other end touch anything until the next
step. The other end of the negative (-) cable
doesn'tgo to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (-) terminal on the vehicle with the dead
battery.9. Connect the other end of the negative (-) cable at
least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move. The electrical
connection is just as good there, but the chance
of sparks getting back to the battery is much less.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. If it
won't start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Notice:If the jumper cables are removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting may occur and
damage the vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Remove the jumper
cables in the correct order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other or other metal.
5-46

A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead BatteryTo disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles, do
the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative (-) cable from the
vehicle that had the dead battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (-) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the other
vehicle.
Jumper Cable Removal
5-47

Rear Axle
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
how often to check the lubricant and when to change it.
See
Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections on
page 6-28andPart A: Scheduled Maintenance Services
on page 6-4.
How to Check Lubricant
To get an accurate reading, the vehicle should be on a
level surface.
If the level is below the bottom of the ®ller plug hole,
you'll need to add some lubricant.
1. Remove the ®ller plug.
2. Remove the drain plug, drain the lubricant and
reinstall the drain plug.
3. Add enough lubricant to raise the level to the
bottom of the ®ller plug hole.
4. Reinstall the ®ller plug.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. SeePart D: Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-30.
5-48