Page 196 of 339
Problems on the Road
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 things you should
know.
Positive (+) will go to positive (+)
and negative (-) will go to negative
(-) or a metal engine part. Don’t
connect
(+) to (-) or you’ll get a
short that would damage the battery
and maybe other parts, too.
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly.
-eep your hands away from
moving parts once the engines are
running.
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to
the positive
(+) terminal of the
vehicle with the dead battery. Use a
remote positive
(+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
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Page 206 of 339

Problems on the Road
c
Engine damage from running yollr I
engine without coolant isn’t
covered by your warranty.
I
If there seems to be no leak, check to
see if the electric engine fan
is running.
If
the engine is overheating, the fan
should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery
Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but
the coolant level isn’t at or above
FULL, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water
(preferably distilled) and the
proper antifreeze at the coolant recovery
tank. (See “Engine Coolant”
in the
Index for more information about the
proper coolant mix.)
A Adding only plain water to
L your cooling system can be
dangerous. Plain water, or some
other liquid, like alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mix will.
Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant
mix. With plain water, or the
wrong mix, your engine could get
too hot but you wouldn’t get the
overheat warning. Your engine
could catch fire and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mix
of clean water and a proper
antifreeze.
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Page 223 of 339

Part 6
Here you wit1 find information
about the care of your Geo
. This
part begins with service and fuel
information. and then it shows
how to check important fluid and
lubricant levels
. There is also
technical information about your
vehicle. and
a section devoted to
its appearance care
.
ii iervice & Appearance Care
Service ............................................................. 222
Fuel ............................................................... 223
Checking Things under the Hood ........................................ 227 .
HoodRelease 227
Engineoil ........................................................ 229
Aircleaner ........................................................ 233
Automatic Transmission Fluid ........................................ 234
Manual Transmission Fluid ........................................... 237
Clutch Adjustment .................................................. 238
RearAxle ......................................................... 238
Four-WheelDrive .................................................. 239
Enginecoolant ..................................................... 240
Power Steering Fluid ................................................ 243
Windshield Washer Fluid ............................................ 244
Brake Master Cylinder ............................................... 245
Battery ........................................................... 247
Bulb Replacement .................................................... 248
LoadingYourVehicle ................................................. 252
Tires ............................................................... 253
Appearancecare ..................................................... 261
Appearance Care and Maintenance Materials .............................. 271
Vehicle Identification Number .......................................... 272
Service Parts Identification Label ........................................ 272
Add-on Electrical Equipment ........................................... 272
Fuses and Circuit Breakers ............................................. 273
ReplacementBulbs ................................................... 276
Capacities and Specifications ........................................... 277
221 .
.
......................................................
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Page 227 of 339

In addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines.
These gasolines are specially designed to
reduce vehicle emissions. General
Motors recommends that you use
reformulated gasoline. By doing
so, you
can help clean the air, especially in
those parts of the country that have high
ozone levels,
You should ask your service station
operators
if their gasolines contain
detergents and oxygenates, and if they
have been reformulated
to reduce
vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the
U.S. or Canada,
unleaded fuel may be hard to find.
Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even
one tankful, your emission controls
won’t work well or at
all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get
fouled, the exhaust system can corrode,
and your engine oil
can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor
will be damaged. All of that means costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an
auto club, or contact a major oil company that does business in
the
country where you’ll be
driving.
You can also write us at the following
address for advice. Just tell us where
you’re going and give your Vehicle
Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors of Canada Limited
International Export Sales
P.O. Box 828
Oshawa, Ontario LIH 7N1
Canada
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Page 231 of 339
Then lift the hood to relieve pressure on
the hood prop. Remove the hood prop
from the slot in the hood and return the
prop to its retainer. Then just let the
hood down and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil
level every time you get fuel.
In order
to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on
level ground.
Turn
off the engine and give the oil a
few minutes to drain back into the oil
pan.
If you don’t, the oil dipstick might
not show the actual level.
To Check Engine Oil: Pull out the
dipstick and clean it with a paper towel
or cloth, then push it back
in all the
way. Remove
it again, keeping the tip
lower.
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Page 236 of 339
Service & Appearance Care
c
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire
can cause a damaging engine fire.
And, dirt can easily get into your
engine, which will damage it.
Always have
the air cleaner in
place when you're driving.
... 234
Air Filter Replacement
To check or replace the filter, remove
the screws and lift up the cover.
Automatic Tmnsmissian Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to check your automatic
transmission
fluid level is when the
engine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine
when to change your fluid. See
"Scheduled Maintenance Services"
in
the Index.
How to Check:
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at a Geo 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.
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Page 237 of 339

' /vu I IL-t
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking
the transmission fluid level if you have
been driving:
When outside temperatures are above
At high speed for quite a while.
90°F (32°C).
In heavy traffic - especially in hot
While pulling a trailer.
To get
the right reading, the fluid should
be at normal operating temperature,
which is
180°F to 200°F (82°C to
93°C).
To check transmission fluid hot:
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving
about
15 miles (24 km) when outside
temperatures are above
50°F (10°C). If
it's colder than 50°F (lO°C), drive the
vehicle in
D (Third Gear) until the
engine temperature gage moves and then
remains steady for ten minutes. Then
follow the hot check procedures.
weather.
To
check transmission fluid cold:
A cold check is made after the vehicle
has been sitting for eight hours or more
with the engine
off and is used only as a
reference. Let the engine run at idle for
five minutes if outside temperatures are
50°F (10°C) or more. If it's colder than
50°F (lO°C), you may have to idle the
engine longer.
A hot check must follow
when fluid
is added during a cold check.
U
235 9
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Page 238 of 339

Service & Appearance Care
... 236
Let the engine run at idle for three
minutes or more.
To check the fluid hot or cold:
Park your vehicle on a level place.
Place the shift lever in P (Park) with
the parking brake applied.
With your foot on the brake pedal,
move the shift lever through each gear
range, pausing for about three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in
P (Park).
Then, without shutting off the engine,
follow these steps:
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with
2. Push it back in all the way, wait
a clean rag
or paper towel.
three seconds and then pull
it back
out again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and
read the lower level. The fluid level
must be
in the COLD (A) area for a
cold check or in the
HOT (B) or
cross-hatched area for a hot check.
4. If the fluid level is where it should
be, push the dipstick back
in all the
way.
How to Add Fluid:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind of transmission fluid to use.
See “Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants”
in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only
enough of the proper fluid to bring the
level up into the COLD area for a cold
check or the
HOT area for a hot check.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less
than a pint. Don’t overfill. We
recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-11, because fluids with that
label are made especially for our
automatic transmission. Damage caused
by fluid other than DEXRON@-I1 is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
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