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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After adding fluid, recheck the fluid
level as described under “How to
Check.
”
obtained, push the dipstick back in all
the way.
When the correct fluid level is
Manual Transmiisioon Fluid
When to Check and Change:
A good time to have it checked is when
the engine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to find out
when
to change your transmission 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.
90 much or too little fluid can
...anage your transmission.
Too
much can mean that some of the
fluid could come
out and fall on I
hot engine parts, starting a fire.
I sure to get an accurate reading if
you check your transmission fluid.
I
Check the fluid level only when your
engine is off, the vehicle is parked on a
level place and the transmission
is cool
enough
for you to rest your fingers on
the transmission case.
237 8
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Page 242 of 339

Service & Appearance Care
How to Check Lubricant:
If the level is below the bottom of the
filler plug hole, you’ll need to add some
lubricant.
If the differential is at operating
temperature (warm), add enough
lubricant to raise the level to the bottom
of the filler plug hole.
If the differential
is cold, add enough
lubricant to raise the level to
1/2 inch
(12 mm) below the filler plug hole.
What to Use:
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind of lubricant to use.
See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling
system and how to add coolant when it
is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine
Overheating” in the Index.
The proper coolant for your Geo will:
Give freezing protection down to
Give boiling protection up to 258°F
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine
Let the warning lights work as they
-34°F (-37°C).
(125°C).
temperature. should.
What to Use:
Use a mixture of one-half clean water
(preferably distilled) and one-half
antifreeze or approved recycled coolant
that meets “GM Specification 6038M,”
which won’t damage aluminum parts.
Also use GM Engine Coolant
Supplement (sealer) with a complete
coolant change. If you use these, you
don’t need to add anything else.
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Page 243 of 339
r
Adding only plain water to
b your cooling system can be
dmgemus. Plaia 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
antifreeve or approved recycled
coolant.
I
Some conditions, such as air trapped in
the cooling system, can affect the
coolant level in the radiator. Check the
coolant level when the engine is cold
and follow the steps under ‘‘Adding Coolant” for
the proper way to add
coolant. If you have to add coolant
more than
four time
a year, have your dealer check
your cooling system.
If
you use the proper coolant, you
don’t have to add extra inhibitors
or additivies which claim to
II
241
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Page 248 of 339

Service & Appearance Care
CA U TlON
R
d
fl
I1
A If you have too much brake
L,,E;ine. The fluid will burn
if the
engine is hot enough.
You or
others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add
brake fluid only when work
is
done on the brake hydraulic
system.
L fluid, it can spill on the
Lefer to
the Maintenance Schedule to
etermine when to check your brake
hid. See ‘‘Periodic Maintenance
Ispections” in the Index.
’ To Check Brake Fluid:
1
You can check the brake fluid without
taking
off the cap. Just look at the
windows on the brake fluid reservoir.
The fluid levels should be above
MIN.
If they aren’t, have your brake system
checked to see
if there is a leak.
After work is done
on the the brake
hydraulic system make sure the levels
are above
MIN and below the top of
each window.
What to Add:
When you do need brake fluid, use
only DOT-3 brake fluid
- such as
Delco-Supreme
II@ (GM Part No.
I DOT-5 silicone brake fluid can
damage your llehicle. Don’t use
it.
I D0n.t so1 : put In tf
wrong mnd 01 kd. For
example, just a few drops
mineral-based oil,
such as
engine oil,
in your brake systt
can damage brake system part
so badly that they’ll have to b
replaced.
Brake fluid
I Ige paint,
be careful not to spill
fluid
on your vehicle
1052535). Use new brake fluid from a
sealed container only.
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Page 265 of 339

Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
Vacuum and brush the area to remove
Always clean a whole trim panel or
any
loose dirt.
section. Mask surrounding trim along
stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner
following
the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with clean
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the
sponge.
section,
use a sponge to remove
the
suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet
sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly
damp paper towel or cloth.
Then dry it immediately with an air
hose, a hair dryer or a heat lamp.
Be careful with a nalr aryer or
heat lamp. You could scorch thl
Wipe with a clean cloth. Using
Solvent-Type Cleaner on
Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type
cleaner at all. Some spots and stains will
clean off better with
just water and mild
soap.
If you need to use it, then:
Gently scrape excess soil from the
trim material with a clean, dull knife
or scraper. Use very little cleaner,
light pressure and clean cloths
263 - -
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Page 266 of 339

Service & Appearance Care
I.. 264
(preferably cheesecloth). Cleaning should
start at the outside of the stain,
“feathering” toward the center. Keep
changing to a clean section of
the
cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric,
immediately dry
the area with an air
hose, hair dryer, or heat lamp to help
prevent a cleaning ring. (See previous
NOTICE .)
Fabric Protection
Your Geo has upholstery that has been
treated
with Scotchgard’” Fabric
Protector, a
3M product. Scotchgard“
protects fabrics by repelling oil and
water, which are the carriers of most
stains. Even with this protection, you
still need to clean your upholstery often
to keep it looking new.
Further information on cleaning is
available on
1-800-433-3296 (in
Minnesota, 1-800-642-6 167).
Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy
or Oily Stains: Like grease, oil,
butter, margarine, shoe polish, coffee
with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic
creams, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar
and asphalt.
Carefully scrape off excess stain.
Then follow the solvent-type
Shoe polish, wax crayons, tar and
instructions above.
asphalt will stain if left on a vehicle
seat fabric. They should be removed
as soon as possible. Be careful,
because the cleaner will dissolve them
and may cause them to bleed.
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Page 267 of 339

Non-Greasy Stains: Like catsup, coffee
(black), egg, fruit, fruit juice, milk,
soft
drinks, wine, vomit, urine and blood.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
sponge the soiled area with
cool
water.
If a stain remains, follow the
foam-type instructions above.
If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit
or urine, treat the area with
a
watedbaking soda solution: 1
teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to 1
cup (250 ml) of lukewarm water.
Finally, if needed, clean lightly with
solvent-type cleaner.
I
Combination Stains: Like candy, ice
cream, mayonnaise, chili sauce and
unknown stains.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
clean with cool water and allow to
dry.
solvent-type cleaner.
If a stain remains, clean it with
Cleaning Vinyl or Leather
Just use warm water and a clean cloth.
Rub with a clean, damp cloth to
remove dirt. You may have to do it
more than once.
polish will stain if you don’t get them
off quickly. Use a clean cloth and
solvent-type vinyl/leather cleaner.
Things like tar, asphalt and shoe
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