1993 CHEVROLET TRACKER manual transmission

[f there is no curb when you’re parking
uphill, turn the wheels to the right.
[f there is
no curb when you’re parking
uphill on the left side
of a one-way
street, your wheels should be turned
to
the left.
Torque Lock (Automatic
Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you
don’t shift your transmission into
P
(Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the
parking pawl in the transmission.
You
may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of
P (Park). This is called “torque
lock.”
To prevent torque lock,
always be sure to shift into
P (Park)
properly before you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see ‘‘Shifting into
P (Park)” in the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the
shift lever out
of P (Park) BEFORE you
release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need
to have another vehicle push yours a
little uphill
to take some of the pressure
from the transmission,
so you can pull
the shift lever out
of P (Park).
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Geo in good shape for
winter. Be sure your engine coolant
mix is correct.
Snow tires can help in loose snow,
but they may give you less traction on
ice than regular tires.
If you do not
expect
to be driving in deep snow, but
may have to travel over ice, you may
not want
to switch to snow tires at all.
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Your Driving and the Road
Your Geo can tow a trailer. To identify
what the vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you should read the
information
in “Weight of the Trailer”
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.
9 178
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.
All
of that means changes in:
Handling
Durability
Fuel economy
If You Do Decide to Pull a Trailer
If you do, here are some important
points.
There are many different laws having
to do with trailering. Make sure your
rig will be legal, not only where you
live but also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this information
can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control.
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway
controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the
first
500 miles (800 km) your new
vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle
or other parts could be damaged.
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Your Driving and the Road
they are not. It’s important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs
are still working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes
so much
that they would get hot and no longer
work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed
to around 45 mph
(70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transmission overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000
pounds
(450 kg), and you have a manual
transmission with fifth gear, it’s better
not to use fifth gear. Just drive
in fourth
gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle,
with a trailer attached, on a hill. If
something goes wrong, your rig could
start to move. People can be injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can
be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on
a hill, here’s how to do
it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
P (Park)
yet, or into gear
for a manual transmission.
the trailer wheels.
2. Have someone place chocks under
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load.
apply your parking brake, and then
shift
to P (Park), or R (Reverse) for
a manual transmission.
vehicle, be sure the transfer case is
in a drive gear - not in N (Neutral).
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then
5. If you have a four-wheel-drive
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J
It be dangerous tu get out
of your vehicle if the shift lever
is not fully in P (Park) with the
parking brake firmly set.
If you have left the engine running,
the veficle can
move suddenly. You
or others could be injured. To be
sure your vehicle won’t move, when
you’re
on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow.
If you have four-wheel drive, and
your transfer
case is in N (NeutraI) ,
your vehicle will be free to roll,
even
if your shift lever is in
P (Park). So, be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear - not in
N (Neutral).
If you are parking on a hill, or if
you’re pulling a trailer; also see
“Parking On Hills” in the Index.
6. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave after
Parking on a
Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold
the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
of the chocks.
store
the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you’re pulling a trailer.
See
the Maintenance Schedule for more on
this. Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake adjustment. Each
of
these is covered in this manual, and the
Index will help you find them quickly.
If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to
review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch
nuts and bolts are tight.
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Your Driving and the Road
Recreational Towing
There may be times when you want to
tow your Geo 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.
186
Towing Your Geo from the Rear
The best way to tow your Geo is from
the rear. Follow these steps:
1 . Put the rear wheels on a dolly.
NOTlCE
Do not tow your Geo with the re--
wheels in contact with the grounL,
or
the transmission could be
damaged.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. If your Geo is a four-wheel-drive
vehicle, set your manual
free-wheeling hubs to
FREE or
unlock your automatic free-wheeling
hubs. See “Four-Wheel Drive’’
in
the Index.
4. Turn the ignition key to ACC to
unlock the steering wheel.
5. Clamp the steering wheel in a
straight-ahead position,
with a
clamping device designed for towing.
6. Release the parking brake.
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Make sure that the towing speed
dues not exceed 55 mph
(90 km/h), or your Geo could be
badly damaged.
Towing Your Geo from the Front
If your vehicle has automatic
I free-wheeling hubs or two-whet
drive, do not tow it
on all fa
I wheels. If you do, you transmission could be damaged.
I
If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle
with manual free-wheeling hubs, it can
be towed from the front with all four
wheels on the ground. Follow these
steps:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition key to ACC to
unlock the steering wheel.
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Your Driving and the Road
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3. Shift your automatic transmission
into
P (Park), or your manual
transmission into
2 (Second).
4. Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral).
5. Set the hubs to FREE. See
“Four-Wheel Drive” in the Index.
6. Release the parking brake. Stop towing every
200 miles (300 km)
and
start the engine. Leave the transfer
case shift lever in
N (Neutral). Shift
your automatic transmission
to
D (Drive); leave a manual transmission
in
2 (Second) and release the clutch.
Run the engine at medium speed for one
minute to circulate
the oil in the transfer
case. Turn
the ignition key to ACC.
Now, you can continue towing your
Geo
.
NU I Kt
Make sure that the towing speed
does not exceed
50 mph
(80 km/h), or your Geo could
badly damaged.
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Jump Startirtg
If your battery has run down, you may
want to use another vehicle and
some
jumper cables to start your Geo. But
please follow the steps below to do it
safely. Batteries
can hurt you.
They
L can be dangerous because:
0 They contain acid that can burn
They contain gas that can
They contain enough electricity
If you don't follow these steps
exactly, some or
all of these thin
can hurt you.
you.
explode or ignite.
to burn you. Ignoring these steps could result in
costly
damage to your vehicle that
wouldn't be covered by your
warranty.
Trying
to start your Geo by
pushing or pulling it could damage
your vehicle, even if you have
a
manual transmission. And if you
have an automatic transmission, it
won't start that way.
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