c
When one of the warning lights comes
on and stays on
when you are driving,
or when one of the gages shows there
may be a problem, check the section
that tells you what to do about
it. Please
follow the manual’s advice. Waiting to
do repairs can
be costly - and even
dangerous. So please get to know your
warning lights and gages. They’re a big
help.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage shows about how much
fuel
is in your tank. When the gage first
indicates
E, you still have a little fuel
left (about one
or two gallons), but you
need to get more right away.
Here are four concerns some owners
have had about the fuel gage. All these
situations are normal and do not indicate
that anything is wrong
with the fuel
gage.
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts
It takes more (or less) gas to fill up
off before the
gage reads
F.
than the gage reads. For example, the
gage reads
1/2 full, but it took more
(or less) than half of the tank’s
capacity to fill it.
The gage moves a little when you
turn, stop or speed up.
When you turn the engine off, the
gage doesn’t
go back to E.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant
temperature. If the gage pointer moves
to the “H” (red) side, your engine is
too hot! It means that your engine
coolant has overheated and you should
stop your vehicle and turn off the engine
as soon as possible.
HOT
COOLANT CAN BURN YOU
BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road, ” this
manual shows what to do. See “Engine
Overheating’’
in the Index.
-I
I L
Charging System Light
This light will come on briefly when
you turn on
the ignition, but the engine
is not running, as a check to show you it
is working. Then it should go out when
the engine starts. If it stays on, or
comes on while you are driving, you
may
have a problem with the electrical
charging system. It could indicate that
you have a loose generator drive belt, or
another electrical problem. Have
it
checked right away. Driving while this
light
is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with
the light
on, be certain to turn off
all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light)
A computer monitors operation of your
fuel, ignition and emission control
systems. The light should come on when
the ignition is on, but the engine is not
running, as a check to show you
it is
working. If
it does not come on at all,
have it fixed right away. If it stays
on,
or comes on while you are driving, the
computer is indicating that you have
a
problem. You should take your vehicle
in for service soon.
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IC CA UTlON
A
Don’t keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. If you do,
your engine can become so hot
that it catches
on fire. You or
others could be burned. Check
your oil as soon as possible
and
have your vehicle serviced.
NOTlCE
Damage to your engine from
neglected oil problems can
costly
and is not covered by your
I
Convertible Top (OPTION)
Your convertible top features a sunroof,
a removable rear window and a
removable canvas top.
I- ~-
A Don’t change the center
- pillars or horizontal roof
support. These parts are designed
to help protect you and passengers
in a crash. Don’t
add anything,
like light bars or roll bars, to these
parts, either. If the center pillars
or horizontal roof support
are ever
damaged, be sure to have them
repaired
as soon as possible so
they’ll be able to protect you in a
crash.
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CAUTION
A
Hearing damage from loud
noise is almost undetectable
until
it is too late. Your hearing
can. adapt to higher volumes of
sound. Sound that seems normal
can be loud and harmful to your
hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting the volume control on
your radio to a safe sound level
before your hearing adapts to
it.
To help avoid hearing loss or
damage:
Adjust the volume control to the
lowest setting.
Increase volume slowly until
you hear comfortably and
clearly.
NU I IL-t
Before you add any sound
equipment to
your vehicle - like a
tape player,
CB radio, mobile
telephone or two-way radio
- be
sure you can add what you want.
If you can, it’s very important to
do it properly. Added sound
equipment may interfere with the
operation
of your vehicle’s engine,
Delco@ radio or other systems, and
even damage them. And, your
vehicle’s systems may interfere
with the operation of sound
equipment that has been added
improperly.
So, before adding sound
equipment, check with your dealer
and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile
rA:o and
telephone units
~~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~
AMiFM Stereo
1. Press and hold RCL (TIME SET).
At the same time press and hold
TUNE 4 (HR) until the correct hour
appears.
2. Press and hold RCL (TIME SET).
At the same time press and hold
TUNE b (MIN) until the correct
minute appears.
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I Driving a Long
Distunce
Although most long trips today are made
on freeways, there are still many made
on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and
regular highways is the same in some
ways. The trip has
to be planned and the
vehicle prepared, you drive at
higher-than-city speeds, and there are
longer turns behind the wheel. You’ll
l enjoy your trip more if you and your
vehicle are in good shape. Here are
some tips for a successful long trip.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested. If you must start when you’re
not fresh
- such as after a day’s work
- don’t plan to make too many miles
that first part
of the journey. Wear
comfortable clothing and shoes you can
easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If
you keep it serviced and maintained, it’s
ready to go.
If it needs service, have it
done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service
experts in Geo dealerships all across
North America. They’ll be ready and
willing to help
if you need it. Here
are some things you can check
before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Have you checked all levels?
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a
safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread
good enough
for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated
to
the recommended pressure?
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Your Driving and the Road
.._
176
If you have no blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
- anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to
keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm,
but be careful.
A
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can
cause deadly
CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO
could overcome you and kill you.
You can't see it or smell it,
so you
might not know it was in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the base
of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking your
exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure
snow doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on
the
side of the vehicle that's away
from the wind. This will help keep
co out. Run your engine only as long as you
must. This saves fuel. When
you run the
engine, make it go a little faster than
just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat
that you get and it keeps the battery
charged. You will
need a well-charged
battery to restart the vehicle, and
possibly for signaling later on with your
headlights.
Let the heater run for
awhile.
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
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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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