What can you do about highway
hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well
ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the
road ahead and to the sides. Check
your rearview mirrors frequently and
your instruments from time
to time.
This can help you avoid a fixed stare.
Wear good sunglasses in bright light.
Glare can cause drowsiness. But don’t
wear sunglasses at night. They will drastically reduce your overall
vision
at the very time you need all the
seeing power you have.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road
into a rest, service or parking area
and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on
the highway as an emergency.
As in any driving situation, keep pace
with traffic and allow adequate
following distances.
--
A
Driving on steep hills or mountains is
different from driving in flat or rolling
terrain. If you drive regularly
in steep
country, or if you’re planning
to visit
there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
(See “Off-Road Driving’’
in the Index
for information about driving off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape.
Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These ‘parts can work
hard on mountain roads.
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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.
185 9 =
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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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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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' /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
ProCarManuals.com
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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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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Service & Appearance Care
Capacities (Approximate)
The following approximate capacities are given in U.S. and metric conversions.
Automatic Transmission Air
Conditioning?.
................ .See the refrigerant information label under hood.
.............................................
................................................... Drain and Refill .3.0 qt. (2.8 L)**
Overhaul .4.9 qt. (4.6 L)
Cooling System
Automatic Transmission. ...................................... S.5 qt. (5.2 L)
I Manual Transmission. ........................................ S.6 qt. (5.3 L)
FuelT ank....................................................llgal.(42.0L) .
Crankcase
..........................................
........................................
With Filter Change. .4.5 qt. (4.2 L)*
Without Filter Change .4.2 qt. (4.0 L)*
Front Differential ............................................... 1 1 qt. (1 .O L)
Manual Transmission. .1.6 qt. (1.5 L)**
Rear Differential. .2.3 qt. (2.2 L)
Transfer Case .................................................. 1 .8 qt. (1.7 L)
..........................................
..............................................
Wheel Nuts
Wheel Nut Torque .60 lb. ft. (80 N-m)
? Not all air conditioning refrigerants are the same. If the air conditioning system in
your vehicle needs refrigerant, be sure
the proper refrigerant is used. If you’re not
sure, ask your Geo dealer.
after filling.
See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
Transmission Fluid” in the Index.
.........................................
*.When changing the oil filter, additional oil may be needed. Recheck the oil level
** Recheck fluid level after filling. See “Automatic Transmission Fluid” or “Manual
9 278
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