1994 CHEVROLET TRACKER overheating

How to Use This Manual
How to Use This
Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual
from beginning to end when they first
receive their new vehicle. This will help
you learn about the features and controls
for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll
find that pictures and words work
together to explain things quickly.
Index: A good place to look for what
you need is
the Index in back of the
manual. It’s an alphabetical list of all that’s
in the manual, and the page
number where you’ll find
it.
Parts 1-8: Each part of this manual
begins with a brief list
of its contents, so
you can often find at a glance if a part
contains the information you want.
How to Use This Manual: This part
tells you how to use your manual and
includes safety and vehicle damage
warnings and symbols.
Part 1 - Seats & Restraint Systems:
This part tells you how to use your seats
and safety belts properly.
Part 2 - Features & Controls: This part
explains how to start and operate your
Geo.
Part 3 - Comfort Controls & Audio
Systems:
This part tells you how to adjust
the comfort controls and how to operate
your sound system.
Part 4 - Your Driving and the Road:
Here you’ll find helpful information and
tips about the road and how to drive under
different conditions.
Part 5 - Problems on the Road: This
part tells you what to
do if you have a
problem while driving, such as a flat tire
or engine overheating, etc.
Part 6 - Service & Appearance Care:
Here the manual tells you how to keep
your Geo running properly and looking
good.
Part 7 - Maintenance Schedule: This
part tells when
to perform vehicle
maintenance and what fluids and
lubricants to use.
... 4
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Features and Controls
If the light comes on while you are
driving,
pull off the road and stop
carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder
to push. Or, the pedal may go
closer to the floor. It may take longer to
stop. If the light is still on. have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing
Your Vehicle“
in the Index.)
p CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be work-
ing properly if the brake system
warning light is on, Driving with the
brake system warning light on can
lead
to an accident. If the light is still
on after you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the
vehicle towed
for service.
The brake system warning light will also
come
on when you set your parking
brake, and
it will stay on if your parking
brake doesn’t release
fully. If it stays on
after your parking brake is fully released.
it means you have a brake problem.
‘ngine Coolant Temperature Gage
rhis gage shows the engine coolanl
emperature.
If the gage pointer moves to
he
”H” (red) side. your engine is too hot!
t means that your engine coolant has
)verheatcd and you should
stop your
ehicle and
turn off the engine HS soo~
Iossible.
1 as
HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU
BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road.” this manual
shows what to do. See ”Engine
Overheating”
in the Index.
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
this light on,
be certain to turn off all your
accessories. such as
the radio and air
conditioner.
. . .70
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Your Driving and the Road
passed vehicle before vou can return to
your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand to the left.
To move
the trailer to the right, move
your hand to the right. Always back up
slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal.
Do this so your
trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs,
road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid
jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher and
extra wiring. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you
signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lights will also
flash, telling other drivers you’re about to
turn, change lanes or stop. When towing
a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when
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
you are towing a trailer and you have
a manual transmission with fifth gear,
you may prefer 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
“F’” (Park) yet, or into gear
for a manual transmission.
2. Have someone place chocks under the
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load.
trailer wheels.
4. Reapply the regular brakes.
Then
apply your parking brake, and then
shift to
‘T” (Park), or “R” (Reverse)
for a manual transmission.
5. If you have a four-wheel-drive
vehicle, be sure the transfer case is
in
a drive gear - not in “N” (Neutral).
6. Release the regular brakes.
. .-’ . 1 28
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D
It /A
Here you'll find what to do
about some problems that can
occur on the road.
I
Part 5
Problems on the Road
Hazard Warning Flashers ............ ............................ 132
JumpStarting .................................................... 133
Towing Yourvehicle .............................................. 136
Engine Overheating ............................................... 140
If a Tire Goes Flat ................................................ I46
If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ............................ IS3
131 ... ProCarManuals.com

Problems on the Road
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage
on your Geo instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming from Your Engine:
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because
you keep driving with no coolant,
your vehicle can be badly damaged.
The costly repairs would not be cov-
ered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming from Your
Engine:
If you get the overheat warning but see or
hear no steam, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine can get
a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no
sign of steam, try this
for a minute or so:
1.
If you have an air conditioner, turn it
off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the
highest fan speed and open the
window as necessary.
(Neutral).
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to “N”
. . .140
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Problems on the Road
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery
tank
is boiling, don’t do anything else
until it cools down.
The coolant level should be at or above
“FULL.” If it isn’t, you may have a leak
in the radiator hoses, heater hoses,
radiator, water pump or somewhere else
in the cooling system. I NOTICE:
I
Engine damage from running your
engine without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
[f there seems to be no leak, check to see
if the electric engine fan is running.
If the
mgine is overheating, the fan should be
running. If it isn’t, your vehicle needs
service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery
Tank
[f you haven’t found a problem yet, but
:he coolant level isn’t at or above the
“FULL” mark, add a 50/50 mixture of
:lean water (preferably distilled) and a
xoper antifreeze at
the coolant recovery
:a&. (See “Engine Coolant” in the Index
for more information about the proper
:oolant mix.)
. . .I42
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~~
~~ ~ ~~~~ ~ Service and Appearance Care
Four- Wheel Drive
Most
lubricant checks in this section also
apply to four-wheel-drive vehicles.
However, they have
two additional
systems that need lubricatiog.
Transfer Case
When to Check qnd Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine how often to check the
lubricant and when to change
it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the
Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the bottom of the
filler plug hole, you’ll need to add some
lubricant. Add enough lubricant to raise
the level to the bottom of the filler plug
hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind of lybricant to use.
See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
Front Axle
When
to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to a
determine how often to check the
lubricant and when to change it. See
“Periodic Maintenance Inspections” and
“Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the
Index.
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
-20°F (-29”C), or -34°F (-37°C)
in
Canada and for vehicles with the cold
climate option.
Give boiling protection up to 258°F
(125°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine
temperature.
Let the warning lights work as they
should.
What to Use:
Use a mixture of one-half clean water
(preferably distilled) and one-half
antifreeze that meets “GM Specification
6038-M,” which won’t damage aluminum
parts.
You can also use a recycled coolant
conforming to
“GM Specification
6038-M”
with a complete coolant flush
. . .I70
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Customer Assistance for the Hearing
Customer Assistance Information
. . 233
Customer Satisfaction Procedure
... 234
or Speech Impaired (TDD)
..... 234
Damage. Finish
............... 194
Damage. Sheet Metal
............ 193
Daytime Running Lights
......... 56
Daytime Running Lights Indicator Light
....................... 72
Deep Standing Water.
Driving through
.............. 41
Defects. Safety
Reporting to General Motors
.... 236
Reporting to the Canadian
Reporting to the United States
Government
............... 236
Government
............... 236
Defensive Driving
.............. 100
Defogger. Rear Window ......... 86
Defogging and Defrosting
Windows
................... 85
Dehumidifying ................. 85
Dimensions. Vehicle ............ 202
Doing Your Own Service Work
.... 156
Dome Light ................... 57
Door Locks
.................... 37
Door Storage Compartments
...... 60
Downhill. Driving
.............. 1 12
Drive. Four-wheel
.............. 46
Drive. Four-wheel (Service)
...... 170 Driver Position
(Safety Belts)
... 20
Driving
Across an Incline
............. 11 3
At Night .................... 1 16
City
........................ 119
Defensive
................... 100
Downhill
................... 1 12
Drunken
.................... 100
Freeway
.................... 120
Guidelines
.................. 107
In Mud. Sand. Ice or Snow ..... 1 15
In the Rain .................. 117
In Water .................... 115
0ff.Road. With Your Geo Four-
Wheel-Drive Vehicle
........ 108
On Curves .................. 104
On Off-Road Hills
............ I10
On Snow or Ice
.............. 123
Through Deep Standing Water
... 41
Uphill
...................... 111
Winter
...................... 122
With a Trailer
................ 127
Your Tracker. About ........... 3
Drunken Driving
............... 100
Easy Entry Seats
.............. 12
Electrical Equipment. Add-on
..... 196
Emergencies. Braking in
......... 104
Emergencies. Steering in
......... 105 Engine
Coolant
..................... 170
Coolant (Block) Heater
........ 41
Coolant Temperature Gage
..... 70
Exhaust
..................... 51
Identification
................ 196
Oil
........................ 162
Oil Pressure Light
............ 71
Overheating
................. 140
Specifications
................ 200
Starting Your
................ 40
Environment. Your Vehicle
and the
..................... 204
Exhaust. Engine
................ 51
Extender. Safety Belt
....... 1 .... 33
Exterior Bright Metal Parts.
Protecting
................... 192
Fabric Protection
.............. 190
Fan Control Lever
.............. 84
Features and
Controls ........... 35
Filling Your Tank ............... 158
Filter. Air. Replacement
.......... 166
Finish Care (Paint)
.............. 192
Finish Damage (Paint)
........... 194
Flashers. Hazard Warning
........ 132
Flat Tire. Changing a
............ 146
Flat.
If a Tire Goes .............. 146
Flow-Through Ventilation System . . 86
245 ..
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