Your Driving and the Road
2. Set the parking brake.
3. If your Geo is a four-wheel-drive
vehicle, set your manual freewheeling
hubs
to ”FREE” or unlock your
automatic I‘reewheeling hubs. See “Four-wheel Drive”
in the Index.
4. Turn the ignilion 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.
I NOTICE:
I
Make sure that the towing speed does
not exceed
55 mph (90 km/h), or
your Geo could be badly damaged.
~~
Towing Your Geo from the Front
NOTICE:
If your vehicle has automatic free-
wheeling hubs
or two-wheel drive,
do not tow
it on all four wheels. If
you do, your transmission could be
damaged.
If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle
with manual freewheeling 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.
3. Shift your automatic transmission into
“P” (Park), or your manual
transmission into “2” (Second).
4. Shift the transfer case to “N”
(Neutral).
“Four-wheel Drive”
in the Index.
5. Set the hubs to “FREE.” See
6. Reledse 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.
I
NOTICE:
I
Make sure the towing speed does not
exceed
SO mph (80 km/h), or your
Geo could be badly damaged.
I
. . .130
ProCarManuals.com
I Jump Starting
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.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in
costly damage to your vehicle that
wouldn’t be covered by your war-
ranty.
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.
To Jump Start Your Geo:
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have
a 12-volt battery with a negative
ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt
system with
a negative ground, both
vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure
the vehicles aren’t touching each
other.
If they are, it could cause a
ground connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to start your
Geo, and
the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off all lights that aren’t needed,
and radios. This will avoid sparks and
help save both batteries. And it could
save your radio!
I NOTICE:
I
I
If you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs wouldn’t
be covered by your warranty.
I
133 ...
ProCarManuals.com
... .v ,
A CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle can slip off the jack and roll
over
you or other people. You and they could be badly injured. Find a level
place to change your tire.
To help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in T“ (Park), or shift a manual
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the transfer case is in a drive
4. Turn off the engine.
transmission
to “ 1” (First) or “R” (Reverse).
gear
- not in “N’ (Neutral).
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move, you can put chocks at the front
and rear
of the tire farthest away from the one being changed. That would be the
tire
on the other side of the vehicle, at the opposite end. The
following steps
will tell you how to
.rse the jack and change
a tire.
The equipment you’ll need is under the
ront seats.
rhejack and wheel wrench
are under the
passenger’s
seat.
147 ...
ProCarManuals.com
Here you will 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
.
Service & Appearance Care
Service ........................................................
Fuel ..........................................................
Checking Things under the Hood ...................................
HoodRelease .................................................
Engineoil ...................................................
Aircleaner ...................................................
Automatic Transmission Fluid ....................................
Manual Transmission Fluid ......................................
Clutch Adjustment .............................................
RearAxle ....................................................
Four-WheelDrive .............................................
Enginecoolant ................................................
Power Steering Fluid ...........................................
Windshield Washer Fluid ........................................
Brake Master Cylinder ..........................................
Bulb Replacement ...............................................
Loading Your Vehicle ..........................................
Tires ........................................................
Appearance Care Materials Chart ...................................
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) ................................
Service Parts Identification Label ...................................
Add-on Electrical Equipment ......................................
Fuses and Circuit Breakers ........................................
Capacities and Specifications .......................................
Battery ......................................................
Appearancecare ................................................
ReplacementBulbs ..............................................
156
156
159
159
162
165
167
168
169 169
170 170
173
174
174
176 177
181
183
189 195 196
196
196
196
199
200
155 ...
ProCarManuals.com
Service and Appearance Care
6% CAUTION:
When you open the hood, you’ll see on
the 8-valve engine:
1. Battery
2. Automatic Transmission Dipstick
3. Oil Fill Cap
4. Brake Fluid Reservoir
5. Air Cleaner
6. Engine Coolant Reservoir
(if equipped)
7. Power Steering Reservoir
8. Radiator Pressure Cap
9. Electric Engine Fan
IO. Engine Oi I Dipstick
11. Windshield Washer Rescrvoir
12. Main Fuse Box
Things that burn can get on hot engine
parts and start a fire. These include
liquids like gasoline, oil, coolant,
brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and pXastic OT rubber.
You or others could be burned. Be
careful not to drop or spill things that
will burn onto a hot engine.
Before closing the hood, be sure all
the filler caps are on.
. . .160
ProCarManuals.com
When you open the hood, you’ll see on
the 16-valve engine:
1. Battery
2. Automatic Transmission Dipstick
3. Oil Fill Cap
4. Brake Fluid Reservoir
5. Air Cleaner
6. Engine Coolant Reservoir (if equipped)
7. Power Steering Reservoir
8. Radiator Pressure Cap
9. Electric Engine Fan
IO. Engine Oil Dipstick
11. Windshield Washer Reservoir
12. Main Fuse Box
A CAUTION:
Things that bm can get on hot engiae
parts and start a fxe. These include
liquids like gasoline, oil, coolant,
brake fluid, windshield
washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber.
You
or others could be burned. Be
careful not to drop or spill things that
will bum onto a hot engine.
Before closing the hood, be sure all
the filler caps are on.
161 ... ProCarManuals.com
I A utomatic Transmission FIuid
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 your 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.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little tluid can
damage your transmission.
Too much
can mean that some of the fluid could
come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting
a fire.
Be sure to get an accurate reading
if
you check your transmission tluid. Wait
at least 30 minutes before checking
the transmission fluid level
if you have
been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above
0 At high speed for quite a while.
0 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 IS
miles (24 km) when outside temperatures
are above 50°F
( 10°C). If it’s colder than
50°F (IOOC), 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.
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 (IO’C),
you
may have to idle the engine longer.
90°F (32°C).
weather. Should
the
fluid level be low during a
cold check, you must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you a
more accurate reading
of the fluid level.
To check the fluid hot or cold
0 Park your vehicle on a level place.
0 With the parking brake applied, place
0 With your foot on the brake pedal,
Keep the
engine running.
the shift lever
in “P’ (Park).
move the shift lever through each gear
range, pausing for about three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever
in “P” (Park).
minutes or more.
0 Let the engine run at idle for three
167.,
ProCarManuals.com
Service and Appearance Care
Then, without shutting off the engine,
follow these steps:
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a
clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three
seconds and then pull it back out
again.
. . .I68
~
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and
read the lower level. The fluid level
must be in the “COLD’ area for a
cold check or
in the “HOT” area or
cross-hatched area for a hot check.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable
range, 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.
[f the fluid level is low, add only enough
of the proper fluid to bring the level up to
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@-III
or
DEXRON@-IIE, because fluids with that
label are made especially for
your
automatic transmission. Dama e caused
by fluid other than DEXRON
8 -m or
DEXRON@-IIE is not covered by your
new vehicle warranty.
0 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 Transmission 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 determine 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 your Geo dealership Service
Department.
ProCarManuals.com