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
ProCarManuals.com
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
0 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.
rhings that are especially important in
:railer operation are automatic
.ransmission lluid (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.
I
I
Recreational Vehicle
To wing
There may be times when you want to
:ow your Geo behind another vehicle for
Jse at your destination. Be sure to use the
proper towing equipment designed for
-ecreational towing. Follow the Instructions for the towing equipment.
rowing Your Geo from the Rear
rhe best way to tow your Geo is from the
-ear. Follow these steps:
1. Put the rear wheels on a dolly.
I NOTICE:
I
Do not tow your Geo with the rear
wheels
in contact with the ground. or
the transmission could be damaged. 1
.. 129. ProCarManuals.com
Problems on the Road
4. Open the hoods and locate the
batteries. Find the positive
(+) and
negative
(-) terminals on each.
. . .134
1 5. Check that the jumper cables don’t
have loose or missing insulation. If
they do, you could get a shock. The
vehicles could be damaged, too.
6. Positive (+) goes to positive (+) and
negative
(-) goes to negative (-) or a
metal engine part. Connect the red
positive
(+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead
battery. Use a remote positive
(+)
terminal if the vehicle has one.
ProCarManuals.com
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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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
worry if you hear a little pinging noise
when you’re accelerating or driving up a
hill. That’s normal and you don’t have to
buy a higher octane fuel to get rid of
pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock
that means you have a problem.
What about gasoline
with blending
materials that contain oxygen
(oxygenates), such as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE
is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.”
Fuel that is no more than
15% MTBE is
fine for your vehicle.
Ethanol
is ethyl or grain alcohol.
Properly-blended fuel that
is no more
than
10% ethanol is fine for your vehicle.
Methanol is methyl or wood alcohol.
NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than S% methanol
is bad for your vehicle. Don’t use it.
It can corrode metal parts
in your fuel
system and also damage plastic and
rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty. And
even
at 5% or less, there must be
“cosolvents” and corrosion prevent-
ers
in this fuel to help avoid these
problems.
Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control
additives
will help prevent deposits from
forming
in your engine and fuel system.
That helps keep your engine
in tune and
your emission control system working
properly. It’s good for your vehicle, and
you’ll be doing your part
for cleaner air.
Many gasolines are now blended with
oxygenates. General Motors recommends
that you use gasolines
with these blending
materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By
doing
so, you can help clean the air,
especially
in those parts of the country
that have high carbon monoxide levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines.
These gasolines are specially designed to
reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated
gasoline.
By doing so, you can help clean
the air, especially
in those parts of the
country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station
operators
if their gasolines contain deposit
control additives and oxygenates, and
if
they have been reformulated to reduce
vehicle emissions.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country
outside the
U.S. or Canada, unleaded fuel
may be hard to find.
Do not use leaded
gasoline. If you use even one tankful,
your emission controls won’t work well
or at all. With continuous use, spark plugs
can get fouled, the exhaust system can
corrode, and your engine oil can
deteriorate quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen
sensor
will be damaged. All of that means
costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto
club, or contact a major oil company
that
does business in the country where you’ll
be driving.
You can also write us
at the following
address for advice. Just tell us where
you’re going and give your Vehicle
Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
LlH 8P7
Corporation
157.. ProCarManuals.com
Service and Appearance Care
rhen lift the hood to relieve pressure on
he hood prop. Remove the hood prop
rom the slot
in the hood and return the
Jrop
to its retainer. Then just let the hood
[own and close
it firmly.
. .162
Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil
level every time you get fuel. In order to
get an accurate reading,
the oil must be
warm and the vehicle
must be on level
ground.
Turn off the engine and give
the oil a few
minutes
to drain back into the oil pan. If
you don’t, the oil dipstick might not show
the actual level.
To Check Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a
paper towel or cloth, then push it back in
all the way. Remove it again, keeping the
tip lower.
ProCarManuals.com
Service and Appearance Care
16-Valve Engine
I NOTICE:
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.
Air Filter Replacement (8-Valve
Engine)
To check or replace the filter:
1. Remove the screws.
2. Lift up the cover.
3. Pull out the filter.
Air Filter Replacement (16-Valve
Engine)
To check or replace the filter:
1. Remove the screws on the cover.
2. Lift it up.
3. Pull out the filter.
. . .I66
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