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Traveling to Remote Areas
It makes sense to plan your trip,
especially when going to a remote area.
Know the terrain and plan your route. You
are much less likely to get bad surprises.
Get accurate maps of trails and terrain.
Try to learn of any blocked or closed
roads.
It’s also a good idea to travel with at least
one other vehicle.
If something happens
to one of them, the other can help quickly.
Does your vehicle have a winch? If
so, be
sure to read the winch instructions. In a
remote area, a winch can be handy if you
get stuck. But you’ll want to know how to
use it properly.
Getting Familiar with Off-Road
Driving
It’s a good idea to practice in an area
that’s safe and close to home before you
go into the wilderness. Off-road driving
does require some new and different
driving skills. Here’s what we mean.
Tune your senses to different kinds of
signals. Your eyes, for example, need to
constantly sweep the terrain for
unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to
listen for unusual tire or engine sounds. With
your arms, hands, feet, and body
you’ll need to respond to vibrations and
vehicle bounce.
Controlling your vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One
of the
best ways to control your vehicle is to
control your speed. Here are some things
to keep in mind. At higher speeds:
0 you approach things faster and you
have less time to scan the terrain for
obstacles.
0 you have less time to react.
0 you have more vehicle bounce when
you drive over obstacles.
0 you’ll need more distance for braking,
especially since you’re on an unpaved
surface.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many
different kinds of terrain. You need to be
familiar with the terrain and its many
different features. Here are some things to
consider.
Surface Conditions. Off-roading can
take you over hard-packed dirt, gravel,
rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow or ice.
Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration, and braking of your vehicle
in different ways. Depending upon the
kind of surface you are on, you may
experience slipping, sliding, wheel
spinning, delayed acceleration, poor
traction, and longer braking distances.
Surface Obstacles. Unseen or hidden
obstacles can be hazardous.
A rock, log,
hole, rut, or bump can startle you if
you’re not prepared for them. Often these
obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes,
snow or even the rise and fall
of the
terrain itself. Here are some things to
consider:
0 Is the path ahead clear?
0 Will the surface texture change
abruptly up ahead?
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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
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Problems on the Road
j
Hazard Warning
Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you
warn others. They also let police know
you have a problem. Your front and rear
turn signal lights
will tlash on and off. Press the button
in to make your front and
rear
turn signal lights flash on and off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no
matter what position your key
is in, and
even
if the key isn't in.
To turn off the flashers, push the switch
again.
When the hazard warning flashers are on,
your turn signals won't work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can
set one up at the side
of the road about
300 feet (100 m> behind your vehicle.
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G
A CAUTION:
To help avoid injury to you or others:
0
i.
0
0
0
0
Never let passengers ride in a
vehicle that
is being towed.
Never
tow faster than safe or
Never tow with damaged parts
not fully secured.
Never get under
your vehicle
after
it has been lifted by the tow
truck.
Always use seperate safety
chains
on each side when towing
a vehicle.
Never use
T-hooks. Use “J”
hooks instead.
posted speeds.
When your vehicle is being towed, have
the ignition key
off. The steering wheel
should
be clamped in a straight-ahead
position, with a clamping device designed
for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column
lock for this.
The transmi.ssion and transfer case,
if you
have one, should be in “Neutral” and the
parking brake released.
Don’t have
your vehicle towed with the
rear wheels
in contact with the ground. If
a vehicle must be towed from the front
with sling-type or wheel lift equipment,
the rear wheels
must be supported on a
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive,
don’t have
it towed on the front wheels
unless
you must. If a vehicle with
four-wheel drive
must be towed on the
front wheels,
set your tnanual,
freewheeling hubs
to “FREE” or unlock
your automatic freewheeling hubs, and set
your transfer case to two-wheel drive. If
your vehicle must be towed on the front
wheels, don‘t
go more than 55 rnph (90
km/h).
dolly.
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Page 150 of 258
The spare tire is mounted on your tailgate
Pull the cover off of the spare tire. .nsert your key into the wheel lock on
the
;pare tire and pull the wheel lock off. Remove wheel nuts with the wheel
wrench.
Remove the
spare tire from the mounting
bracket and place
it near your flat tire.
Attach the jack handle
to the jack bolt.
Turn the jack handle clockwise (to the
right). That will raise the lift head a little.
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Maintenance Schedule
Section B: Owner Checks and Services (Cont.)
At Least Once a Year
CHECK
OR SERVICE
Key Lock Cylinders
Body Lubrication
Starter Switch
1
WHAT TO DO
Lubricate the key lock cylinders with the lubricant specified in Section D.
Lubricate all body door hinges. Also lubricate all hinges and latches, including those for the hood,
rear compartment, glove box door, console door and any folding seat hardware. Section D tells
you what to use.
1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake (see “Parking Brake” in the Index if necessary) and the
NOTE:
Do not use the accelerator pedal, and be ready to turn off the engine immediately if it
starts.
3. On automatic transmission vehicles, try to start the engine in each gear. The starter should
work only in
“P” (Park) or “N” (Neutral). If the starter works in any other position, your
vehicle needs service.
On manual transmission vehicles, put the shift lever in “N” (Neutral), push the clutch down
halfway and try to start the engine. The starter should work only when the clutch is pushed
down all
the way to the floor. If the starter works when the clutch isn’t pushed all the way
down, your vehicle needs service.
regular brake.
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At Least Once a Year (CONT.)
CHECK
OR SERVICE
Brake Transmission
Shift Interlock
- BTSI
(Automatic Transmis-
sion)
Steering Column Lock
WHAT TO DO
1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room around the vehicle. It should be parked on a
2. Firmly apply the parking brake. (See “Parking Brake” in the Index if necessary).
NOTE: Be ready to apply the regular brake immediately if the vehicle begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the key to the “ON” position, but don’t start the engine. Without
level surface.
applying the regular brake, try
to move the shift lever out of “P” (Park) with normal effort,
If the shift lever moves out
of “P” (Park) , your vehicle’s BTSI needs service.
While parked, and with the parking brake set, try
to turn the key to “LOCK” in each shift lever
position.
0 With an automatic transmission, the key should turn to “LOCK” only when the shift lever is
With a manual transmission, the key will turn to “LOCK” only if you push the key in farther,
On vehicles with
the key release lever, try to turn the key to “LOCK” without pressing the lever.
The key should
turn to “LOCK” only with the key lever depressed. On all vehicles, the key
should come out only
in “LOCK”.
in
“P” (Park).
while turning
it towards “LOCK.”
!
I
I
I’
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Maintenance Schedule
Section D: Recommended Fluids & Lubr
USAGE
Key Lock Cylinders Manual Transmission
Shift Linkage
Automatic
Transmission
Shift Linkage
Clutch Linkage Pivot Points
Floor Shift Linkage
Chassis Lubrication
*icants (Cont.)
FLUID/LUBRICANT
Lubricate with Multi-Purpose Lubricant (GM Part No. 12345120) or synthetic SAE 5W-30
engine oil.
Chassis lubricant
(GM Part No. 1052497 or equivalent) or lubricant meeting requirements of
NLGI Grade 2, Category LB or GC-LB.
Engine oil.
Lithium base grease.
Engine oil.
Chassis lubricant (GM Part No.
1052497 or equivalent) or lubricant meeting requirements of
NLGI Grade
2, Category LB or GC-LB.
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