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Towing Your Vehicle
I
I
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Geo. The usual towing equipment is
a
sling-type (A) or a wheel-lift (B) or car carrier (C) tow
truck.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items
like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
0 A dolly must be used when towing from the front.
That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever for the
transmission and transfer case, if you have
one.
the four-wheel-drive option.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want
to
see them.
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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 transmission
and transfer
case, if you have one, should be in
NEUTRAL (N) 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 rear with sling-type or wheel lift equipment, the rear
wheels must be supported on a dolly.
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 manual, 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 mph (90 km/h).
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2. Position a 4x4 wood beam across the sling chains
and against lower control arm front attachment
brackets. Position the lower sling crossbar in front
and against
the 4x4 wood beam.
NOTICE:
Dollies are required under the rear wheels or
damage
will occur.
3. Attach a separate safety chain around the outboard
end
of each lower control arm.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out’‘ while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your
tires properly. If air goes
out of
a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what
to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip
the steering wheel firmly.
Steer
to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop, well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly
to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
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The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire. The
equipment you’ll need is under the front seats.
The jack and wheel wrench are under the passenger’s
seat.
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The jack handle is under the driver’s seat. 1. Start with the jack (A), jack handle (B) and wheel
wrench
(C).
2. Attach the jack handle to the jack. Turn the jack
handle
to the right to raise the lift head.
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3. The spare tire is mounted on your tailgate. Pull the
cover off of the spare tire.
4. Insert your key into the wheel lock on the spare tire
and pull
the wheel lock off.
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5. Remove wheel nuts with the wheel wrench.
6. Remove the spare tire from the mounting bracket
and place
it near your flat tire.
7. Attach the jack handle to the jack bolt. Turn the jack
handle clockwise
(to the right). That will raise the
lift head a little.
8. Using the wheel wrench, loosen all the wheel nuts.
Don’t remove them
yet.
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