1996 CHEVROLET TRACKER check engine

Driving in Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems.
But
heavy rain can mean flash flooding, and flood
waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it,
If it’s deep enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles or
exhaust
pipe, don’t try it -- you probably won’t get
through.
Also, water that deep can damage your axle
and other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, then drlve through it slowly. ,
fast speeds, water splashes on your ignition system and
your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you get
At
your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your tailpipe is
under water, you’ll never be able to start your engine.
When
you go through water, remember that when your
brakes get wet, it may take you longer to,stop.
A CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous.
Deep water can sweep
your vehicle downstream
and
you and your passengers could drown, If it’s
only inches
deep, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle over. Don’t drive
through rushing water.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis
or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation
in rnud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and
checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels,
tires and exhaust system
for damage.
Also, check the fuel lines and cooling
system for
any leakage.
Your vehicle
will require more frequent service clue to
off-road
use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
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Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think
you are going
slower than
you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes
you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have
it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced
and able service experts in Geo
dealerships all across North America. They’ll be ready
and willing to help if you need it. Here are
some things you can check before a trip:
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Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your
route?’Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “hghway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There
is something about an easy stretch of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum
of the tires on the road,
the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the wind against
the vehicle that
can make you sleepy. Don’t let it happen
to
you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less
than a second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
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Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to
the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a
nap, get some exercise, or
both.
For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
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If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See “Off-Road
Driving’’ in the Index for information about
driving
off-road.)
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Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some
of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have
poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
l Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have
poor braking or even none going down a hin.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and
your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
0 Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower
gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads
in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center
of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay
in your own lane.
could be something
in your lane, like a stalled car or
an accident.
e You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones,
a falling rocks area or winding
roads.
Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
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Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the
snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers,
burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get
inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle , especially any
that is blocking
your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away
from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
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Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
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 extra
wiring (included in the optional trailering package).
The green arrows on your instrument panel will
flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop. When towing
a trailer, the green arrow’s on your
instrument panel
will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may thlnk drrvers
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
(5) gear, you may prefer not to
use FIFTH
(5). Just drive in FOURTH (4) (or, as you
need
to, a lower gear).
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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 of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and 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. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (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.
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Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use-a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water.
You don’t
need to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a battery
has filler caps, be sure the right amount of fluid is
there. If it is low, add water to take care of that
first. If you don’t, explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you.
Don’t get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
I 5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulatiofi. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
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Fan or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.
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