1996 CHEVROLET TRACKER Owners Manual

Clean the blade by wiping vigorously with a cloth
soaked
in full-strength windshield washer solvent. Then
rinse the blade with water.
Wiper blades should be checked on a regular basis and
replaced when worn.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth. at least every six
months. During very cold, damp weather more frequent
application
may be required. (See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.)
Cleaning the Outside of Your Geo
The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep
it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays
of the sun.
Don’t use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use
liquid
hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soaps.
Don’t use cleaning agents that
are petroleum based, or that
contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents
should be flushed promptly and not allowed to dry on
the surface, or they could stain. Dry the
finish with a
soft, clean chamois or a 100% cotton towel to avoid
surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure vehicle washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your Geo by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the paint
finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your dealer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials”
in the Index.)
Your Geo has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint fish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored
basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish.
NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on
a basecoatklearcoat paint finish
may dull the
finish or leave swirl
marks.
6-52
ProCarManuals.com

Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts,
ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc.,
can
damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon
as possible. If
necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces
are subject to aging,
weather and chemical fallout that can take their toll over
a period of years. You can help to keep the paint finish
looking new by keeping your Geo garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Protecting Exterior Bright Metal Parts
Bright metal parts should be cleaned regularly to keep
their luster. Washing with water is all that is usually
needed. However, you may use GM Chrome Polish
on
chrome or stainless steel trim, if necessary.
Use special care with aluminum trim.
To avoid
damaging protective trim, never use auto
or chrome
polish, steam or caustic soap to clean aluminum.
A
coating of wax, rubbed to high polish, is recommended
for all bright metal parts.
Special Care for Canvas Top and
Plastic
Windows
To protect the canvas top:
0
0
0
After you wash the vehicle, make sure the top is
completely dry before you open or remove it.
Don’t get any vinyl cleaner on the vehicle’s painted
finish;
it could leave streaks.
Don’t go through automatic car washes; the canvas
top could be damaged.
The plastic windows are pliable and can be scratched if
you don’t take these precautions when you clean them:
0
0
Wipe off dust with a soft cotton cloth moistened with
clean, cool or lukewarm water. Don’t use a “dry”
cloth. Wipe in one direction only, not back and forth.
To remove frost, snow or ice, use lukewarm water.
Don’t use a scraper or any de-icing fluids.
Wash the windows with a soft cloth and clean, cool
or lukewarm water. Never use a dry cloth, hot water,
strong soap or detergent, solvents or harsh cleaning
agents. Rinse thoroughly and wipe with a slightly
moist soft, clean cloth.
6-53
ProCarManuals.com

Don’t put any labels, stickers or tape on windows.
It’s
hard to remove adhesives left on the window
when such items are removed.
If a sticker or label
must
be removed, remove any adhesive left on the
window while the adhesive
is still soft and sticky.
Press on
a new sticker or piece of tape and then lift it
off again; keep doing this until all the adhesive lifts
off with the sticker or tape.
Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface
of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface
of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because
you could
damage the surface.
Don’t take your vehicle through
an automatic vehicle
wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes
can also damage the surface of these wheels.
Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
I NOTICE:
’ When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces on the body or wheels
of the vehicle.
Petroleum-based products may damage the paint
finish.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the
parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
6-54
ProCarManuals.com

Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal
will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
'Miinor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer's body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust control
can collect on the underbody. If these are not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust)
can occur on the underbody
parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust
system even though they have corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and
other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody vehicle washing system
can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although
no defect in the paint job causes this, Geo
will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.
6-55
ProCarManuals.com

Appe,arance Care Materials Chart
6-56
ProCarManuals.com

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
- - ..
c
I. ’ m. SAMPLE4UXTM072675 . 1
ENGINEAG $. ASSEMBLY
-
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT
This is the legal identifier for your Geo. It appears on a
plate
in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver’s side. You can see it
if you look through the
windshield
from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears
on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in your VIN is the engine code.
This code will help
you identify your engine,
specifications and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label inside the glove box on the door.
It’s very helpful if you ever need to order parts. On
this label is:
0
0
0
0
your VIN,
the model designation,
paint information, and
a list
of all production options and special equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
Electrical System
Add-on Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don’t add anything electrical to your Geo unless
you check with your dealer first. Some electrical
equipment can damage your vehicle and the
damage wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
Some add-on electrical equipment can keep other
components from working
as they should.
6-57
ProCarManuals.com

Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your
Geo, see “Servicing Your
Air Bag-Equipped Geo” in the Index.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits
by fuses, circuit breakers and thermal links
in the wiring itself. This greatly reduces the chance of
fires caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the correct size.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don’t have a
spare fuse,
you can borrow one. Just pick some feature
of your vehicle that you can get along without -- like the
radio or cigarette lighter
-- and use its fuse, if it is the
size you need. Replace it as soon as you can.
Before replacing
a fuse, turn every vehicle electrical
switch
off.
There are two fuse blocks in your vehicle: the
instrument panel fuse block and the engine compartment
fuse block.
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
This fuse box is under the left side of the instrument
panel.
The fuses here protect each separate circuit
including headlamps.
If you have electrical failure,
check here first.
ProCarManuals.com

Fuse Usage
5
l... .............................. Empty
2................................... Empty
3 ............ Dome Lamp, Sidemarker Lamps,
Parking Lamps, License Plate Lamp, Instrument Panel Illumination
4 ........................... Stoplamps, Horn
5 ............................. Hazard Lamps
6..... ................. Door Lock (Option)
7 ............................. Lighter, Radio
8 ........................... Ignition System,
Warning and Indicator Lights,
Gages, Four-wheel Drive System (Option)
9 ........... Turn Signal Flasher, Back-up Lamps
10 .....
11 ...
...................... Wipermasher
.........
.. ..I .... Rear Defogger
12 ................................... Heater
13
................................. Empty
14 ................................... Empty
Please note, fuses for the air bags are located next to the
instrument
panel fuse block.
6-59
ProCarManuals.com