1996 CHEVROLET TRACKER light

What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
W of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and how
to add coolant when
it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your Geo will:
Give freezing protection down to -33 “F (-36°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 258°F (125°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature,
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half antifreeze that meets
GM
Specification 1825-M, which won’t damage aluminum
parts. You can also use a recycled coolant conforming
to
GM Specification 1825-M with a complete coolant flush
and refill. If you use this mixture, you don’t need to add
anything else.
/i CAUTTON:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix
will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant
mix. With
plain water
or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot
but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch
fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a 50/50 mix of clean
water and the proper antifreeze.
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Brake Wear
Your Geo has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
wor~ and new pads are needed.
The sound may come and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except
when you are pushing
on the brake pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning sound means that sooner
or later your brakes won’t work
well. That could
lead
to an accident. When you hear the brake
wear warning
sound, have your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE: I
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly applied.
This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes,
Free movement of brake calipers and properly torqued
wheel nuts are necessary to help prevent brake pulsation.
When tires are rotated, inspect brake calipers for
movement, brake pads for wear, and evenly torque wheel
nuts
in the proper sequence to GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but
if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake
linings inspected. Also, the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation or changing. When you have the
front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected,
too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could
be a sign of brake trouble.
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While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks
may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria
(TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the nom due to variations
in driving habits, service practices
and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B, and
C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance. Warning:
The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction,
Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on, a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of perfol’mance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades
B and
A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning:
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading,
either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
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Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
1. Vacuum and brush the area to remove any
loose dirt.
2. Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask
3. Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following
surrounding trim along stitch
or welt lines.
the directions on the container label.
4. Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge.
5. Don’t saturate the material.
6. Don’t rub it roughly.
7. As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge
8. Rinse the section with a clean, wet sponge.
9. Wipe off what’s left with a slightly damp paper
to remove the suds.
towel or cloth.
10. Then dry it immediately with a blow dryer.
11. Wipe with a clean cloth.
Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type cleaner at all.
Some spots and stains will clean
off better with just
water and mild soap.
If you need to use a solvent:
Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material with
a clean, dull knife or scraper. Use very little cleaner,
light pressure and clean cloths (preferably
cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at the outside of
the stain, “feathering” toward the center. Keep
changing to a clean section of the cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric, immediately
dry the area with a blow dryer to help prevent
a
cleaning ring.
Fabric Protection
Your Geo has upholstery that has been treated with
Scotchgard” Fabric Protector, a 3M product.
It protects
fabrics by repelling oil and water, which are the carriers
of most stains. Even with this protection, you still need
to clean your upholstery often to keep it looking new.
Further information on cleaning
is available by calling
1-800-433-3296 (in Minnesota, 1-800-642-6167).
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Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy or Oily Stains
Stains caused by grease, oil, butter, margarine, shoe
polish, coffee with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic
crew, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar and asphalt can
be removed as follows:
1. Carefully scrape off excess stain.
2. Follow the solvent-type instructions described earlier.
3. Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and asphalt will stain if
left on a vehicle’s seat fabric. They should be removed
as soon as possible. Be careful, because the cleaner
will dissolve them
and may cause them to spread.
Non-Greasy Stains
Stains caused by catsup, coffee (black), egg, fruit, fruit
juice, milk, soft drinks, wine, vomit, urine and blood can
be removed as follows:
1. Carefully scrape off excess stain, then sponge the
2. If a stain remains, follow the foam-type instructions
soiled area
with cool water.
described earlier.
3. If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine,
treat the area
with a waterbaking soda solution:
1 teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup (250 ml)
of lukewarm water.
4. If needed, clean lightly with solvent-type cleaner.
Combination Stains
Stains caused by candy, ice cream, mayonnaise, chili
sauce and unknown stains can be removed as follows:
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then clean with
cool water
and allow to dry.
0 If a stain remains, clean it with solvent-type cleaner.
Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt.
You may have to do it more than once.
Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if
you don’t get
them off quickly. Use a clean cloth and
a GM Vinyl/Leather Cleaner or equivalent product.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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