---
I .HI ---
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, GEO, the
GEO Emblem and the name TRACKER are registered
trademarks
of General Motors Corporation,
This manual includes the latest information at the time
it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the
product after that time without
further notice. For
vehicles
first sold in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet/Geo
whenever
it appears in this manual.
Please
keep this manual in your Geo, so it will be there
if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you sell
the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new
owner can use
it.
Litho in USA.
Part No. 10277493 B First Edition
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WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE
,
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux proprietaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en franpis chez
votre
concessionaire ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Onmo L5T IC7
@Copyright General Motors Corporation 1995
All Rights Reserved
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Starting Your 1.6 Liter Engine
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START for about three seconds at a time until your
engine starts. Wait about
15 seconds between each
try to help avoid draining your battery.
If your engine still won’t start, call your dealer for help.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to
get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front
of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough
room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel
the system working, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal,
ABS
ACTIVE
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If
you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However,
if you don’t have anti-lock, your
first reaction
-- to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it
down
-- may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can
stop rolling. Once they
do, the vehicle can’t respond to
your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever
direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling.
That could
be off the road, into the very thing you were
trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you don’t have anti-lock, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control.
You do this by pushing on
the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want
to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This
will help you retain steering control.
(If you do have
anti-lock, it’s different:
see “Anti-Lock Brakes” in
the Index.)
When
your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid,
this light will come on. See
“Anti-Lock Brake System
Active Light” in the Index.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For
me thing, following too closely reduces your area
of vision, especially if you’re following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly
slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass
is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care
that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember
to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
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of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle
to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane
change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at
a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake
a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing,
it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being
passed, make it easy for the
following driver
to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where
the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger.
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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:
you approach things faster and you have less time to
scan the terrain for obstacles.
0 you have less time to react.
you have more vehicle bounce when you drive
you’ll need more distance for braking, especially
over
obstacles.
since you’re on an unpaved surface.
~~
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When you’re driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw you
out of position. This could cause
you to lose
control and crash.
So, whether you’re driving on
or off the road,
you and your passengers should
wear safety belts.
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
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:
I longer braking distances.
0 Is the path ahead clear?
0 Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
I Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s
more discussion of
these subjects later.)
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Will you have to stop suddenly or change
direction quickly?
When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep
a
firm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs or other
surface features can jerk the wheel out of your
hands if
you’re not prepared.
When you drive over bumps,
rocks, or other obstacles,
your wheels can leave the ground, If this, happens, even
with one
or two wheels, you can’t control the vehicle as
well
or at all.
Because
you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s
especially important to avoid sudden acceleration,
sudden turns
or sudden braking. In
a way, off-road driving requires
a different kind of
alertness from driving on paved roads and highways.
There are
no road signs, posted speed limits or signal
lights, You have to use your own good judgment about
what is
safe and what isn’t.
Drinking and driving can
be very dangerous on any
road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At
the very time you need special alertness and driving
skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment
can be
affected
by even a small amount of alcoh’ol. You could
have a serious
-- or even fatal 7- accident if you dx-ink
and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking.
See “Drunken Driving”
in the Index.
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Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose controlwhen you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes
may not work well -- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section.
Ask your Geo dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Geo dealer
for important information about
towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for
your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the
Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes
in handling, durability and
fuel
economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In
it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety des.
Many
of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull
a trailer.
Load-pulhg components such as the engine,
transmission, wheel assemblies and tires are forced to
work harder against the drag of the added’weight. The
engine is required to operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s
more, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
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A CAUTIQN:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after
a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When
you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency,
you can use a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use
a scraper or wire
brush later, if
you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt
off.
k!, CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
6. Replace the wheel nuts with the rounded end of the
nuts toward the wheel. Tighten each nut by hand
until the wheel
is held against the hub.
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