Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACIbTELi CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
These symbols
have
to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e e3
TURN
PARKING
0
LAMPS pq
RUNNING 0
DAYTIME *
LAMPS '**
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
VENTILATING
&?
FAN
These symbols are used
on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE t
COOLANT - t-
TEMP -
CHARGING BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
R
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE *
P
LIGHTER
HORN
)tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL B
vi
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Ignition Positions
4
With the key in the ignition
switch, you can
turn the
switch to four positions.,
LOCK (A): The only position in which you can remove
the key. This locks your steering wheel, ignition and
automatic transmission.
If you have an automatic transmission, the ignition
switch can’t be turned to LOCK unless the shift lever is
in the
PARK (P) position.
ACC (B): The position that you can operate your
electrical power accessories. It unlocks the steering
wheel and ignition. Use this position if your vehicle
must be pushed or towed.
ON (C): The position in which the switch returns to
after you start your engine and release the switch. The
switch stays in the
ON position when the engine is
running. But even when the engine is not running, you
can use ON to operate your electrical power accessories
and to display some instrument panel warning and
indicator lights.
START (D): The position in which the engine starts.
When the engine starts, release the key. The ignition
switch
will return to ON for normal driving.
When the engine is not running, ACC and
ON allow you
to operate your electrical accessories, such as the radio
and ventilation fan.
A warning chime will sound if you open the driver’s
door when the ignition is in ACC or LOCK and the key
is in the ignition.
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Lamps Control
Turn the outside part of the lever to control the lamps.
There are three positions for the lamp switch.
OFF: All lamps are off.
-300: : The parking lamps, taillamps, license plate
lamp and
the instrument panel lights come on. The
headlamps are off.
-:g- : The headlamps and all other operating lamps
come on.
Lamps On Reminder
If you turn the ignition off, remove the key, open the
door and leave the lamps
on, a chime will remind you to
turn off your lamps.
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
First, you must have the headlamps on. For high beams,
push the turn signal lever away
from you.
When the high beams are
on, a light on the instrument
panel also
will be on. It will
go off when you switch to
low beam.
To switch back to low beams, pull the lever toward you.
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Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
This knob controls the
brightness
of your
instrument panel lights.
Turn the knob to the right to
brighten the lights
or to the
left to dim them.
Dome Lamp
The dome lamp has a
three-position switch.
1: This position is to the left when sitting in the driver’s
seat. The dome lamp
turns on and stays on whether or
not a door is open.
2: This is the center position. The lamp comes on when
a door is opened.
3: This position is to the right when sitting in the driver’s
seat. The lamp stays off even when a door is open.
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Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when
you start the
engine just
to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with
one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s
a problem with your vehicle. When
one of the warning lights comes
on and stays on
when you
are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells YOU
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to
do repairs can be costly -- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to
ON or STAFtT, a light will
come on for about eight
seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts.
Unless the driver’s safety
belt is already buckled, a
chime will also sound.
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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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Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at. least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night
as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day
in bright
sunshine you
are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting
to night. But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make
a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It
can take a second or two, or even several seconds, for
your eyes
to readjust to the dark. When you are faced
with severe glare
(as from a driver who doesn’t lower
the
high beams, or a vehicle with rnisaimed headlamps),
slow down
a little. Avoid staring directly into the
approaching headlamm. Keep your
windshield and all the glass
on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse
by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glws
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light
up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn
or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be checked regularly
for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer frsm night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren’t even aware
of it.
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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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