Easy Entry Seats (2-Door)
The front seats of your vehicle make it easy to get in and
out of the rear seat.
When you pull up on the recliner release lever, the
seatback will tilt forward and
the whole seat can
slide
forward by hand.
After someone gets into the rearseat area, move the
seatback
to its original position. Then move the seat
rearward until it locks.
A CAUTION:
-
If any easy entry seat isn’t locked, it can move. In
a sudden stop or crash, the person sitting there
could
be injured. And, even if there is no crash or
sudden stop, a driver sitting in an unlocked easy
entry seat could be startled
by the sudden
movement and hit the wrong control or pedal,
causing
an accident. After you’ve used it, be sure
to push rearward on any easy entry seat ta be
sure
it is locked.
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Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves -- so
don’t do it.
When you park your Geo and open the driver’s door,
you’ll hear a chime reminding you
to remove your key
from the ignition and take it with
you. Always do this.
Your steering wheel will
be locked, and so will your
ignition. If you have an automatic transmission, taking
your key out also locks your transmission. And
remember
to lock the doors.
Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spat, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out of sight.
Put them in a storage area, or take them with you.
New Vehicle 46Break-InS’
I
NOTICE:
Your modern Geo doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or
less for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts,
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t
yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings
can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time
you get new brake linings.
See “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index for
more information.
0 Avoid making hard stops for the first
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in.
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A CAUTION:
On manual transmission vehicles, turning the key to
LOCK will lock the steering column and result in a
loss of ability to steer the vehicle. This could cause a
collision. If you need to turn the engine off while the
vehicle
is moving, turn the key only to ACC. Don’t
push the key in while the vehicle is
moving.
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it
is all the way in, If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while
you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand.~Using
a tool to force it could break
the key or the ignition switch. If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service.
Starting Your Engine
Automatic transmission
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position -- that’s a
safety feature. To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
NOTICE:
~~
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Geo is
moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
Manual transmission
The geax selector should be in NEUTRAL (N). Hold the
clutch pedal to
the floor and start the engine. Your
vehicle won’t
start if the clutch pedal is not all the way
down -- that’s a safety feature.
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Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine. Your Geo has a brake-transmission
shift interlock. You have to fully apply your regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition key
is in the ON position. If you cannot shift
out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever -- push
the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) and release the
shift lever button
as you maintain brake application.
Then press the shift lever button and move the shift
lever into the gear you wish. See “Shifting Out of
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage your
transmission. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL
(N) when your vehicle is being towed.
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) vhile
your engine is “racing” (running
at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of
PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
b i
NOTICE:
Damage to your transmission caused by shifting
out of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
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NEUTRAL (N): Use this position when you start or
idle
your engine.
REVERSE (R): To back up, press down the clutch
pedal and shift into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch
pedal slowly while pressing the accelerator pedal.
You cannot
go from FIFTH (5) into REVERSE (R).
If you try, you will be locked out. You must first shift
into NEUTRAL
(N), move the lever to the left, back to
the right, and then shift into REVERSE (R). This is a
> safety feature.
Shift Speeds
,L CAUTION:
If you skip more than one gear when you
downshift, you could lose control of your vehicle.
And
you could injure yourself or others. Don’t
shift from FIFTH
(5) to SECOND (2) or from
FOURTH
(4) to FIRST (1).
NOTICE: This chart shows when to shift to the next higher gear
for best fuel economy.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped. Shifting
to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving could damage your transmission.
Also, use REVERSE (R) along with the parking brake
for parking
your vehicle.
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Flash-to-Pass
With the lever in the low-beam position, pull the lever
towad you to momentarily switch to high beam (to
signal that you are going to pass). When you release the
lever, the headlamps will return
to low-beam operation.
Windshield WipedWasher Lever
The lever on the right side of the steering column
controls the windshield wipers
and washers. Move the wiper switch
to the position
you want:
OFF: The wipers are off.
INT Intermittent wiper operation. In light rain or snow,
you might want to use this position rather than
continuous wiping.
LO: The wipers will run continuously at low speed.
HI: The wipers will run continuously at high speed.
For a single wiping cycle, pull the lever toward
you.
Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go. The
wipers will stop after one cycle. If you want more
cycles, hold the lever longer.
Be sure
to clear ice and snow from the wiper blades
before
using them. If they’re frozen to the windshield,
carefully loosen or thaw them.
If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades
or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice
can overload your wipers. A circuit
breaker will stop them until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice
to prevent an overload.
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light (Option)
ABS
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and it will stay
on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull off the road and stop carefully.
You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See
“Towing Your
Vehicle” in the Index.)
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly if the anti-lock brake system warning light
is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock brake system
warning light flashing
can lead to an accident. After
you’ve pulled
off the road and stopped caremy,
have the vehicle towed for service.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and
turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Geo needs service. If the
light
is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on,
you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignitiorrkey to ON- If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it will-be
ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
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If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicIe:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
@ Avoid steep uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On
Steady” following.
If the light is still flashing follow the
previous steps, and drive the vehicle to
your dealer or
qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction
by considering the following:
Did you
just put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed. This will
allow fuel to evaporate into
the atmosphere. A few
driving trips should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts
of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct
this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
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