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Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum
of the tires on the
road, the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to you!
If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in
less than a secund, and you could crash and
be injured
.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and
to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
0 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise,
or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
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’ A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you have four-wheel drive and your transfer
case
is in NEUTRAL (N), your vehicle will be free
to roll, even if your shift lever is in PARK (P). So,
be sure the transfer case is in a drive gear -- not
in
NEUTRAL (N).
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling
a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to
see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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9. The other end of the negative (-) cable doesn’t go
to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy unpainted
metal part on the engine of the vehicle with the
dead battery. Attach the cable at least
18 inches (45
cm) away from the dead battery, but not near
engine parts that move. The electrical connection is
just as good there, but the chance
of sparks getting
back to the battery is much less.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while. 11. Try to start the vehicle with
the dead battery. If it
.12. Remove the cables
in reverse order to prevent
won’t
start after
a few tries, it probably needs service.
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Chevrolet/Geo dealer or a professional
towing service tow your Tracker. See “Roadside
Assistance” in the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed
or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting,
or special tires and wheels, these
instructions may not be correct.
Before
you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive, or that it has
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever for the
transmission and transfer case, if you have one.
the four-wheel-drive option.
If there was
an accident, what was damaged. When the
towing service arrives, let
the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
To help avoid injury to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
0 Never tow with damaged parts not
0 Never get under your vehicle after it has
Always use separate safety chains on each
Never use T-hooks. Use J-hooks instead.
being towed.
fully secured.
been lifted
by the
tow truck.
side when towing a vehicle.
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A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it
is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned to the
OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The transmission
and transfer case, if you have one, should
be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow any speed and distance
restrictions later in this section,
or your transmission
will be damaged.
If these limitations must be exceeded,
then the drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute
or so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving --AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
0 or
DRIVE (D) for automatic transmissions.
Ii‘ you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive.
Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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1
The coolant level should be at or above FULL.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
I
A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there
is a leak. If you run
the engine,
it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an.engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fan is running.
If the engine is
overheating, the fan should be running.
If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
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GE4iB Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Geo. This section begins with service and fuel information, and
then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2
6-3
6-7
6-10
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6- 16
6-19
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6-2
1
6-22
6-23
6-26
6-27
6-29
6-33
Service
Fuel
Checking Things Under the
Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Manual Transmission Fluid
Clutch Adjustment
Rear Axle
Four-wheel
Drive
Engine Coolant
Radiator Pressure Cap
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
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3
6-40
6-48
6-49
6-53
6-54
6-56
6-56
6-57
6-58
6-58
6-62
6-64
Bulb Replacement
Halogen Bulbs
Tires
'
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside of Your Geo
Cleaning the Outside of Your Geo
Special Care for Canvas Top and Plastic
Windows
Underbody Maintenance
Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
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