If you don’t cancel the security lock feature, adults or
older children who ride in the rear won’t be able to open
the rear door from the inside.
You should let adults and
older children know how these security locks work, and
how to cancel the locks.
To cancel the rear door lock:
1. Unlock the door from the inside and open the door
2. Move the lever up to disengage the lock.
from
the outside.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.
The rear door locks will now work normally.
Leaving Your Vehicle
If you are leaving the vehicle, take your key, open your
door and set the locks from inside. Then get out and
close the
door.
Tailgate
It can be dangerous to drive with the tailgate
window open because carbon monoxide
(CO) gas
can come into your vehicle. You can’t see
or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the tailgate window open
or
if electrical wiring or other cable connections
must pass through the seal between the body and
the tailgate window:
Make sure all windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on CIRCULATE. That will force outside
air into your vehicle. See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
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Comfort Controls
With this system, you can control the heating and
ventilation in your Geo.
If you have the air conditioning
option, you can also control cooling.
Your vehicle also has the flow-through ventilation
system described later in this section.
Climate Control System
Airflow Lever
de
9 VENT This position directs the airflow through
the instrument panel vents.
49 BI-LEVEL: This position directs air through the
instrument panel vents and toward the floor.
A.
%$ FLOOR: This position directs air toward the floor.
w> DEFOG: This position directs air toward the
floor, the windshield and side windows.
9 DEFROST This position directs air to the
windshield and side windows.
Fan Control Lever
Slide the lever away from OFF to turn the system on.
Move the lever toward the fan symbol to increase the
fan’s speed.
Temperature Control Lever
Slide the lever to change the temperature of the air
flowing from the system. Move it to the right for
warmer air and to the left for cooler
air. Without
optional air conditioning, the
air temperature cannot be
less than the outside air temperature.
Air Intake Lever
CIRCULATE:
Choose this position to circulate outside
air through the comfort control system.
RECIRCULATE: Choose this position to recirculate
the inside
air through the comfort control system.
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Air Conditioner Controls (Option)
The air conditioning system
uses the same controls as
described previously. The
function
of each lever is
explained under “Climate
Control System” in this
part. The incoming air is
cooled and dehumidified
instead of being heated.
Push the
A/C button to change your comfort control
system from heating to air conditioning.
A light will
come
on when the air conditioning is on. The A/C
button can also control the humidity in your vehicle.
The air conditioner works best if you keep your
windows closed. On very hot days, open the windows
just long enough for the hot air to escape.
For normal cooling, push the
A/C button and move the
air intake lever to CIRCULATE. For faster cooling,
move the lever to RECIRCULATE. Then move the
airflow lever to VENT, the temperature control lever
toward the left and the fan control lever toward the
fan symbol.
On days when
it is raining or the humidity is high,
follow these dehumidifying steps to help clean windows
that are cloudy with moisture. Push the A/C button.
Move the air intake lever to CIRCULATE. Move the
airflow lever to DEFROST and
the fan control lever
toward the fan symbol. Adjust
the temperature control
lever to
a comfortable setting.
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Heating
For the quickest results, move the air intake lever to
RECIRCULATE. Move the airflow lever to FLOOR,
the temperature control lever toward the right for
warmer air and the
far, control lever toward the fan
symbol.
You should switch to CIRCULATE once in a
while to avoid stale air and cloudy windows.
Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures, when little heating or
cooling is needed, you can still direct outside air through
ymr vehicle.
Move the air intake lever to CIRCULATE and the
airflow lever
to BI-LEVEL. Adjust the temperature
control lever to
a comfortable setting and move the fan
control lever toward the fan symbol.
Your Geo’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into the vehicle when
it is moving. Outside
air will also enter the vehicle when the fan is running
and the air intake lever is at CIRCULATE. Your
vehicle has air outlets that allow you to adjust the
direction and amount
of airflow inside the vehicle. Push
the outlet
up or down to direct airflow to your
preference. Increase or reduce the amount
of airflow by
opening and closing the louvers.
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After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust system
for damage. Also, check the
fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to
the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems,
or by fatigue.
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If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See “Off-Road
Driving’’ in the Index for information about driving
off-road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down
a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on
a steep
downhill slope. Coasting downhill
in NEUTRAL
(N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work
of slowing down. They could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going down
a hill. You could crash. Always have your engine
running and your vehicle in gear when you
go downhill.
0
0
0
0
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
Stay
in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads
in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across
the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay
in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, llke a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones,
a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert
to these and take appropriate action.
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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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GEED Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2
5-3
5-8
5- 13 Hazard Warning
Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
5-15
5-23
5-23
5-34
Cooling System
If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
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