If the Light Is Flashing If the Light Is On Steady
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are 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. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
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. You
may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fL1el cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine
if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or
missing fuel cap
will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed 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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Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage shows about
how much fuel
is in your
tank. When the gage first
still have about one or two
gallons
(4 to 8 L) of fuel left
in your tank, but you need
to get more right away.
/ indicates EMPTY (E), you Here
are four concerns some owners have had about the
fuel gage. All these situations are normal and do not
indicate that anything
is wrong with the fuel gage.
0
0
0
0
At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before the
gage reads
FULL (F).
It takes more (or less) fuel to fill up than the gage
reads.
For example, the gage reads half full, but it
took more (or less) than half
of the tank’s capacity to
fill
it.
The gage moves a little when you turn, stop or
speed up.
When you turn the engine off, the gage doesn’t
go
back to EMPTY (E).
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Loading Your Vehicle
TIRE PLACARD
I GWVR IGWR FRT~ GAWR RR 1
LB/Kg
TI RES
I RIMS
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
found
on the driver’s door lock pillar tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives
you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle Capacity Weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory-installed options.
MFD BY CAM1 AUTOMOTIVE
DATE
GVWR GAWR FRT
CANADA
GAWR RR
The other label is the Certification label, also found on
the driver’s door lock pillar. It tells
you the gross weight
capacity
of your vehicle, called the GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo. Never
exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the
Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear axle.
And,
if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it
out. Don’t carry more than
400 lbs. (181 kg) in your rear
area when four people are in your two-wheel-drive
vehicle. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, don’t
carry more than
200 Ibs. (91 kg) in your rear area when
four people are in your vehicle.
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Towing a Trailer
/I CA JTION:
-
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when 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.
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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.
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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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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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The cap is behind a hinged door on the passenger’s side
of your vehicle. On four-door models, use the key to the
vehicle to unlock the
fuel door.
To take off the cap, turn it slowly
to the left
(counterclockwise).
1 /1 CAUTION:
If you get gasoline on yourself and then
something ignites it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out on you
if you open the
fuel filler cap
too quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank is nearly full, and is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise
to stop. Then unscrew
the cap all the
way.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces
as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside of Your Geo”
in the Index. When you
put the cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise)
until you hear at least three clicks. Make
sure you
fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp”
in
the Index.
I
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit or have proper
venting. This may cause
your malfunction
indicator lamp to light and your fuel tank and
emissions system may be damaged. See
“Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in the Index.
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Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps
are on.
Then lift the hood to relieve pressure
on the hood prop.
Remove the hood prop from the slot in the hood and
return the prop to its retainer. Then let the hood down
and close it firmly.
Engine Oil
If the engine oil pressure
light
on the instrument
panel comes on, it means
you need to check your
engine oil
level right away.
For more information, see “Engine Oil Pressure Light”
in the Index. You should check your engine oil level
regularly; this is an added reminder. It’s
a good idea
to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order
to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and
the vehicle must be on level ground.
Turn off the engine and
give the oil a few minutes
to drain back into the oil
pan. If
you don’t, the oil
dipstick might not show the
actual level.
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Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
driver’s door lock pillar, shows
the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they’re cold. “Cold”
means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven
no more than 1 mile ( 1.6 km).
I NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It’s not.
If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued) NOTICE:
(Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check
the tire pressure of the spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell
if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
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