1998 CHEVROLET TRACKER stop start

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving in Water
Light rain causes no special off-road driving problems. But heavy rain can mean flash flooding, and flood
waters demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it.
If it’s deep enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles or
exhaust pipe, don’t try it
-- you probably won’t get
through. Also, water that deep can damage your axle
and other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, then drive through it slowly.
At fast speeds, water splashes on your ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you
get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your
tailpipe is under water, you’ll never be able
to start your
engine. When you
go through water, remember that
when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer
to stop.
A CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be dangerous.
Deep water can sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers could drown.
If it’s
only shallow water, it can still wash
away the
ground from under your tires, and you could lose
traction and roll the vehicle over. Don’t drive
through rushing water.
See “Driving Through Water” in the Index
for more
information on driving through water,
4-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get
even less traction. It’s always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge of the road and even
people walking.
It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer tank filled with
washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on
the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate
from the inserts.
4-31

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle with manual
freewheeling hubs,
it can be towed from the front with
all four wheels on the ground. Follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Set the parking brake.
Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the
steering wheel.
Shift your automatic transmission into
PARK (P), or
your manual transmission to SECOND
(2).
Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N).
Set the hubs to
FREE. See “Four-wheel Drive” in
the Index.
Release the parking brake.
Stop towing every
200 miles (300 km) and start
the engine. Leave the transfer case shift lever in
NEUTRAL (N). Shift your automatic transmission
to DRIVE (D); leave a manual transmission in
SECOND
(2) with the clutch engaged. Run the engine at
medium speed for one minute to circulate oil in the
transfer case.
Turn the ignition key to ACC. Now, you
can continue towing your vehicle.
NOTICE:
The front wheels transmit shocks during towing.
The steering column may not be strong enough to
withstand the shocks. Always unlock the steering
wheel before towing.
I NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
50 mph (80 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.
4-45

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine lbrn Signals When Towing a nailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring (included in the optional trailering package).
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a
turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they
are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If
you are towing a trailer and you have a manual
transmission with
FIFTH (5) gear, you may prefer not to
use FIFTH
(5). Just drive in FOURTH (4) (or, as you
need to, a lower gear).
4-54

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 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.
4-56

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As shown in the chart, SAE 1OW-30 is best for your
vehicle. However, you can
use SAE 5W-30 if it’s
going
to be colder than 60 “F ( 16 ” C) before your
next oil change. When it’s
very cold, you should use
SAE 5W-30. These numbers on an oil container show
its viscosity, or thickness. Do not use other viscosity
oils, such as
SAE 20W-50.
I NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
“Starburst” symbol. Failure to use the recommended oil can result in engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements
for your vehicle.
If you are in an area where the temperature falls
below
-20°F (-29”C), consider using either an
SAE 5W-30 synthetic oil or an SAE OW-30 oil. Both
will provide easier cold starting and better protection for your engine at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your dealer is ready
to advise if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short tripkity
maintenance schedule:
0
0
0
0
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as
frequent driving in stop-and-go traffic).
You operate your vehicle in dusty areas or
off-road frequently.
You frequently tow
a trailer or use a carrier on top
of your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these
is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
6-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top
quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you have to have new ones put
in -- be sure you
get new approved
GM replacement parts. If you don’t,
your brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change
in many other ways
if someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Chevrolet has an ACDelco Freedom@ battery. You never have to add water to one of these. When it’s
time for a new battery, we recommend an ACDelco
Freedom battery. Get one that has the replacement number shown on the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days
or more, remove the black, negative
(-) cable from
the battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting’’ in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.