1998 CHEVROLET TRACKER warning

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay
away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from
it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until
there
is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~____
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
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:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 (a) or
DRIVE (D) for automatic transmissions.
If 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 ojjfthe 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.
Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what \
you’ll see:
A. Radiator Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Cooling Fan
C. Coolant Recovery Tank
5-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I A
A C ,U ION:
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.
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 cooling fan
is running. If the
engine is overheating, the fan should be running. If it
isn’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t at or above the
FULL mark, add a 50/50
mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and a
proper coolant at the coolant recovery tank. (See
“Engine Coolant” in the Index for more information
about
the proper coolant mixture.)
Adding only plain water
to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean water and a
proper coolant.
5-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
A CAUT,JN:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and
it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on
a hot engine.
When the coolant in the coolant recovery tank
is at or
above the
FULL mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues, there’s one more
thing you can try.
You can add the proper coolant
mixture directly
to the radiator, but be sure the cooling
system is cool before you do it.
5-17
.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
A CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people.
You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission shift lever in
PARK
(P) or shift a manual transmission to
FIRST
(1) or REVERSE (R).
3. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle,
be sure the transfer case
is in a drive
gear
-- not in NEUTRAL (N).
4. 'hrn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear
of the
tire farthest
away from the one being changed.
CAUTION: (Continued) That
would be the tire
on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
The following steps will tell
you how to use the jack and
change a tire.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If none of them is true, use the long triphighway
maintenance schedule. Change oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 7.5 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving
a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don't let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer's warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be
a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don't ever dispose of oil
by putting it
in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
Air Cleaner
Operating the engine with the air cleaner off can
cause you
or others to be burned. The air cleaner
not only cleans the air, it stops flame if the engine
CAUTION: (Continued)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When the differential is cold, add enough lubricant
to raise the level to 1/2 inch (12
mm) below the filler
plug hole.
When the differential is at operating temperature
(warm), add enough lubricant to raise the level to
the bottom
of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and
how to add coolant when it is low. If you have a
problem with engine overheating, see “Engine
Overheating” in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -33°F (-36°C).
Give boiling protection up to 258 OF (1 25 O C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half coolant that meets GM
Specification 1825-M, which won’t damage aluminum
parts.
You can also use a recycled coolant conforming
to GM Specification 1825-M with a complete coolant
flush and refill.
If you use this mixture, you don’t need
to add anything else.
Adding only plain water
to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system
is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get
too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a
50/50 mixture of clean water and the
proper coolant.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound when the brake
pads are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the brake
pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when the brakes are first applied
or
lightly applied. This does not mean something is
wrong with your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators,
but if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the
rear brake linings inspected immediately. Also, the rear
brake drums should be removed and inspected each time
the tires are removed for rotation or changing. When
you have the front brake pads replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section
7 of this
manual under Part C “Periodic Maintenance Inspections.”
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign
of brake trouble.
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