2003 CHEVROLET TRACKER Owners Manual

Notice:Shifting our of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine racing may damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not racing when shifting your
vehicle.
DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving.
If you need more power for passing, and you're:
·Going less than about 15 mph (25 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
·Going about 15 mph (25 km/h) or more, push your
accelerator pedal all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more
power.
SECOND (2):This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your
brakes off and on. In this position, if the power mode
selector switch is turned to P, the transmission will not
downshift into LOW (L). See ªPower Mode Selector
Switchº later in this section.
Don't shift into SECOND (2) unless you are going
slower than 63.4 mph (102 km/h) with the transfer case
in FOUR-WHEEL HIGH (4H) and TWO-WHEEL
HIGH (2H), or 34.9 mph (56.2 km/h) with the transfercase in FOUR-WHEEL LOW (4L). If you move the shift
lever to a lower gear while driving faster than the
maximum allowable speed for the lower gear, the
transmission will not downshift until your speed drops
below the maximum speed for the lower gear.
LOW (L):This position gives you even more power but
lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift
lever is put in LOW (L), the transmission won't shift
into low gear until the vehicle is going slow enough.
Don't shift into LOW (L) at speeds above 28.0 mph
(45.0 km/h) with the transfer case in FOUR-WHEEL
HIGH (4H) or TWO-WHEEL HIGH (2H), or at speeds
above 15.4 mph (24.8 km/h) with the transfer case
in FOUR-WHEEL LOW (4L). If you move the shift lever
to a lower gear while driving faster than the maximum
allowable speed for the lower gear, the transmission
will not downshift until your speed drops below the
maximum speed for the lower gear.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle
in one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck,
do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
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Overdrive Off
If your vehicle has this feature, the overdrive-off button
is located on the left side of the shift lever. When
operating under normal conditions, the vehicle will
automatically default to overdrive when initially started
until it is disengaged. If overdrive is turned off and
the vehicle is turned off, when the vehicle is restarted,
overdrive will automatically turn back on. By operating
the overdrive off button, with the ignition in the ON
position, the four-speed automatic transmission
(three-speed plus overdrive) can be converted to a
three-speed automatic transmission. While in the
three-speed mode, the transmission will not shift into
the overdrive position.To convert the transmission to the three-speed mode,
press in the overdrive-off button and release it.
The OD/OFF indicator light on the instrument panel
cluster will come on. The overdrive-off button is
for normal driving, however, it also offers more power
and lower fuel economy than driving in the overdrive
position. Here are some times you might choose to drive
with the overdrive-off button engaged:
·When driving on hilly, winding roads.
·When going down a steep hill.
To return the transmission to the four-speed mode,
press in the overdrive-off button again. The OD/OFF
indicator light will go off. Disengaging the overdrive-off
button is for normal driving with the four-speed
automatic transaxle. If you need more power for
passing, and you are:
·Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
·Going about 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator all the way down.
If the transfer case shift lever is in the 4L position,
the four-speed automatic transmission will remain in the
three-speed mode.
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Power Mode
A power mode selector
switch is included with the
four-speed automatic
transmission.
When you need more power for climbing hills or quicker
acceleration, press the P (power) switch. The POWER
indicator light on the instrument panel cluster will
come on. For normal driving, press the N (normal)
switch. The POWER indicator light will go off.
The power mode delays the automatic transmission shift
points to allow for higher engine speeds in each gear.
The automatic transmission also has the ability to
provide SECOND (2) gear starts for improved traction
on slippery surfaces. The power mode selector
switch must be in the P mode and the transmission
gear selector in SECOND (2), which will remain
in SECOND (2) until you shift the vehicle to DRIVE (D).
Manual Transmission Operation
Five-Speed
This is your shift pattern.
Here's how to operate
your transmission:
FIRST (1):Press the clutch pedal and shift into
FIRST (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as
you press the accelerator pedal.
You can shift into FIRST (1) when you're going less than
20 mph (32 km/h). If you've come to a complete stop and
it's hard to shift into FIRST (1), put the shift lever in
NEUTRAL and let up on the clutch. Press the clutch
pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST (1).
SECOND (2):Press the clutch pedal as you let up on
the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (2).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
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THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), FIFTH (5):Shift into
THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5) the same way
you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the
brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to
NEUTRAL.
NEUTRAL:Use this position when you start or idle
your engine.
REVERSE (R):To back up, press down the clutch
pedal and shift into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch
pedal slowly while pressing the accelerator pedal.
You cannot go from FIFTH (5) into REVERSE (R).
If you try, you will be locked out. You must ®rst shift into
NEUTRAL, move the shift lever to the left, back to
the right, and then shift into REVERSE (R). This is a
safety feature.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
Also, use REVERSE (R) along with the parking brake
for parking your vehicle.
Shift Speeds
{CAUTION:
If you skip a gear when you downshift, you
could lose control of your vehicle. You could
injure yourself or others. Don't shift down
more than one gear at a time when you
downshift.
If your speed drops below 20 mph (32 km/h), or if the
engine is not running smoothly, you should downshift to
the next lower gear. You may have to downshift two
or more gears to keep the engine running smoothly or
for good performance.
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Four-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you can send your
engine's driving power to all four wheels for extra
traction. To shift out of two-wheel drive and into
four-wheel drive, move the transfer case shift lever to
FOUR-WHEEL HIGH (4H) or FOUR-WHEEL LOW (4L)
(see the following). You should use TWO-WHEEL
HIGH (2H) for most normal driving.
Notice:Driving on pavement in four-wheel drive for
an extended period of time may cause premature
wear on your vehicle's powertrain. Do not drive
in four-wheel drive on pavement for extended
periods of time.
Transfer Case
The transfer case shift lever is on the ¯oor to the right
of the driver. Use this lever to shift into and out of
four-wheel drive. An indicator light comes on when the
transfer case is in four-wheel drive.
Your vehicle's transfer case shift lever may shake or
vibrate. This is normal and your vehicle does not require
service.
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TWO-WHEEL HIGH (2H):This setting is for driving in
most street and highway situations. Your front axle
is not engaged in two-wheel drive.
FOUR-WHEEL HIGH (4H):This setting engages your
front axle to help drive your vehicle. Use FOUR-WHEEL
HIGH (4H) when you need extra traction, such as on
wet or icy roads, or in most off-road situations.
NEUTRAL (N):Shift to this setting only when your
vehicle needs to be towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P), or if you have a
manual transmission, even if you are in gear.
You or someone else could be seriously
injured. Be sure to set the parking brake
before placing the transfer case in NEUTRAL.
See ªParking Brakeº in the Index.FOUR-WHEEL LOW (4L):This setting also engages
your front axle to give you extra traction and can
be used for driving downhill, uphill or on rocky terrain
when you're driving slower than 35 mph (55 km/h).
Remember that driving in FOUR-WHEEL HIGH (4H) or
FOUR-WHEEL LOW (4L) may reduce fuel economy.
Also, driving in four-wheel drive on dry pavement could
cause your tires to wear faster and make your transfer
case harder to shift.
You can shift from TWO-WHEEL HIGH (2H) to
FOUR-WHEEL HIGH (4H) or from FOUR-WHEEL
HIGH (4H) to TWO-WHEEL HIGH (2H) at any speed
if your vehicle is going less than 60 mph (100 km/h) and
your wheels are straight ahead. Your front axle will
engage faster if you take your foot off the accelerator
pedal for a few seconds as you shift.
Shifting Into or Out of FOUR-WHEEL
LOW (4L)
1. Stop your vehicle and shift your transmission to
NEUTRAL (N).
2. Shift the transfer case in one continuous motion.
Don't pause in NEUTRAL (N) as you shift from
FOUR-WHEEL LOW (4L) to FOUR-WHEEL HIGH (4H),
or your gears could clash.
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Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down
and pull up on the parking brake lever. If the ignition is
on, the brake system warning light will come on.To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal
down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can push
in the release button located on the end of the lever.
Hold the release button in as you move the lever all the
way down.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on
page 4-53.
2-27

Shifting Into Park (P)
{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 ®rmly 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. With four-wheel
drive, if your transfer case is in NEUTRAL,
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 Ð not in
NEUTRAL. If you're pulling a trailer, see
ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by holding in the
button on the lever and pushing the lever all the
way toward the front of your vehicle.
3. If you have four-wheel drive, be sure the transfer
case is in a drive gear Ð not in NEUTRAL (N).
4. Move the key to LOCK.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the key in your hand,
your vehicle is in PARK (P).
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