2003 CHEVROLET TRACKER automatic transmission

5. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, be sure the
transfer case is in a drive gear ± not in NEUTRAL.
6. Release the regular brakes.
{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.
Always put the shift lever fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake ®rmly set.
If the transfer case on four-wheel-drive vehicles
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.
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,
·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 ¯uid (don't over®ll),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you ®nd 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.
4-59

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-5
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood.....................5-9
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-16
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-23
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-26
Hydraulic Clutch...........................................5-27
Engine Coolant.............................................5-28
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-30
Engine Overheating.......................................5-31
Cooling System............................................5-33
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-40Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-41
Brakes........................................................5-42
Battery........................................................5-45
Jump Starting...............................................5-46
Rear Axle.......................................................5-52
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-53
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-55
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-55
Headlamps..................................................5-55
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps..............5-57
Sidemarker Lamps........................................5-57
Rear Combination Lamps...............................5-58
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-59
Tires..............................................................5-59
In¯ation - Tire Pressure.................................5-60
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-60
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-62
Buying New Tires.........................................5-62
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-63
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-64
Wheel Replacement......................................5-64
Tire Chains..................................................5-66
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-66
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-67
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See ªEngine
Compartment Fuse Blockº underFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-89.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
C. Battery. See
Battery on page 5-45.
D. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See
Power Steering
Fluid on page 5-40.
E. Automatic Transmission Dipstick (If Equipped).
See
Automatic Transmission Fluid on page 5-23.F. Radiator Pressure Cap. See
Radiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-30.
G. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.
H. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.
I. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See
Brakes on page 5-42.
J. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. See
Engine Coolant
on page 5-28.
K. Windshield Washer Reservoir. See
Windshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-41.
5-13

A. Engine Compartment Fuse Block. See ªEngine
Compartment Fuse Blockº underFuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-89.
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.
C. Battery. See
Battery on page 5-45.
D. Radiator Pressure Cap. See
Radiator Pressure Cap
on page 5-30.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick. See
Automatic
Transmission Fluid on page 5-23.G. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil on page 5-16.
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See
Power Steering
Fluid on page 5-40.
I. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See
Brakes on page 5-42.
J. Engine Coolant Recovery Tank. See
Engine Coolant
on page 5-28.
K. Windshield Washer Reservoir. See
Windshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-41.
5-15

Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission ¯uid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the ¯uid and ®lter every 15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
·In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or higher.
·In hilly or mountainous terrain.
·When doing frequent trailer towing.
·Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the ¯uid and ®lter every
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See
Maintenance Requirements on page 6-2.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice:Too much or too little ¯uid can damage
your transmission. Too much can mean that some
of the ¯uid could come out and fall on hot engine
part or exhaust system parts, starting a ®re.
Too little ¯uid could cause the transmission to
overheat. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you
check your transmission ¯uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission ¯uid level if you have been driving:
·When outside temperatures are above 90ÉF (32ÉC).
·At high speed for quite a while.
·In heavy traffic ± especially in hot weather.
·While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the ¯uid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180ÉF to 200ÉF
(82ÉC to 93ÉC).
5-23

Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50ÉF
(10ÉC). If it's colder than 50ÉF (10ÉC), drive the vehicle
in DRIVE (D) until the engine temperature gage
moves and then remains steady for 10 minutes.
A cold ¯uid check can be made after the vehicle has
been sitting for eight hours or more with the engine off,
but this is used only as a reference. Let the engine
run at idle for ®ve minutes if outside temperatures are
50ÉF (10ÉC) or more. If it's colder than 50ÉF (10ÉC), you
may have to idle the engine longer. Should the ¯uid
level be low during this cold check, you
mustcheck the
¯uid hot before adding ¯uid. Checking the ¯uid hot
will give you a more accurate reading of the ¯uid level.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
·Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
·With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
·With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
·Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more.Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The automatic
transmission dipstick has
a red ring handle located in
the rear of the engine
compartment toward the
center of the vehicle.
See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12
for more information
on location.
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again. 2.0L Engine shown,
2.5L Engine similar
5-24

3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The ¯uid level must be in the COLD area for
a cold check or in the HOT area for a hot check.
4. If the ¯uid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
what kind of transmission ¯uid to use. SeePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-30.
Add ¯uid only after checking the transmission ¯uid while
it is hot. (A cold check is used only as a reference.)
If the ¯uid level is low, add only enough of the proper
¯uid to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot
check. It doesn't take much ¯uid, generally less
than 0.6 pints (0.3 L).
Don't over®ll.
Notice:
We recommend you use only ¯uid labeled
DEXRONž-III, because ¯uid with that label is made
especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by ¯uid other than DEXRON
ž-III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
·After adding ¯uid, recheck the ¯uid level as described
under ªHow to Check.º
·When the correct ¯uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
5-25

1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle's system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren't touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don't want. You wouldn't be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake ®rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) or a manual transmission
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter. Turn off the radio and all lamps that aren't
needed. This will help reduce sparks and help save
both batteries. And it could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (-) terminal locations on
each battery. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more information on battery
location.
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has air conditioning, the
auxiliary electric fan under the hood can start
up even when the engine is not running and
can injure you. Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
5-47