1995 Chevrolet Tracker Owners Manual

11. Put the rear bottom corners of the canvas top into

the luggage compartment.

12. Lower the top bows.

Make sure that the lower top bow resets on the rubber support without pinching any part of the canvas top.

14. Fasten the upper top bow with the belt on the driver’s side seat belt shoulder anchor bracket.

13. Lower the folded canvas behind the rear seat

back(s). Make sure that the rear seat belts around the shoulder anchor are clear from the folded top.

Reverse the steps to raise your canvas top. After raising the canvas top, make sure that the canvas extension is located outside the roof rail.

Removing and Installing the Canvas Top

3. Unfasten the

VelcroB fastener. 4. Unsnap the canvas top to remove it all the way.

See “Preparing Your Canvas Top for Storage” in the Index for the correct storage procedure.

1. Complete the steps listed previously for lowering the

canvas top.

2. Detach the rear bottom corners of the canvas top.

Preparing Your Canvas Top for Storage

1. Lay the canvas top inside-up on a clean, dry, flat

surface.

2. Fold the side windows onto the top.

3. Fold the front part of the canvas top over the

windows.

4. Lay the rear window on top of the folded canvas top.

5. Roll the canvas top around the rear window. 6. Store in a clean, dry location.

Gem Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems

In this section you’ll find out how to operate the comfort control systems and audio systems offered with your Geo. Be sure to read about the particular system supplied with your vehicle. Comfort Controls

9 VENT This position directs the airflow through

Your vehicle also has the flow-through ventilation system described later in this section. Heater Controls Airflow Lever the instrument panel vents. A * *P BI-LEVEL: This position directs air through the instrument panel vents and toward the floor. -2 FLOOR: This position directs air toward the floor. 9 .

DEFOG: This position directs air toward the

floor, the windshield and side windows.

With this system, you can control the heating and ventilation in your Geo. If you have the air conditioning option, you can also control cooling.

DEFROST This position directs air to the

windshield and side windows.

Fan Control Lever Slide the lever away from OFF to turn the heating system on. Move the lever toward FAN to increase the fan’s speed.

Temperature Control Lever Slide the lever to change the temperature of the air flowing from the system. Move it to the right for warmer air and to the left for cooler air. The air temperature can’t be less than the outside air temperature.

Air Intake Lever

RECIRCULATE: Choose this position to

recirculate the inside air through the comfort control system.

CIRCULATE: Choose this position to circulate

outside air through the comfort control system. Heating For the quickest results, move the air intake lever to RECIRCULATE. Move the airflow lever to FLOOR, the temperature control lever toward the right for warmer air and the fan control lever toward FAN. You should switch to CIRCULATE once in a while to avoid stale air and cloudy windows.

Bi-Level You may want to use bi-level on cool, but sunny days. This setting directs outside air toward your body and warmer air toward your feet. Move the air intake lever to CIRCULATE and the airflow lever to BI-LEVEL. Move the temperature control lever to the center and the fan control lever toward FAN. Ventilation For mild outside temperatures, when little heating or cooling is needed, you can still direct outside air through your vehicle. Move the air intake lever to CIRCULATE and the airflow lever to BI-LEVEL. Adjust the temperature control lever to a comfortable setting and move the fan control lever to FAN. Defogging and Defrosting Windows Slide the air intake lever to CIRCULATE and the airflow lever to DEFROST to direct air to the windshield vents. Then slide the temperature control lever toward the right and the fan control lever to FAN. When the windshield is clear, turn down the fan speed.

Air Conditioner Controls (Option)

The air conditioning system uses the same controls as the heating system. The function of each lever is explained under “Heater Controls” in this part. The incoming air is cooled and dehumidified instead of being heated.

A/C: Push this button to change your comfort control system from heating to air conditioning. A light will come on when the air conditioning is on. The A/C button can also control the humidity in your vehicle.

Cooling The air conditioner works best if you keep your windows closed. On very hot days, open the windows just long enough for the hot air to escape. Push the A/C button. Move the air intake lever to CIRCULATE for normal cooling. For faster cooling move the lever to RECIRCULATE, Then move the airflow lever to VENT, the temperature control lever toward the left and the fan control lever to FAN. Dehumidifying On days when it is raining or the humidity is high, follow these dehumidifying steps instead of the cooling directions. It will help clean windows that are cloudy with moisture. Push the A/C button. Move the air intake lever to CIRCULATE. Move the airflow lever to DEFROST and the fan control lever toward FAN. Adjust the temperature control lever to a comfortable setting.

Rear Window Defogger I The rear window 1 defogger uses a

I NOTICE:

warming grid to remove fog from the rear window.

Don’t use a razor blade or something else sharp on the inside of the rear window. If you do, you could cut or damage the warming grid, and the repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.

Press the switch to turn on the defogger. An indicator light will come on below the switch to remind you that the defogger is on. Press the switch again to turn the defogger off. The rear window defogger will also turn off if you turn the ignition switch to ACC or LOCK, but will turn back on when the ignition is turned back on. Do not attach anything like a temporary vehicle license or a decal across the defogger grid on the rear window.

Flow-Through Ventilation System Your Geo’s flow-through ventilation system supplies outside air into the vehicle when it is moving. Outside air will also enter the vehicle when the fan is running and the air intake lever is at CIRCULATE. Ventilation Tips

Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow, or any other obstruction (such as leaves). The heater and defroster will work far better, reducing the chance of fogging the inside of your windows. When you enter a vehicle in cold weather, move the fan control lever toward FAN for a few moments before driving off. This helps clear the intake ducts of snow and moisture, and reduces the chance of fogging the inside of your windows.

0 Keep the air path under the front seats clear of objects. This helps air to circulate throughout your vehicle.

Audio Systems Your DelcoB audio system has been designed to operate easily and give years of listening pleasure. But you will get the most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it first. Find out what your Delco@system can do and how to operate all its controls, to be sure you're getting the most out of the advanced engineering that went into it. Setting the Clock AM/FM Stereo To set the correct hour, press and hold RCL (TIME SET). At the same time, press and hold TUNE 4 (HR) until the correct hour appears. To set the correct minute, press and hold RCL (TIME SET). At the same time press and hold TUNE (MIN) until the correct minute appears.

until the correct minute appears.

AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player To set the correct hour, press and hold RCLPROG (TIME SET). At the same time, press and hold TUNE 4 (HR) until the correct hour appears. To set the correct minute, press and hold RCLPROG (TIME SET). At the same time press and hold TUNE (MIN) AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Players To set the correct hour, press and hold RCL v A (TIME SET). At the same time, press and hold TUNE 4 (HR) until the correct hour appears. To set the correct minute, press and hold RCL v A (TIME SET). At the same time press and hold (MIN) until the correct minute appears. TUNE

AM/FM Stereo

To Play the Radio Turn the ONNOL knob to turn the system on or off. VOL: Turn this knob to adjust the volume.

Finding a Station AM-FM: Press this button to get AM or FM. The lighted display shows your selection. TUNE: Press TUNE or TUNE 4 to go to a higher or lower station. Press and hold to continue tuning and release when you find your station. The display will show the frequency of each station tuned. SEEK: Press SEEK or SEEK 4 and the radio will tune to the next higher or lower station and stay there. PUSHBUTTONS: The six pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. To set the pushbuttons for up to 12 stations (6 AM and 6 FM), tune in the station. Then, press and hold one of the pushbuttons for at least two seconds. The sound will go away for a second and will return when the station is stored. Repeat these steps for each pushbutton.

Setting the Tone TREB: Turn this knob to the right to hear more treble. BASS: Turn this control behind the TREB knob to the right to hear more bass.

Adjusting the Speakers FADE: Turn this knob to move the sound between the front and rear speakers. BAL: Turn this control behind the FADE knob to move the sound between the left and right speakers.

Recall RCL: Press this button to see the station being played for a moment. Or, press it if you want to see the time when the ignition is off.

AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player

To Play the Radio Turn the ON/VOL knob to turn the system on or off. VOL: Turn this knob to adjust the volume.

or SEEK 4 and the radio will

Finding a Station AM-FM: Press this button to get AM, FM1 or FM2. The lighted display shows your selection. TUNE: Press TUNE or TUNE 4 to go to a higher or lower station. Press and hold to continue tuning and release when you find your station. The display will show the frequency of each station tuned. SEEK: Press SEEK tune to the next higher or lower station and stay there. PUSHBUTTONS: The six pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. To set the pushbuttons for up to 18 stations (6 AM, 6 FMl and 6 FM2), tune in the station. Then press and hold one of the pushbuttons for at least two seconds. The sound will go away for a second and will return when the station is stored. Repeat these steps for each pushbutton. PSCAN: Press this button to hear each of your preset stations for a few seconds. When you want to stop at a chosen station, press PSCAN again. Setting the Tone TREB: Turn this knob to the right to hear more treble.

BASS: Turn this control behind the TREB knob to the right to hear more bass. Treble and bass cannot be adjusted manually when TONE SELECT is on. TONE SELECT Press this button to choose preset treble and bass equalization settings designed for ROCK, NEWS, POP, JAZZ and CLASSICAL. ROCK will appear when you first press TONE SELECT. Each time you press it, another setting will appear on the display. If you press it one more time after CLASSICAL appears on the display, tone control will be back to the treble and bass knob. Adjusting the Speakers FADE: Turn this knob to move the sound between the front and rear speakers. BAL: Turn this control behind the FADE knob to move the sound between the right and left speakers.

Recall RCL: Press this button to see the station being played for a moment. Or, press it if vou want to see when the ignition is off.

2 time

To Play a Cassette Tape Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are 30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer than that are so thin they may not work well in this player. The longer side with the tape visible should face to the right. If you hear nothing or hear just a garbled sound, it may not be in squarely. Press HA to remove the tape and start over. Once the tape is playing, use the knobs for volume, fade and balance, just as you do for the radio. The lighted arrows show which side of the tape is playing. MTL: Your bias is set automatically. MTL will appear on your display when a metal or chrome tape is inserted. FF: Press this button to advance rapidly to another part of the tape. Press FF, RCLPROG or mA to return to playing speed. REW: Press this button to reverse the tape rapidly. Press REW or RCL/PROG to return to playing speed. If you press RCL/PROG, the tape will also change sides. NEXT Press this button to go forward to the beginning of the next selection. Press the button again or press RCLRROG or mA to cancel this function.

For NEXT to work properly, your tape must have at least three or four seconds of silence between each selection. If you press RCL/PROG, the tape will also change sides. PREV: Press this button to go back to the beginning of the last selection. Press PREV again or press RCLPROG or WA to cancel this function. RCLRROG: Press this button to switch from one side of the tape to the other. Your cassette tape player can play continuously because the player has an auto-reverse feature. NOISE REDUCTION: Press On@ to remove noise from Dolby@ B NR-encoded tapes. Dolby@ B Noise Reduction is manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Dolby@ and the c]o@ symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. WA: Press the button with this symbol to remove the tape and switch to radio. RADIO MNTR: Press this button to hear the radio when you are fast forwarding or reversing a cassette tape. You can use the TUNE, SEEK and PSCAN buttons while in the radio monitor mode.

and “0000” will appear

You are now ready to enter your security code. Don’t wait more than 15 seconds between steps. Press 4 SEEK b or 4 TUNE on the display. Press SEEK 4 and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. Release the button. Press SEEK b and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. Release the button. Press TUNE 4 and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. Release the button. Press TUNE b and hold it until the fourth digit of your code appears. Release the button. Press AM-FM after you have checked that the code you entered is the one you wrote down. “rEP’ will appear on the display, which means you need to repeat steps 5 through 9. Press AM-FM again and the display will now show SEC.

Cln: This message may appear on the display. If it does, your cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and player. See “Care of Your Cassette Tape Player” in the Index. After you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for five seconds to reset the Cln indicator. “---” will appear in the display to show the indicator was reset.

Theft-Deterrent Feature The theft-deterrent feature for the A” stereo with cassette tape player can be used or ignored. If ignored, the system plays normally. If it is used, your system won’t be usable if it’s ever stolen because it will go into LOC mode anytime your vehicle loses battery power. The unlock code must be entered or the radio will not turn on.

Setting Your Security Code The following instructions will tell you how to enter a security code into the system. If your vehicle loses battery power for any reason, you must enter the security code again before the system will turn on. Write down any four-digit number and keep it Then turn the ignition switch to the ACC or ON position and the audio system off. Press the 1 and 4 buttons together. Hold them down until “----” shows on the display.

in a safe place.

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How to Shut Off the Theft-Deterrent Feature If your radio is secured (SEC shows on the display) and you wish to disable it, enter your security code as follows, pausing no more than 15 seconds between steps. Press the 1 and 4 buttons together. Hold them down until SEC shows on the display. You are now ready to enter your security code. Press the SEEK 4 button and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. Press the SEEK button and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE 4 button and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE button and hold it until the fourth di.git of your code appears. Press AM-FM after you have checked that the code you entered matches the one you wrote down. “0000” should now appear on the display and you will need to repeat the above procedure. If the code is correct, the radio will now operate. If the code is wrong, Err will appear in the display.

To Unlock the System After a Power Loss If power is disrupted to the radio while in the SEC mode, the unit will not work and LOC will show on the display whenever the ignition is on. To unlock the unit, press 4 SEEK b or 4 TUNE b and “0000” will appear on the display. Press the SEEK 4 button and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. Press the SEEK b button and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE 4 button and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE b button and hold it until the fourth digit of your code appears. Press AM-FM after you have checked that the coae matches the one you wrote down. Now the time of day will appear on the display. (Please note that if an incorrect code is entered, Err will appear on the display and the above steps need to be repeated.)

AM/FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Players

To Play the Radio Turn the ONNOL knob to turn the system on or off. VOL: Turn the ONNOL knob to adjust the volume.

Finding a Station AM-FM: Press AM-FM to get AM, FM 1 or FM2. The lighted display shows your selection. TUNE: Press TUNE b or TUNE 4 to go to a higher or lower station. Release when you find your station. The display will show the frequency of each station tuned. SEEK: Press SEEK b or SEEK 4 and the radio will tune to the next higher or lower station and stay there. PUSHBUTTONS: The six pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. To set the pushbuttons for up to 18 stations (6 AM, 6 FM 1 and 6 FM2), tune in the station. Then, press and hold one of the pushbuttons for at least two seconds. The sound will go away for a second and will return when the station is stored. Repeat these steps for each pushbutton. PSCAN: Press this button to hear each of your preset stations for a few seconds. When you want to stop at a chosen station, press PSCAN again.

Setting the Tone TREB: Turn this knob to the right to hear more treble. BASS: Turn this control behind the TREB knob to the right to hear more bass. TONE SELECT Press this button to choose preset treble and bass equalization settings designed for ROCK, NEWS, POP, JAZZ and CLASSICAL. ROCK will appear when you first press TONE SELECT. Each time you press it, another setting will appear on the display. If you press it one more time after CLASSICAL appears on the display, tone control will be back to the treble and bass knob.

Adjusting the Speakers FADE: Turn this knob to move the sound between the front and rear speakers. BAL: Turn this control behind the FADE knob to move the sound between the right and left speakers.

Recall RCL: Press RCL v A to see the station being played for a moment. Or, press it if you want to see the time when the ignition is off.

To Play a Cassette Tape Your tape player is built to work best with tapes that are 30 to 45 minutes long on each side. Tapes longer than that are so thin they may not work well in this player. The longer side with the tape visible should face to the right. If you hear nothing or hear just a garbled sound, it may not be in squarely. Press STOP or EJECT to remove the tape and start over. Once the tape is playing, use the knobs for volume, fade and balance, just as you do for the radio. The lighted arrows show which side of the tape is playing. MTL: Your bias is set automatically. MTL will appear on the display when a metal or chrome tape is inserted. FF: Press this button to advance rapidly to another part of the tape. Press FF, RCL v A or STOP to return to playing speed. If you press RCL 7 A, the tape will also change sides. REW. Press this button to reverse the tape rapidly. Press REW, RCL v A or STOP to return to playing speed. If you press RCL A, the tape will also change sides. N X T Press this button to go forward to the beginning of the next selection. Press NXT again or press RCL v A or STOP to cancel this function. If you press RCL v A, the tape will also change sides.

3-13

PRV Press this button to go back to the beginning of the last selection. Press the button again or press RCL A or STOP to cancel this function. For NXT and PRV to work properly, your tape must have at least three or four seconds of silence between each selection. If you press RCL A, the tape will also change sides. RPT Press this button to go to the beginning of the selection and play it again. Press RPT again to cancel this function. NOISE REDUCTION: Press OU@ to remove noise from Dolby@ B NR-encoded tapes. Dolby@ B Noise Reduction is manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Dolby@ and the DO@ symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. RDM: When playing a tape, press this button during FF or REW to hear the radio. Press it again to turn the radio off. During this operation, only TUNE, SEEK and PSCAN will work. TAPE SIDES: Press RCL v A to switch from one side of the tape to the other.

STOP: Press this button to stop the tape and switch to radio. EJECT Press this button to remove the tape and switch to radio. Cln: This message may appear on the display. If it does, your cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and player. See “Care of Your Cassette Tape Player” in the Index. After you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for five seconds to reset the Cln indicator. “---” will appear in the display to show the indicator was reset. To Play a Compact Disc Don’t use the mini-discs (three-inch singles). They won’t eject. Use full-size compact discs. Insert your disc into the CD slot on your audio system. If the disc comes back out, it could be that the road is rough, (the disc should play when the road is smoother); the disc is upside down; dirty, scratched or wet; or there is too much moisture in the air. (If there’s too much moisture in the air, wait about one hour and try again.) If you see Err on the display, the disc player is too hot to play the disc. Press RCL 7 A to take Err off the display.

Track Number and Playing Time: Press RCL A to see which track is playing. Press it again within five seconds to see how long it has been playing. The track number also appears when the disc is inserted or you change the volume. PRV: Press this button to hear a track again. If you hold this button or press it more than once, the disc will return to previous tracks. NXT Press this button to hear the next track now (instead of waiting until the present track is finished). If you hold this button, or press it more than once, the disc will advance further. REW Press and hold this button to return rapidly to a favorite passage. Release it to play the passage. FF: Press and hold this button to fast forward or advance quickly within a track. Release it to resume playing. COMP: Press this button to make soft and loud passages more nearly equal in volume. RPT Press this button once to hear a selection over again.

RDM: Pressing this button will cause the CD player to play the tracks back in random order. To cancel the random feature, press RDM or RPT. STOP: Press this button or AM-FM to stop playing the disc and switch to radio. Press STOP again to restart the disc at the point where it stopped. CD-TP: Press this button to switch between playing a tape and a CD when both are inserted. EJECT: Press this button to eject the disc and the radio will play. The disc will start playing at track 1 when you reinsert it.

Theft-Deterrent Feature The theft-deterrent feature for the AM/FM stereo with cassette tape and compact disc player can be used or ignored. If ignored, the system plays normally. If it is used, your system won't be usable if it's ever stolen because LOC will appear on the display when battery power is lost.

Setting Your Security Code The following instructions will tell you how to enter a security code into the system. If your vehicle loses battery power for any reason, you must enter the security code again before the system will turn on.

Write down any four-digit number and keep it in a safe place. Turn the ignition switch to the ACC or ON position. Turn the audio system off. Press the 1 and 4 buttons together. Hold them down until (‘---- ” shows on the display. You are now ready to enter your security code. Don’t wait more than 15 seconds between steps. Press SEEK 4 b and/or TUNE 4 b and “0000” will appear on the display. Press SEEK 4 and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. Release the button. Press SEEK code appears. Release the button. Press TUNE 4 and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. Release the button. Press TUNE code appears. Release the button. Press AM-FM after you have checked that the code you entered is the one you wrote down. “rEP” will appear on the display, which means you need to repeat steps 5 through 9.

and hold it until the second digit of your

and hold it until the fourth digit of your

Press AM-FM again and the display will now show SEC. How to Shut Off the Theft-Deterrent Feature If your radio is secured (SEC shows on the display) and you wish to disable it, enter your security code as follows, pausing no more than 15 seconds between steps. Press the 1 and 4 buttons together. Hold them down until SEC shows on the display. You are now ready to enter your security code. Press the SEEK 4 button and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. Press the SEEK b button and‘hold it until the second digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE 4 button and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE b button and hold it until the fourth digit of your code appears. Press AM-FM after you have checked that the code you entered matches the one you wrote down. “---- ” should now appear on the display. The theft-deterrent feature is now shut off. If an incorrect code is entered, Err will appear on the display. Repeat the above procedure.

To Unlock the System After a Power Loss If power is disrupted to the radio while in the SEC mode, the unit will not work and LOC will show on the display whenever the ignition is on. To unlock the unit. press 4 SEEK b or 4 TUNE and “0000” will appear on the display. Press the SEEK 4 button and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. Press the SEEK button and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE 4 button and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE b button and hold it until the fourth digit of your code appears. Press AM-FM after you have checked that the code matches the one you wrote down. Now SEC will appear on the display. (If an incorrect code is entered, Err will appear on the display. Repeat the above procedure.)

Understanding Radio Reception FM Stereo FM stereo will give you the best sound. But FM signals will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). And, tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to come and go.

AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range, however, can cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.

Tips about Your Audio System Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe sound level before your hearing adapts to it. To help avoid hearing loss or damage:

Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting. Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably and clearly.

NOTICE: vehicle -- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile Before you add any sound equipment to your telephone or two-way radio -- be sure you can add what you want. If you can, it’s very important to do it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, Delco’ radio or other systems, and even damage them. And, your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation of sound equipment that has been added improperly. So, before adding sound equipment, check with your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules covering mobile radio and telephone units.

Care of Your Cassette Tape Player A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes, or a damaged mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight, and extreme heat. If they aren’t, they may not operate properly or cause failure of the tape player. Your tape player should be cleaned regularly each month or after every 50 hours of use. Your radio may display Cln to indicate that you have used your tape player for 50 hours without resetting the tape clean timer. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a known good cassette to see if the tape or the tape player is at fault. If this other cassette has no improvement in sound quality, clean the tape player. Cleaning may be done with a scrubbing action, non-abrasive cleaning cassette. This system uses a cleaning cassette with pads which scrub the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. It is normal for the cartridge to eject while cleaning. Insert the cassette at least three times to ensure thorough cleaning. A scrubbing action cleaning cassette is available through your Chevrolet/Geo dealership. You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet type cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not

eject. It may not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner. Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality may degrade over time. Always make sure that the cassette tape is in good condition before you have your tape player serviced. Care of Your Compact Discs Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and clean it, wiping from the center to the edge. Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. Antenna Use the knob on the end of the antenna to raise the antenna. To lower it, hold the antenna mast near the roof and feed it into the holder. Do not try to lower the antenna using the knob. Keep the antenna mast clean for good performance. Always lower the antenna before entering a car wash. If you have the convertible top, also lower the antenna before removing or installing the top.

NOTES

Gem Section 4 Your Driving and the Road

Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your Geo: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts” in the Index.) Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads, or freeways, it means “always expect the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do. Be ready for their mistakes. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. It’s the best defensive driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly.

Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We’ve also included many other useful tips on driving.

Drunken Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy. It’s the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every year. Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: 0 Judgment 0 Muscular Coordination 0 Vision

Attentiveness

Police records show that almost half of all motor vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases, these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking and driving. In recent years, some 18,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured. Many adults -- by some estimates, nearly half the adult population -- choose never to drink alcohol, so they never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it’s against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical, psychological and developmental reasons for these laws.

4-2

The obvious way to solve this highway safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But what if people do? How much is “too much” if the driver plans to drive? It’s a lot less than many might think. Although it depends on each person and situation, here is some general information on the problem. The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone who is drinking depends upon four things:

How much alcohol consumed

0 The drinker’s body weight

The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume the alcohol

According to the American Medical Association, a 180-pound (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce (355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the same BAC by drinking three 4-ounce (120 m l ) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1 - 1/2 ounces (45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.

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man of her same body weight when each has the same number of drinks. The law in many U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC of 0.10 percent. In a growing number of U.S. states, and throughout Canada, the limit is 0.08 percent. In some other countries it’s even lower. The BAC limit for all commercial drivers in the U.S. is 0.04 percent. The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we’ve seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them. But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of 0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching 0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of 0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of this driver having a collision is twelve times greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the chance is twenty-five times greater!

It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat lower BAC level, There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have a lower relative percentage of body water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a

The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. “I’ll be careful” isn’t the right answer. What if there’s an emergency, a need to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street? A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision. There’s something else about drinking and driving that many people don’t know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord or heart. This means that when anyone who has been drinking -- driver or passenger -- is in a crash, that person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the person had not been drinking.

Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at the places where the tires meet the road.

Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose control of your vehicle.

Braking Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That’s perception time. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That’s reaction time. Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire tread; and the condition of your brakes.

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Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) Your vehicle has an advanced electronic brahng system that can help you keep it under control.

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts -- heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking -- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and longer brake life. If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push.

Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet. You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS.

A computer senses that the rear wheels are slowing down. If one of the rear wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will work the brakes at the rear wheels. It is programmed to make the most of available tire and road conditions.

As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on rear wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.

Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have anti-lock brakes.

To Use Anti-Lock Use rear-wheel anti-lock like regular brakes. You may feel the brakes; vibrate, or you may notice some noise outside your vehicle, but this is normal. Let anti-lock work for you, but remember: Your front wheels can still stop rolling. If that happens, release enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again so that you can steer. With the four-wheel drive option, you won’t have anti-lock brak.ing when you shift into four-wheel drive. But you will have regular braking. When you shift back into two-wheel drive, you will have anti-lock again.

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Braking in Emergencies At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard braking. You have the rear-wheel anti-lock braking system. Your front wheels can stop rolling when you brake very hard. Once they do, the vehicle can’t respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was headed when the front wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic. So, use a “squeeze” braking technique. This will give you maximum braking while maintaining steering control. You do this by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure. When you do, it will help maintain steering control. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking.

Steering Power Steering If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort. Steering Tips Driving on Curves It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed. A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here’s why: Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this. The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.

Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking -- if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the time for evasive action -- steering around the problem. Your Geo can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes, but not enough to lock your front wheels. (See “Braking in Emergencies’’ earlier in this section.) It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space available.

Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly apply the brakes. Both control systems -- steering and braking -- have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the hard bralung can demand too much at those places. You can lose control. The same thing can happen if you’re steering through a sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those two control systems -- steering and acceleration -- can overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road and make you lose control. What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down. Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower. If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway.

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An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object.

Off-Road Recovery You may find sometime that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you're driving. If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to 114 turn until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.

OFF ROAD RECOVERY

The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly.

Passing The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver? Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents -- the head-on collision. So here are some tips for passing:

“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides, and to crossroads for situations that might affect your passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time. Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass (providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic.

0 Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces your area of vision, especially if you’re following a larger vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance.

0 When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,

start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t get too close. Time your move so you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a “running start” that more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back. And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity.

0 If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the blind spot.

Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is.) Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.

0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn. If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.

Loss of Control Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your Geo’s three control systems. In the braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin. A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.

If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid if it occurs. Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limited. While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues -- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to make a “mirrored surface” -- and slow down when you have any doubt. Remember: The rear-wheel anti-lock braking system (RWAL) helps avoid only a rear braking skid. In a braking skid (where the front wheels are no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes to get the

front wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the front wheels are rolling, you will have steering control. Driving Guidelines This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a utility vehicle in Consumer Information Regulations issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States Department of Transportation, Utility vehicles have higher ground clearance and a narrower track to make them capable of performing in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design characteristics give them a higher center of gravity than ordinary cars. An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better view of the road allowing you to anticipate problems. They are not designed for cornering at the same speeds as conventional 2-wheel drive vehicles any more than low-slung sports cars are designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road conditions. If at all possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or vehicle rollover.

Off-Road Driving with Your Geo Four-wheel Drive Vehicle This off-road guide is for vehicles that have four-wheel drive. Also, see “Anti-Lock Brakes” in the Index. If your vehicle doesn’t have four-wheel drive, you shouldn’t drive off-road unless you’re on a level, solid surface. Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some definite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain itself. “Off-roading” means you’ve left the great North American road system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t marked. Curves aren’t banked. There are no road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In short, you’ve gone right back to nature. Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s why it’s very important that you read this guide. You’ll find many driving tips and suggestions. These will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable.

Before You Go Off-Roading There are some things to do before you go out. For example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance and service work done. Check to make sure all underbody shields (if so equipped) are properly attached. Be sure you read all the information about your four-wheel drive vehicle in this manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the fluid levels up where they should be? What are the local laws that apply to off-roading where you’ll be driving? If you don’t know, you should check with law enforcement people in the area. Will you be on someone’s private land? If so, be sure to get the.necessary permission. Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving There are some important things to remember about how to load your vehicle. 0 The heaviest things should be on the load floor and forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far forward as you can.

0 Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on

the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.

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Traveling to Remote Areas It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your route. You are much less likely to get bad surprises. Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of any blocked or closed roads. It’s also a good idea to travel with at least one other vehicle. If something happens to one of them, the other can help quickly. Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to read the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch can be handy if you get stuck. But you’ll want to know how to use it properly. Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving It’s a good idea to practice in an area that’s safe and close to home before you go into the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some new and different driving skills. Here’s what we mean. Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to listen for unusual tire or engine sounds. With your anns, hands, feet, and body you’ll need to respond to vibrations and vehicle bounce.

You’ll find other important information in this manual. See “Vehicle Loading,” “Luggage Carrier” and “Tires” in the Index.

Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road driving. One of the best ways to control your vehicle is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep in mind. At higher speeds:

you approach things faster and you have less time to scan the terrain for obstacles. you have less time to react. you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles. you’ll need more distance for braking, especially since you’re on an unpaved surface.

Scanning the Terrain Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain and its many different features. Here are some things to consider. Sugace Conditions. Off-roading can take you over hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering, acceleration, and braking of your vehicle in different ways. Depending upon the kind of surface you are on, you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning, delayed acceleration, poor traction, and longer braking distances. S u r j k e Obstacles. Unseen or hidden obstacles can be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut, or bump can startle you if you’re not prepared for them. Often these obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some things to consider:

Is the path ahead clear? Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead? Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There’s more discussion of these subjects later.) Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly?

Driving On Off-Road Hills Off-road driving often takes you up, down, or across a hill. Driving safely on hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can and can’t do. There are some hills that simply can’t be driven, no matter how well built the vehicle.

When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a firm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs, or other surface features can jerk the wheel out of your hands if you’re not prepared. When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can’t control the vehicle as well or at all. Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it’s especially important to avoid sudden acceleration, sudden turns, or sudden braking. In a way, off-road driving requires a different lund of alertness from driving on paved roads and highways. There are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe and what isn’t. Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special alertness and driving skills, your reflexes, perceptions and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have a serious -- or even fatal -- accident if you drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. (See “Drunken Driving” in the Index.)

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0 Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have

ruts, gullies, troughs and exposed rocks because they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion.

Driving Uphill Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some special steps.

Use a low gear and get a firm grip on the steering wheel. Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain your speed. Don’t use more power than you need, because you don’t want your wheels to start spinning or sliding. Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If the path twists and turns, you might want to find another route.

Approaching a Hill When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it’s one of those hills that’s just too steep to climb, descend, or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge. On a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline with only a small change in elevation where you can easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as you near the top, but you may not see this because the crest of the hill is hidden by bushes, grass, or shrubs. Here are some other things to consider as you approach a hill. 0 Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply

steeper in places? Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire slipping? Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you won’t have to make turning maneuvers?

0 Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your

path (boulders, trees, logs or ruts)? What’s beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk the hill if you don’t know. It’s the smart way to find out.

0 Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the

hill. Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible to approaching traffic on trails or hills.

0 Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill to

let opposing traffic know you’re there. Use your headlamps even during the day. They make you more visible to oncoming traffic.

What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I can’t make it up the hill?

A: If this happens, there are some things you should do, and there are some things you must not do. First, here’s what you should do: Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake. If your engine is still running, shift the transmission into reverse, release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in reverse. If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to restart it. With the brake pedal depressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to PARK (P) (or, shift to NEUTRAL (N) if your vehicle has a manual transmission) and restart the engine. Then, shift to reverse, release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in reverse. As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position. This way, you’ll be able to tell if your wheels are straight and maneuver as you back down. It’s best that you back down the hill with your wheels straight rather than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or right will increase the possibility of a rollover.

Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are about to stall, when going up a hill.

Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into NEUTRAL (N) (or depressing the clutch, if you have a manual transmission) to “rev-up” the engine and regain forward momentum. This won’t work. Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and you could go out of control.

Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift into reverse, release the parking brake, and slowly back straight down.

Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough to cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you can’t make it up the hill, you must back straight down the hill.

Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill and decide I just can’t do it. What should I do?

A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in PARK (P) (or the manual transmission in first gear), and turn off the engine. Leave the vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it rolled downhill. Do not shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N) when you leave the vehicle. Leave . . it in some gear.

Driving Downhill When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to consider a number of things:

How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain vehicle control?

0 What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?

Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?

0 Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?

Boulders? What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks? If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes and they won’t have to do all the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle under control at all times.

@ Am I likely to stall when going downhill? A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill. But if

it happens going downhill, here’s what to do. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking brake. Shift to PARK (P) (or to NEUTRAL (N) with the manual transmission) and, while still braking, restart the engine. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight down. If the engine won’t start, get out and get help.

driving down a bill?

&: Are there some things I should not do when A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore them you could lose control and have a serious accident. When dr.iving downhill, avoid turns that take you across the incline of the hill. A hill that’s not too steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across. You could roll over if you don’t drive straight down. Never go downhill with the transmission in NEUTRAL, (N), or with the clutch pedal depressed in a manual shift. This i s called “free-wheeling.‘‘ Your brakes wjll have to do all the work and c&ld overheat and fade. Avoid braking so hard that you lock the front wheels when going downhill. Tf your front wheels are locked, you can’t steer your vehicle. If your wheels lock up during downhill braking, you may feel the vehicle starting to slide sideways. To regain your direction, just ease off the brakes and steer to keep the front of the vehicle pointing straight downhill.

0 Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of the

incline even worse. If you drive across a rock with the uphill wheels, or if the downhill wheels drop into a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.

For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully whether to try to drive across an incline. Just because the trail goes across the incline doesn’t mean you have to drive it. The last vehicle to try it might have rolled over.

Driving Across an Incline Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across the incline of a hill. If this happens, you have to decide whether to try to drive across the incline. Here are some things to consider: 0 A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be too steep to dnve across. When you go straight up or down a hill, the length of the wheel base (the distance from the front wheels to the rear wheels) reduces the likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end. But when you drive across an incline, the much more narrow track width (the distance between the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving across an incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels. This could cause a downhill slide or a rollover. Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive across a hill. Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet grass can cause your tires to slip sideways, downhill. If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something that will trip it (a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.

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.

Q:

A:

What if I’m driving across an incline that’s not too steep, but I hit some loose gravel and start to slide downhill. What should I do? If you feel your vehicle starting to slide sideways, turn downhill. This should help straighten out the vehicle and prevent the side slipping. However, a much better way to prevent this is to get out and “walk the course” so you know what the surface is like before you drive it. Stalling on an Incline If your vehicle stalls when you’re crossing an incline, be sure you (and your passengers) get out on the uphill side, even if the door there is harder to open. If you get out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll over, you’ll be right in its path. If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path the vehicle will take if it does roll over.

Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfaces, it’s very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you will have difficulty accelerating. And if you do get moving, poor steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide out of control.

Driving In Mud, Sand, Snow, Or Ice When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels won’t get good traction. You can’t accelerate as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you’ll need longer braking distances. It’s best to use a low gear when you’re in mud -- the deeper the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving so you don’t get stuck. When you drive on sand, you’ll sense a change in wheel traction. But it will depend upon how loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand (as on beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink into the sand. This has an effect on steering, accelerating, and braking. You may want to reduce the air pressure in your tires slightly when driving on sand. This will improve traction.

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.

After Off-Road Driving Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody, chassis or under the hood. These accumulations can be a fire hazard. After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked. These substances can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust system for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and cooling svstem for any leakage. rour vehicle will require more frequent service due to off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule booklet for additional information.

Driving at Night

Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired -- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Here are some tips on night driving. 0 Drive defensively.

Don’t drink and drive.

Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps behind you. Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles. Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlamps can light up only so much road ahead. In remote areas, watch for animals. If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.

Night Vision No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old. What you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot of things invisible.

You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It can take a second or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching lights. Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean -- inside and out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would, making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly. Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night blindness -- the inability to see in dim light -- and aren’t even aware of it.

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Driving in the Rain

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. 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.

Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.

Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires that they can actually ride on the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road. Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your tires haven’t much tread or if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning. Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.

Some Other Rainy Weather Tips

Turn on your low-beam headlamps -- not just your parking lamps -- to help make you more visible to others. Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be especially careful when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road spray. Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)

City Driving

One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to traffic signals. Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving: 0 Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just as you would for a cross-country trip. Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the next part, “Freeway Driving.”) Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is there because the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not cleared the intersection or may be running the red light.

Freeway Driving

Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules. The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. 4-32

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At the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow. Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it's slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass. Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use your turn signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make sure there isn't another vehicle in your "blind" spot. Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night. When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the next exit.

- . - "_-_____

-_I-___

. .

The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply. The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower than you actually are. Before Leaving on a Long Trip Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you’re not fresh -- such as after a day’s work -- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you can easily drive in. Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you’ll find experienced and able service experts in ChevroletlGeo dealerships all across North America. They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need it. Here are some things you can check before a trip: 0 Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are

all windows clean inside and outside? 0 Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?

Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels? Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean? Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the recommended pressure? Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your route? Should you delay your trip a short time to avoid a major storm system? Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?

Highway Hypnosis Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever. There is something about an easy stretch of road with the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a second, and you could crash and be injured.

Hill and Mountain Roads

What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can happen. Then here are some tips:

Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior. Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your instruments frequently. If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as an emergency.

Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or rolling terrain. If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See “Off-Road Driving” in the Index for information about driving off-road.)

0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid

levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the. slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill.

Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can climb the hill better. Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident. You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.

Winter Driving

Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth, and a couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these items in your vehicle. Driving on Snow or Ice Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the road probably have good traction. However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be very careful.

Here are some tips for winter driving:

Have your Geo in good shape for winter. Be sure your engine coolant mix is correct. You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle.

Whatever the condition -- smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow -- drive with caution. Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface under the tires even more. Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even though you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.

Allow greater following distance on any slippery road. Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers,

What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s about freezing (32” F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.

If You’re Caught in a Blizzard

cloth to your vehicle to alert police that you’ve been stopped by the snow. Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you. If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor mats -- anything you can wrap around yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm. You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.

If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a serious situation. You should probably stay with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your passengers safe: Turn on your hazard flashers. Tie a red

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile. Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until help comes.

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Recreational Vehicle Towing There may be times when you want to tow your Geo behind another vehicle for use at your destination. Be sure to use the proper towing equipment designed for recreational towing. Follow the instructions for the towing equipment. Towing Your Geo from the Rear

The best way to cow your Geo is from the rear. Follow these steps: 1. Put the rear wheels on a dolly.

I NOTICE:

Do not tow your Geo with the rear wheels in contact with the ground, or the transmission could be damaged.

2. Set the parking brake. 3. If your Geo is a four-wheel-drive vehicle, set your manual freewheeling hubs to FREE or unlock your automatic freewheeling hubs. See “Four-wheel Drive” in the Index.

4. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the steering

wheel.

5. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping device designed for towing.

6. Release the parking brake.

NOTICE: Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed 55 mph (90 km/h), or your Geo could be badly damaged.

Towing Your Geo from the Front

I NOTICE:

If your vehicle has automatic freewheeling hubs or two-wheel drive, do not tow it on all four wheels. If you do, your transmission could be damaged.

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. Set the parking brake. 2. Turn the ignition key to ACC to unlock the steering

wheel.

3. Shift your automatic transmission into PARK (P), or

your manual transmission into SECOND (2).

4. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N). 5. Set the hubs to FREE. See “Four-wheel Drive” in

the Index.

6. 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 the oil in the transfer case. Turn the ignition key to ACC. Now, you can continue towing your Geo.

I NOTICE:

Loading Your Vehicle

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.

TIRE PLACARD

G h R GWVR FRT GAWR RR

I NOTICE:

Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed 50 mph (SO kmh), or your Geo could be badly damaged.

W K g TIRES RIMS INFLATION PRESSURE COLD PSVkPa

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.

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f :[:BY

CAM1 AUTOMOTIVE

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 pounds (181 kilograms) 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 pounds (9 1 kilograms) in your rear area when four people are in your vehicle.

NOTICE: Your warranty does not cover parts or components that fail because of overloading.

If you put things inside your vehicle -- like suitcases, tools, packages or anything else -- they will go as fast as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly, or if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.

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Towing a Trailer

There’s also important loading information for off-road driving in this manual. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index.

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 Chevrolet/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. That’s the reason for this section. In it are many time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of these are important for your safety and that of your passengers. So please read this section carefully before you pull a trailer. Load-pulling components such as the engine, transmission, wheel assemblies, and tires are forced to work harder against the drag of the added weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer If you do, here are some important points.

There are many different laws, including speed limit restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this information can be state or provincial police. Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls. Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles (800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged. Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads. If you have an automatic transmission, you should use DRIVE (D) (or, as you need to, a lower gear) when towing a trailer. Operating your vehicle in DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer will minimize heat build-up and extend the life of your transmission. If you have a manual transmission and you are towing a trailer, it’s better not to use FIFTH (5) gear. Just drive in FOURTH (4) gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear).

Three important considerations have to do with weight: Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be? It should never weigh more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg). But even that can be too heavy. It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle. You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at:

Customer Assistance Department ChevroletlGeo P.O. Box 7047 Troy, MI 48007-7047

In Canada, write to:

General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Assistance Center 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7

Weight of the Trailer Tongue The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it affects the total or gross weight of your vehicle. The gross vehicle weight (GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And if you will tow a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index for more information about your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.

If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded trailer weight (B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 12% of the total loaded trailer weight (B). After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are proper. If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right simply by moving some items around in the trailer. Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the Certification label at the rear edge of the driver’s door or see “Tire Loading” in the Index. Then be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.

Hitches It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are a few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are some rules to follow:

If you use a step bumper hitch, and your trailer