1996 Chevrolet Tracker Owners Manual

Lamps On Reminder If you turn the ignition off, remove the key, open the door and leave the lamps on, a chime will remind you to turn off your lamps. Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer First, you must have the headlamps on. For high beams, push the turn signal lever away from you.

When the high beams are on, a light on the instrument panel also will be on. It will go off when you switch to low beam.

To switch back to low beams, pull the lever toward you.

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Flash-to-Pass With the lever in the low-beam position, pull the lever towad you to momentarily switch to high beam (to signal that you are going to pass). When you release the lever, the headlamps will return to low-beam operation. Windshield WipedWasher Lever

Move the wiper switch to the position you want: OFF: The wipers are off. INT Intermittent wiper operation. In light rain or snow, you might want to use this position rather than continuous wiping. LO: The wipers will run continuously at low speed. HI: The wipers will run continuously at high speed. For a single wiping cycle, pull the lever toward you. Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go. The wipers will stop after one cycle. If you want more cycles, hold the lever longer. Be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper blades before using them. If they’re frozen to the windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them. If your blades do become damaged, get new blades or blade inserts. Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers. A circuit breaker will stop them until the motor cools. Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload.

The lever on the right side of the steering column controls the windshield wipers and washers.

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Windshield Washer Pull the wiper/washer lever toward you to spray washer fluid on the windshield. The spray will continue until you release the lever. This will also turn on the low speed wipers. See “Windshield Washer Fluid” in the Index.

A CAUTION:

In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer fluid can form ice on the windshield, blocking your vision.

Rear Window WipedWasher (Option) {I

To turn on your rear wiper, push the upper button. Push the same button again to turn it off.

To spray washer fluid on the rear window, push the lower button about halfway down. Washer fluid will spray as long as you hold this button. To wash and wipe at the same time, push the button all the way in. The washer and wiper will run as long as you hold this button. To add washer fluid, see “Windshield Washer Fluid” in the Index.

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Cruise Control (Option)

A CAUTION:

II-

Cruise control can be dangerous where you can't drive safely at a steady speed. So, don't use your cruise control on winding roads or in heavy traffic. Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire traction can cause needless wheel spinning, and you could lose control. Don't use cruise control on slippery roads.

With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about 25 mph (40 kmh) or more without keeping your foot on the accelerator. This can really help on long trips. Cmise control does not work at speeds below about 25 mph (40 kw-h). When you apply your brakes, or push the clutch pedal if you have a manual transmission, the cruise control shuts off.

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Setting Cruise Control

2. Get up to the speed you want.

A CAUTION: If you leave your cruise control switch on when you’re not using cruise, you might hit a button and go into cruise when you don’t want to. You could be startled and even lose control. Keep the cruise control switch OFF until you want to use it.

1. Press the

CRUISE Cm’L switch on the instrument panel to turn the system on. The indicator light on the switch will come on.

3. Once you’re going 25 mph (40 km/h) or more, turn

the lever to COAST/SET and release. Your cruise will set.

4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.

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Resuming a Set Speed Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts off the cruise control. But you don’t need to reset it.

Once you’re going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more, you can turn the lever to RESUME/ACCEL for about one second.

You’ll go right back to your chosen speed and stay there.

Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control There are two ways to go to a higher speed. Here’s the first: 1. Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed. 2. Turn the lever to COAST/SET and release. Take

your foot off the accelerator pedal. You’ll now cruise at the higher speed.

Here’s the second way to go to a higher speed: 1. Turn the lever to RESUME/ACCEL. 2. Hold the lever at RESUME/ACCEL until you get up

to the speed you want, then release the lever.

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control To reduce your speed, turn and hold the lever in the COAST/SET position until you reach the lower speed you want, then release the lever. Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.

Using Cruise Control on Hills How well your cruise control will work on hills depends upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills. When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many drivers find this to be too much trouble and don't use cruise control on steep hills. Getting Out of Cruise Control There are three ways to turn off cruise control:

Step lightly on the brake pedal, or push the clutch pedal if you have a manual transmission. Push in the CANCEL button on the end of the cruise control lever.

0 Press OFF on the cruise control switch. Erasing Speed Memory When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your cruise control set speed memory is erased.

Lamps Daytime Running Lamps Daytime Running L a p s (DRL) can make it easier for others to see the front of your vehicle during the day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short periods after dawn and before sunset. The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps come on at a reduced brightness when: 0 The ignition is on, 0 The headlamp switch is off, and

The parking brake is released.

When you turn on the headlamp switch, your DRL will go out, and your headlamps will come on. The other lamps that come on with your headlamps will also come on. When you turn off the headlamp switch, the regular lamps will go off, and your low-beam headlamps come on at the reduced brightness of DRL. To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking brake. The DRL will stay off until you release the parking brake. As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular headlamp system when you need it.

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Interior Lamps Instrument Panel Brightness Control

Dome Lamp

This knob controls the brightness of your instrument panel lights. Turn the knob to the right to brighten the lights or to the left to dim them.

The dome lamp has a three-position switch.

1: This position is to the left when sitting in the driver’s seat. The dome lamp turns on and stays on whether or not a door is open. 2: This is the center position. The lamp comes on when a door is opened. 3: This position is to the right when sitting in the driver’s seat. The lamp stays off even when a door is open.

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Mirrors Inside Day/Night Rearview Mirror

Outside Manual Adjust Mirrors

An inside rearview mirror is attached above your windshield. The mirror has pivots so that you can adjust it up and down or side to side. You can adjust the mirror for day or night driving. Pull the tab for night driving to reduce glare. Push the tab for daytime driving.

Adjust these mirrors by hand so that you can just see the side of your vehicle when you are sitting in a comfortable driving position.

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Convex Outside Mirror Your passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex mirror’s surface is curved so you can see more from the driver’s seat.

A CAT-TION: A convex mirror can make things (like other vehicles) look farther away than they really are. If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your inside mirror or glance over your shoulder before changing lanes.

Power Remote Control Mirrors (Option)

The switch to control the power mirrors is located on the instrument panel. You can only adjust the mirrors when the ignition switch is in the ON position.

To adjust the mirrors: 1.

Move the select,or switch to the left or right to select the mirror you wish to adjust. Press the outer part of the switch that matches the direction you want to move the mirror. Return the selector switch to the center position to help prevent moving the mirror accidentally.

2.

3.

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Storage Compartments Glove Box To open the glove box, pull the latch toward you. Use your key to lock and unlock the glove box. Door Storage

Front Seat Side Pockets

Each door has a storage compartment.

On the outside of each front seat is a storage pocket.

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Coinholder and Bin

Ashtrays and Lighter To use the lighter, push the lighter in all the way and let go. When it’s ready, it will pop back by itself.

NOTICE:

Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand while it is heating. If you do, it won’t be able to back away from the heating element when it’s ready. That can make it overheat, damaging the lighter and the heating element.

Your console has a coinholder and a small storage bin. Cupholder Two cupholders are on the center console next to the parking brake lever.

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Pull the door to open the ashtray. To remove it, press down on the silver tab and pull the ashtray out. The rear ashtray is on the back of the center console. Pull on the top of the door to open it. To remove the ashtray, press down on the tab and pull it out.

NOTICE:

Don't put papers and other things that burn into your ashtray. If you do, cigarettes or other smoking materials could set them on fire, causing damage.

Sun Visors

To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You can also swing them to the side. If the visors swing too easily, tighten the screw on the roof rail.

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NOTICE: (Continued)

Don’t lower the top if it is damp or wet. After the top is down, the trapped water can cause stains, mildew and damage to the inside of your car. Be sure to dry off the ton before you lower it. Don’t lower the convertible,top if the rear flap or side windows are dirty. Dirt could scratch the side windows. The convertible top isn’t designed to carry weight. Never let anyone sit on the top, and don’t put anything on top of it when it is up, or it could be damaged.

Convertible Top (Option) Your convertible top features a sunroof, a removable rear window, removable side windows and a removable canvas top.

NOTICE:

Never raise or lower the top while the vehicle is moving, or drive with any part of the top unfastened or partially removed. The wind could get under it and cause damage. Do not take your vehicle through an automatic car wash. It could damage your convertible top. * Don’t try to lower or raise the convertible top or tap or beat on the plastic windows if your vehicle is out in cold weather, 41 * F (5T) or below. The cold can cause cracks and other damage to the windows and to the top as it is being lowered or raised.

(Continued) -

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Opening and Closing Your Sunroof

3. Unhook the latch from the front top bow.

1. Lower your antenna and swing yow sun visors down. 2. Squeeze the front top bow latch buttons and pull the

latch back.

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4. Swing the front top bow up and back while folding the canvas top out from between the top bow and the roof support. Be sure that you don’t pinch the canvas top between the front top bow arms and the roof rails.

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5. Unfasten the holding strap near the dome lamp and

pull it through the slot in the front top bow.

6. Fasten the holding strap to itself. 7. Push the front top bow latches down until

they “click.”

8. Swing your sun visors up and raise your antenna. Reverse the steps to close your sunroof. Be sure your front top bow is latched securely.

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Removing and Installing Your Rear Window The rear window of your vehicle is removable. This allows you to open the back opening all the way or to replace the window if it becomes deteriorated. To remove the rear window: 1. Open the rear gate all the way. 2. Unfasten the canvas flaps at the lower corners of the

rear window to uncover the zipper pull.

3. Unzip the rear window.

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4. Hang the rear window down so it hangs outside of

the vehicle.

5. Push the clip on the driver’s side of the rear window

frame (see illustration above) and pull the bar rearward. Then slide the bar to the left to release the passenger’s side.

Reverse the steps to install the rear window. Make sure that the window is completely closed before driving.

Removing and Installing the Side Window To remove the side window:

1. Unfasten the Velcro@ on the top and rear quarter of

the side window.

2. Unzip the zipper almost all the way, leaving about 3 inches (8 cm) of it still zipped and unfasten the Velcro on the inside of the window.

3. Release the plastic strip sewn along the bottom edge of the window by gently pulling down and out then release the plastic along the front edge of the window by pulling it forward and out.

4. Unzip the zipper the rest of the way and remove the

side window.

Reverse the steps to install the side window. Please note that during installation:

You may want to start by zipping the zipper about 3 inches (8 cm), to hold the window in place. When zipping, place the rear bottom corner of the window inside the rear part of the vehicle body to help you engage the zipper end.

Be sure to:

Fit the side and rear part of the window into the frame before completely zipping the window. Push the inner lip of the canvas top all the way in while zipping.

After completing installation, make sure that the front and bottom ends are securely hooked and the rear top end of the window is under the canvas top.

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Lowering and Raising the Canvas Top 1. Remove the side windows of the canvas top as

shown previously.

2. Open the rear window and hang it down inside the

luggage compartment.

4. Unfasten the snaps that secure the canvas top to the

roof piece. The snaps are located on either side of the dome lamp.

3. Unfasten the snaps on the driver’s and passenger’s

sides of the roof side tension belts, located above the doors on the outside of the vehicle, underneath the canvas top.

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I 5.

Lower the sun visors and push both sides of the lock buttons on the front latches.

7. Pull back the swing a m , unfasten the five snaps that

secure the canvas to the swing arm and remove the canvas from the swing arm.

6.

Unhook the latches.

8. Return the swing arm forward and hook it securely

with the latches.

9. Pull the tension belts located above the door frame

out through their rings.

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10. Lay the front half part of the canvas top onto

the rear half of the top. Then, fold it forward so it is in “half.”

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 rests on the rubber support without pinching any part of the canvas top.

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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

seatback(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 this section 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.

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Preparing the Canvas Top fur 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.

Instrument Panel -- Your Information Svstem

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A. Defroster B. Rear Defogger (Option) C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever D. Power Mirror Control (Option) E. Air Vent E Instrument Panel Brightness Control G. Hazard Switch H. Fuse Block I. Instrument Cluster J. Ignition Switch K. Horn L. Windshield Wipermasher Lever

M. Cruise Control ON/OFF Button (Option) N. Rear Window Wiper Button (Option) 0. Rear Window Washer Button (Option) P. Comfort Controls Q. Cigarette Lighter R. Shift Lever S. Parking Brake Lever T. Coinholder/Bin U. Audio System V. Transfer Case Shift Lever W. Ashtray X. Glove Box

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Instrument Panel Cluster

Your instrument cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll h o w how fast you’re going, about how much fuel you have left, and many other things you’ll need to know to drive safely and economically.

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Speedometer and Odometer Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (h/h). Your odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven, in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers (used in Canada). Your Geo’s odometer is tamper-resistant. If you can see silver lines between the numbers, someone probably has tried to turn it back. The numbers may not be true. You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a new odometer installed. If possible, the new one is to be set to the same reading as the old one. If it can’t be, then it’s set at zero. Then a label is attached on the driver’s door to show the old reading and when the new one was installed.

Trip Odometer The trip odometer can tell you how far your vehicle has been driven since you last set the trip odometer to zero. To set the trip odometer to zero, press the knob.

Tachometer

=2

xl OOOrpm

I NOTICE:

The tachometer shows engine speed in thousands of revolutions per minute (rpm). You can use it while driving to select correct shift points. The tachometer may not return to zero when the engine is not running.

Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in the red area, or engine damage may occur.

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Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators This part describes the warning lights and gages that may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them. Warning lights and gages can signal that something is wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to your warning lights and gages could also save you or others from injury. Warning lights come on when there may be or is a problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As you will see in the details on the next few pages, some warning lights come on briefly when you start the engine just to let you know they’re working. If you are familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed when this happens. Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and warning lights work together to let you know when there’s a problem with your vehicle.

When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows there may be a problem, check the section that tells YOU what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs can be costly -- and even dangerous. So please get to know your warning lights and gages. They’re a big help. Safety Belt Reminder Light

When the key is turned to ON or STAFtT, a light will come on for about eight seconds to remind people to fasten their safety belts. Unless the driver’s safety belt is already buckled, a chime will also sound.

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Air Bag Readiness Light There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument panel, which shows AIR BAG. The system checks the air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module. For more information on the air bag system, see “Air Bag” in the Index.

You will see this light flash for a few seconds when you turn your ignition to ON or START. Then the light should go out. This means the system is ready.

AIR BAG

If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when you are driving, your air bag system may not work properly. Have your vehicle serviced right away.

Charging System Light

This light will come on briefly when you turn on the ignition, but the engine is not running, as a check to show you it is working. Then it should go out when the engine starts.

If the light stays on or comes on while you are driving, you may have a problem with the electrical charging system. It could indicate that you have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this light is on could drain your battery. If you must drive a short distance with this light on, be certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio and air conditioner.

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Brake System Warning Light Your Geo’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two parts. Xf one part isn’t working, the other part can still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you need both parts workmg well. If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.

If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the flow. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, or if the anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing, have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” and “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.)

I /i\ CAUTION:

- - -

Your brake system may not working properly if the brake system warning light is on. Driving with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident. If the light is still on or if the anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing after you’ve pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will also come on when you set your parking brake. The light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it means you have a brake problem.

BRAKE

United States

Canada

This light should come on when you turn the ignition key to STAFtT. If it doesn’t corne on then, have it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.

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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light (Option)

With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come on when you start your engine and it will stay on for three seconds. That’s normal.

ABS

If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your regular brakes. Pull off the road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop. Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.)

Your regular brake system may not be working properly if the anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock brake system warning light flashing can lead to an accident. After you’ve pulled off the road and stopped caremy, have the vehicle towed for service.

If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again while you’re driving, your Geo needs service. If the light is on but not flashing and the regular brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes. The anti-lock brake system warning light should come on briefly when you turn the ignitiorrkey to ON- If the light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it will-be ready to warn you if there is a problem.

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Anti-Lock Brake’ System Active Light (Option)

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage

When your anti-lock system is adjusting brake pressure to help avoid a braking skid, the anti-lock brake system active light will come on.

I /

ABS

ACTIVE

This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the gage pointer moves to the H (red) side, your engine is

Slippery road conditions may exist if this light comes on, so adjust your driving accordingly. The light will stay on for a few seconds after the system stops adjusting brake pressure. The anti-lock brake system active light also comes on briefly when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it will be there to tell you when the system is active.

It means that your engine coolant has overheated and you should stop your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible. In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.

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Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon Light)

NOTICE:

Your Geo is equipped with a computer which monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission control systems.

If you keep driving your vehicle with this light on, after a while, your emission controls may not work as well, your fuel economy may not be as good and your engine may not run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered by your warranty.

SERVICE ENGINE SOON

This system is called OBD I1 (On-Board Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner environment. (In Canada, OBD I1 is replaced by Enhanced Diagnostics.) The SERVICE ENGINE SOON light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system before any problem is apparent, which may prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also designed to assist your service technician in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.

This light should come on, as a check to show you it is working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired. This light will also come on during a malfunction in one of two ways: 0 Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been

detected, A misfire increases vehicle emissions and may damage the emission tontrol system on your vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and service is required.

0 Light On Steady -- An emission control system malfunction has been detected on your vehicIe. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and service may be required.

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If the Light Is Flashing The following may prevent more serious damage to your vehicIe:

Reduce vehicle speed. Avoid hard accelerations. @ Avoid steep uphill grades.

If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.

If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your dealer or qualified service center for service.

If the Light Is On Steady You may be able to correct the emission system malfunction by considering the following: Did you just put fuel into your vehicle? If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed. This will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few driving trips should turn the light off. Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water? If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition will usually be corrected when the electrical system dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off. Are you low on fuel? As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.

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Have you recently changed brands of fuel? If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see “Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your engine not to mn as efficiently as designed. You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.) This will be detected by the system and cause the light to turn on. If you experience this condition, change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off. If none of the above steps have made the light turn off, have your dealer or qualified service center check the vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical problems that may have developed.

Oil Pressure Light

If you have a problem with your oil, this light may stay on after you start your engine, or come on when you are driving.

This indicates that there is not enough pressure to keep your engine properly lubricated and cool. The engine could be low on oil, or have some other oil related problem. Have it fixed right away.

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The oil light could also come on in three other situations. When the ignition is on but the engine is not running, &e light. wLU come on as a test to show you it is working, but the light will go out when you turn the engine to START. If it doesn’t come on with the ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse or bulb. Have it fixed right away. Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, the light may blink on and off. This is normal. If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a moment. This is normal.

NOTICE:

Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems can be costly and is not covered by your warranty.

Power Indicator Light (Option)

This light comes on when the power mode selector switch is turned to P (power) with the ignition switch in the.ON position.

POWER

Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If you do, your engine can become so hot that it catches fire. You or others could be burned. Check your oil as soon as possible and have your vehicle serviced.

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Overdrive Off Light (Option)

Fuel Gage

This light comes on when the automatic four-speed transmission has been converted to the three-speed mode and overdrive is turned off.

O/D OFF

Your fuel gage shows about how much fuel is in your tank. When the gage first indicates EMPTY (E), you still have a little fuel left (about one or two gallons) (4 to 8 L), but you need to get more right away.

Daytime Running Lamps .(DRL) Indicator Light

This light goes on whenever the daytime running lamps are on.

Here are four concerns some owners have had about the fuel gage. All these situations are normal and do not indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage.

At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before the gage reads FULL (F).

0 It takes more (or less) fuel to fill up than the gage

reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but it took more (or less) than half of the tank’s capacity to fii it. The gage moves a little when you turn, stop or speed up. When you turn the engine off, the gage doesn’t go back to EMPTY (E).

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NOTES

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Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems

Climate Control System

In this section you’ll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your Geo. Be sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle. Comfort Controls 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. Your vehicle also has the flow-through ventilation system described later in this section.

Airflow Lever 9 VENT This position directs the airflow through the instrument panel vents. *+ BI-LEVEL: This position directs air though the instrument panel vents and toward the floor.

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w 2 FLOOR: This position directs air toward the floor. wy DEFOG: This position directs air toward the floor, the windsheld and side windows.

DEFROST: This position directs air to the

windshield and side windows. Fan Control Lever Slide the lever away from OFF to turn the system on. Move the lever toward the fan symbol 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. Without optional air conditioning, the air temperature cannot 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.

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Air Conditioner Controls (Option)

The air conditioning system uses the same controls as described previously. The function of each lever is explained under “Climate Control System” in this part. The incoming air is cooled and dehumidified instead of being heated.

Push the A/C 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. 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.

For normal cooling, push the A/C button and move the air intake lever to CIRCULATE. 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 toward the fan symbol. On days when it is raining or the humidity is high, follow these dehumidifying steps to 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 the fan symbol, Adjust the temperature control lever to a comfortable setting. Heating For the quickest results, move the air intake lever to RECIRCULATE. Move the aifflow lever to FLOOR, the temperature control lever toward the right for warmer air and the fan control lever toward the fan symbol. You should switch to CIRCULATE once in a while to avoid stale air and cloudy windows.

Ventilation System 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 aifflow lever to BI-LEVEL. Adjust the temperature control lever to a comfortable setting and move the fan control lever toward the fan symbol. Your Geo’s flow-through ventilation system s6pplies 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.

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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 the fan symbol 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.

Defogging and Defrosting 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 lever toward the fan symbol. When the windshield is clear, turn down the fan speed.

Your vehicle has air outlets that allow you to adjust the direction and amount of airflow inside the vehicle. Push the outlet up or down to direct airflow to your preference. Increase or reduce the amount of airflow by opening and closing the louvers.

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Rear Window Defogger (Option)

The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to remove fog from the rear window.

Do not attach anything like a temporary vehicle license or a decal across the defogger grid on the rear window.

1 NOTICE:

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.

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Audio Systems Your Delco@ audio system has been designed to operate easiIy and give years of listening pleasure. You will get th,e 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 for AM-FM Stereo Press and hold RCL (TIME SET) to set the correct hour. At the same time, press and hold the TUNE left arrow ( H R ) until the correct hour appears, Press and hold RCL (TIME SET) to set the correct minute. At the same time, press and hold the TUNE right arrow ("IN) until the correct minute appears. ,

Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player Press and hold RCL-PROC (TIME SET) to set the correct hour. At the same time, press and hold the TUNE left arrow (HR) until the correct hour appears. Press and hold RCL-PROG (TIME SET) to set the correct minute. At the same time, press and hold the TUNE right arrow (MIN) until the correct minute appears. Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Players Press and hold the RCL up and down arrow (TIME SET). At the same time, press and hold the TUNE left arrow ( H R ) until the correct hour appears. Press and hold the RCL up and down arrow (TIME SET). At the same time press and hold TUNE right arrow (MIN) until the correct minute appears.

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AM-FM Stereo (Option)

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

Finding a Station AM-FM: Press this button to get AM or FM. The lighted display shows your selection. TUNE: Press the right or left arrow 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 the right or left arrow and the radio will tune to the next higher or lower station and stay there. PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your previously played stations. You can set up to 12 stations (six AM and six FM). 1. Tune in the desired station. 2. Press one of the six pushbuttons, for at least

two seconds.

3. The sound will mute and then return when, the station is stored. Whenever you press that numbered button, the station you set will return.

4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

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AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player (Option)

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.

To Play the Radio Turn the ON-VOL knob to turn the system on or off. VOL: Turn this knob to adjust the volume. RCL: Press this button to see the station being played for a momettt. Or, press it if you want to see the time when the ignition is off.

Finding a Station AM-FM: Press this button to get AM, FM1 or FM2. The lighted display shows your selection. TUNE: Press the TUNE right or left arrow 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 the SEEK right or left arrow and the radio will tune to the next higher or lower station and stay there. PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your previously played stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2). 1. Tune in the desired station. 2. Press one of the six pushbuttons, for at least

two seconds.

3. The sound will mute and then return when the station is stored. Whenever you press that numbered button, the station you set will return.

4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

PRESET SCAN: Press this button to hear each of your favorite stations stored on your pushbuttons for a few seconds. When you want to stop at a chosen station, press PRESET SCAN 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.

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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. Playing 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 EJECT to remove the tape and start over, Once the tape is playing, use the knobs for VOL, FADE and BAL, 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 EJECT to return to playing speed. REW Press this button to reverse the tape rapidly. Press REW or RCLPROG to return to playing speed. If you press RCLPROG, 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 RCL/PROG or EJECT 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 RCLPROG, 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 ox EJECT to cancel this function. RCL/PROG: 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.

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Noise Reduction: Press the button with the double-D symbol to remove noise from tapes encoded with Dolby N R . Dolby Noise Reduction is manufactured under a license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. EJECT Press the button with this symbol to remove the tape and switch to radio. TAPE: Press this button when the radio is playing to switch to tape play. To switch from the tape to the radio when the tape is playing, press the AM-FM button. R-M: Press this button to hear the radio when you are fast forwarding or reversing a cassette tape. You can use the TUNE, SEEK and PRESET SCAN buttons while in the radio monitor mode. 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 p1ayer;press and hold EJECT for five seconds to reset the CLN indicator. The radio will display --- to show the indicator was reset.

AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and Compact Disc Player (Option)

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

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Finding a Station AM-FM: Press this button to get AM, FM1 or FM2. The lighted display shows your selection. TUNE: Press the TUNE right or left arrow 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 stqtion tuned. SEEK: Press the SEEK right or left arrow and the radio will tune to the next higher or lower station and stay there. PUSHBUTTONS: The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your previously played stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six AM, six FM1 and six FM2). 1. Tune in the desired station. 2. Press one of the six pushbuttons, for at least

two seconds.

3. The sound will mute and then return when the station is stored. Whenever you press that numbered button, the station you set will return.

4. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.

PSCAN: Press this button to hear each of your favorite stations stored on your pushbuttons 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.

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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. Playing 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 VOL, FADE and BAL, 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 or STOP to return to playing speed. If you press RCL, the tape will also change sides. REW Press this button to reverse the tape rapidly. Press REW, RCL or STOP to return to playing speed. If you press RCL, the tape will also change sides. NXT Press this button to go forward to the beginning of the next selection. Press NXT again or press RCL, or STOP to cancel this function. If you press RCL, the tape will also change sides. PRV: Press this button to go back to the beginning of the last selection. Press the button again or press RCL, 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, 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.

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Noise Reduction: Press the button with the double-B symbol to remove noise from tapes encoded with Dolby N R . Dolby Noise Reduction is manufactured under a license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. Dolby and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation. RDM: When playing a tape, press this button during IT or REW to hear the radio. Press it again to turn the radio off. During this operation, only TUNE, SEEK and PSCAN will work. RCL: Press this button to switch from one side of the tape to the other. STOP: Press this button to stop the tape and switch to the radio. EJECT Press this button to remove the tape and switch to the 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 sf Your Cassette Tape Player” in the Index. After you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for five seconds to reset the CLN indicator. The radio will display --- to show the indicator was reset. 3-14

Playing a Compact Disc Don’t use 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 these 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 to take ERR off the display. RCL: Press this button to see which track is playing. Press RCL 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 one when you reinsert it.

Theft-Deterrent Feature The theft-deterrent feature for the AM-FM stereo with cassette tape or compact disc players 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. If your vehicle loses battery power for any reason, you must enter your secret code again before the system will turn on. Activating the Theft-Deterrent Feature The following instructions will tell you how to enter a security code into the system. NOTE: If you allow more than 15 seconds to elapse between any steps, the radio automatically reverts to time and you must start the procedure over at Step 4. 1. Write down any four-digit number and keep it in a

safe place.

2. Turn the ignition switch to the ACC or ON position. 3. Turn the radio off.

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4.

5.

6.

7 .

8.

9.

10,

11.

Press the 1 and 4 buttons together. Hold them down until ---- shows on the display. Press the left or right SEEK arrow, or the left or right TUNE arrow and 0000 will appear on the display. Press the SEEK left arrow and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. Release the button. Press the SEEK right arrow and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. Release the button. Press the TUNE left arrow and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. Release the button. Press TUNE right arrow 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. Then, 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.

Disabling 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, Dausing no more than 15 seconds between steps. 1.

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 left arrow and hold it until the first digit of your code appears. Press the SEEK right arrow and hold it until the second digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE left arrow and hold it until the third digit of your code appears. Press the TUNE right arrow 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 and 0000 should now appear on the display. 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 on the display.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

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Unlocking the Theft-Deterrent Feature 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 the left or right SEEK arrows, or the left or right TUNE arrows and 0000 will appear on the display. 1. Press the SEEK left arrow and hold it until the first

digit of your code appears.

2. Press the SEEK right arrow and hold it until the

second digit of your code appears.

3. Press the TUNE left arrow and hold it until the third

digit of your code appears.

4. Press the TUNE right arrow and hold it until the

fourth digit of your code appears.

5. Press AM-FM after you have checked that the code 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.)

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). 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.

_-

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To help avoid bearing loss or darnage:

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. 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 may cause failure of the tape player. Your tape player should be cleaned regularly 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 with pads which scrub the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. It is normal for the cassette to eject while cleaning. Insert the cassette at least three times to ensure thorough cleaning. A scrubbing action cleaning cassette is available through your Geo dealer. 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.

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NOTES

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GeGB 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 drinlung and driving is a nationaI 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:

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 ta 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.

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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:

The amount of alcohol consumed 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-lb. (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce (355 m1) 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 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1 - 1/2 ounces (45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.

Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a 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 United States 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 12 times greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!

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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.

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.

A CAUTION:

Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and judgment can be affected by even a small amount fatal -- collision if you drive after drinking. or even of alcohol. You can have a serious Please don’t drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you’re with a group, designate a driver who will not drink.

9-

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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 Bralung 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 kmh) 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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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 norrnally 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.

Anti-Lack Brakes (Option) Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking shd.

If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this warning light on the instrument panel will come on briefly when you start your vehicle.

ABS

When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive away, your anti-lock .brake system will check itself. You may hear a momentary motor’or clicking noise while this test is going on, and you may even notice that your brake pedal moves a little. This is normal. If there’s a problem with the anti-lock brake system, the anti-lock brake system warning light will stay on or flash. See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” in the Index.

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The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster than any driver could. The computer is programmed to make the most of available tire and road conditions.

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 wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the rear wheels.

You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard. As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.

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Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance. 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.

Using Anti-Lock Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel the system working, or you may notice some noise, but this is normal,

When your anti-lock system is adjusting brake pressure to help avoid a braking skid, this light will come on. See “Anti-Lock Brake System Active Light” in the Index.

ABS

ACTIVE

Braking in Emergencies At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation that requires hard braking. If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same time. However, if you don’t have anti-lock, your first reaction -- to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it down -- may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle can’t respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic. If you don’t have anti-lock, 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. In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal. This will help you retain steering control. (If you do have anti-lock, it’s different: see “Anti-Lock Brakes” in the Index.) In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking.

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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.

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. Unless you have four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can demand too much of 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” though 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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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 chlld 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, unless you have anti-lock, not enough to lock your 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,

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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. 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.

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 one-quarter turn until the right fiont tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.

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 traffk.

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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For m e 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. 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. 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. 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.

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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. m l e 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. If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do not have anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.

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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