Chevrolet PRIZM 1994 User manual

1994
PRlZM
OWNER'S MANUAL

Geo Prizm
Introduction
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
1994 Owner’s Manual
Table of Contents
HOW toUseThisManual rn 3
Seats 81 RestraintSystems = = 7
Features & Controls . . . = 39
ComfortControls
& AudioSystems 81
Your DrivingandtheRoad
. = . = 97
Problemsonthe
Road = = = . . 119
Service
& AppearanceCare 143
MaintenanceSchedule
. 189
CustomerAssistanceInformation
= 213
Including“ReportingSafety Defects”on page 216.
Index rn..==.=.=.===.=m..rn=............... 223
ServiceStationInformation = LastPage
Printed in U.S.A.
Part No. I0260664 A
Second Edition
1 ...

How to Use This Manual
lmporfant Notes about This
Manual
Please keepthis manual in your Geo, so it
will be there if youever need it when
you’re onthe road. If yousellthe vehicle,
please leavethis manual init
so the new
owner can use it.
Thismanual includes
the latestinformation
at the timeit was printed. We reserve the
right
to make changes inthe product after
that time withoutfurther notice. For
vehicles first sold in Canada,substitutethe
name “General Motors
of Canada Limited”
for Chevrolet Motor Division wherever it
appears in this manual.
... 2
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual
Aux propridtaires canadiens:Vous pouvez
vous procurer
un exemplaire dece guide
zn franpischez votre concessionaire ouau
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.,
1500
Bonhill Rd., Mississauga, Ontario L5T
1 C7.
Published by:
Chevrolet Motor Division
General Motors Corporation
General Motors,
GM and the GM
emblem,
Chevrolet and the Chevrolet
emblem, and
Geo and the Geoemblem are
registered trademarks of General Motors
Corporation.
@Copyright1993General Motors
Corporation, Chevrolet/Geo Division. All
Rights Reserved.

How to Use This
Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual
from beginningto end when they first
receive their new vehicle. This will help
you learn about the features and controls
for your vehicle.
In this manual, you’ll
find that pictures and words work
together to explain things quickly.
Index: A good place to look for what
you need is the Index in back
of the
manual. It’san alphabetical listof all
that’s in the manual, and the page
number where you’ll find
it.
Parts 1-8: Each partof this manual
begins with
a brief list of its contents, so
you can often findat a glance if a part
contains the information
you want.
How toUse ThisManual: This part
tells you how to
use your manual and
includes safety and vehicle damage
warnings and symbols.
Part 1 - Seats & Restraint Systems:
This part tells you how to use your seats
and safety belts properly. It also explains
the air bag system.
Part 2 - Features & Controls: This part
explains how to start and operate your
Geo.
Part 3 - Comfort Controls & Audio
Systems:
This part tells you howto
adjust the comfort controls and how to
operate your sound system.
Part 4 - Your Driving and the Road:
Here you’ll find helpful information and
tips about the road and howto drive
under different conditions.
Part 5 - Problems on the Road: This
part tells you what todoif you have a
problem while driving, suchas a flat tire
or engine overheating, etc.
Part 6 - Service & Appearance Care:
Here the manual tells you how to keep
your Geo running properly and looking
good.
Part 7 - Maintenance Schedule: This
part tells when to perform vehicle
maintenance and what fluids and
lubricants to use.
3...

How to Use This Manual
Part 8 - Customer Assistance
Information:
This part includes important
information about reporting safety defects
and gives you details about the “Roadside
Assistance” program.
You will also find
customer satisfaction phone numbers
(including customersatisfactionnumbers
for the hearingand speech impaired), as
well as themediatiodarbitration
procedure. We’ve also included ordering
information forservicepublications in this
Part.
Service Station Information: This is a
quick referenceof serviceinformation.
You can findit on the last page of this
manual.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions
in this book.We use a box with a gray
background and the word CAUTIONto
tell you about things that could
hurt you if
you were to ignore the warning.
In the gray caution area,we tell you what
the hazard
is. Then we tell you what to do
to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please
read these cautions. If
you don’t, you or
others could be
hurt.
You will also find a circlewith a slash
through it in this book. This safety symbol
means “Don’t,’’ “Don’tdo this,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
..4

NOTICE:
These mean there is something that
could damage your vehicle.
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, inthis book you will find these
notices.
In the notice area, we tell you about
something that can damage your vehicle.
Many times,this damage would not be
covered by your warranty, andit could be
costly.
But the notice will tellyou what to
do to help avoid the damage.
When you readother manuals, you might
see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in
different colors or in different words.
You’ll also see warninglabels
on your
vehicle. They use yellowforcautions,bluc
for notices and the words
CAUTION or
NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you will
find
on your vehicle. For example,these
symbols are used on an original battery:
Caution Possible injury
Protect Eyes by Shielding
@
Caustic Battery Acid
Could Cause Burns
Avoid Sparks
or Flames
8
Sparks or Flame Could
Explode Battery
These symbols are important for you and
your passengers whenever your vehicle
is
driven:
Fasten Safety Belts
4
These symbols haveto dowith your lights:
Master Lighting Switch
Turn Signal Direction
Headlight High Beam
Brightness Control
HazardWarningFlashers
A
EO -
-
5..

How to Use This Manual
These symbols are on some of your
controls:
Windshield Wiper
and Washer
Windshield Washer
Windshield Defroster
Rear Window Defogger
Ventilating Fan
Recirculate
Inside
Air
Circulate
Outside
Air
Bi-Level
... 6
Vent
Heater
These symbols are used on warning and
indicator lights:
Engine Coolant
Temperature
BatteryChargingSystem
I-1
Engine Oil Pressure
Malfunction Indicator
(Check Engine)
Door Ajar
0
Here are some other symbols you may see:
Hood Release
Lighter
Horn
Trunk Release
Fuel

Here you^ find information
about the seatsinyour Geo and
how to use your safety belts
properly
. You can also learn
about some things you should
- not do with safety belts .
i
I
I
1
L
L
1
!
1
I
I
Part 1
Seats & Restraint Systems
SeatsandSeatControls ..............................................
8
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone .................................... 11
Why Safety Belts Work .............................................
12
Here Are Questions Many People Ask about Safety Belts .
andtheAnswers . , 15
Safety Belt Reminder Light
..........................................
15
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ....................................
16
Children .........................................................
28
ChildRestraints ...................................................
29
LargerChildren ...................................................
35
SafetyBeltExtender ...............................................
37
Replacing Safety Belts after a Crash ................................... 37
Checking Your RestraintSystems ..................................... 37
7 ..

Seats and Restraint Systems
Seats and Seat Controls
This section tellsyou about the seats -
how to adjust them, andalso about
reclining front seatbacks, head restraints
and rear folding seatbacks.
...e
Front Seat
Lift the lever underthe front seat to
unlock it. Slide theseatto whereyou
want
it. Then release the lever and try to
move the seat with your body, to make
sure the seat
is locked into place.
Don’t put anything under the frontseats.
Items underthe seats could keepthe seats
from lockinginto place properly.

Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on
the outer side of the seat. Release the
lever
to lock the seatback where you
want
it. Push on the seat to make sure
it's locked
in position. Pull up on the
lever, and the seat willgo to its original
upright position. Butdon't have the
seatback reclined
if your vehicle is
moving.

Seats and Restraint Systems
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint upor down sothat
the top of the restraint is closestto the top
of your ears. This position reduces the
:hance of a neck injury in a crash.
Pull up to raise the restraint.
To lower it,
push the release button and push down.
Make sure the head restraintis locked in
place afteryou adjust it.
Rear Folding Seatback (omoN)
You can fold either sideof the seatback
jown in your Geo for more cargo space.
To fold either seatback down:
1. Make sure the front seat isn't reclined
If it
is, the rear seatback won't fold
down all the way.
seatback whileyou pull down on the
seatback.
2. Push the button on the sideof the
.. .10

Safety Belts: They’re
1 for Everyone
3. Fold the seatback down.
To raisethe seatback:
1. Pull the seatbackup and push it back
to lockit into place.
2. Be sure both sides of the seatbackare
latched. Push and pullthe top
of the
seatback tobe sure
it is locked in
position.
This part
of the manual tells you how to
use safety belts properly.It also tells
you
some things you should notdo with safety
belts.
And it explainsthe Supplemental
Restraint System,
or “air bag” system.
4
’his figurelightsup as a reminder to
mckle up. (See “Safety Belt Reminder
2ight” in the Index.)
:n many statesand Canadian provinces,
he law saystowear safety belts. Here’s
why: Thev work.
11 ...

Seats and Restraint Systems
You never knowif you’ll be in a crash. If
you do have a crash, you don’t know if it
will be a bad
one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes
can be so serious that even buckled up
a person wouldn’t survive. But most
crashes are in between. In many
of them,
people who buckle up can survive and
sometimes walk away. Without belts they
could have been badly hurt or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts
in vehicles, the facts are clear.In most
crashes buckling up does matter
... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, yougo
as fast as
it goes.
For example,
if the bike is going 10 mph
( 16 kmh), so is the child.
When
the bike hits the block, it stops. But
the child keeps going!
. . .I2

Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s
just
a seat on wheels.
Put someone on it. Get
it up to speed.Then stop the vehicle.
The rider doesn’t stop.
13 ...

Seats and Restraint Systems
The person keeps going untii stoppedby
something.
In a real vehicle, it couldbe the
windshield ...
or the instrument panel ...
x the safety belts!
With safety belts,
you slow down as the
vehicle does.
You get more timeto stop.
You stop over more distance, and your
strongest bones take the forces. That’s
why safety belts make such good sense.
mmm 14

Here Are Questions
Many People Ask about
Safety Belts
- and the
Answers
Q: Won’t I be trappedin the vehicle
after an accident if I’m wearinga
safety belt?
A: You could be - whether you’re
wearing
a safety beltor not. But you
can easily unbucklea safety belt,
even if you’re upside down. And your
chance of being consciousduring and
after an accident,
so you can unbuckle
and get out,is much greaterif
you are
belted.
Q: Why don’t theyjust put inair bags
so people won’t have to wear safety
belts?
A: Air bags, or Supplemental Restraint
Systems,are in some vehicles today
and willbe
in more of them in the
future. But theyare supplemental
systems only
- so they work with
safety belts, not insteadof them.
Every air bag systemever offered for
salehas requiredthe use
of safety
belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that
has air bags, you still have to buckle
up to get the most protection. That’s
true
not only in frontal collisions,but
especially
in side andother collisions.
Q: If I’ma good driver,and I never
drive far from home,why should
I
wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellentdriver, but
if you’re in an accident - even one
that isn’t yourfault
- you and your
passengers can be hurt. Being
a good
driver doesn’t protectyou from things
beyond your control, such as bad
drivers.
Most accidentsoccur within 25 miles
(40 km) of home. And the greatest
number of seriousinjuriesand deaths
occur at speedsof less than
40 mph
(65 kmh).
Safety beltsare for everyone.
I Safety Belt Reminder
Light
When the key is turned to “On” or
‘Start,” a buzzer will comeon for about
ight seconds to remind people to fasten
heir safetybelts, unless the driver’s
iafety belt is already buckled. The safety
jelt light willalso come on and stay on
mtil the driver’s belt is buckled.
15..

Seats and Restraint Systems
How to Wear Safety
Belts Properly
Adults
This section is onlyfor people of adult
size.
Be aware that there are special things to
know about safety belts and children. And
there are different rulesfor smaller
children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your Geo,see the section after
this one, called “Children.” Follow those
rules for everyone’s protection. ;irst,
you’ll want to know which restraint
ystems your vehicle has.
Ve’ll start
with the driver position.
>river Position
’his section describes the driver’s
estraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver hasa lap-shoulder belt. Here’s
how to wear it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see
“Seats” in the Index)so you can sit up
straight.
. . .I6

3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the
belt across you. Don’t let
it get
twisted.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle
until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make
sure it is secure. If the belt isn’t long
enough,
see “Safety Belt Extender”at
the endof this section.
Make sure the release button on the
buckle is positioned
so you would be
ableto unbuckle the safety belt
quickly
if you ever had to.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull down
on the buckle endof the belt
as you
pull up on the shoulder belt.
The lap partof the belt should be worn
low and snugon the hips,just touching
the thighs.In a crash,
this applies force
to the strong pelvic bones. Andyou’d be
less likely
to slide under the lap belt.If
you slid underit, the belt would apply
force at your abdomen.This could cause
seriousor even fatal injuries. The
shoulder belt should goover the shoulder
and across the chest. These parts of the
body are best able to take belt restraining
forces.
The safety belt locks
if there’s a sudden
stop or crash, or if you pull the belt very
quickly outof the retractor.
17..

S
k
tc
'houlder Belt Height Adjuster
iou can move the shoulder belt adjuster
3 the height thatisright for you.
I
. . .I8
To move it up or down, pull the release
knob. When yourelease the knob,
try
to move it down a littleto make sure
it has lockedintoposition.
Adjust the height
so that the shoulder
portion ofthe belt is properly positioned
on your shoulder, away
from your face
,nd neck.
To help you find a height thatis right for
you, follow these guidelines:
For a tall Derson: Usethe upperor
apper-middle position.
G: Use a
position somewhere
in the middle.
For a short Derson: Use the loweror
lower-middle position.