check engine CHEVROLET CAMARO 2001 4.G User Guide

2-93
Readings in the red area tell you that the engine is low
on oil, or that you might have some other oil problem.
See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.
CAUTION:
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.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Low Oil Light
This warning light should
come on briefly while you
are starting your engine. If
the light doesn't come on,
have it repaired.
If the light stays on after starting your engine, your
engine oil level may be too low. You may need to add
oil. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.
NOTICE:
The oil level monitoring system only checks the
oil level when you are starting your engine.
It does not keep monitoring the level once the
engine is running. Also, the oil level check only
works when the engine has been turned off long
enough for the oil to drain back into the oil pan.

2-94 Oil Change Light
This OIL CHANGE light
should come on briefly as a
bulb check when you start
the engine. If the OIL
CHANGE light doesn't
come on, have it serviced.
If the OIL CHANGE light comes on and stays on
for 60 seconds after you start the engine, have the
oil changed.
For additional information, see ªEngine Oil, When to
Changeº in the Index. After changing the engine oil, the
system must be reset. See ªHow to Reset the Oil Change
Lightº in the Index.
Service Vehicle Light
This warning light should
come on in your instrument
panel cluster for a
three
-second bulb check
when you first start your
vehicle. If the light doesn't
come on, have it serviced.
This light will stay on steady if you have certain
non
-emission related vehicle problems. These problems
may not be obvious and may affect vehicle performance
or durability. Consult a qualified dealer for necessary
repairs to maintain top vehicle performance.

2-95 Check Gages Light
This warning light will
come on briefly when you
start the engine.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your gages to see if they are in the warning areas.
Hatch Ajar Light
This warning light should
come on in your instrument
panel cluster for a
three
-second bulb check
when you first start your
vehicle. If the light doesn't
come on, have it serviced.
This light will stay on steady if your hatch is open or
ajar and the ignition key is in RUN.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel
you have left when the
ignition is on.
When the indicator nears E (empty), you still have a
little fuel left, but you should get more soon.

2-96
Here are four things that some owners ask about. All
these things are normal and do not indicate that anything
is wrong with the fuel gage.

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

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 fill it.

The gage pointer may move while cornering, braking
or speeding up.

The gage may not indicate E (empty) when the
ignition is turned off.
Low Fuel Light
If your fuel is low, your vehicle's CHECK GAGES light
on your instrument panel cluster will come on.
See ªCheck Gages Lightº in the Index.
Reduced Engine Power Light
(V6 Engine Only)
The REDUCED ENG PWR
warning light should come
on in your instrument panel
cluster for a three
-second
bulb check when you first
start your vehicle.
If the light doesn't come on, have it serviced.
If the REDUCED ENG PWR warning light comes on, a
noticeable reduction in the vehicle's performance may
occur. The vehicle may be driven at a reduced speed
while the REDUCED ENG PWR light is on, but
acceleration and speed may be reduced. Anytime this
warning light stays on, the vehicle should be taken to an
authorized Chevrolet dealer as soon as possible for
diagnosis and repair.

3-26 Understanding Radio Reception
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.
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.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud
and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to it.To help avoid hearing loss or damage do the following:

Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.

Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
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, Delphi Delco Electronics
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.

4-7
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following
distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary
braking. That means better braking and longer
brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is
an advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
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 or pulses a little.
This is normal.
United States Canada
If there's a problem with the anti
-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay on. See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in the Index.

4-23
Here are some things you can check before a trip:

Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?

Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?

Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?

Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?

Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble
-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long
-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated
to the recommended pressure?

Weather Forecasts: What's the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?

Maps: Do you have up
-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as ªhighway hypnosisº?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don't let
it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:

Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.

Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.

If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.

4-24
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.

Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.

Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you
go down a steep or long hill.
CAUTION:
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to
let your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.

4-29
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
see ªTowing Your Vehicleº in the Index.
NOTICE:
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground will damage drivetrain components.

4-37 Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your dealer. The arrows on your instrument panel
will flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash,
telling other drivers you're about to turn, change lanes
or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It's important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you
start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't
shift down, you might have to use your brakes so
much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.If you are towing a trailer and you have an automatic
transmission with overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
DRIVE (D) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
)
or, as you need to, a lower gear. Or, if you have a
manual transmission with FIFTH (5) gear and you are
towing a trailer, it is better not to use FIFTH (5) gear.
Just drive in FOURTH (4) or, as you need to, a lower
gear. If you have a manual transmission with SIXTH (6)
gear, drive in FIFTH (5) or, as you need to, a lower gear.
Parking on Hills
CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People can
be injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer
can be damaged.