check engine light CHEVROLET KODIAK 2008 User Guide

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on
when you have turned off the airbag, it means
that something may be wrong with the airbag
system. The right front passenger’s airbag
could inate even though the switch is off.
If this ever happens, do not let anyone whom
the national government has identied as a
member of a passenger airbag risk group
sit in the right front passenger’s position
(for example, do not secure a rear-facing child
restraint in the right front passenger’s seat)
until you have your vehicle serviced. See
Airbag Off Switch on page 1-56andAirbag
Readiness Light on page 3-28for more on this,
including important safety information.
If the word ON or the on symbol is lit, it means that
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag is enabled
(may inflate). SeeAirbag Off Switch on page 1-56for
more on this, including important safety information.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
may be located in the
instrument panel cluster, or
with the auxiliary warning
lights in the center of
the instrument panel.
It should come on briefly when you turn on the ignition,
before the engine is running, as a check to show
that it is working.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, have
your vehicle checked right away. You could have a loose
generator drive belt or some other problem.
Driving while this light is on will drain your battery. If you
must drive a short distance with the light on, turn off
your radio and other accessories. Sustained driving with
a generator failure could result in a lack of back-up
braking if the engine quits or the power steering pump
should fail.
3-30

Parking Brake Warning Light
Your vehicle has a brake warning light. When the
ignition is on, this light will come on when you set your
parking brake. The light will stay on if your parking
brake does not release fully.
This light should also come on when you turn the
ignition key to START. If it does not come on then, have
it fixed so it will be ready to remind you if the parking
brake is applied or has not released fully.
Air Brake System Warning Light
Vehicles with air brake systems have a brake system
warning light on the instrument panel.
The low air warning light
should come on, as a
check, whenever you start
the engine.
However, it is designed to come on, and stay on, when
brake reservoir pressure has dropped below 60 psi
(410 kPa).When the warning light comes on while you are driving,
you should drive only as far as the nearest point of
safety and then stop the vehicle. Here is a very
important thing for you to know:
{CAUTION:
If the air brake system warning light comes on
and the warning tone sounds, the vehicle can
stop suddenly and without further warning.
This is because the parking brake will come on
if the pressure falls below 35 to 45 psi (240 to
310 kPa). You or others could be injured. If the
air brake system warning light comes on and
the warning tone sounds, stop as soon as you
can. You will not know how quickly the system
is losing pressure, so be aware that the
parking brake may come on suddenly.
3-33

Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
This light will come on
briefly when you start the
engine, then it will turn
off. This is normal.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you are driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the brake or low air
warning light is not on, you still have brakes, but you do
not have the antilock brake feature. If the brake
and/or low air warning light is on, you do not have
antilock brakes and there is a problem with your regular
brakes. SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-32
andAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-5for
more information.
Trailer Antilock Brake System
Warning Light
If your vehicle is connected
to a trailer with antilock
brakes, this light should
come on briefly, as a
check, when you turn on
the ignition.
When this light comes on and stays on, it means there
is something wrong in the trailer Antilock Brake
System (ABS). Have the system repaired immediately.
If an ABS equipped trailer is not connected, this
light is not functional.
3-34

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the
engine coolant
temperature. If the gage
pointer moves into the
red area, your engine
coolant might have
overheated and your
engine may be too hot.
You should pull off the road, stop your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-48. If you have a
Caterpillar
®diesel engine, also see your Caterpillar®
Operation & Maintenance Manual.
Low Coolant Warning Light
Your vehicle has a low
coolant warning light.
If this light comes on, the
system is low on coolant
and the engine may
overheat.
The warning light should come on briefly, as a check,
when you turn on the ignition.
When it comes on, you will also hear a warning tone for
10 seconds. SeeEngine Coolant (Caterpillar
®Diesel
Engines) on page 5-44orEngine Coolant (Gas and
DURAMAX
®/Isuzu 7.8L L6 Engines) on page 5-44
Engine Coolant and have your vehicle serviced as
soon as you can.
This light may also come on if your vehicle has the
automatic engine shutdown system and engine
shutdown has begun. SeeEngine Alarm and Automatic
Shutdown on page 2-18for more information.
3-35

Wait to Start Indicator
If your vehicle has the DURAMAX®6.6L diesel engine,
it will have glow plugs and an air intake heater.
If your vehicle has the Isuzu 6H diesel engine, it will
have glow plugs and an inlet heater. If your vehicle has
a Caterpillar
®engine, it will have an inlet heater.
The light in the center of
the instrument panel will
come on when the
inlet heater or glow plugs
are on and the ignition
key is in RUN.
Wait until the indicator light goes off before turning the
ignition key to START.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Service Engine Soon Light
If this light comes on or
flashes while you are
driving, two things
can happen.
First, you will not notice any difference in engine
performance, but the tail pipe emissions might increase.
Second, the engine might not run properly or could stall
without warning. If either of these things happen, drive or
tow your vehicle to your dealer/retailer for service.
This light should come on when the ignition is on, but the
engine is not running, as a check to show you it is
working. If it does not come on at all, have it repaired.
Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after a while, the emission controls
might not work as well, your vehicle’s fuel economy
might not be as good, and the engine might not
run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs
that might not be covered by your warranty.
3-36

Low Oil Level Light
Your vehicle may have a
low oil level light.
This light should come on as a check, when you start
your engine. If the light fails to come on, have it repaired
as soon as possible so you will be aware when the oil
level is low.
Vehicles that have Caterpillar
®diesel engines may not
have a low oil level light. In this case, the light will
neither come on as a check when you start your engine,
nor will it come on to indicate a low oil level.
If this light comes on and stays on, it means your
engine is low on oil. You need to check the oil level
right away. SeeEngine Oil (Caterpillar
®Diesel Engine)
on page 5-23orEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on
page 5-24orEngine Oil (DURAMAX
®Diesel Engine) on
page 5-28orEngine Oil (Isuzu Diesel Engine) on
page 5-32for further information.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always follow the maintenance
schedule in this manual for changing engine oil.
Change Engine Oil Light
The change engine oil light
should come on briefly as
a bulb check when you
start the engine. If the light
does not come on, have
it serviced.
If the change engine oil light comes on and stays on
after you start the engine, have the oil changed.
For additional information on when to change engine oil
for gasoline engines or DURAMAX
®diesel engines,
seeEngine Oil (Caterpillar®Diesel Engine) on page 5-23
orEngine Oil (Gasoline Engine) on page 5-24or
Engine Oil (DURAMAX
®Diesel Engine) on page 5-28or
Engine Oil (Isuzu Diesel Engine) on page 5-32and
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-5. To reset the
change engine oil light, seeEngine Oil Life System
(Gasoline Engine) on page 5-36orEngine Oil Life
System (DURAMAX
®/Isuzu Diesel Engines) on
page 5-37orEngine Oil Life System (Caterpillar®Diesel
Engine) on page 5-39.
3-38

Engine Overspeed Warning Light
If your vehicle has this
light, it will come on if your
engine is operating at
too many revolutions per
minute (rpm).
It will also come on for a moment as a check when you
start your engine.
If it comes on when you’re driving, reduce your engine
speed immediately.
Engine Shutdown Warning Light
If your vehicle has the
engine shutdown feature,
this light will come on
when engine shutdown
is active.
SeeEngine Alarm and Automatic Shutdown on
page 2-18for more information.
Transmission Temperature Gage
If you have an automatic
transmission and this
gage, it is located
above the switchbank
in the center of the
instrument panel.
When your ignition is on, the gage shows the
temperature of the transmission oil. A reading in the
warning zone, the red area beginning at 300°F (150°C),
means you must stop driving and check into the cause.
One possible cause is a low oil level in the transmission.
Notice:If you drive your vehicle with the
transmission temperature gage above normal
operating range, you can damage the transmission.
This could lead to costly repairs that would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not drive your
vehicle while the transmission temperature gage
reading is above normal. See your dealer for service.
3-39

Reduced Engine Power Light
If the check engine and
reduced engine power
lights are on, the electronic
throttle control may be
disabled.
A noticeable change in the vehicle’s performance may
also occur.
If the reduced engine power light is on, but there is no
change in performance, proceed to your destination.
The performance may be reduced the next time
the vehicle is driven. The vehicle may be driven at a
slower speed while the reduced engine power light is on,
but acceleration and speed may be limited.
Anytime the check engine light stays on, the vehicle
should be taken to an authorized dealer/retailer as soon
as possible for service.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on when
the high-beam headlamps
are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on page 3-8
for more information.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Indicator Light
This light turns on
whenever the Daytime
Running Lamps are on.
SeeDaytime Running Lamps (DRL) on page 3-15for
more information.
3-41

Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
This light is located above
the climate controls in the
center of the instrument
panel.
This light will come on when your vehicle is low on
windshield washer fluid.
For more information, seeWindshield Washer Fluid on
page 5-55.
Power Take-Off Light
For vehicles with Power
Take-Off (PTO), this light
is located in the center
of the instrument panel.
This light will come on when the PTO switch is in the
ON position. SeePower Take-Off (PTO) on page 2-32
for more information.
Check Gages Warning Light
This light will come on
briefly when the engine is
started.
If this light comes on and stays on while you are driving.
It means that either the engine coolant temperature
gage or the engine oil pressure gage may be showing a
reading in the warning zone.
When the check gages light comes on, you will also
hear a warning tone. The tone and the light will
stay activated until the problem is corrected.
This light may also come on if your vehicle is has
automatic engine shutdown system and engine
shutdown has begun. SeeEngine Alarm and Automatic
Shutdown on page 2-18.
3-42

Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start the engine and begin to drive away,
ABS will check itself. You might hear a momentary
motor or clicking noise while this test is going on. This
is normal.
If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-lock
Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on
page 3-34.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is 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 wheel.ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any
driver could. The computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road conditions. This can
help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, the computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not 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 will not have time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or
stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop,
even though you have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down firmly and let antilock work for you. You might feel
the brakes pulsate, or you might hear air exhausting
if your vehicle has air brakes, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
4-5