engine CHEVROLET SSR 2003 1.G Owner's Manual

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer is near 260 °F (125 °C), the engine is
too hot.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-27for more
information.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (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. The check engine 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. This may prevent more
serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction. United States
Canada
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Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after awhile, 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.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of
your vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.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 does not come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
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If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
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 ashing,
follow the previous steps, and see your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install the
cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8. The diagnostic
system can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap will allow
fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few driving trips
with the cap properly installed 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.
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Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misring, 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 one or more of these conditions,
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,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has the
proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to x any
mechanical or electrical problems that may have
developed.Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this inspection
could prevent you from getting a vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the check
engine light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
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Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage shows the engine oil pressure
in psi (pounds per square inch) when the engine
is running. Canadian vehicles indicate pressure in
kPa (kilopascals).
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
If you do, your engine can become so hot that
it catches re. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
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.
Oil pressure may vary with engine speed, outside
temperature and oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused
by a low oil level or other oil-related problems.
See your dealer for service immediately. United States
Canada
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Change Engine Oil Light
This light is displayed
when the engine oil needs
to be changed.
Once the engine oil has been changed, the light must
be reset. Until it is reset, the light will be displayed when
the engine is on. For more information on resetting
the system, see “When to Change Engine Oil (GM Oil
Life System)” underEngine Oil on page 5-14.
Security Light
This light will come on
briey when you turn the
key to START. The
light will stay on until the
engine starts.If the light ashes, the Passlock
®system has entered a
tamper mode. If the vehicle fails to start, seePasslock®
on page 2-14.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
®
system. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock®,
and you should see your dealer.
Also, seeContent Theft-Deterrent on page 2-12for
additional information regarding the security light.
Cruise Control Light
This symbol appears on
your instrument panel
whenever you set
your cruise control. See
“Cruise Control” under
Turn Signal/Multifunction
Lever on page 3-5.
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Reduced Engine Power Light
This light is displayed
when a noticeable
reduction in the vehicle’s
performance may occur.
The vehicle may be driven at a reduced speed when
the reduced engine power light is on but acceleration
and speed may be reduced. The performance may
be reduced until the next time you drive your vehicle.
If this light stays on, see your dealer as soon as possible
for diagnosis and repair.
This light may also come on if there is a problem with the
Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) system. If this happens,
take the vehicle in for service as soon as possible.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on
whenever the high-beam
headlamps are on.
Check Gages Warning Light
The Check Gages light will
come on briey when you
are starting the engine.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your coolant temperature and engine oil
pressure gages to see if they are in the warning zones.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature Gage on page 3-30
andOil Pressure Gage on page 3-34.
When the fuel level is low in your vehicle, the check
gages light will come on and a chime will sound. You will
also see a FUEL LEVEL LOW message on the DIC.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-45
for more information.
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Auxiliary Gage Package
A. Voltmeter Gage
B. Instantaneous Fuel Consumption Gage
C. Transmission Temperature Gage
Your vehicle may have an auxiliary gage package
located at the front of the center console.
Voltmeter Gage
This gage (A) is located on
the left side of the gage
package.
When your engine is not running, but the ignition is in
RUN, this gage shows your battery’s state of charge in
DC volts.
When the ignition is on and the engine is running, the
gage shows the condition of the charging system.
Readings between the low and high warning zones
indicate the normal operating range.
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Readings in the low warning zone may occur when a
large number of electrical accessories are operating in
the vehicle and the engine is left at an idle for an
extended period. This condition is normal since the
charging system is not able to provide full power
at engine idle. As engine speeds are increased, this
condition should correct itself as higher engine speeds
allow the charging system to create maximum power.
You can only drive for a short time with the reading
in either warning zone. If you must drive while the gage
is in the warning zone, turn off all unnecessary
accessories.
Readings in either warning zone indicate a possible
problem in the electrical system. Have the vehicle
serviced as soon as possible.Instantaneous Fuel Consumption Gage
This gage (B) is located in
the center of the gage
package.
The instantaneous fuel consumption gage shows the
rate of fuel that is being used in gallons per hour (gph).
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Transmission Temperature Gage
This gage (C) is located on
the right side of the gage
package.
When your ignition is on, the gage shows the temperature
of the transmission uid. The normal operating range is
from 100°F (38°C) to about 265°F (130°C).
At approximately 265°F (130°C), the transmission will
enter a transmission protection mode. When the
transmission enters the protection mode, you may
notice a change in the transmission shifting patterns.
The transmission will return to normal shifting patterns
when the transmission uid temperature falls below
260°F (127°C).
Pull the vehicle off the roadway when it is safe to do so.
Set the parking brake, place the transmission in
PARK (P) and allow the engine to idle until the
transmission temperature falls below 260°F (127°C).If the transmission continues to operate above 260°F
(127°C), see your dealer for service or contact GM
Roadside Assistance. SeeRoadside Assistance
Program on page 7-5.
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.
The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
Towing a trailer
Hot outside air temperatures
Hauling a large or heavy load
Low transmission uid level
High transmission uid level
Engine overheating
A temporary solution to hotter transmission operating
temperatures may be to let the transmission cool down.
If the transmission is operated at higher temperatures
on a frequent basis, seeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-5for the proper transmission maintenance
intervals.
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