check engine GMC SAVANA 1998 Owners Manual
Page 88 of 388
Parking Lots 
If  you park in  a  lot  where  someone will  be  watching 
your  vehicle,  it’s  best  to lock it up  and  take  your  keys. 
But  what  if 
you have  to leave your  ignition key? What  if 
you  have to leave something  valuable  in  your  vehicle? 
Put your  valuables  in a storage  area, like your  front 
storage  compartment. 
Lock all  the  doors excePt  the  driver’s. 
Passlock’ 
Your vehicle  is  equipped  with  the  Passlock 
theft-deterrent  system. 
Passlock  is a  passive  theft-deterrent  system.  The system 
is  armed once  the  key  is  removed  from the  ignition. 
Passlock  enables fuel  if the  ignition  lock  cylinder is 
turned  with  a  valid  key. 
If a correct  key is not  used, 
fuel  is disabled.  During 
normal  operation,  the  SECURITY light  will go 
off  after  the engine  is  started. 
If  the  engine  stalls and the SECURITY  light  flashes, 
wait  until  the  light stops  flashing before  trying to restart 
the  engine.  Remember  to release the  key from the 
START  position  as  soon 
as the  engine starts. 
If you are  driving  and  the  SECURITY  light  comes  on,  you 
will  be  able 
to restart the engine if you turn the engine off. 
However,  your  Passlock  system is not  working  properly 
and  must 
be serviced  by  your  dealer.  Your  vehicle is not 
protected  by  Passlock  at 
this time.  You  may also want  to 
check  the 
fuse (see  “Fuses  and  Circuit  Breakers”  in  the 
Index).  See  your  dealer  for  service. 
If  the  SECURITY light comes  on while 
the engine  is 
running,  a  problem  has  been  detected  and the system 
may  need  service. See your  dealer for  service. 
In  an  emergency,  call the 
GM Roadside  Assistance 
Center.  See “Roadside  Assistance”  in  the  Index. 
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NOTICE: 
Holding your key in START for longer  than 
15 seconds  at a time will cause your  battery  to be 
drained  much  sooner.  And  the excessive  heat can 
damage your  starter motor. 
2. 
3. 
If it doesn’t start right  away,  hold  your  key  in 
START. If it doesn’t  start  in 10 seconds,  push  the 
accelerator pedal all  the  way down for  five 
more 
seconds, unless  it starts  sooner. 
If your engine  still  won’t start (or starts but then 
stops), wait 
15 seconds  and start  over. 
When  the engine  starts, let go 
of the  key  and the 
accelerator pedal. 
NOTICE: 
Your  engine  is  designed  to work  with  the 
electronics  in your  vehicle. 
If you add electrical 
parts  or  accessories,  you  could  change  the way 
the  engine  operates.  Before  adding electrical 
equipment,  check  with  your  dealer. 
If you  don’t, 
your  engine  might not  perform properly. 
If you ever  have  to have  your  vehicle  towed,  see 
the  part 
of this  manual  that  tells how  to do it 
without  damaging your  vehicle.  See  “Towing 
Your  Vehicle”  in the Index. 
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NOTICE: 
Driving  with  the  parking brake on  can cause your 
rear brakes to overheat.  You  may have to replace 
them,  and you  could  also  damage  other parts of 
your  vehicle.  Always  check  to 
be sure your  parking 
brake 
is fully  released  before  you  drive. 
If you  are towing  a  trailer and are  parking on any  hill, 
see “Towing  a Trailer” in  the  Index.  That  section  shows 
what  to  do  first  to  keep  the  trailer from  moving. 
Shifting Into PARK (P) 
It can  be dangerous to  get out  of your  vehicle  if 
the  shift  lever  is  not fully  in  PARK 
(P) with  the 
parking  brake  firmly set.  Your  vehicle  can roll. 
If 
you  have  left  the engine  running, the  vehicle can 
move  suddenly.  You or others  could  be  injured. 
To be sure  your  vehicle  won’t  move,  even  when 
you’re  on  fairly level ground,  use the steps  that 
follow. 
If you’re  pulling  a  trailer, see  “Towing a 
Trailer”  in the  Index. 
1. Hold  the brake  pedal  down  with  your right foot and 
set the  parking  brake. 
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Electronic Road-Speed  Governor 
(Gasoline  Engines)  (Option) 
This  optional  system automatically  controls  vehicle  top 
speed.  The  system controller  receives 
a signal from the 
vehicle speed  sensor and reduces  power when the 
vehicle  speed reaches the maximum 
65 mph (105 kdh) 
governed  speed. 
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 RUN or START, a tone will 
come  on for  about  eight seconds to remind people to 
fasten their safety belts,  unless  the driver’s safety belt is 
already buckled. 
The safety belt light  will 
also  come  on and  stay  on 
for  about 
20 seconds,  then it 
will flash  for about 
5 5 seconds. 
If the driver’s belt is already  buckled, neither the tone 
nor  the light  will come on. 
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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  sensor,  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. 
AIR 
This  light  will come  on 
when  you  start  your  engine, 
and  it will  flash  for a few 
seconds.  Then  the  light  should  go 
out. This means 
the  system 
is ready. 
If  the  air bag  readiness  light stays  on after  you start  the 
engine  or comes on  when  you  are driving,  your air bag 
system  may  not  work properly.  Have your  vehicle 
serviced  right  away.  The 
air bag  readiness  light  should flash for a  few 
seconds  when 
you turn  the  ignition  key  to RUN. If  the 
light  doesn’t  come 
on then,  have  it fixed so it will  be 
ready 
to warn  you  if there  is a  problem. 
Charging  System  Light 
(CJ 
This  light  should  come on 
briefly  when  you  turn  on the 
ignition,  before starting the 
engine,  as  a check  to show 
you  it is  working. 
After  the  engine starts,  the  light  should 
go out.  If it stays 
on  or comes on  while  you  are driving,  you  may  have  a 
problem  with  your  charging  system.  It  could  indicate a 
problem  with  the alternator  drive belt,  or some other 
charging  system  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, it 
helps 
to turn  off  all  your accessories, such  as the  radio 
and  air conditioner. 
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Malfunction  Indicator  Lamp  (Service 
Engine  Soon  Light)  (Gasoline  Engine) 
I I Your vehicle is equipped 
SERVICE 
ENGINE 
with a computer  which 
monitors  operation  of the 
fuel, ignition  and emission 
SOON control  systems. 
NOTICE: 
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. 
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.  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.  This  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: 
Light  Flashing -- A misfire  condition  has been 
detected. 
A misfire  increases  vehicle emissions  and 
may  damage  the emission  control system on your 
vehicle. 
GM or  qualified service  center diagnosis 
and service  may  be required. 
0 Light  On  Steady -- An emission  control system 
malfunction  has  been detected 
on your vehicle.  GM 
or  qualified service  center diagnosis  and service  may 
be  required. 
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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 run  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  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, 
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 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). 
OIL -1 
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 
dangerously  low  oil level or other problem causing  low 
oil  pressure.  Check  your  oil as soon  as possible. 
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- 
UTION: 
- 
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: 
I I 
Damage  to your engine from neglected  oil 
problems  can be costly  and is  not  covered  by 
your warranty. 
Security Light 
SECURITY 
This  light  will  come on 
briefly  when  you  turn  the  ignition  key 
to START. 
The  light  will  stay 
on until  the  engine starts.  If  the light 
flashes,  the  Passlock@System  has  entered a tamper 
mode.  If  the  vehicle fails to start, 
see “Passlock”  in 
the  Index. 
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 GM dealer. 
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Daytime  Running  Lamps  Indicator  Light 
You may  have  this  light  on 
the  instrument  panel.  It  will 
light  whenever  the 
DRL are 
on. It is  also a reminder to 
turn on your  headlamps 
when  driving  at  night. 
Check  Gages  Light 
CHECK 
GAGES 
The CHECK GAGES light 
will  come 
on briefly  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. 
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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: 
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, 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. 
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