engine PONTIAC TORRENT 2007 Owner's Guide

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage measures the
temperature of the
vehicle’s engine.
If the indicator needle moves towards the shaded
in thermostat, the engine is too hot. The engine
coolant temperature warning light will turn on. See
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light on
page 182for more information.
If you have been operating your vehicle under
normal driving conditions, and the engine coolant
temperature warning light comes on, you
should pull off the road, stop your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
Tire Pressure Light
This light will come on
briey when you turn
the ignition to RUN.
This light will also come on when one or more of
your tires are signicantly underinated.
A CHECK TIRE PRESSURE DIC message will
accompany the light.
Stop and check your tires as soon as it is safe to do
so. If underinated, inate to the proper pressure.
SeeTires on page 386for more information.
This light will ash for 60 seconds and then turn
on solid if a problem is detected with the Tire
Pressure Monitor system.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System on page 395
for more information.
183

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle has 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.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,
transaxle, 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. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 339.
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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.
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.
185

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 343.
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.Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 341. 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.
186

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 dealer
can prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Light
If you have a low engine
oil pressure problem,
this light will stay on after
you start your engine, or
come on when you are
driving.
This indicates that your engine is not receiving
enough oil.
The engine could be low on oil, or could have
some other oil problem. Have it xed immediately.
The oil light could also come on in three other
situations:
When the ignition is on but the engine is not
running, the light will come on as a test to
show you it is working, but the light will go out
when you turn the ignition to START. If it
does not come on with the ignition on,
you may have a problem with the fuse or bulb.
Have it xed right away.
187

If the vehicle is idling at a stop sign, the light
may blink on and then off.
If you make a hard stop, the light may come
on for a moment. This is normal.
{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.
Change Engine Oil Light
If this light comes on
and stays on for
30 seconds, it means
that service is required
for your vehicle.
After having the oil changed you will need to reset
the light. SeeEngine Oil on page 349and
Scheduled Maintenance on page 440for more
information.
188

Reduced Engine Power Light
This light will come on
briey when you start
the engine.
This light, along with the service vehicle soon
light, will be displayed when a noticeable reduction
in the vehicle’s performance may occur. Stop
the vehicle and turn off the ignition. Wait for
10 seconds and restart your vehicle. This may
correct the condition. SeeService Vehicle
Soon Light on page 192for more information.
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.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on
when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on
page 152.
190

Gate Ajar Light
If this light comes on,
your liftgate is not
completely closed.
Driving with the liftgate
open can cause
carbon monoxide (CO)
to enter the vehicle.
SeeEngine Exhaust on page 127for more
information.
Door Ajar Light
This light will come on
when a door is ajar.
Do not drive with a door ajar.
Service Vehicle Soon Light
This light will come on if
a condition exists that
may require the
vehicle to be taken in
for service.
If the light comes on, see your dealer for service
as soon as possible.
Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on,
the fuel gage tells you
about how much
fuel you have left in
your tank.
192

When the indicator nears empty, the low fuel light
will come on. You still have a little fuel left, but
you should get more soon. SeeLow Fuel Warning
Light on page 192for more information.
Here are four things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the service station, the fuel pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to ll up than
the gage indicated. For example, the gage may
have indicated the tank was half full, but it
actually took a little more or less than half the
tank’s capacity to ll the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner
or speed up.
The gage takes a few seconds to stabilize after
the ignition is turned on, and will go back to
empty when you turn the ignition off.
For your fuel tank capacity, seeCapacities and
Specications on page 436.
Low Fuel Warning Light
The light below the fuel
gage will come on
briey when you are
starting the engine.
This light also comes on when the fuel tank is low
on fuel. When you add fuel the light should go
off. If it does not, have your vehicle serviced.
193

Driver Information Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver Information Center (DIC).
All messages will appear in the DIC display
located in the center of the instrument panel
cluster. The DIC buttons are located on the center
of the instrument panel.
The DIC comes on when the ignition is on. After a
short delay, the DIC will display the information
that was last displayed before the engine was
turned off.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and vehicle system
information, and warning messages if a system
problem is detected. The top of the DIC display
shows the shift lever position indicator. See
Automatic Transaxle Operation on page 119for
more information.If your vehicle has this feature, the DIC also
displays the outside air temperature when viewing
the trip and fuel information. If there is a problem
with the system that controls the temperature
display, the numbers will be replaced with dashes.
If this occurs, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer. If an abnormal temperature reading is
displayed for an extended period of time, consult
your dealer. Under certain circumstances,
especially when the engine is idling, a delay
updating the temperature display is normal.
The DIC also allows some features to be
personalized. SeeDIC Vehicle Personalization on
page 210for more information.
194