check engine BUICK RAINIER 2007 User Guide

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 358. 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 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).
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
problems causing low oil pressure.
{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.
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Service All-Wheel Drive Light
This light should come
on briey when you turn
on the ignition, as a
check to show you it
is working.
The service all-wheel drive light comes on to
indicate that there may be a problem with the drive
system and service is required. Malfunctions
can be indicated by the system before any problem
is apparent, which may prevent serious damage
to the vehicle. This system is also designed
to assist your GM dealer in correctly diagnosing a
malfunction.
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.
Gate Ajar Light
If this light comes on,
the liftgate or liftglass is
not completely shut.
Close the liftgate or liftglass. Never drive with the
liftgate or liftglass even partially open.
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Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on, the fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you have remaining.
Here are four things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the gas station, the gas 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 doesn’t go back to empty when you
turn off the ignition.
Low Fuel Warning Light
The light next to the fuel gage will come on briey
when you are starting the engine.
This light comes on when the fuel tank is low on
fuel. To turn it off, add fuel to the fuel tank.
SeeFuel on page 358.
Check Gas Cap Light
If your vehicle has this
light, it will come on if
your gas cap is not
securely fastened.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 190for
more information.
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ENGINE COOLANT HOT/ENGINE
OVERHEATED
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the
engine is overheating, severe engine damage
may occur. If an overheat warning appears
on the instrument panel cluster and/or
DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Do not increase the engine speed above
normal idling speed. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 382for more information.
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
cooling system temperature gets hot. See
Engine Overheating on page 382for the proper
course of action. This message clears when
the coolant temperature drops to a safe operating
temperature.
FUEL LEVEL LOW
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
fuel level is low in the vehicle’s fuel tank. Refuel as
soon as possible. Press any of the DIC buttons, or
the trip stem, to acknowledge this message and
clear it from the DIC display. SeeLow Fuel Warning
Light on page 197,Filling the Tank on page 361,
andFuel on page 358for more information.
ICE POSSIBLE
This message may display if the outside
temperature reaches a level where ice could form
on the roadway. If the temperature rises to a safe
level, the message clears. This message clears
itself after 10 seconds, or you can press any of the
DIC buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
KEY FOB # BATTERY LOW
This message displays if a Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter battery is low. Replace the
battery in the transmitter. See “Battery
Replacement” underRemote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 94. Press any of the
DIC buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
driver’s side rear door is not fully closed. Stop and
turn off the vehicle, check the door for obstructions,
and close the door again. Check to see if the
message still appears on the DIC. Press any of the
DIC buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
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OIL PRESSURE LOW/STOP ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while
the engine oil pressure is low, severe engine
damage may occur. If a low oil pressure
warning appears on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), stop the vehicle as soon as
possible. Do not drive the vehicle until the
cause of the low oil pressure is corrected. See
Engine Oil on page 369for more information.
This message displays if low oil pressure levels
occur. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause of the low oil
pressure has been corrected. Check the oil as soon
as possible and have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer. SeeEngine Oil on page 369.
PASSENGER DOOR AJAR
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
passenger’s door is not fully closed. Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for obstructions, and
close the door again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC. Press any of the DIC
buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
REAR ACCESS OPEN
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
liftgate or liftglass is open while the ignition is
in RUN. Turn off the vehicle and check the liftgate
and liftglass. SeeLiftgate/Liftglass on page 102.
Restart the vehicle and check for the message on
the DIC display. Press any of the DIC buttons,
or the trip stem, to acknowledge this message and
clear it from the DIC display.
RIGHT REAR DOOR AJAR
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
passenger’s side rear door is not fully closed.
Stop and turn off the vehicle, check the door for
obstructions, and close the door again. Check
to see if the message still appears on the
DIC. Press any of the DIC buttons, or the trip
stem, to acknowledge this message and clear it
from the DIC display.
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SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays if there is a problem with
the airbag system. Have your dealer inspect
the system for problems. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 181andAirbag System on page 68
for more information. Press any of the DIC
buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays if a problem occurs with
the brake system. If this message appears, stop as
soon as possible and turn off the vehicle. Restart
the vehicle and check for the message on the
DIC display. If the message is still displayed, or
appears again when you begin driving, the
brake system needs service. See your dealer.
SERVICE CHARGING SYS (System)
This message displays if there is a problem with the
battery charging system. Under certain conditions,
the charging system light may also turn on in the
instrument panel cluster. SeeCharging System
Light on page 185. The battery will not be charging
at an optimal rate and the vehicle will lose the ability
to enter the fuel economy mode. The vehicle is safe
to drive, however you should have the electrical
system checked by your dealer. Press any of the
DIC buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge this
message and clear it from the DIC display.
SERVICE STABILITRAK
If this message displays, it means there may be a
problem with the StabiliTrak®system. If this
message appears, try to reset the system by
performing the following: stop; turn off the engine;
then start the engine again. If this message still
comes on, it means there is a problem. You should
see your dealer for service. The vehicle is safe to
drive, however, you do not have the benet of
StabiliTrak
®, so reduce your speed and drive
accordingly. Press any of the DIC buttons, or the
trip stem, to acknowledge this message and clear it
from the DIC display.
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While your vehicle is parked:
Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
Familiarize yourself with its operation.
Set up your audio system by presetting your
favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and
adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving
conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite
radio stations using the presets and steering
wheel controls if the vehicle has them.
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment
to your vehicle, such as an audio system,
CD player, CB radio, mobile telephone,
or two-way radio, make sure that it can be
added by checking with your dealer. Also,
check federal rules covering mobile radio and
telephone units. If sound equipment can be
added, it is very important to do it properly.
Added sound equipment may interfere with the
operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or
other systems, and even damage them.
Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the
operation of sound equipment that has
been added.Notice:The chime signals related to safety
belts, parking brake, and other functions
of your vehicle operate through the
radio/entertainment system. If that equipment
is replaced or additional equipment is added
to your vehicle, the chimes may not work. Make
sure that replacement or additional equipment
is compatible with your vehicle before
installing it. SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 356.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio
system can be played even after the ignition
is turned off. SeeRetained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 110for more information.
216

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. The brakes may not have
time to cool between hard stops. The 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 vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the 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.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 356.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system
that will help prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You may 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 Warning
Light on page 187.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP
problem, both the brake and ABS warning lights will
come on accompanied by a 10-second chime. The
lights and chime will come on each time the ignition
is turned on until the problem is repaired. See your
dealer for service.
287

When you rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic
checks to insure there are no problems. You may
hear or feel the system working. This is normal and
does not mean there is a problem with your vehicle.
If driving conditions delay system initialization, the
STABILITRAK NOT READY message may be
displayed. If this is the case, your vehicle does not
need servicing.
For more information on the stability messages,
seeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 202.
When the StabiliTrak
®
system is both on and
actively controlling
the stability of the
vehicle, the StabiliTrak
®
light will blink for the
duration of the event.
You may also feel or hear the system working.
This is normal.The StabiliTrak
®disable
button is located on
the transmission
shift handle.
The StabiliTrak
®system has three modes of
operation: STABILITRAK ON, TRACTION
CONTROL OFF, and STABILITRAK OFF.
STABILITRAK ON — The vehicle will default to
STABILITRAK ON every time the driver starts the
vehicle. The StabiliTrak
®light will be off and no
DIC messages will be displayed.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF — The driver can
modify the engine speed management system by
momentarily pressing the StabiliTrak
®button
on the transmission shift handle. The StabiliTrak®
light will come on and TRACTION CONTROL
OFF will be displayed. For vehicles without a
DIC, the StabiliTrak
®indicator light will come on.
Momentarily pressing the StabiliTrak®button
again will return the system to the STABILITRAK
ON mode.
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