check engine light CADILLAC XLR V 2006 1.G Owners Manual

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 briey when you start the
engine just to let you know they are 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 is 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 are a big help.
Your vehicle may also have a Driver Information Center
that works along with the warning lights and gages.
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-64.
3-48

Voltmeter Gage
When the vehicle is in
accessory mode, the
voltmeter shows the
voltage output of your
battery. When the
engine is running,
it shows the voltage
output of the charging
system.
The reading will change as the rate of charge changes
(with engine speed, for example), but if the voltmeter
reads at 9 volts or below, your instrument panel
cluster and other systems may shut down. The Driver
Information Center (DIC) will read LOW VOLTAGE
when your vehicle is at 10 volts or below. Have
it checked right away. Driving with the voltmeter
reading at 10 volts or below could drain your battery
and disable your vehicle.
Brake System Warning Light
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part is not working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well.
This light should come on when you start the engine.
If it does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
If this warning light stays on after you start the engine,
the parking brake may still be set or there could be
a brake problem. Refer toParking Brake on page 2-29
to see if it is set. If the parking brake is not set, have
your brake system inspected right away.
United StatesCanada
3-54

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,
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. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 6-3.
This light should come on briey, as a check to show
you it is working, as you start the engine. 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 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 engine 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 also 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 6-7.
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. See
Gasoline Octane on page 6-5. 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.
3-59

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.
To perform a Check Engine light bulb check with the
keyless ignition, make sure the transmitter fob is in
the passenger compartment. SeeIgnition Positions
on page 2-21. Press the bottom of the ACC button
on the instrument panel and hold the button down
for ve seconds. The instrument panel, including
the Check Engine light, will light up and the ignitionwill be on, but the engine will not start — if you press
the bottom of the ACC button only briey, less than
ve seconds, the accessory power mode will be turned
on, but not the ignition. After the bulb check, be sure
to press and release the ACC button again to turn
the ignition off and avoid draining the vehicle’s battery.
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.
3-60

BUCKLE SEAT BELT:This message reminds you to
buckle the driver’s seat belt.
This message will display and a chime will sound when
the ignition is on, the driver’s seat belt is unbuckled,
and the vehicle is in motion. You should buckle
your seat belt.
If the driver remains unbuckled when the ignition is on
and the vehicle is in motion, the reminder will be
repeated. If the driver’s seat belt is already buckled,
this message and chime will not come on.
This message is an additional reminder to the Safety
Belt Reminder Light in the instrument panel cluster.
SeeSafety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-50for more
information.
CHANGE OIL NOW:This means that the life of the
engine oil has expired. SeeScheduled Maintenance on
page 7-4. After an oil change, the Oil Life Indicator
must be reset. SeeOil Life Indicator on page 3-82and
Engine Oil Life System on page 6-18.
CHARGE SYSTEM FAULT:This message will display
when a problem with the charging system has been
detected. Have your vehicle serviced by your GM dealer.CHECK GAS CAP:This message will appear if the gas
cap has not been fully tightened. You should recheck
your gas cap to ensure that it is on properly.
CLEAN RADAR CRUISE:If your vehicle has this
feature, this message indicates the Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC) system is disabled because the radar is
blocked and cannot detect vehicles in your path.
It may also activate during heavy rain or due to road
spray. To clean the system, seeAdaptive Cruise Control
on page 3-15.
CLOSE CARGO DIVIDER:This message indicates that
the cargo divider is not in place. Open the trunk and
make sure the cargo divider is secure and no objects are
on the divider. SeeRear Storage Area on page 2-46
for more information.
COOLANT OVER TEMP (Temperature):This message
will appear when the engine coolant temperature is
too hot. Stop and allow your vehicle to idle in PARK (P)
until it cools down and the message is removed. Do
not increase engine speed above a normal idle. If it does
not cool down, turn off the engine and have it serviced
by your GM dealer before driving it again. Severe
engine damage can result from an overheated engine.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 6-25.
3-68

CRUISE NOT READY:This message indicates that
ACC will not activate due to a temporary condition.
Your vehicle does not require service. If this message
appears when you attempt to activate the system,
continue driving for several minutes then try again to
activate the system.
DRIVER NO. X (1 OR 2):This message will be
displayed when the vehicle is started or when there
is a change of driver. The message will show which
driver is activating the personalization feature. It will
only stay on for ve seconds.
ENGINE HOT, STOP ENGINE:This message will
appear when the engine has overheated. Stop and
turn the engine off immediately to avoid severe engine
damage. SeeEngine Overheating on page 6-25.
A multiple chime will also sound when this message
is displayed.
ENGINE PROTECTION REDUCE ENGINE RPM:
If this message appears, the control system has
determined that continued operation at the existing
engine speed may lead to engine overheating.
Therefore, you should lower the engine speed by
upshifting the transmission or drive at a lower speed.HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED:If it is dark enough
outside and the headlamps and Twilight Sentinel®
controls are off, this message will display on the DIC.
This message informs the driver that turning on the
exterior lamps is recommended. It has become
dark enough outside to require the headlamps and/or
other exterior lamps. This message will also appear
if the optional Rainsense™ wiping feature is on and
the Twilight Sentinel
®is off.
HIGH TRANS (Transmission) TEMP (Temperature):
This message indicates that the transmission uid in
your vehicle is too hot. Stop and allow your vehicle to idle
until it cools down or until this message is removed.
HIGH VOLTAGE:This message shows that the
electrical charging system is overcharging. To avoid
being stranded, have the electrical system checked
by your GM dealer. You can reduce the charging
overload by using the accessories. Turn on the lamps
and radio, set the climate control on AUTO and the
fan speed on HI, and turn the rear window defogger
on. You can monitor battery voltage on the DIC
by pressing the information button. The normal range
is 11.5 to 15.5 volts when the engine is running.
3-69

SHIFT TO PARK:This message indicates that the
vehicle is not in PARK (P) when the engine is being
turned off. The vehicle will be in accessory mode. Once
the shifter is moved to PARK (P), the vehicle will turn off.
STABILITRAK ACTIVE:You may see the
STABILITRAK ACTIVE message on the DIC. It means
that an advanced, computer-controlled system has
come on to help your vehicle continue to go in
the direction in which you are steering. This stability
enhancement system activates when the computer
senses that your vehicle is just starting to spin, as it
might if you hit a patch of ice or other slippery spot
on the road. When the system is on, you may hear
a noise or feel a vibration in the brake pedal.
This is normal.
When the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message is on, you
should continue to steer in the direction you want to go.
The system is designed to help you in bad weather
or other difficult driving situations by making the
most of whatever road conditions will permit. If the
STABILITRAK ACTIVE message comes on, you will
know that something has caused your vehicle to start to
spin, so you should consider slowing down. A single
chime will also sound when this message is displayed.
STABILITRAK READY:If this message appears
and a chime sounds, the system has completed the
functional check of the StabiliTrak
®System.STABILITRAK WARMING:When you rst start your
vehicle and drive away, especially during cold winter
weather, the STABILITRAK WARMING message may
be displayed in the DIC along with a chime and the
traction control warning light. This is normal. You can
acknowledge this message by pressing the RESET
button. The StabiliTrak
®performance is affected until the
STABILITRAK READY message is displayed in the
DIC, which can take up to 15 minutes.
SVC (Service) TIRE MONITOR:If this message comes
on, a part on the Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) is not
working properly. If you drive your vehicle while any of the
four sensors are missing or inoperable, the warning will
come on in approximately 10 minutes. If all four sensors
are missing, the warning will come on in approximately
15 to 20 minutes. All the sensors would be missing, for
example, if you put different wheels on your vehicle
without transferring the sensors. If the warning comes on
and stays on, there may be a problem with the TPM.
See your GM dealer.
TOOCOLDTOMOVETOP:This message will display
when the retractable hardtop button is pressed and the
hardtop pump motor temperature is below−4°F (−20°C).
Wait for the hardtop pump motor to warm up before using
the retractable hardtop.
3-75

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. Your brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. Your 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 engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your 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 6-3.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, and you
may even notice that your brake pedal moves a
little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-55.
5-7

{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get
and it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle
and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour
or so until help comes.
5-31