CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 2002 1.G Owners Manual

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Oil Pressure Gage
United States Canada
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 some other problem
causing low oil pressure. Check your oil as soon as
possible. See ªCheck Eng Oil Pressureº and ªEngine
Oilº in the Index.
CAUTION:
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:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.

2-114
Cruise Light
United States Canada
The CRUISE light comes on whenever you set your
cruise control. See ªCruise Controlº in the Index.
Tow/Haul Light
This message is displayed
when the tow/haul mode
has been activated.
For more information see, ªTow/Haul Modeº in the Index.

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Fuel Gage
United States Canada
When the ignition is on, the fuel gage tells you about
how much fuel you have left in your tank.
The gage will first indicate empty before you are out of
fuel, and you should get more fuel as soon as possible.Here are some situations you may experience with your
fuel gage. None of these indicate a problem with the
fuel gage.

At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.

It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
fuel 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 fill
the tank.

The gage goes back to empty when you turn off
the ignition.

2-116
Message Center
The message center is located on the left side of the
instrument panel cluster. It gives you important safety
and maintenance facts. When you turn the ignition on,
the entire center lights up for just a few seconds.
As needed, the message center will display one of
the following messages. The message center is capable
of alternating among different messages if needed.
Battery
If this message is displayed
when the engine is running,
you may have a problem
with your charging system.The battery display will also stay on while the key is in
RUN until the engine is started.
If the message stays on after starting the engine it could
indicate a problem with the generator drive belt, or some
other charging system problem. Have it checked right
away. Driving with this message displayed could drain
your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with this message
displayed, it helps to turn off all your accessories,
such as the radio and the air conditioner.

2-117
Trans Fluid Hot
The transmission temperature warning display is
contained in the message center.
If the transmission fluid
temperature becomes high,
the message center will
display this message.
When the transmission enters the protection mode
you may notice a change in the transmission shifting
patterns. When the transmission fluid temperature
returns to normal, the display will turn off and the
transmission shifting patterns will return to normal.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission TRANS FLUID HOT message
displayed, you can damage the transmission.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not
be covered under your warranty.
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 fluid level

High transmission fluid level

Restricted air flow to the radiator and the auxiliary
transmission oil cooler (if equipped).
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, see ªScheduled Maintenanceº in the
Index for the proper transmission maintenance intervals.

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Trans Hot...Idle Engine
The transmission over-temperature display is contained
in the message center.
If this warning message is
displayed, pull the vehicle
off the roadway when it is
safe to do so.
Set the parking brake and place the transmission in
PARK (P). Idle the engine until the message center
no longer displays a message. If idling the engine does
not turn the warning message off after 10 to 15 minutes,
contact your nearest dealer or the GM Roadside Assistance
Center. See ªRoadside Assistanceº in the Index.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with the
transmission TRANS HOT...IDLE ENGINE
message displayed, you can damage the
transmission. This could lead to costly repairs
that may not be covered under your warranty.
The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:

Towing a trailer

Hot outside air temperatures

Hauling a heavy load

Low transmission fluid level

High transmission fluid level

Restricted air flow to the radiator and the auxiliary
transmission oil cooler (if equipped).
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, see ªScheduled Maintenanceº in the
Index for the proper transmission maintenance intervals.

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Low Coolant
This message is displayed
when the cooling system
is low on coolant.
The engine may overheat. See ªEngine Coolantº in the
Index and have your vehicle serviced as soon as you can.
Check Coolant Temp
This message is displayed
when the cooling system
temperature gets hot.
Check the coolant temperature gage and the coolant
level. See ªEngine Coolantº and ªEngine Coolant
Temperature Gageº in the Index. See ªEngine
Overheatingº in the Index for further information.
Engine Overheated
This message is displayed
when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot.
This message will be displayed after the air conditioning
system has automatically turned off for the engine
coolant protection mode. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index for further information.

2-120
Reduced Engine Power
This message is displayed
when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot
and the engine further
enters the engine coolant
protection mode.
If your vehicle is equipped with the 8.1L engine, this
light may come on because of an electronic throttle
control system fault. See ªEngine Overheatingº in the
Index for further information.
Check Eng Oil Pressure
This message is displayed
when the engine oil pressure
is low.
See ªOil Pressure Gageº in the Index for more information.
Check Eng Oil Level
This message is displayed
when the engine oil level
is low.
Once oil is added, it may need time to drain and settle
in the engine before this message will turn off. It is best
to let the engine cool down (if it is hot) or warm up
(if it is cold) and cycle the ignition to be sure this
message turns off. Refer to the dipstick for the
correct level.
See ªEngine Oilº in the Index on how to check the
oil level and for what type of oil to add.

2-121
Change Engine Oil
This message is displayed
when the engine oil needs to
be changed. The message
is only displayed for
15 seconds at the start of
each ignition cycle.
When you change the engine oil, be sure to reset the
Engine Oil Life Monitor. See ªEngine Oil, When to
Changeº in the Index.
Security
This message is
displayed when the
content theft
-deterrent
system has been activated
and also monitors the
Passlock

System.
If the security message is displayed 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.
Service 4WD (If Equipped)
If the SERVICE 4WD
message comes on,
there may be a problem
with the automatic
transfer case 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 service technician in correctly diagnosing
a malfunction.

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Low Washer Fluid
This message is displayed
when the vehicle is low on
windshield washer fluid.
The message is only
displayed for 15 seconds
at the start of each
ignition cycle.
For more information see, ªWindshield Washer Fluidº
in the Index.
Cargo Lamp On
This message is displayed
when the cargo lamp is
turned on and the ignition
key is turned to RUN.
Low Fuel
This message is displayed
when your vehicle is low
on fuel.
Refer to the fuel gage for a better indication of the
amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tank.