check engine CHEVROLET CAMARO 2011 5.G Owner's Guide

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
10-20 Vehicle Care
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle
is filled with DEX-COOL®engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to
remain in the vehicle for 5 years or
240 000 km (150,000 mi), whichever
occurs first.
The following explains the cooling
system and how to check and add
coolant when it is low. If there is a
problem with engine overheating,
see Engine Overheating on
page 10‑25.
What to Use
{WARNING
Adding only plain water or some
other liquid to the cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water
and other liquids, can boil before
the proper coolant mixture will.
The coolant warning system is
set for the proper coolant mixture.
With plain water or the wrong
mixture, the engine could get too
hot but you would not get the
overheat warning. The engine
could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
coolant. If using this mixture,
nothing else needs to be added.
This mixture:.Gives freezing protection down
to
−37°C (−34°F), outside
temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up
to 129°C (265°F), engine
temperature.
.Protects against rust and
corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-21
Notice:If an improper coolant
mixture is used, the engine could
overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Too much water in the mixture
can freeze and crack the engine,
radiator, heater core, and other
parts.
Never dispose of engine coolant
by putting it in the trash, pouring
it on the ground, into sewers,
into streams or bodies of water.
Have the coolant changed by an
authorized service center, familiar
with legal requirements regarding
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check coolant as follows:
1. Turn the ignition OFF.
2. Locate the engine coolant recovery bottle. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6.
3. Turn the coolant dipstick cap counterclockwise and slowly
pull out the dipstick.
4. There are maximum andminimum markings on the
dipstick. When the engine is
cold, the coolant level should
be at or above the MIN mark
on the dipstick. After the
vehicle has been driven and
the engine is at normal operating
temperature, the level should be
somewhere between half full and
the maximum mark.
5. If the coolant level is correct, replace the dipstick and turn the
cap clockwise to secure.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
10-24 Vehicle Care
8. With the engine still running,raise the engine to 2500 RPM for
30–40 seconds.
9. Turn the engine OFF.
10. Repeat steps 2–7 then turn the engine off.
11. Allow engine to cool for 45 minutes. Top off coolant
through the radiator cap
opening and re-install the
radiator cap.
12. Re-install the engine cover. SeeEngine Cover on
page 10‑9.
13. Check the coolant level in the engine coolant recovery bottle
and fill it until the level is at the
top symbol on the dipstick. 6.2 L V8 Engine Fill Procedure
1. Locate the radiator cap. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6.2. Cover the radiator cap with athick cloth and turn it slowly
counterclockwise and remove.
3. If there is no coolant visible or the level is low, slowly fill the
system through the radiator cap
opening with a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable water and a
DEX-COOL coolant until full.

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-25
Wait 30 seconds for coolant to
settle and top off if the level
drops.
Do not spill coolant on the
accessory drive belts.
If a spill occurs, rinse the belt
with fresh water.
4. Start the engine.
5. With the engine idling, top off the coolant through the radiator cap
opening until full.
Wait 30 seconds for the coolant
to settle and top off, if the level
drops.
6. Once the system is full, put the radiator cap back on by turning
clockwise.
7. Turn the engine OFF.
8. Check the coolant level in the engine coolant recovery bottle
and fill it until the level is at the
top mark on the dipstick.
Notice: If the pressure cap is
not tightly installed, coolant loss
and possible engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly
and tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an indicator to warn
of engine overheating.
There is an engine coolant
temperature warning light on
your vehicle's instrument panel.
See Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge on page 5‑11.
You may decide not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, but
instead get service help right away.
See Roadside Assistance Program
(U.S. and Canada) on page 13‑7
or Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑10.
If you do decide to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked
on a level surface.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
10-26 Vehicle Care
Then check to see if the engine
cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans
should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine
and have the vehicle serviced.
Notice:Engine damage from
running the engine without
coolant is not covered by the
warranty.
Notice: If the engine catches fire
because of being driven with no
coolant, the vehicle can be badly
damaged. The costly repairs
would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.If Steam Is Coming From The
Engine Compartment
{WARNING
Steam from an overheated engine
can burn you badly, even if you
just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear
steam coming from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away from
the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait until there is no sign of
steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when the
engine is overheated, the liquids
in it can catch fire. You or others
could be badly burned. Stop the
engine if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the engine
is cool.
If No Steam Is Coming From
The Engine Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is
displayed but no steam can be seen
or heard, the problem may not be
too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when the
vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day.
.Stops after high-speed driving.
.Idles for long periods in traffic.
.Tows a trailer.
If the overheat warning is displayed
with no sign of steam:
1. Turn the air off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest
fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in N (Neutral) while stopped.
If it is safe to do so, pull off
the road, shift to P (Park) or
N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-27
If the temperature overheat gauge
is no longer in the overheat zone
or an overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven.
Continue to drive the vehicle slow
for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the car in front
of you. If the warning does not come
back on, continue to drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and park the vehicle
right away.
If there is no sign of steam,
idle the engine for three minutes
while parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it
cools down.Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid reservoir
is located under the engine cover
on the driver side toward the
front of the engine compartment.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6.
When to Check Power Steering
Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly
check power steering fluid unless
you suspect there is a leak in the
system or an unusual noise is
heard. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have
the system inspected and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering
Fluid
Check the level after the vehicle
has been driven for at least
twenty minutes so the fluid is warm.
To check the power steering fluid:
1. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF and let the engine
compartment cool down.
2. Remove the engine cover. Refer toEngine Cover on page 10‑9.
3. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean.
4. Turn the cap counterclockwise and pull it straight up.
5. Wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
10-32 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Storage
{WARNING
Batteries have acid that can burn
you and gas that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you are
not careful. SeeJump Starting on
page 10‑91 for tips on working
around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the
black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle
charger.
Starter Switch Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake and the regular brake.
See Parking Brake on
page 9‑37.
Do not use the accelerator
pedal, and be ready to turn off
the engine immediately if it
starts. 3. For automatic transmission
vehicles, try to start the engine
in each gear. The vehicle
should start only in P (Park) or
N (Neutral). If the vehicle starts
in any other position, contact
your dealer for service.
For manual transmission
vehicles, put the shift lever in
Neutral, push the clutch pedal
down halfway, and try to start
the engine. The vehicle should
start only when the clutch pedal
is pushed down all the way to
the floor. If the vehicle starts
when the clutch pedal is not
pushed all the way down,
contact your dealer for service.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-33
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock Control
Function Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this
inspection, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If the vehicle
moves, you or others could be
injured.
1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room
around the vehicle. It should
be parked on a level surface. 2. Firmly apply the parking
brake. See Parking Brake on
page 9‑37.
Be ready to apply the regular
brake immediately if the vehicle
begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the ignition on, but do not start the
engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the
shift lever out of P (Park) with
normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of P (Park), contact
your dealer for service.
Ignition Transmission
Lock Check
While parked, and with the parking
brake set, try to turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF in each shift lever
position.
.The ignition should turn to
LOCK/OFF only when the shift
lever is in P (Park).
.The ignition key should come
out only in LOCK/OFF.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.

Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
10-34 Vehicle Care
Park Brake and P (Park)
Mechanism Check
{WARNING
When you are doing this check,
the vehicle could begin to move.
You or others could be injured
and property could be damaged.
Make sure there is room in front
of the vehicle in case it begins to
roll. Be ready to apply the regular
brake at once should the vehicle
begin to move.Park on a fairly steep hill, with the
vehicle facing downhill. Keeping
your foot on the regular brake,
set the parking brake.
.To check the parking brake's
holding ability: With the engine
running and the transmission in
N (Neutral), slowly remove foot
pressure from the regular brake
pedal. Do this until the vehicle is
held by the parking brake only.
.To check the P (Park)
mechanism's holding ability:
With the engine running, shift
to P (Park). Then release the
parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear and cracking.
See Scheduled Maintenance on
page 11‑2 for more information.
Replacement blades come in
different types and are removed
in different ways. For proper type
and length, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 11‑9.

Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet Camaro Owner Manual - 2011
10-44 Vehicle Care
Headlamp Wiring
An electrical overload may cause
the lamps to go on and off, or in
some cases to remain off. Have
the headlamp wiring checked right
away if the lamps go on and off or
remain off.
Windshield Wipers
If the wiper motor overheats due to
heavy snow or ice, the windshield
wipers will stop until the motor cools
and will then restart.
Although the circuit is protected
from electrical overload, overload
due to heavy snow or ice may
cause wiper linkage damage.
Always clear ice and heavy snow
from the windshield before using
the windshield wipers.
If the overload is caused by an
electrical problem and not snow
or ice, be sure to get it fixed.
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are
protected from short circuits by a
combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces
the chance of damage caused
by electrical problems.
To check a fuse, look at the
silver-colored band inside the fuse.
If the band is broken or melted,
replace the fuse. Be sure to replace
a bad fuse with a new one of the
identical size and rating.
Fuses of the same amperage
can be temporarily borrowed from
another fuse location, if a fuse goes
out. Replace the fuse as soon as
possible.
To identify and check fuses,
circuit breakers, and relays, see
Engine Compartment Fuse Block on
page 10‑44,Instrument Panel Fuse
Block on page 10‑47, and Rear
Compartment Fuse Block on
page 10‑49.
Engine Compartment
Fuse Block
To remove the hinged fuse block
cover, press the clip at the front of
the cover, and swing it up.
Notice: Spilling liquid on any
electrical component on the
vehicle may damage it. Always
keep the covers on any electrical
component.