service CHEVROLET CAVALIER 2005 3.G User Guide

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-6
Other Warning Devices...................................3-6
Horn.............................................................3-6
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-6
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-7
Turn and Lane-Change Signals........................3-8
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer..................3-8
Flash-to-Pass.................................................3-8
Windshield Wipers..........................................3-9
Windshield Washer.......................................3-10
Cruise Control..............................................3-10
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-13
Headlamps on Reminder................................3-13
Daytime Running Lamps................................3-13
Fog Lamps..................................................3-15
Instrument Panel Brightness...........................3-15
Entry Lighting...............................................3-16
Front Reading Lamps....................................3-16
Map Lamps.................................................3-16
Battery Run-Down Protection..........................3-16
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-16
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-17
Climate Controls............................................3-18
Climate Control System.................................3-18
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-20Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators............3-21
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-22
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-23
Trip Odometer..............................................3-23
Tachometer.................................................3-23
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-24
Airbag Readiness Light..................................3-24
Charging System Light..................................3-25
Up-Shift Light...............................................3-26
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-26
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-27
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light.........3-28
Enhanced Traction System Active Light............3-29
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-29
Low Coolant Warning Light............................3-30
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-30
Oil Pressure Light.........................................3-33
Passlock
®Warning Light................................3-34
Highbeam On Light.......................................3-34
Check Gages Warning Light...........................3-34
Service Vehicle Soon Light............................3-35
Fuel Gage...................................................3-35
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on at a reduced brightness in daylight when
the following conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamp band is in OFF or in the parking
lamp position.
The parking brake is released.
The transaxle is not in PARK (P), on models with
an automatic transaxle only.
This indicator light on your
instrument panel cluster
will come on when the DRL
are on.
A ashing DRL telltale indicates a possible burned out
headlamp, or that the vehicle may need service to repair
a stuck DRL relay.When the DRL are on, your low-beam headlamps will
be on at a reduced brightness. The taillamps,
sidemarker and other lamps will not be on. Your
instrument panel will not be lit up either.
When you turn the exterior lamp band to the headlamp
position, your low-beam headlamps will come on.
The other lamps that come on with your headlamps will
also come on.
When you turn off the headlamps, the regular lamps will
go off, and the low-beam headlamps will come on at
the reduced brightness.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake. The DRL will stay off until you release the
parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-14

Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for several seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for several seconds, then it
will ash for several more.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
Airbag Readiness Light
There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows the airbag symbol. The system
checks the airbag’s electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an electrical problem.
The system check includes the airbag sensor, the airbag
modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and
diagnostic module. For more information on the airbag
system, seeAirbag System on page 1-46.
This light will come on
when you start your
vehicle, and it will ash for
a few seconds. Then the
light should go out. This
means the system is ready.
If the airbag readiness light stays on after you start the
vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your
airbag system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
3-24

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the airbag system
may not be working properly. The airbags in
your vehicle may not inate in a crash, or they
could even inate without a crash. To help avoid
injury to yourself or others, have your vehicle
serviced right away if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
The airbag readiness light should ash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on briey when
you turn on the ignition,
and the engine is not
running, as a check
to show you it is working.
Then it should go out when the engine is started.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical charging system.
It could indicate that you have a loose generator drive
belt, or another electrical problem. Have it checked
by your GM dealer right away. Driving while this light is
on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
3-25

If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the
oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-35.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you
have pulled off the road and stopped carefully,
have the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
If your vehicle is equipped
with the anti-lock brake
system, the light will come
on when your engine is
started and may stay on for
several seconds. That
is normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you are driving, stop as soon
as possible and turn the ignition off. Then start
the engine again to reset the system. If the light still
stays on, or comes on again while you are driving, your
vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light is not on, you still have brakes, but you do
not have anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you do not have anti-lock brakes
and there is a problem with your regular brakes. See
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-26.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briey when you turn the ignition key to RUN. This
is normal. If the light does not come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
3-27

Enhanced Traction System Warning
Light
If your vehicle is equipped with the Enhanced Traction
System (ETS), this warning light should come on
briey as you start the engine. If the warning light does
not come on, then have it xed so it will be ready to
warn you if there is a problem.
If the warning light stays on, or comes on when you are
driving, there may be a problem with your Enhanced
Traction System and your vehicle may need service.
When this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.The Enhanced Traction System warning light may come
on for the following reasons:
If you turn the system off by moving the shift lever
to FIRST (1) or SECOND (2), the warning light will
come on and stay on. To turn the system back
on, move the shift lever back to a position other than
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2). The warning light
should go off. SeeEnhanced Traction System (ETS)
on page 4-8for more information.
The warning light will come on when you set your
parking brake with the engine running, and it will stay
on if your parking brake does not release fully. If the
transaxle shift lever is in any position other than
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and the warning light
stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it
means there is a problem with the system.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road,
the warning light may come on momentarily but
will go off again when the vehicle leaves the
rough surface.
If the Enhanced Traction System warning light comes
on and stays on for an extended period of time when the
transaxle shift lever is in any position other than
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2), your vehicle needs service. United States
Canada
3-28

Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on
briey when you turn
your ignition on.
If this light comes on and stays on, the coolant level in
your vehicle is low. If the light is on along with an
overheat warning, you may have a serious overheating
problem. SeeEngine Coolant Temperature Gage on
page 3-29.
Notice:If you operate the engine without coolant
or fail to maintain the cooling system properly,
you could damage the engine. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this manual for
maintaining your cooling system. SeeCooling
System on page 5-25for more information.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-20for information on
what to do. Your vehicle should be serviced as soon
as possible.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle is equipped with 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.
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3-30

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.
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.
3-31

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.
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.
If you are 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.
3-33

Service Vehicle Soon Light
This light will come on
briey when you turn on
the ignition.
It will stay on or come on if it detects a problem on the
vehicle. If this happens, see your dealer’s service
department as soon as possible.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have
left. When the indicator nears empty, the CHECK
GAGES light will come on. You still have about
1.5 gallons (5.7 L) of fuel left, but you should get more
soon. SeeCheck Gages Warning Light on page 3-34
earlier in this section for 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 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.
For your fuel tank capacity, seeCapacities and
Specications on page 5-85.
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3-35