CHEVROLET COLORADO 2007 1.G Owners Manual

Warning Lights, Gages,
and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and
gages on your vehicle. The pictures help to
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 the 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 the details show 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 as 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 vehicle’s warning
lights and gages. They can be a big help.
Your vehicle may also have a Driver Information
Center (DIC) that works along with the warning
lights and gages. SeeDriver Information
Center (DIC) on page 198for more information.
181

Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running.
You will know how fast you are going, about how much fuel you have used, and many other things
you will need to know to drive safely and economically.
United States automatic transmission version shown, Canada similar
182

Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in
both miles per hour (mph) and kilometers
per hour (km/h).
Your odometer shows how far your vehicle
has been driven, in either miles (used in the
United States) or kilometers (used in Canada).
The odometer mileage can be checked without the
vehicle running. Simply press the trip information
stem. See “Odometer” underDIC Controls
and Displays on page 198for more information.
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle
needs a new odometer installed. If the new one
can be set to the mileage total of the old odometer,
then it must be. But if it cannot, then it is set at
zero, and a label must be put on the driver’s door
to show the old mileage reading when the new
odometer was installed.
Trip Odometer
Your vehicle has a trip odometer that can tell
you how far your vehicle has been driven since
you last set the trip odometer to zero.
See “Trip Odometer” underDIC Controls and
Displays on page 198for more information.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in
revolutions per minute (rpm).
Notice:If you operate the engine with the
tachometer in the shaded warning area, your
vehicle could be damaged, and the damages
would not be covered by your warranty.
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer
in the shaded warning area.
183

Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to ON or START, a chime
will be provided for several seconds to remind
people to buckle their safety belts. The driver
safety belt light will also be provided and stay
on for several seconds, then it will ash for
several more. You should buckle your seat belt.
This chime and light
will be repeated if
the driver remains
unbuckled and the
vehicle is in motion.
If the driver’s belt is buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will be provided.
Passenger Safety Belt
Reminder Light
Several seconds after the key is turned to ON or
START, a chime will sound for several seconds
to remind the front passenger to buckle their
safety belt. This would only occur if the passenger
airbag is enabled. SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 88for more information. The
passenger safety belt light will also come on and
stay on for several seconds, then it will ash
for several more.
This chime and light
are repeated if the
passenger remains
unbuckled and
the vehicle is
in motion.
If the passenger’s safety belt is buckled,
neither the chime nor the light will come on.
184

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 sensors, the airbag modules, the
wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic
module. For more information on the airbag
systems, seeAirbag System on page 77.
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.{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 ON.
If the light does not come on then, have it xed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
185

Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
Your vehicle has the passenger sensing system.
Your instrument panel has a passenger airbag
status indicator.
When the ignition key is turned to ON or START,
the passenger airbag status indicator will light
ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
for several seconds as a system check. Then,
after several more seconds, the status indicator
will light either ON or OFF, or either the on
or off symbol to let you know the status of the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag.There is a label on your sun visor that says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.”
This is because the risk to the rear-facing child
is so great if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION:
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag if the
system detects a rear-facing child restraint,
no system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in
the rear seat, even if the airbag is off.
United StatesCanada
186

If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will
accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, never
put a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the right
front passenger seat unless the passenger airbag
status indicator shows off and the airbag is off.
Here is why:
{CAUTION:
Even though the passenger sensing
system is designed to turn off the
passenger’s frontal airbag if the system
detects a rear-facing child restraint,
no system is fail-safe, and no one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend that
rear-facing child restraints be transported
in vehicles with a rear seat that will
accommodate a rear-facing child restraint,
whenever possible.If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the
passenger airbag status indicator, it means that
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag is enabled
(may inate).
{CAUTION:
If the on indicator comes on when you
have a rear-facing child restraint installed
in the right front passenger’s seat, it
means that the passenger sensing system
has not turned off the passenger’s frontal
airbag. A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured or
killed if the right front passenger’s airbag
inates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very
close to the inating airbag. Do not use
a rear-facing child restraint in the right
front passenger’s seat if the airbag is
turned on.
187

If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the
airbag status indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has turned off the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 88for more on this,
including important safety information.
If, after several seconds, all status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there
may be a problem with the lights or the passenger
sensing system. See your dealer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the off indicator and the airbag
readiness light ever come on together,
it means that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. If this ever
happens, have the vehicle serviced
promptly, because an adult-size person
sitting in the right front passenger seat
may not have the protection of the frontal
airbag. SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 185.
Battery Warning Light
This light will come
on briey when you
start the vehicle,
as a check to show
you it is working;
then it should go out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving,
you may have a problem with the electrical
charging system. Have it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your
battery and result in a vehicle that may stall.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 202
for more information.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on,
be certain to turn off all your accessories, such
as the radio and climate control system.
188

Up-Shift Light
(Manual Transmission)
This light appears
when you need to
shift to the next higher
gear on a manual
transmission vehicle.
Shifting when the indicator light is on will help you
get the best fuel economy. See “Up-Shift Light”
underManual Transmission Operation on
page 126for more information.
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.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a
brake problem. Have your brake system inspected
right away.
This light should come on briey when you turn
the ignition key to ON. If it does not come on then,
have it xed so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
United StatesCanada
189

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will also come on when you set your parking
brake. SeeParking Brake on page 133for more
information. The light will stay on if your parking
brake does not release fully. If it stays on after your
parking brake is fully released, it means you have a
brake problem.
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 299.
{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
With the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), this light
will come on briey when
you start your engine
to show it is working.
Then it will turn off.
This is normal.
If the light stays on, or comes on when 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. SeeBrake
System Warning Light on page 189.
The ABS warning light should come on briey
when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the light
does not come on then, have it xed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
190