check engine light CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2000 5.G Owners Manual

2-17
PASS-Key

Your vehicle is equipped
with the PASS
-Key
(Personalized Automotive
Security System)
theft
-deterrent system.
PASS
-Key is a passive
theft
-deterrent system.
It works when you insert
or remove the key from
the ignition.
PASS
-Key uses a resistor pellet in the ignition key that
matches a decoder in your vehicle.
When the PASS
-Key system senses that someone is
using the wrong key, it shuts down the vehicle's starter
and fuel systems. For about three minutes, the starter
won't work and fuel won't go to the engine. If someone
tries to start your vehicle again or uses another key
during this time, the shutdown period will start over
again. This discourages someone from randomly trying
different keys with different resistor pellets in an attempt
to make a match.The key must be clean and dry before it's inserted in the
ignition or the engine may not start. If the SECURITY
light comes on, the key may be dirty or wet.
If this happens and the starter won't work, turn the
ignition off. Clean and dry the key, wait three minutes
and try again. If the starter still won't work, wait three
minutes and try the other ignition key. At this time, you
may also want to check the fuses (see ªFuses and Circuit
Breakersº in the Index). If the starter won't work with
the other key, your vehicle needs service. If your vehicle
does start, the first ignition key may be faulty. See your
dealer or a locksmith who can service the PASS
-Key.
If you accidentally use a key that has a damaged or missing
resistor pellet, you will see no SECURITY light. You don't
have to wait three minutes before trying the proper key.
If the resistor pellet is damaged or missing, the starter
won't work. Use the other ignition key, and see your
dealer or a locksmith who can service the PASS
-Key to
have a new key made.
If the SECURITY light comes on while driving, have
your vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
If you lose or damage a PASS
-Key ignition key, see
your dealer or a locksmith who can service PASS
-Key.
In an emergency, call the Chevrolet Roadside Assistance
Center at 1
-800-CHEV-USA
(1-800-243-8872).
(In Canada, call 1
-800-268-6800.)

2-75
CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the air bag system
may not be working properly. The air bags in
your vehicle may not inflate in a crash, or they
could even inflate without a crash. To help avoid
injury to yourself or others, have your vehicle
serviced right away if the air bag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Voltmeter
When the key is in ON with
the engine not running, 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.

2-79 Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the shaded area, your engine is
too hot.
This means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
(The larger tic marks are in increments of 30
below
220
F (104
C) and in increments of 10

above 220
F (104
C).)
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index for
more information.
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.

2-80
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, 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:
Modifications made to the engine, transmission,
exhaust 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 the CHECK ENGINE light to
come on. Modifications 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 doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:

Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center 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.

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If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, 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 ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You 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. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. 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 ªFuelº in the Index). 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, misfiring, 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,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.

2-82
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 in order 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.
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, see your dealer or qualified service center to
prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Engine Oil Pressure Gage
United States Canada
The engine oil pressure gage shows the engine oil pressure
in psi (pounds per square inch) or kPa (kilopascals) when
the engine is running.
Oil pressure should be 20 to 80 psi (140 to 550 kPa). In
certain situations such as long, extended idles on hot days, it
could read as low as 6 psi (40 kPa) and still be considered
normal. It may vary with engine speed, outside temperature
and oil viscosity, but readings above the shaded area show
the normal operating range. Readings in the shaded area tell
you that the engine is low on oil, or that you might have
some other oil problem. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.
The engine oil pressure can also be displayed using the
GAGES button the the Driver Information Center
(DIC). See ªDriver Information Centerºin the Index.

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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.
Security Light
This light comes on to
remind you to arm your
theft
-deterrent system. If it
comes on and stays on when
your ignition is on, there
may be a problem with your
theft
-deterrent system.
See ªTheft
-Deterrent Systemº and ªPASS-Key Systemº
in the Index.
Check Gages Warning Light
This light will come on
briefly when you are
starting the engine. If the
light comes on and stays on
while you are driving, check
your gages to see if they are
in the warning areas.
This light can come on for the following reasons:

Low Oil Pressure

High Coolant Temperature

High or Low Battery Voltage

Low Fuel Level

2-85
You should reset the fuel information display every
time you refuel. To reset the display, press FUEL until
AVERAGE appears. Then, press RESET on the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
Head-Up Display (Option)
CAUTION:
If the HUD image is too bright, or too high in
your field of view, it may take you more time to
see things you need to see when it's dark outside.
Be sure to keep the HUD image dim and placed
low in your field of view.
If your vehicle is equipped with the Head-Up Display
(HUD), you can see some of the driver information that
appears on your instrument panel cluster.The information may be displayed in English or metric
units and appears as an image focused out toward the
front of your vehicle. The HUD consists of the
following information:

Speedometer

Turn Signal Indicators

High
-Beam Indicator Symbol

Tachometer

Oil, Temperature and Fuel Gages

Shift Light (Performance SHIFT Light)
This light is used for performance driving to indicate
that the vehicle's best performance level has been
reached to shift the transmission into the next higher
gear. The SHIFT light will display at an engine
speed of about 5,750 rpm, just prior to reaching the
engine fuel cut
-off mode. To better understand the
vehicle's power curves, see ªCapacities and
Specificationsº in the Index.

Check Gages Icon

2-100
LOW OIL PRESSURE: You will hear four chimes
and the CHECK GAGES telltale will come on when
this message is displayed. To acknowledge the warning,
press the RESET button. After you press the RESET
button, a message will be displayed and you will hear a
chime every minute until the vehicle is serviced. If you
do not press RESET, the message will remain on the
digital display until the vehicle is serviced.
Low oil pressure may be the result of a combination
of low oil level and abrupt changes in the vehicle's
direction. When this warning is displayed, you should
not operate the engine at high RPM or make fast abrupt
moves. When it is convenient, you should check the oil
level. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.
LOW OIL LEVEL: Press RESET to acknowledge that
you have read the message and to remove it from the
display. The message will reappear every 10 minutes
until this condition changes.
You will hear two chimes when this message is
displayed. If this message appears after starting your
engine, your engine oil level may be too low. You may
need to add oil. See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.REDUCED ENGINE POWER: You will hear chimes
continuously when this message is displayed. To
acknowledge that you have read the message and to
remove it from the display, press RESET. The
message will reappear every 15 seconds until this
condition changes.
If the Driver Information Center (DIC) displays the
REDUCED ENGINE POWER message and the
CHECK ENGINE light comes on, a noticeable
reduction in the vehicle's performance may occur.
If the REDUCED ENGINE POWER message is
displayed but there is no reduction in performance,
proceed to your destination. The performance may be
reduced the next time the vehicle is driven.
The vehicle may be driven at a reduced speed while the
REDUCED ENGINE POWER message is displayed,
but acceleration and speed may be reduced. Anytime the
CHECK ENGINE light stays on, the vehicle should be
taken to an authorized Chevrolet dealer as soon as
possible for diagnosis and repair.
Also, refer to ªMalfunction Indicator Lampº (Check
Engine Light) in the Index. If the REDUCED ENGINE
POWER message is displayed in combination with the
COOLANT OVER TEMP message, see ªEngine
Overheatingº in the Index.

2-103
REDUCE ENGINE RPM: You will hear four chimes
when this message is displayed. To acknowledge the
warning, press the RESET button. After you press the
RESET button, a message will be displayed and you
will hear a chime every minute until this condition
changes. If you do not press RESET, the message will
remain on the digital display until the condition changes.
If the engine oil temperature exceeds 320
F (160
C),
this message is displayed. You should check the engine
coolant temperature and engine oil level. If your engine
is too hot, see ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
Your vehicle may need service, so see your dealer.
You can monitor the oil temperature with the GAGES
button on the DIC.
HIGH TRANS TEMP (Automatic Transmission
Only): You will hear four chimes when this message is
displayed. To acknowledge this warning, press the
RESET button. After you press the RESET button,
the message will be displayed every 10 minutes until
the condition changes. If you do not press RESET,
the message remains on the display until the
condition changes.If the transmission fluid temperature rises above
270
F (132
C) or rises rapidly, this message is
displayed. The transmission may shift gears or apply the
torque converter clutch to reduce the fluid temperature.
Driving aggressively or driving on long hills can cause
the transmission fluid temperature to be higher than
normal. If this message appears, you may continue to
drive at a slower speed. You should also monitor the
transmission fluid temperature and allow it to cool to at
least 230
F (110
C). The transmission fluid temperature
can be monitored with the GAGES button on the DIC.
See ªAutomatic Transmission Fluidº in the Index.
You should also check the engine coolant temperature.
If it is also hot, see ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
If the HIGH TRANS TEMP message is displayed
during normal vehicle operation on flat roads, your
vehicle may need service. See your dealer for
an inspection.
SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLG: If the SERVICE
ACTIVE HNDLG message is displayed, there is a
problem with your Active Handling System and your
vehicle needs service. The instrument cluster light will
also be on and a chime will sound. When this message is
displayed, the system is not working. Adjust your
driving accordingly.