warning CHEVROLET EXPRESS PASSANGER 2007 1.G User Guide

This light should come on briefly when you turn
the ignition key to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there’s a 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 floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is
still on, have the vehicle towed for service. See
Towing Your Vehicle on page 266.
{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 when you start your
engine and may
stay on for several
seconds, that is normal.
United StatesCanada
176

A chime may also sound when the light comes on.
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 175earlier in this section.
The ABS warning light should come on briefly
when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the light
does not come on then, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
StabiliTrak®Not Ready Light
If your vehicle has the
StabiliTrak®system, this
light will come on
according to the
description table for the
StabiliTrak
®system.
For more information, seeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 235.
You will hear three chimes if the light turns on and
one chime if the light turns off.
StabiliTrak®Indicator Light
If you have the
StabiliTrak®system, this
light will be on or
flashing, according to
the description table for
the StabiliTrak
®system.
For more information, seeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 235.
You will hear three chimes if the light turns on and
one chime if the light turns off.
If this light remains on steady, your vehicle needs
to be taken in for service.
177

Highbeam On Light
This light comes on
when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on
page 149for more information.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Indicator Light
You have this light on
the instrument panel.
It will light whenever the
DRL are on. It is also
a reminder to turn
on your headlamps
when driving at night.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
This message is
displayed when the
tow/haul mode has
been activated.
For more information, see “Tow/Haul Mode” in
Towing a Trailer on page 269.
Check Gages Warning Light
This light will come on briefly when you are
starting the engine.
United StatesCanada
185

If the light comes on and stays on while you
are driving, check your coolant temperature and
engine oil pressure gages to see if they are in the
warning zones.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage, when the ignition is on, 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.Listed are four situations you may experience with
your 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 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.
None of these indicate a problem with the
fuel gage.
United StatesCanada
186

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the
steering, and the accelerator. All three systems
have to do their work at the places where the tires
meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 290.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 175.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might
be less with one driver and as long as two or
three seconds or more with another. Age, physical
condition, alertness, coordination, and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs, and
frustration. But even in three-fourths of a second,
a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition
of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle; and the
amount of brake force applied.
232

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. The brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. The brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking
and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, you will still have
some power brake assist. But you will use it
when you brake. Once the power assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 290.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that
will help prevent a braking skid.
When you start the engine and begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You might hear
a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem
with the ABS, this
warning light will stay
on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light
on page 176.
233

Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road. For
safety, you want to slow down and adjust your
driving to these conditions. It is important to slow
down on slippery surfaces because stopping
distance is longer and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You might not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
•Drive defensively.
•Do not drink and drive.
•Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
•Since you cannot see as well, slow down and
keep more space between you and other
vehicles.
•Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
•In remote areas, watch for animals.
•If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.
244

Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice:If you drive too quickly through
deep puddles or standing water, water can
come in through the engine’s air intake
and badly damage the engine. Never drive
through water that is slightly lower than
the underbody of your vehicle. If you cannot
avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
{CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces. If you try to drive through owing
water, as you might at a low water
crossing, your vehicle can be carried
away. As little as six inches of owing
water can carry away a smaller vehicle.
If this happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not ignore
police warning signs, and otherwise be
very cautious about trying to drive
through owing water.
248

Here are ways to increase your safety in city
driving:
•Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip
into an unknown part of the city just as you
would for a cross-country trip.
•Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You will save time and
energy. SeeFreeway Driving on page 250.
•Treat a green light as a warning signal.
A traffic light is there because the corner
is busy enough to need it. When a light turns
green, and just before you start to move,
check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running
the red light.
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways,
parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or
superhighways — are the safest of all roads.
But they have their own special rules.
250

Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
•Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
•You may want to put winter emergency
supplies in your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 346.Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some
winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight,
a red cloth, and reflective warning triangles.
And, if you will be driving under severe conditions,
include a small bag of sand, a piece of old
carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to help provide
traction. Be sure you properly secure these
items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires
meet the road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires
and the road, you can have a very slippery
situation. You will have a lot less traction, or grip,
and will need to be very careful.
256