check engine light CHEVROLET HHR 2010 1.G User Guide

Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
might begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on the vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent getting a vehicle registration.
Here are some things to know to help the vehicle pass
an inspection:
.The vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
check engine light is on with the engine running,
or if the key is in ON/RUN and the light is not on.
.The vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
OBD II (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 the battery has
recently been replaced or if the battery has run
down. The diagnostic system is designed to
evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This can take several days of
routine driving. If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the inspection for lack of
OBD II system readiness, your dealer/retailer can
prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
The engine can become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check the oil as soon
as possible and have the vehicle serviced.
4-38

AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS OFF
This message displays if the automatic headlamp
system is disabled with the headlamp switch. See
Automatic Headlamp System
on page 4‑12for more
information.
AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS ON
This message displays if the automatic headlamp
system is enabled with the headlamp switch. See
Automatic Headlamp System
on page 4‑12for more
information.
BRAKE FLUID
This message displays, while the ignition is on, when
the brake fluid level is low. The brake system warning
light on the instrument panel cluster also comes on.
See Brake System Warning Light
on page 4‑30for
more information. Have the brake system serviced by
your dealer/retailer as soon as possible.
CHANGE OIL SOON
This message displays when the life of the engine oil
has expired and it should be changed.
When this message is acknowledged and cleared from
the display, the engine oil life system must still be reset
separately. See Engine Oil Life System
on page 6‑23andScheduled Maintenanceon page 7‑3for more
information.
CHECK GAS CAP
This message displays if the fuel cap has not been fully
tightened. Recheck the fuel cap to make sure that it is
on properly. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the message off.
COMPETITIVE MODE
If your vehicle has this feature, this message displays
when the Competitive Driving mode is selected. The
Traction Control System (TCS) will not be operating
while in the Competitive Driving mode and the ESC/
TCS light on the instrument panel cluster will be on
solid. Adjust your driving accordingly. See Traction
Control System (TCS)
on page 5‑9, Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)on page 5‑6, and Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control System (TCS)
Indicator/Warning Light
on page 4‑33for more
information.
COOLING MODE ON
This message may display on some vehicles. Under
severe conditions, hot ambient temperatures, steep
grades, and towing, your vehicle may experience more
transmission shifting. This is temporary and normal
under these conditions. This does not require engine or
transmission service.
4-49

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 might not have time to cool between hard
stops. The brakes will wear out much faster with a
lot of heavy braking. Keeping pace with the traffic and
allowing realistic following distances eliminates a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is being
driven, brake normally but do not pump the brakes.
If the brakes are pumped, the pedal could get harder
to push down. If the engine stops, there will still be
some power brake assist but it will be used when the
brake is applied. Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be
harder to push.
If the vehicle has Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and
the 2.0L turbocharged engine, it also has a hydraulic
brake boost feature which supplements the power brake
system to maintain consistent brake performance under
conditions of low brake booster vacuum. Low brake
booster vacuum conditions can include initial start up
after the vehicle has been parked for several hours,
very frequent brake stops, or high altitude driving. When
hydraulic brake boost is active, minor brake pulsation or
movement might be felt but this is normal. If brake pedalfeel changes or the brake pedal feels hard to push, the
system might not be receiving the intended brake boost
and the SVC BRAKE SYSTEM DIC message may be
displayed.
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and
Modifications on page 6‑3.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
The vehicle might have the Antilock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that
helps prevent a braking skid.
If the vehicle has ABS,
this warning light on the
instrument panel comes
on briefly when the
vehicle is started.
When the engine is started, or when the vehicle begins
to drive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor
or clicking noise might be heard while this test is going
on, and it might even be noticed that the brake pedal
moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
5-4

The ETS indicator/warning light may come on for the
following reasons:
.The indicator/warning light flashes while the
traction control system is limiting wheel spin.
.If the system is turned off by moving the shift lever
to L (Low), the indicator/warning light comes on
and stays on. To turn the system back on, move
the shift lever back to a position other than L (Low).
The indicator/warning light should go off.
.The indicator/warning light will come on when the
parking brake is set with the engine running, and it
will stay on if the parking brake does not release
fully. If the transmission shift lever is in any position
other than L (Low) and the indicator/warning light
stays on after the parking brake is fully released,
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 indicator/warning light will come on.If the ETS indicator/warning light comes on and
stays on for an extended period of time when the
transmission shift lever is in any position other than
L (Low), the vehicle may need service.
When this light is on solid, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
Check the DIC messaging to determine whether it is
because of the driver turning off the system, or that the
system may not be working properly and the vehicle
requires service. When this light is turned on, either the
SERVICE TRACTION or TRACTION OFF message will
be displayed.
See
DIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑48for
more information on the messages associated with this
light.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, ETS should always be left on. But the
system can be turned off if needed.
To turn the system off, shift to L (Low) or R (Reverse).
When the system is turned off, the ETS indicator/
warning light will come on and stay on and the
TRACTION OFF message will be displayed when
the gear shift is in L (Low). The indicator/warning light
and message will not come on when the gear shift is in
R (Reverse). If the ETS is limiting wheel spin when the
5-12

Racing or Other Competitive Driving
See your warranty book before using your vehicle for
racing or other competitive driving. After reviewing your
warranty book, please see the GM Performance Parts
website or catalog and contact the race sanctioning
bodies, for example Sports Car Club of America
(SCCA) or Grand American, for parts and equipment
required for racing or other competitive driving.
Notice:If you use your vehicle for competitive
driving, the engine may use more oil than it would
with normal use. Low oil levels can damage the
engine. Be sure to check the oil level often during
competitive driving and keep the level at or near the
upper mark that shows the proper operating range
on the engine oil dipstick. For information on how to
add oil, see Engine Oil on page 6‑19.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired —by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue. Night driving tips include:
.Drive defensively.
.Do not drink and drive.
.Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
.Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light
up so much road ahead.
.Watch for animals.
.When tired, pull off the road.
.Do not wear sunglasses.
.Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
.Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean
—inside and out.
.Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But, as we get older, these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver might need at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
5-17

7. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel theupper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
8. By this time, the coolant level inside the radiator filler port may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper DEX-COOL
®coolant mixture
through the fill port until the level reaches the base
of the fill port.
9. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during this procedure, if coolant begins to flow out of the
fill port, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
pressure cap is hand-tight and fully seated.
10. When the engine has cooled, check the coolant in the coolant recovery tank. The level in the coolant
recovery tank should be at the COLD FILL line
when the engine is cold.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has several indicators to warn of engine
overheating.
You will find a coolant temperature warning light and a
coolant temperature gauge on your vehicle's instrument
panel. See Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light
on page 4‑34andEngine Coolant Temperature Gaugeon page 4‑34for more information.
You may decide not to lift the hood when this warning
appears, but instead get service help right away. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 8‑6.
If you do decide to lift the hood, make sure the vehicle
is parked on a level surface.
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, your vehicle can be badly
damaged. The costly repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty.
6-34

{WARNING:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do not
need to add water to the battery installed in your
new vehicle. But if a battery has filler caps, be
sure the right amount of fluid is there. If it is low,
add water to take care of that first. If you don't,
explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you. Do
not get it on you. If you accidentally get it in your
eyes or on your skin, flush the place with water
and get medical help immediately.
{WARNING:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go
to positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to negative (−) or you
will get a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.
6-43

The vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to the vehicle, seeServicing
Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on page 2‑76and
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicleon
page 2‑77.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by fuses in the fuse
block. An electrical overload will cause the lamps to turn
off. If this happens, have the headlamp wiring checked
right away.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor cools.
If the overload is caused by some electrical problem,
have it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power
Options
Fuses in the fuse block protect the power windows.
When the current load is too heavy, the fuse opens
protecting the circuit until the problem is fixed.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in the vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers
and fusible thermal links. This greatly reduces the
chance of damage caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical size
and rating.
If you ever have a problem on the road and do not have
a spare fuse, you can “borrow”one that has the
same amperage. Just pick some feature of the vehicle
that you can get along without —like the radio or
cigarette lighter —and use its fuse if it is the
correct amperage. Replace it as soon as you can.
There are two fuse blocks in the vehicle: the floor
console fuse block and the engine compartment fuse
block.
There are also one or two fuses located at the back of
the vehicle near the battery.
6-119

A
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-3
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Accessory Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-118
Additives, Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7
AdjustmentChime Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-95
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-25
Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21
Airbag Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-EquippedVehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-77
Airbag System How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-67
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-70
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 2-76
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-67
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . 2-68
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-65
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-63
Airbags Passenger Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-27
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-60 Antenna
Fixed Mast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-95
Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System . . . 4-95
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-4 Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-31
Appearance Care Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Finish Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic
Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Interior Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Sheet Metal Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Ashtray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Assistance Program, Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-6
i - 1

Carbon MonoxideEngine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39
Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Care of Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Cargo, Rear Side Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
CD, MP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-74
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . . . 6-50
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-77
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-29
Check
Engine Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-35
Checking Things Under the Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14
Chemical Paint Spotting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Child Restraints Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-38
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . 2-45
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-35
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear SeatPosition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-53
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-56
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-41
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-43
Chime Level Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-95
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-119 Cleaning
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-116
Exterior Lamps/Lenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Fabric/Carpet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-112
Finish Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other PlasticSurfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-111
Leather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-113
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Underbody Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-117
Washing Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Weatherstrips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-114
Windshield and Wiper Blades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-115
Climate Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18 Outlet Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Clock, Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-61
Clutch, Hydraulic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-28
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-110
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Competitive Driving, Racing or Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Compressor Kit, Tire Sealant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-78
Content Theft-Deterrent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-3
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-51
i - 3