battery CHEVROLET KODIAK 2009 User Guide

The dome override button is located below the exterior
lamp control.
If the dome override button is pushed in, the dome lamps
will not come on. If a door is left open for an extended
period of time and this helps to prevent the battery
running down.
If the dome override button is in the out position, the
interior lamps will work as usual.
Entry Lighting
The delayed illumination feature allows you to enter or
exit the vehicle with the lights on for about 20 seconds,
after the door is closed or the ignition is cycled.
Reading Lamps
For vehicles with reading lamps, press the button next
to the lamp to turn the lamp on or off.
3-17

Accessory Power Outlet(s)
Accessory power outlets let you plug in auxiliary
electrical equipment, such as a cellular telephone.
The accessory power outlet is located on the
passenger’s side of the instrument panel.
To use an outlet, pull the cover down. When not using
it, always cover the outlet with the protective cap.
This circuit is protected by a fuse and has a maximum
current level.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery. Always turn
off electrical equipment when not in use and do not
plug in equipment that exceeds the maximum
amperage rating.
Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible
with the accessory power outlet and could result
in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem, see your dealer/retailer for additional
information on accessory power outlets.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to the
vehicle can damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not use
equipment exceeding maximum amperage rating of
20 amperes. Check with your dealer/retailer before
adding electrical equipment.When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow the
proper installation instructions included with the
equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by the warranty. Do not hang
any type of accessory or accessory bracket from the
plug because the power outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only.
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter
For vehicles with an ashtray and a cigarette lighter, they
are located in the center floor console. To open the
removable ashtray, flip open the top.
Notice:If papers, pins, or other flammable items
are put in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other
smoking materials could ignite them and possibly
damage the vehicle. Never put flammable items
in the ashtray.
To use the cigarette lighter, push it in all the way and let
it go. When it’s ready, it will pop back out by itself.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it
is heating does not let the lighter back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating can occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be blown. Do not hold a
cigarette lighter in while it is heating.
3-19

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and
stays on, it means that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. For example, the right
front passenger airbag could inflate even though
the airbag on-off switch is turned off.
To help avoid injury to yourself or others, have the
vehicle serviced right away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 3-27for more information, including
important safety information.
If the word ON is lit, it means that the right front
passenger frontal airbag is enabled (may inflate). See
Airbag Off Switch on page 1-55for more on this,
including important safety information.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
may be located in the
instrument panel cluster, or
with the auxiliary warning
lights in the center of
the instrument panel.
It should come on briefly when you turn on the ignition,
before the engine is running, as a check to show
that it is working.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, have
your vehicle checked right away. You could have a loose
generator drive belt or some other problem.
Driving while this light is on will drain your battery. If you
must drive a short distance with the light on, turn off
your radio and other accessories. Sustained driving with
a generator failure could result in a lack of back-up
braking if the engine quits or the power steering pump
should fail.
3-29

Voltmeter Gage
When your engine is
running, the voltmeter
gage shows the charging
system voltage.
Readings in either warning zone indicate a possible
problem in the electrical system.
Readings in the low warning zone may occur when a
large number of electrical accessories are operating in
the vehicle and the engine is left at an idle for an
extended period. This condition is normal since the
charging system may not be able to provide full power
at engine idle. As engine speeds are increased, this
condition should correct itself because higher engine
speeds allow the charging system to create maximum
power.
You can only drive a short time on the battery. Be sure
to shut off the radio, the fan or any unnecessary
accessories and have the system serviced.
Service Transmission Warning Light
If your vehicle has an Allison®automatic transmission,
certain transmission malfunctions will turn this light on.
This light is located with
the auxiliary warning lights
in the center of the
instrument panel.
If this light comes on while you are driving, do not use
the transmission shift control or you may lose forward
gears. The computer for the transmission senses
a problem and chooses a gear to stay in so that you
can drive the vehicle in that gear. You may not be able
to drive as fast or back up when this light is on.
Notice:If you continue driving your vehicle after the
transmission warning light comes on, you could
damage the transmission. While this light is on, the
transmission cannot operate in all gears. If you
attempt to shift gears, the vehicle may not continue
to move. Do not attempt to shift gears while the
transmission warning light is on. Instead, drive
directly to an authorized dealer for service. If you
cannot drive to a dealer immediately, have the
vehicle towed.
3-30

An emission system malfunction might be corrected by
doing the following:
•If the vehicle has been driven through a deep
puddle of water, the vehicle’s electrical system
might be wet. The condition is usually corrected
when the electrical system dries out. A few driving
trips should turn the light off.
•Make sure to fuel the vehicle with quality fuel. Poor
fuel quality causes the engine not to run as efficiently
as designed and may cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is changed into gear,
misfiring, hesitation on acceleration, or stumbling on
acceleration. These conditions might go away once
the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions occurs, change the
fuel brand used. It will require at least one full tank of
the proper fuel to turn the light off.
SeeDiesel Engine Fuel on page 5-8.
If none of the above have made the light turn off, your
dealer/retailer can check the vehicle. The dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to
fix any mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.
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 the 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.
3-37

Air Pressure Gage
If your vehicle has air
brakes, the air pressure
gage is located above the
switchbank in the center
of the instrument panel.
This gage shows the air pressure for both your front
and rear brake systems.
If the needle on the gage indicates that the air pressure
is below 60 to 75 psi (415 to 517 kPa), the low air
warning light will come on. An alarm will also sound if
this happens.The bottom yellow pointer shows the pressure available
for the front secondary system, while the top white
pointer shows pressure for the rear primary system.
There should be no more than 4 psi (28 kPa) difference
showing between the systems.
Don’t drive until both pointers are showing at least
120 psi (827 kPa), so you’ll have enough air if you need
to apply your brakes.
Hourmeter Gage
To access the engine hourmeter gage, press the trip
odometer button three times.
The instrument panel cluster displays the accumulated
engine run time hours using the reconfigurable odometer
display. The engine run time hours displays only
when the ignition is in the LOCK or ACC/ACCESSORY
position and the trip reset button is pressed for about
four seconds. The value of the accumulated hours does
not change when the battery is disconnected.
The hourmeter resets to 0.0 when 10,000 hours
are accumulated. The instrument panel cluster begins
to reaccumulate the engine run time hours from
0.0 hours.
3-47

Repeat this until help arrives but only when you feel
really uncomfortable from the cold. Moving about
to keep warm also helps.
If it takes some time for help to arrive, now and then
when you run the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible to save fuel.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the wheels to free the
vehicle when stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-19.
If the vehicle has a traction system, it can often help to
free a stuck vehicle. Refer to the vehicle’s traction
system in the Index. If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the traction system off
and use the rocking method.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high speed,
they can explode, and you or others could be
injured. The vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and avoid going above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
Turn the steering wheel left and right to clear the area
around the front wheels. For four-wheel-drive vehicles,
shift into 4HI. Turn off any traction system. Shift back and
forth between R (Reverse) and a forward gear, or with a
manual transmission, between 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and
R (Reverse), spinning the wheels as little as possible.
To prevent transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. Slowly spinning
the wheels in the forward and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the vehicle. If that does not
get the vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to be
towed out. If the vehicle does need to be towed out, see
Towing Your Vehicle on page 4-23.
4-19

Trailer Connections
Heavy-Duty Trailer Wiring Package
The vehicle may be equipped with an eight-wire trailer
towing harness. This harness, with a seven-pin universal
heavy-duty trailer connector, is attached to a bracket
on the platform hitch.
The Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) wire is
tied next to the trailer wiring harness for use with a
trailer.
The eight-wire harness contains the following trailer
circuits:
•Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
•Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn Signal
•Brown: Taillamps
•White: Ground
•Light Green: Back-up Lamps
•Light Blue: CHMSL
•Red: Battery Feed
•Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
Trailer Connections
(C7/C8 Models Only)
If the vehicle has these trailer connections, they are
located at the rear of the cab for a tractor and at the rear
of the chassis when towing a trailer. There will be an
air connection and an electrical connection.
Be sure that the couplings to the trailer are made
correctly.
Air Connections
If the trailer air line connections will not be connected to
another piece of equipment, be sure to replace their
protective caps.
Electrical Connections
This system is a seven-wire cable that will connect to
the trailer, supplying power to the trailer’s lighting
system. When not in use, it is stored in the trailer
air-hose storage bracket.
4-25

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modifications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-4
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements.....5-4
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-5
Engine Fan Breakage.....................................5-6
Fuel................................................................5-6
Gasoline Octane............................................5-6
Gasoline Specifications....................................5-7
Additives.......................................................5-7
Diesel Engine Fuel.........................................5-8
What Fuel to Use...........................................5-8
Very Cold Weather Operation.........................5-11
Water in Fuel...............................................5-11
Running Out of Fuel.....................................5-17
Fuel Filter Replacement.................................5-18
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................5-19
Filling the Tank............................................5-20
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-22
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-22
Hood Latches...............................................5-23
Engine Oil (DURAMAX Diesel Engine).............5-24
Engine Oil (Caterpillar Diesel Engine)..............5-27
Engine Oil (Isuzu Diesel Engine).....................5-28
Engine Oil (Gasoline Engine)..........................5-32
Engine Oil Life System (Gasoline Engine)........5-35Engine Oil Life System (DURAMAX/Isuzu
Diesel Engines).........................................5-36
Engine Oil Life System (Caterpillar
Diesel Engine)..........................................5-38
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-38
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-42
Manual Transmission Fluid.............................5-42
Cooling System............................................5-43
Engine Coolant (Caterpillar Diesel Engines)......5-47
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-47
Engine Overheating.......................................5-48
Engine Fan Noise.........................................5-49
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-49
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-50
Brakes........................................................5-52
Battery........................................................5-61
Jump Starting...............................................5-62
Rear Axle.......................................................5-67
Rear Axle Shift Motor....................................5-68
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-68
Front Axle......................................................5-69
Noise Control System.....................................5-70
Tampering with Noise Control System
Prohibited.................................................5-70
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-71
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Item Number Item Remarks
4 Pivot Points and Hinges Apply chassis lubricant.
5 Pivot Points and Hinges Apply chassis lubricant.
6 Slack Adjuster** One fitting.
7Brake Cam Roller Pins at interface of pin
and shoe**Apply engine oil.
8 Front Steering KnucklesOne fitting each side, lower bushing.
(Hand-operated grease gun only.) Hand-pack upper
bearing.
9 Front Wheel Bearings Hand-pack or lubricate.
10 Steering Tie Rod Ends One fitting each end.
11 Spring Slip Pads* (Multi-Leaf Only) Apply chassis lubricant.
12 Clutch Release Bearing* Cup or fitting.
13 Battery Terminal (except “ST” type) Keep coated with petroleum jelly.
14 Transmission Fill to level of filler plug.
15 Propshaft U-JointsLubricate with GM Part No. 1051344 Wheel Bearing
Lubricant.
16 Parking Brake Clevis Pin$ Apply chassis lubricant.
17 Parking Brake Lever Pivot*, $ Apply chassis lubricant.
18Clutch Release Cross Shaft, Master
Cylinder$Apply chassis lubricant, fill to 1/4 inch (6 mm) below
opening.
19 Release Bearing, Clutch Cross Shaft Two fittings, apply chassis lubricant.
20 Clutch Release Fork Two fittings.
* Applies to some vehicles.
** Applies to air brakes only.
$ Applies to hydraulic brakes only.
5-59