light CHEVROLET S10 1996 2.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes. the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
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
your waxking 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 you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when’you start the
engine just to let you know they’re 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’s a problem with your vehicle.
i
When one.of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when 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 warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a tone will
come on for about eight seconds to rernind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt
is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds, then
it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the tone nor the
light will come on.
2-53

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR
BAG. The system checks
the air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The
light tells
you if there is an electrical problem. The
system check includes the air bag sensors, the air
bag
module, the wiring and the diagnostic module. For
more information on the air bag system, see “Air Bag”
in the Index.
AIR
BAG
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to RUN
or START. Then
the light
should
go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come
on when you
start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
Charging System Indicator Light
The charging system light
will come
on briefly when
you turn on the ignition,
but the engine is not
running, as
a check to
show you it is working.
It should go out once the engine
is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system. It could indicate that
you have problems with a generator drive belt, or
another electrical problem. Have
it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
2-54

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Voltmeter
‘When your engine is not
ninning, but the ignition
is
on (in the RUN position),
this gage shows your
battery’s state of charge in
DC volts. You
can only drive for a short time with the reading in
either warning zone.
If you must drive, turn off all
unnecessary accessories.
Readings in either warning zone indicate a possible
problem
in the electrical system. Have the vehicle
serviced as soon as possible.
Brake System Warning Light
When the engine is running, the gage shows the
condition of the charging system. Readings between the
low and high warning zones indicate the normal
operating range.

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 is not able to provide full power at
engine idle. As engine speeds are increased, this
condition should correct itself as higher engine speeds
allow the charging system to create maximum power. Your
vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts.
If one part isn’t 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 briefly when you turn
the ignition key to RUN.
If it doesn’t come on then, BRAKE
have it fixed so it will be
ready to
warn you if there’s
2-55

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the light c.omes 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”
in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
I
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’ve
pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you
set your parking brake. The
light will stay
on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ANTI - LOCK
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come
on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, or
comes on when you’re driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes
and there’s
a problem with your regular brakes. See
“Brake System Warning Light” earlier in this part.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when
you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
2-56

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If
the gage pointer moves into
the red area, your engine is
260 too hot!
TEMP
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
control systems.
It 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.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows you
what
to do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index. This
system is called
OBD I1 (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.
(In
Canada, OBD I1 is replaced by Enhanced Diagnostics.)
The SERVICE ENGINE SOON 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, which may prevent more serious
damage to your vehicle. This system
is also designed to
assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing
any malfunction.
2-57

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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 is 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:
Reduce vehicle speed.
0 Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
0 If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled as soon as
it is possible.
If the light
stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If
the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On
Steady” following. If
the light is still flashing follow the
previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your dealer or
qualified service center for service.
2-58

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you just put fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed. This will
allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few
driving trips 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.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not
run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure
to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off. Have
you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” 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 this condition, 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.
2-59

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shift Light
A
SHIFT
You have the
if you have a
transmission.
SHIFT light
manual This light
comes
on very briefly as a
bulb check when you start
the engine. Shifting when
the indicator light is on will
help you get
the best fuel
economy. See “Shift Light”
in the Index.
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light
:::O 0.0
You have this light on the
instrument panel.
It goes on whenever the
DRL are on, the ignition
is on, the headlamp switch
is off and the parking brake
is released.
2-61

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check Gages Light
The CHECK GAGES light
will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
CHECK
GAGES
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
When the ignition is on, the
fuel gage tells
you about
how much fuel
you
have remaining.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage reads
FULL (F).
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 (E) when you
turn off the ignition.
2-62

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Temperature Knob
The upper knob regulates the temperature of the air
coming through the system. Turn the knob clockwise for warmer
air. Turn the knob counterclockwise for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The lower knob allows you to choose the direction of
air delivery.
OFF: This setting turns the system off. Some outside air
will still enter the vehicle whenever the vehicle is
moving forward.
MAX NC: This setting provides maximum cooling
with the least amount of work. MAX A/C recirculates
much
of the air inside your vehicle so it cools quickly.
A/C: This setting cools the air entering your vehicle and
directs it through the instrument panel outlets.
+# BI-LEVEL A/C: Air is delivered through the heater
floor outlets
as well as the instrument panel outlets.
+e
/J VENT: This setting directs airflow through the
instrument panel outlets. The air conditioning
compressor is not working when VENT is selected.
+’ HEATER: This setting directs warmed air through
the heater floor outlets and windshield defroster outlets.
+e
0
w.
+’ BLEND: Airflow is divided equally between the
heater floor outlet and the windshield defroster outlets.
DEFROST: This setting directs most air through
the windshield defroster
outlets and some through the
heater outlets.
Air Conditioning (Option)
On hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot
inside air escape. This reduces the time
it takes for your
vehicle to cool down. Then keep your windows closed
for the air conditioner to work its best.
For quick cool-down
on very hot days, use MAX A/C
with the temperature knob turned counterclockwise. This
setting should be used to keep odors and/or dust from
entering the vehicle. For normal cooling on hot days, use
A/C with the temperature knob turned counterclockwise.
On
cool but sunny days, use BI-LEVEL A/C to deliver
warm air to the floor and cooler air to the instrument
panel outlets.
If you have the “VORTEC”
4300 engine, when the air
conditioner is on, you may sometimes notice slight
changes in your vehicle’s engine speed and power. This
is normal because the system is designed to cycle the
compressor on and
off to keep the desired temperature.
3-3