warning light CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1996 Owners Manual

These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your
vehicle
is driven:
Fasten Safety Door LocWUnlock
Belts
These symbols have to do with your lights:
Master Lighting
Switch
-
Turn Signal Direction Hazard Warning
Flasher
Fog Lights Daytime
Running Lights
Vii
Headlight
High Beam
ProCarManuals.com

These symbols are on some of your controls:
I
Windshield
Wiper Windshield
Washer
Rear Wlndow Washer
I
Rear Window
Defroster
w
I
Windshield
Defroster
U
Ventilating Fan
These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights:
I -k 4cccy
Engine Coolant
Temperature
BRAKE
I Brake
I I
Battery Charging
System
ANTI-
I LOCK
I I 4 Wheel
Anti-Lock
Fuel
Parking Brake Release
I\J
Rear Window
Wiper
Engine Oil
Pressure
SHIFT
Shift Light
viii
. ~ .. ProCarManuals.com

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake:
Hold the regular brake
pedal down with your
right foot. Push down
the parking brake
pedal with your left
foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake:
Hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the
lever, located just
above the parking
brake pedal, marked
BRAKE RELEASE,
to release the parking
brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released, the brake system
warning light will
go off.
I NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause your rear brakes to
overheat. You may have to replace them, and you could also
damage other parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill: See “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index. That section shows what to do first to keep the trailer
from moving.
2-26
I I
ProCarManuals.com

Tachometer
Your tachometer
displays the engine
speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
I NOTICE:
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in the red area,
your engine or other parts could be damaged.
Damage to your engine
or vehicle caused by operating the
engine in the red area isn’t covered
by your vehicle warranty.
Warning Lights 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 warning 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.
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.
2-69
ProCarManuals.com

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.
Brake System Warning Light
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 as
you start the vehicle. 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” in the Index.)
~~
A 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’ve pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have the
vehicle towed for service.
2-7 1
ProCarManuals.com

The brake system warning light will also come on when you set your
parking brake, and it 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.
Anti4 ock 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
doesn’t come on, have
it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a
problem.
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.
2-72
.~
ProCarManuals.com

Glow Plugs Light
GLOW
PLUGS
If you have a diesel engine, it has a special starting system. An orange
instrument panel Glow Plugs light shows that the system is functioning
properly and tells you when the engine is ready to be started. For more
details, see “Starting Your Diesel Engine”
in the Index.
Low Coolant Warning Light
If you have a diesel engine, you have a low coolant light. As a check to
show you it’s working, this orange light comes on for a few seconds after
the ignition
is turned on. If this light comes on anytime the engine is
running,
your system is low on coolant and the engine may overheat. See
“Engine
Coolant” in the Index and have your vehicle serviced as soon as
you can.
2-74
ProCarManuals.com

Charging System Warning Light
The red Charging System Warning light should come on briefly when you
turn on the ignition, before starting the engine, as a check to show you it is
working. After the engine starts, the light should go out. If it stays on or
conles on while you are driving, you may have a problem with your
charging system.
It could indicate a problem with the alternator drive belt,
or some other charging system problem. Have
it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with this light on, it helps to turn off all
your accessories, such
as the radio and air conditioner.
Malfunction indicator (Service Engine Soon) Lamp
A computer monitors the operation of your fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This orange light should come on when the ignition is on
but the engine is
not running, as a check to show you it’s working. If it does
not come on at all, have
it fixed right away. If it stays on, or comes on while
you are driving, the computer is indicating that you have a problem. You
should take your vehicle in for service soon.
2-75
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
If’ you keep driving your vehicle with this light on, after a whi\
le
the emission controls won’t work as well, your
fuel economy
won’t be as
good, and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs not covered by your warranty\
.
Check Gages Light
This orange light will come on briefly when you are starting the engine. If
the light comes on and stays on while you are driving, it could indicate a
problem
with your vehicle. It could be a problem with your oil pressure,
coolant temperature, or some other problem. Check your various gages to
see
if they are in the warning zones. If they are, have your vehicle serviced
right away.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) Indicator Light
2-76
ProCarManuals.com

0
0
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
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.
The most important advice
on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and
keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers
are
driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance there
is usually a ramp that leads to the freeway. If you have
a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you
should begin to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend
with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed.
Switch on your turn signal, check your mirrors and glance over your
shoulder as often as necessary. Try
to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or to the
prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make
sure there isn’t another vehicle in your “blind” spot.
Once you
are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a reasonable
following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
4-27
ProCarManuals.com