check engine CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 2004 9.G User Guide

PASSENGER DOOR AJAR
If the passenger’s door is not fully closed, this message
will appear on the display and you will hear a chime.
Stop and turn off the vehicle, check the door for
obstacles, and close the door again. Check to see if the
message still appears on the DIC. Press the select
button to acknowledge the message and clear it from
the DIC display.
REAR ACCESS OPEN
If the liftgate is open while the ignition is in RUN, this
message will appear on the DIC display and you
will hear a chime. Turn the vehicle off and check the
liftgate. Restart the vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. Press the select button to
acknowledge the message and clear it from the DIC
display.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER
This message is displayed when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot and the engine further enters
the engine coolant protection mode.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-29for further
information.
REPLACE LIFTGATE FUSE
This message will be displayed if the liftgate lock
malfunctions and/or the liftgate fuse blows. For more
information on fuses, seeFuses and Circuit Breakers on
page 5-110.
If the message returns after replacing the fuse, see you
dealer for service.
RIGHT REAR DOOR AJAR
If the passenger’s side rear door is not fully closed, this
message will appear on the display and you will hear
a chime. Stop and turn off the vehicle, check the door for
obstacles, and close the door again. Check to see if
the message still appears on the DIC. Press the select
button to acknowledge the message and clear it
from the DIC display.
SERVICE AIRBAG
If there is a problem with the air bag system, this
message will be displayed on the DIC. Have a qualied
technician inspect the system for problems. Press
the select button to acknowledge this message and clear
it from the DIC display.
3-72

SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
If there is a problem with the brake system, this
message will be displayed on the DIC. If this message
appears, stop as soon as possible and turn off the
vehicle. Restart the vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message is still displayed,
or appears again when you begin driving, the brake
system needs service. Press the select button to
acknowledge the message.
SERVICE 4 WHEEL STEER
If a problem occurs with the 4 Wheel Steer system, this
message will appear on the DIC. If the message
appears, stop as soon as possible, and turn off the
vehicle. Restart the vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display. If the message is still displayed,
or appears again when you begin driving, the 4 Wheel
Steer system needs service. Press the select button
to acknowledge the message.
SERVICE 4WD
If a problem occurs with the four wheel drive system
this message will appear on the DIC. If this message
appears, stop as soon as possible and turn off the
vehicle. Restart the vehicle and check for the messageon the DIC display. If the message is still displayed, or
appears again when you begin driving, the four
wheel drive system needs service. Press the select
button to acknowledge the message.
SERVICE RIDE CONTROL
If a problem occurs with the suspension system, this
message will appear on the DIC. If the message
appears turn off the vehicle. Restart the vehicle and
check for the message on the DIC display. If the
message is still displayed, or appears again when you
begin driving, the ride control needs service. Press
the select button to acknowledge the message.
SERVICE STABILITY
If you ever see the SERVICE STABILITY message, it
means there may be a problem with your
Stabilitrak
®system. If you see this message try to reset
the system (stop; turn off the engine; then start the
engine again). If the SERVICE STABILITY message still
comes on, it means there is a problem. You should
see your dealer for service. The vehicle is safe to drive,
however, you do not have the benet of Stabilitrak
®,
so reduce your speed and drive accordingly. Press the
select button to acknowledge the message and clear
it from the DIC display.
3-73

SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
If your vehicle is equipped with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System, this message will be displayed if one or
more of the tire monitor sensors have malfunctioned,
or if all of the tire monitor sensors have not been
programmed successfully. Press the select button or
reset stem, to clear it from the display. The message will
reappear at each ignition cycle until the system has
been serviced.
STABILITY SYS ACTIVE
You may see the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message on
the DIC. It means that an advanced computer-controlled
system has come on to help your vehicle continue to
go in the direction in which you’re steering.
Stabilitrak
®activates when the computer senses that
your vehicle is just starting to spin, as it might if you hit
a patch of ice or other slippery spot on the road.
When the system activates, you may hear a noise or
feel a vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal. When
the STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message is on, you
should continue to steer in the direction you want to go.
The system is designed to help you in bad weather
or other difficult driving situations by making the most of
whatever road conditions will permit.
STABILITY SYS DISABLED
The STABILITY SYS DISABLED message will turn on
when you press the Stabilitrak®button, or when the
stability control has been automatically disabled. To limit
wheel spin and realize the full benets of the stability
enhancement system, you should normally leave
Stabilitrak
®on. However, you should turn Stabilitrak®off
if your vehicle gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow
and you want to “rock” your vehicle to attempt to free it,
or if you are driving in extreme off-road conditions
and require more wheel spin. SeeIf You Are Stuck: In
Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-52. To turn the
Stabilitrak
®system back on press the Stabilitrak®button
again. There are several conditions that can cause
this message to appear. One condition is overheating,
which could occur if Stabilitrak
®activates continuously
for an extended period of time. The message will also be
displayed if the brake system warning light is on. See
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-45. The
message could be displayed if the stability system takes
longer than usual to complete its diagnostic checks
due to driving conditions. If an engine or vehicle related
problem has been detected, and the vehicle needs
service, the message will appear. The message will also
appear if the vehicle is shifted into 4LO.
The message will turn off as soon as the conditions that
caused the message to be displayed are no longer
present.
3-74

TIGHTEN FUEL CAP
If the vehicle’s fuel cap is not tightened properly this
message may appear along with the check engine light
on the instrument panel. Reinstall the fuel cap,
making sure to fully install the cap. SeeFilling Your
Tank on page 5-9. The diganostic system can determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate
into the atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn the light and message off.
TRACTION ACTIVE
When the traction control system has detected that any
of the vehicle’s wheels are spinning, the traction
control system will activate and this message will appear
on the DIC. For more information seeTraction Assist
System (TAS) on page 4-9
TRACTION SYS LIMITED
If the brake traction-control system activates constantly
or if the brakes have heated up due to high-speed
braking, brake traction-control will be displayed and the
TRACTION SYS LIMITED message will be displayed.
The system will return to normal operation after the
brakes have cooled.
TRANSMISSION HOT
If the transmission uid temperature becomes high, the
message center will display this message.
When the transmission enters the protection mode, you
may notice a change in the transmission shifting
patterns. When the transmission uid temperature
returns to normal, the display will turn off and the
transmission shifting patterns will return to normal.
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the
transmission uid is overheating and the
transmission temperature warning is displayed on
the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC, you
can damage the transmission. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not drive your vehicle with
overheated transmission uid or while transmission
temperature warning is displayed.
3-75

The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
Towing a trailer
Hot outside air temperatures
Hauling a large or heavy load
Low transmission uid level
High transmission uid level
Restricted air ow to the radiator and the auxiliary
transmission oil cooler.
A temporary solution to hotter transmission operating
temperatures may be to let the transmission cool down.
If the transmission is operated at higher temperatures
on a frequent basis, seeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4for the proper transmission maintenance
intervals.
TURN SIGNAL ON
If a turn signal is left on for 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km), this
message will appear on the display and you will
hear a chime. Move the turn signal/multifunction lever to
the off position. Press the select button to acknowledge
the message and clear it from the DIC display.
Audio System(s)
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment to
your vehicle, like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone, or two-way radio, make sure that it can
be added by checking with your dealer. Also,
check federal rules covering mobile radio and
telephone units. If sound equipment can be added,
it is very important to do it properly. Added
sound equipment may interfere with the operation
of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or other systems,
and even damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may
interfere with the operation of sound equipment
that has been added improperly.
Figure out which audio system is in your vehicle, nd
out what your audio system can do, and how to operate
all of its controls.
Your vehicle may have a feature called Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system
can be played even after the ignition is turned off.
See “Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” underIgnition
Positions on page 2-22.
3-76

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. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your 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 engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your 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.Anti-lock Brake System
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-46.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the ignition is turned on
until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for service.
4-7

Stabilitrak®System
Your vehicle may be equipped with the
Stabilitrak®system which combines antilock brake,
traction and stability control systems and helps the driver
maintain directional control of the vehicle in most
driving conditions.
When you rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to
ensure there are no problems. You may hear or feel
the system working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with your vehicle. The system
should initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 m.p.h.
(32 km/h). In some cases, it may take approximately two
miles of driving before the system initializes.
If the system fails to turn on or activate, the STABILITY
SYS DISABLED or SERVICE STABILITY message
will be displayed. If the vehicle has gone through heavy
acceleration or braking during the rst two miles after
starting your vehicle, the STABILITY SYS DISABLED
message may appear. If this is the case, your
vehicle does not need servicing. Turn your vehicle off
and back on again to reset the system. If either message
appears on the Driver Information Center (DIC), and
your vehicle hasn’t gone through hard acceleration
or braking in the rst two miles, your vehicle should be
taken in for service.The STABILITY SYS ACTIVE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) only when the
system is both on and activated. You may also feel or
hear the system working; this is normal. For more
information on the stability messages, seeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-56.
The Stabilitrak
®mode
button is located on the
instrument panel.
Stabilitrak
®and part of the traction control system can
be turned off or back on by pressing the
Stabilitrak
®button. All-wheel drive vehicles must be in
all-wheel drive mode to turn the system on or off.
When the system is turned off, the traction off light will
illuminate, and the STABILITY SYS DISABLED
message will appear on the DIC to warn the driver that
both the stability system and part of the traction
control system are disabled. Your vehicle will still have
brake-traction control when Stabilitrak
®is off, but
will not be able to use the engine speed management
system. See “Traction Control Operation” next for
more information.
4-12

Driving in Water
Heavy rain can mean ash ooding, and ood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it. If it is deep enough to cover your wheel hubs,
axles or exhaust pipe, do not try it — you probably will
not get through. Also, water that deep can damage
your axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it. At
faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition
system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also
occur if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long
as your tailpipe is under water, you will never be
able to start your engine. When you go through water,
remember that when your brakes get wet, it may
take you longer to stop.
{CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your vehicle
downstream and you and your passengers
could drown. If it is only shallow water,
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
it can still wash away the ground from under
your tires, and you could lose traction and
roll the vehicle over. Do not drive through
rushing water.
SeeDriving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 4-40for
more information on driving through water.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust
system for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
for additional information.
4-38

The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are
going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you are not fresh — such as after
a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that
rst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing
and shoes you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you
will nd experienced and able service experts in GM
dealerships all across North America. They will be ready
and willing to help if you need it.Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-45

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway
hypnosis”? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel?
Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the
wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Do
not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can
leave the road inless than a second,and you could
crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.
4-46