GMC ENVOY 1998 Owners Manual
Manufacturer: GMC, Model Year: 1998, Model line: ENVOY, Model: GMC ENVOY 1998Pages: 386, PDF Size: 20.33 MB
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Instrument Panel Cluster 
U.S. cluster shown; Canada  similar 
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Speedometer and Odometer 
Your  speedometer  lets you see  your  speed in both miles 
per  hour  (mph)  and kilometers  per hour  (kdh). 
Your  odometer  shows  how far  your  vehicle  has been 
driven, 
in either  miles  (used  in the  United  States)  or 
kilometers  (used in Canada). 
You  may  wonder  what  happens if your  vehicle  needs a 
new  odometer  installed. 
If the new  one  can  be set to the 
mileage total of the old odometer, then  it must be. But  if 
it  can’t,  then it’s set at zero,  and  a label must  be put 
on 
the  driver’s  door  to show the old  mileage  reading  when 
the new odometer  was installed. 
Trip  Odometer 
The  trip  odometer  can tell you how  far your  vehicle  has 
been driven  since you last  set the  trip  odometer  to  zero. 
To view the trip odometer, press  the button  near the 
readout. 
To reset the  trip odometer, hold the button  until 
it resets. 
Tachometer 
The  tachometer  displays  the engine  speed in revolutions 
per  minute 
(rpm). 
Each  tachometer  has a different  limit  depending on the 
powertrain in your vehicle.  The  tachometer  has three 
areas:  normal  operating  range, red warning  range  and 
red  danger  range. 
The  normal  operating  range  shows  your engine  speed 
during  normal  driving  conditions.  For  example,  when 
the needle  points  to 
2, it means the  engine is running  at 
2,000 revolutions per minute  (rpm).  The  tachometer 
needle  will vary all the  time that the  engine 
is running. 
The  shaded  red warning  range 
tells you that your  engine 
speed  is reaching  its upper limits. Don’t drive very long 
with the  tachometer 
in the red warning  range.  Lift your 
foot  off 
the accelerator  pedal. 
The  solid  red danger  range  tells 
you that your engine 
speed  is at its upper limits.  You should  immediately 
shift to  a higher gear,  or lift your  foot 
off the 
accelerator  pedal. 
I I 
NOTICE: 
Do not operate  the  engine  with  the  tachometer  in 
the  red  range,  or  engine  damage 
will occur. 
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1 ing 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 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. 
Safety Belt Reminder Light 
When  the  key is turned  to RUN or START, a chime will 
come  on for  about eight  seconds  to remind 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  chime 
nor the light  will come  on. 
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Air Bag Readiness  Light 
There is  an air bag readiness  light on the instrument 
panel,  which  shows 
the air bag  symbol.  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. 
This light will come  on 
when  you  start your engine, 
and 
it will flash  for  a  few 
seconds.  Then  the light 
should  go  out.  This  means 
the system  is ready. 
If the air  bag  readiness  light  stays on after  you start the 
engine  or comes  on when you are  driving,  your air  bag 
system  may 
not work properly. Have your  vehicle 
serviced right away. 
The  air  bag readiness  light should  flash  for  a few 
seconds  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. 
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. 
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Voltmeter Gage 
I 
When your engine is not 
running, but the ignition  is 
on 
(in RUN), this  gage 
shows  your battery’s state  of 
charge  in 
DC volts. 
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. 
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. 
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Brake System  Warning  Light 
When the ignition is on, the brake  system warning  light 
will  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. 
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.) 
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 
it fixed so it will be ready 
to warn  you if there’s 
a problem. 
(0) (8> doesn’t  come  on then, have 
BRAKE 
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. 
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Anti-Lock  Brake  System  Warning  Light 
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 section. 
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. 
Engine  Coolant  Temperature  Gage 
This gage  shows  the engine 
coolant temperature.  If the 
gage  pointer moves into 
the 
red area,  your engine is 
too hot! 
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. 
The “Problems on the Road” section 
of this manual 
shows  you what to  do.  See  “Engine  Overheating” 
in 
the Index. 
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Malfunction Indicator Lamp 
(Service Engine Soon Light) 
SERVICE 
ENGINE 
SOON 
United  States  Canada 
Your 
vehicle  is equipped  with a computer  which 
monitors  operation  of the  fuel,  ignition and  emission 
control  systems. 
This  system 
is called  OBD I1 (On-Board 
Diagnostics-Second  Gene.ration)  and 
is intended to 
assure that emissions are at acceptable  levels for the life 
of the vehicle,  helping  to produce a cleaner 
environment.  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.  This  may 
prevent  more  serious  damage  to your  vehicle.  This 
system  is also designed  to assist your  service technician 
in correctly  diagnosing  any malfunction. 
a 
a 
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  may be 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. 
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If the Light Is Flashing 
The following  may prevent more serious  damage to 
your  vehicle: 
Reducing vehicle  speed. 
Avoiding hard accelerations. 
Avoiding steep uphill grades. 
If you are 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. Find a safe  place to park  your vehicle. 
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. 
If the  Light Is On Steady 
You may  be  able to correct the  emission system 
malfunction  by considering  the following: 
Did  you recently 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. 
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  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. 
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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 gar,  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  one or more of these  conditions, 
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. 
Engine  Oil  Pressure  Gage 
The oil pressure  gage  shows 
the engine 
oil pressure in 
psi (pounds  per square  inch) 
when the  engine is running. 
Canadian  vehicles indicate pressure 
in kPa (kilopascals). 
Oil pressure may  vary  with  engine speed, outside 
temperature  and oil viscosity,  but readings  above the 
low  pressure  zone indicate the normal operating  range. 
A reading in the low pressure  zone  may  be caused by a 
dangerously  low 
oil level or  other  problems  causing low 
oil pressure. 
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