check engine light Oldsmobile Achieva 1998 Owner's Manuals

Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it’s best to lock it up and take your keys.
But what if you have to leave your key?
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If possible, park in a busy, well lit area.
Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
trunk or glove box. Be sure to close and lock the
storage area.
Close all windows.
Slide the remote trunk release lockout switch all
the way to the right.
Lock the glove box.
Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
Passlock@
Your vehicle is equipped with the Passlock
theft-deterrent system. During normal
operation, the SECURITY light will
go
off after the engine is started.
If the engine stalls
and the SECURITY light flashes,
wait until the light stops flashing before trying to restart
the engine. Remember to release the key from the
START position as soon as the engine starts.
If you are driving and the SECURITY light comes
on, you will be able to restart the engine if you turn
the engine
off. However, your Passlock system is
not working properly and must be serviced by your
retailer. Your vehicle is not protected by Passlock at this
time. You may also want to check the fuse (see “Fuses
and Circuit Breakers” in the Index). See your retailer
for service.
If the SECURITY light comes on while the engine is
running, a problem has been detected and the system
may need service. See your retailer for service.
In an emergency, call the Oldsmobile Roadside
Assistance Center at
1-800-442-OLDS (6537).
Passlock is a passive theft-deterrent system. The system
is armed once the key is removed from the ignition.
Passlock enables fuel
if the ignition lock cylinder is
turned with a valid key. If a correct key is not used,
fuel is disabled.
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Tachometer
The tachometer shows your
Q 1 OQI engine speed in revolutions
9 5 6 7 c’o per minute (rpm). d 8 \3
RPM X 1000
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NOTICE: - - ~~~ ~
Do not run your engine at speeds in the red area,
or engine damage may
occur.
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 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.
2-50

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.
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 sensor, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information
on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
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
indicator light will come
on when you start the
engine, then it should
go out.
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Low Coolant Warning Light
If this light comes on
and stays on, the vehicle
pulled
off the road and the
coolant level checked.
LOW should promptly be
See “Engine Coolant” in the Index. If there are visible
signs of steam, see “Engine Overheating” in the Index
before opening
the hood. Have your vehicle serviced
as soon as you can.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
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CHECK
ENGINE
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United States
CHECK
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 Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The CHECK
ENGINE 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.
I 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.
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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. Retailer
or qualified service center
diagnosis and service may
be required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Retailer 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:
Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 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
retailer 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 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 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 retailer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light tells you if there
could be a problem with
your engine oil pressure.
This light can come on briefly, which is normal and
doesn’t show
a problem:
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As a bulb check, the light comes on when you turn
your key to
RUN and goes off when the engine is
started. If it doesn’t, be sure to have it fixed
so it
will be there to warn you.
For the four cylinder engine, when idling at a stop
sign, the light may blink on and then off. In addition,
if
you make a hard stop, the light may come on for
a moment.
But, when this light
comes on and stays on, it means oil
isn’t going through your engine properly. You could be
low on oil, or you might have some other oil problem.
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A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
Check Oil Light (If Equipped)
CHECK
OIL
If you have a 3 100 engine,
this light should come on
briefly when you start the
engine. If the light doesn’t
come on, have it repaired.
If the light comes on and stays on after starting your
vehicle, your engine oil level should be checked.
Prior to checking the oil level, be sure your vehicle
has been shut off for several minutes and is on a level
surface. Check the oil level on your dipstick and bring
Damage to your engine from neglected oil it to the proper level. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
NOTE: A false CHECK OIL light may be generated
when parking on steep grades.
The oil level monitoring system only checks oil level
during the brief period between key on and engine
crank.
It does not monitor engine oil level when the
engine is running. Additionally, an oil level check is
only performed if the engine has been turned off for a
considerable period of time allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the oil pan.
NOTICE:
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Check Gages Light
CHECK
GAGES
This light will come on
briefly when you are
starting the engine.
If it stays on, or if it comes on and stays on while you
are driving, check your various gages to see if they
are in the warning zones.
Fuel Gage
W
UNLEADED FUEL ONLY
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left, when the ignition
is on. When the indicator
nears EMPTY
(E), you still
have a little fuel left, but
you should get more
soon.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
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At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads
FULL (F).
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
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.
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To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two-way radio
-- be sure you can
add what you want.
If you can, it’s very
important to do it properly. Added sound
equipment may interfere with the operation of
your vehicle’s engine, Delco Electronics 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.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your retailer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat.
If they aren’t, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure
of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate
that you have used your tape player for
50 hours without
resetting the tape clean timer. If this message appears
on the display, your cassette tape player needs to be
cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as
soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and
player. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a
known good cassette to see if it is the tape or the tape
player at fault.
If this other cassette has no improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player.
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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’re driving, brake
normally but don’t 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 Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you 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, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.