light OLDSMOBILE AURORA 2003 Service Manual

Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
If your engine speed equals or exceeds the safe limit for
displayed on the
DIC.
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Notice: Do not operate the engine with the
tachometer in the shaded area, or when the
message
HOT ... REDUCE ENG RPM is displayed.
Engine damage may
occur.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to ON or START, a chime will
come on for several seconds to remind people to fasten
their safety belts.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for several seconds,
then flash for several more.
If the driver’s belt
is already buckled, the light will come
on briefly, but the chime will not sound.
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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 modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and
diagnostic module. For more information on the air bag
system, see
Air Bag Systems on page 1-47.
This light will come on
when you start your
vehicle, and it will flash for
several 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
vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your air
bag system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle,
it means the air bag system
may not be working properly. The air bags in
your vehicle may not inflate in a crash,
or they
could even inflate without a crash.
To help
avoid injury to yourself or others, have your
vehicle serviced right away if the air bag
readiness light stays on after you start your
vehicle.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to
ON. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will
be ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
On the
DIC an AIR BAG PROBLEM message will be
displayed when there is a problem with the air bag
system. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-50
for more information.
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Battery Warning Light
’ This light will come on
briefly when you start the
vehicle, as a check to
show you it
is working;
then it should go out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical charging system.
Have it checked right away. Driving while this light is
on could drain your battery and result in a vehicle that
may stall.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain
to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and climate control system.
On the DIC, a CHECK CHARGE SYSTEM message will
be displayed and a warning chime will sound. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-50 for more
information.
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 is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.
1
BRAKE
United States Canada
This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to
ON. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
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 you try to drive
off with the parking brake
set, a chime will also come on until you release the
brake is fully released, it means you have a brake
problem. parking
brake. If the light stays Gn after yGu: parking
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A PARK BRAKE SET message will be displayed on the
Driver Information Center (DIC) while the parking
brake is set and the vehicle is moving. The message
will not come on
if the transaxle is in PARK (P).
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
on page 4-33.
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.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light(s) will
come on when your engine is started and may stay
on for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to
OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon
as possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the
engine again to reset the system.
If the light still stays
on, or comes on again while 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 on page 3-35 earlier in this
section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briefly when you turn the ignition key to
ON. This is
normal.
If the light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
,
TRAC
OFF
United States Canada
This warning light should come on briefly when the
engine
is started.
If the warning light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning
light is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust
your ariving accordingiy. The
traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
If you turn the system off by pressing the TC button
located on the center console, the warning light will
come on and stay on. To turn the system back
on, press the button again. The warning light should
go
off. See Traction Control System (TCS) on
page 4-8 for more information.
If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control
system will turn
off and the warning light will come
on.
If your brakes begin to overheat, the traction
control system will turn
off and the warning light will
come on until your brakes cool down.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
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Traction Control System Active
Light
United States
I
Canada
When your traction control system is limiting wheel spin,
this light will come on. Slippery road conditions may
exist
if the traction control system active light comes on,
so adjust your driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the traction
control system stops limiting wheel spin.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
If the
gage pointer moves into the shaded warning zone,
your engine is hot.
To prevent engine overheating, the air conditioning
compressor will turn
off automatically, a fast-pulsed
chime will sound, and the message ENGINE HOT
... A/C
OFF will appear in the Driver Information Center
(DIC).
As the engine cools down, the air conditioning
compressor will automatically turn back on.
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If the coolant temperature is over 262°F (1 28"C), the
message HOT
... IDLE ENGINE will appear. It means you
should reduce the engine load and speed to prevent
the engine from overheating.
If the coolant temperature is over 268°F (1 31 "C), the
message HOT
... STOP ENGINE will appear. It means
that your engine coolant has overheated. You should
pull
off the road, stop your vehicle and turn off the
engine as soon as possible.
Your vehicle is equipped with an Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode. See
Engine Overheating on
page
5-28 for more information.
If your coolant level is low, the message LOW ENGINE
COOLANT will appear on the Driver Information
Center. Check your coolant level as soon as possible.
See
Engine Coolant on page 5-24.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
CHECK
United States
Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
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This system is called OBD II (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.
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.
Notice: Modifications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. 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.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
* Avoiding hard accelerations.
b Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
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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 restad 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 also 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. See
Filhg Your Tank on page 5-7. 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.
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. See
Filling Your Tank on page 5-7. 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
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. 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
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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.
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Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection
if the CHECK
ENGINE light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection
if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving.
If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD
system readiness, see your dealer or qualified service
center to prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Light
If you have a problem with
your
oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on when
you are driving.
A warning chime and the DIC message
LOW OIL
PRESSURE may also come on.
These indicate that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it cool. The engine could be
low on oil, or could have some other oil problem. Have
it fixed right away.
The oil light could also come on briefly when the ignition
is on but the engine is not running. The light will
come on as a test to show you it is working, but the
light will go out about five seconds after you turn
the ignition to START.
If it doesn’t come on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse
or bulb. Have it fixed right away.
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