Oldsmobile Bravada 2003 Owner's Manuals

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.
Your vehicle may also have a Driver lnformation Center
(DIC) that works along with the warning lights and
gages. See
Driver lnformation Center (DE) on
page
3-43.
3-28

Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know how
fast you’re going, about how much fuel you’ve used, and many other things you’ll need to know to drive safely
and economically.
United States version shown, Canada similar
3-29

Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both
miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).
Your odometer shows how far your vehicle has
been driven, in either miles (used in the United States)
or kilometers (used in Canada).
The odometer mileage can be checked without the
vehicle running. Simply press the trip odometer button.
You may wonder what happens
if your vehicle needs
a new odometer installed. The new one will be set to the
correct millage total of the old odometer.
Trip Odometer
I
The trip odometer is part of the Driver Information
Center (DIC). For vehicles without a DIC, press the stem
located on the instrument panel cluster
to display the
trip odometer. Press and hold the stem to reset the trip
odometer once it is displayed.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
Notice: Do not operate the engine with the
tachometer in the shaded warning area,
or engine
damage may occur.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN, a chime will come on
for several seconds
to remind people to fasten their
safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is already
buckled.
The trip odometer can tell you how far your vehicle has
been driven since you last set the trip odometer
to zero.
3-30

The safety belt light will also come
on and stay on
for several seconds, then it
will flash for several more.
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 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 baa
system, see
Air Bag Systems on page 1-46.
This light will come on
when you start your
vehicle, 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
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
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.
3-3 1

Charging System Light
7 will come on briefly when
The
charging system light
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
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. a
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.
Voltmeter Gage
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.
3-32

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 idling 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. 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.
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I BRAKE I I
I I I
United States Canada
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.
A chime
may also sound when the light comes on. This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key
to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a
problem.
3-33

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 4-41.
. ,UT brake sl ,,em m,, not be WOL ... ng
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.
I
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.
A chime may also
sound when the light
comes on.
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 on page 3-33
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.
3-34

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
L
United States
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Service Engine Soon Light in the
United States
or Check Engine Light in
Canada
I SERVICE
II
- 'I
Canada
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the red area, the 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.
See
Engine Overheating on page 5-24.
ENGINE
SOON
United States
CHECK
Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
3-35

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 SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK
ENGINE light comes on and a chime will sound
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,
transmission, 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.
3-36
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:
0 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.
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. See
Filling 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? 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
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.
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.
3-37