warning light SATURN L-SERIES 2005 User Guide

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. SeeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-37.
{CAUTION:
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
have pulled off the road and stopped carefully,
have the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, the anti-lock brake
system (ABS) warning light will come on briefly, as
a check, when you start your vehicle. If it does not, have
your vehicle serviced so that the light works properly
when it needs to.The ABS light is located
in the instrument panel
cluster, to the left of
the engine coolant
temperature gage.
If the light stays on longer than a few seconds after you
start your engine, or comes on and stays on while
you are driving, try resetting the system. To reset the
system, do the following:
1. If you are driving, pull over when it is safe to do so.
2. Be sure the vehicle is in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the ignition.
4. Then restart the engine.
If the light remains on after resetting the system or
comes on again while driving, your vehicle needs
service. If the ABS light is on, but the regular brake
system warning light is not on, you do not have anti-lock
brakes, but you still have regular brakes. Have your
vehicle serviced right away. If both brake lights are on,
you do not have anti-lock brakes, and there’s a
problem with your regular brakes as well. Have your
vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle
on page 4-37.
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Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light
The Traction Control
System (TCS) light will
come on when the system
is limiting wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal. The roads may be slippery if this light comes on.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the system
stops limiting wheel spin. This light should also come
on for a few seconds when you start your vehicle.
If it does not, have your vehicle serviced.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
The engine coolant
temperature warning light
will come on when the
engine has overheated.
If this happens you should pull over and turn off the
engine as soon as possible. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-23for more information.
Notice:Driving with the engine coolant temperature
warning light on could cause your vehicle to
overheat. SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-23.
Your vehicle could be damaged, and it might not be
covered by your warranty. Never drive with the
engine coolant temperature warning light on.
This light will also come on when starting your vehicle.
If it doesn’t, have your vehicle serviced.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage measures the
temperature of the
vehicle’s engine. If the
indicator needle moves
into the shaded area,
the engine is too hot.
A temperature indicator
light will turn on and
a chime will sound.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, and the temperature indicator
light comes on, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on
briefly when you turn
your ignition on.
If this light comes on and stays on, the coolant level in
your vehicle is low. If the light is on along with an
overheat warning, you may have a serious overheating
problem. SeeEngine Coolant Temperature Gage on
page 3-30.
Notice:Driving with the low coolant warning light
on could cause your vehicle to overheat. See
“Engine Overheating” underEngine Coolant on
page 5-20. Your vehicle could be damaged and the
damages might not be covered by your warranty.
SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-20for information
on what to do. Your vehicle should be serviced as soon
as possible.
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Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
This light will come on
when your vehicle is low
on windshield washer fluid.
For more information, seeWindshield Washer Fluid on
page 5-32.
Trunk Ajar Light
If this light comes on,
your trunk or liftgate is
ajar. Try closing the trunk
or liftgate again. Never
drive with the trunk
or liftgate open.
Service Vehicle Soon Light
This light will come on
if you have certain
non-emission related
vehicle problems.
Take your vehicle in for service as soon as possible.
Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on,
the fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left in your tank.
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When the indicator nears empty, the low fuel light will
come on. You still have a little fuel left, but you
should get more soon. SeeLow Fuel Warning Light on
page 3-37for more information.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
•At the service station, the fuel pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
•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 takes a few seconds to stabilize after the
ignition is turned on, and will go back to empty
when you turn the ignition off.
For your fuel tank capacity, seeCapacities and
Specications on page 5-89.
Low Fuel Warning Light
The light next to the fuel
gage will come on briefly
when you are starting
the engine.
This light also comes on when the fuel tank is low
on fuel. When you add fuel the light should go off.
If it doesn’t, have your vehicle serviced.
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Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
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, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little. 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 3-28.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each wheel.
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Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle has a traction control system that limits
wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system works the front brakes and reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but
this is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. SeeCruise Control
on page 3-10.This light should come on
briefly when you start the
engine. If it stays on or
comes on while you
are driving, there’s a
problem with your traction
control system.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) Warning Light on
page 3-29. When this warning light is on, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel
spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. SeeIf You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow on page 4-30.
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To turn the system off,
press the trac switch.
The traction control system warning light will come on
and stay on. If the system is limiting wheel spin when you
press the button, the warning light will come on — but the
system won’t turn off right away. It will wait until there’s no
longer a current need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The traction control system
warning light should go off.Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer
but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.
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Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and
you are going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in
one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see reflections
from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and
raindrops dimple the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just is not a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice:If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage
your engine. Never drive through water that is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle.
If you cannot avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
{CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
If you try to drive through owing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can
be carried away. As little as six inches of
owing water can carry away a smaller vehicle.
If this happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not ignore police
warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through owing water.
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Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
•Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
•Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You will save time and energy.
SeeFreeway Driving on page 4-21.
•Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough
to need it. When a light turns green, and just before
you start to move, check both ways for vehicles
that have not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways — are the
safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the
same speed most of the other drivers are driving.
Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow.
Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
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