battery SATURN RELAY 2007 User Guide

Cargo Lamp
The cargo lamp is located in the rear of your
vehicle, above the liftgate opening, and does not
have a switch. The cargo lamp will come on
each time you open a door, unless you turn on the
interior lamps override. SeeInterior Lamps
Control on page 195.
Electric Power Management
This vehicle has Electric Power Management
(EPM), an advanced control system. It estimates
the battery’s temperature and state of charge
and then adjusts the voltage for best performance
and extended life of the battery.When the battery’s state of charge is low, the
voltage is raised slightly to quickly put the charge
back in. When the state of charge is high, the
voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging.
If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage, you may
see the voltage move up or down. This is normal.
If there is a problem, an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the
electrical loads are very high. This is true for all
vehicles. This is because the generator (alternator)
may not be spinning fast enough at idle to
produce all the power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate
control fan at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
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EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s
output and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It
can increase engine idle speed to generate more
power, whenever needed. It can temporarily
reduce the power demands of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels,
without being noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action, this action may
be noticeable to the driver. If so, a Driver
Information Center (DIC) message might be
displayed, such as Battery Saver Active or Battery
Voltage Low. If this message is displayed, it is
recommended that the driver reduce the electrical
loads as much as possible.Battery Run-Down Protection
Your vehicle has a feature to help prevent you
from draining the battery, in case you accidentally
leave the interior lamps on. If you leave any
interior lamps on while the ignition is in lock or off,
they will automatically turn off after 10 minutes.
The lamps will not come back on again until
you do one of the following:
Turn the ignition to RUN or ACCESSORY
Open a closed door, or close and reopen
a door.
Turn the interior lamps on if they are in the
door or override position.
Turn the interior lamps to the door or override
position and then to on again if the interior
lamp control is in the on position.
If your vehicle has less than 15 miles (25 km) on
the odometer, the battery saver will turn off
the lamps after only three minutes.
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Accessory Power Outlet(s)
Your vehicle is equipped with a front accessory
power outlet located near the oor on the
instrument panel. It can be used to plug in
electrical equipment such as a cellular telephone
or CB radio.
Pull the cover down to use the accessory power
outlet. When not in use, keep the cover on.
The rear accessory power outlet is located behind
the third row seats on the driver’s side behind
an access cover.
To remove the cover, pull the tab on the cover
and pull it off. To put the cover back on, line up the
tabs at the back of the cover and put the cover
in place. Push down the tab to secure the cover.
When not in use, always cover the rear
accessory power outlet with the protective cap.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment on
for extended periods will drain the battery.
Always turn off electrical equipment when not
in use and do not plug in equipment that
exceeds the maximum amperage rating of
20 amperes.Certain electrical accessories may not be
compatible with the accessory power outlet and
could result in blown vehicle or adapter fuses.
If you experience a problem see your retailer for
additional information on accessory power outlets.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to
your vehicle may damage it or keep other
components from working as they should.
The repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not use equipment exceeding
maximum amperage rating of 20 amperes.
Check with your retailer before adding
electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to
follow the proper installation instructions included
with the equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can
cause damage not covered by your warranty.
Do not hang any type of accessory or
accessory bracket from the plug because the
power outlets are designed for accessory
power plugs only.
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Charging System Light
The charging system
light will come on briey
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.
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.
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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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.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 414. 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, misring, 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, your retailer can check the vehicle. Your
retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to x any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.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 in order
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, your retailer
can prepare the vehicle for inspection.
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If equipped, the outside air temperature
automatically appears in the bottom right corner of
the DIC display when viewing all of the information
screens, except for the oil life screens. If the
outside air temperature is at or below 37°F (3°C),
the temperature reading will toggle between
displaying the outside temperature and the word
ICE for two minutes. If there is a problem with the
system that controls the temperature display,
the letters OC (open circuit) or SC (short circuit)
will appear on the display. If this occurs, have the
vehicle serviced by your retailer.
The DIC also allows some features to be
customized or personalized, if equipped. SeeDIC
Vehicle Personalization (Uplevel Only) on
page 261for more information.DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC has different modes which can be
accessed by pressing the DIC buttons located on
the center of the instrument panel. The buttons
are the information, set/reset, and menu buttons.
The button functions are detailed in the following
pages.
DIC Buttons
Q4R(Information):Press this button to display
the odometer, trip distance, time elapsed,
average speed, fuel economy, battery voltage, oil
life, and to turn off the DIC.
r(Set/Reset):Press this button to set or reset
certain functions and to turn off or acknowledge
messages on the DIC.
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Average Fuel Economy
Press the information button until AVG ECONOMY
displays. This mode shows the approximate
average miles per gallon (mpg) or liters per
100 kilometers (L/100 km). This number is
calculated based on the number of mpg (L/100 km)
recorded since the last time this menu item was
reset. To reset AVG ECONOMY, press and hold
the set/reset button. The display will return to zero.
Battery
Press the information button until BATTERY
displays. This mode shows the current battery
voltage.
Your vehicle’s charging system regulates voltage
based on the state of the battery. The battery
voltage may uctuate when viewing this
information on the DIC. This is normal.
If there is a problem with the battery charging
system, a DIC message will display. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 241for
more information.
Oil Life
Press the information button until OIL LIFE
displays. This mode shows an estimate of the oil’s
remaining useful life. If you see OIL LIFE 99%
on the display, that means 99% of the current oil
life remains. The engine oil life system will
alert you to change your oil on a schedule
consistent with your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low, the CHANGE
OIL SOON message will appear on the display.
You should change your oil as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Oil on page 423. In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is recommended in the
Maintenance Schedule in this manual. See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 522for more
information.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE yourself
after each oil change. It will not reset itself.
Also, be careful not to reset the OIL LIFE
accidentally at any time other than when the oil
has just been changed. It cannot be reset
accurately until the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, seeEngine Oil Life
System on page 426. The display will show 100%
when the system is reset.
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BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the system detects
that the battery voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable level. The battery saver system starts
reducing certain features of the vehicle that
you may be able to notice. At the point that the
features are disabled, this message is displayed.
It means that the vehicle is trying to save the
charge in the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories to allow the
battery to recharge.
The normal battery voltage range is 11.5 to
15.5 volts. You can monitor the battery voltage by
pressing the information button until BATTERY
displays.
CHANGE OIL SOON
This message displays when service is required
for the vehicle. See your retailer. SeeEngine
Oil on page 423andScheduled Maintenance on
page 522for more information.
The CHANGE OIL SOON message is reset by
acknowledging the message. The OIL LIFE screen
under the gages menu on the DIC must also be
reset. See “Oil Life” underDIC Operation and
Displays on page 235andEngine Oil Life System
on page 426.
This message displays while the ignition is in RUN.
Press any of the DIC buttons to acknowledge this
message and to clear it from the screen.
This message continues to display for two seconds
if it has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
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CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURE
This message displays when there is a problem
with the generator and battery charging systems.
Driving with this problem could drain the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories. Stop
and turn off the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so. Have the electrical system checked by your
retailer immediately.
This message displays and a chime sounds while
the ignition is in RUN. Press any of the DIC
buttons to acknowledge this message and to clear
it from the screen.
This message continues to display for two seconds
if it has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
CHECK GAS CAP
This message displays if the fuel cap is not on, or
is not fully tightened. Check the fuel cap to
ensure that it is on properly. SeeFilling the Tank
on page 417for more information.
This message displays and a chime sounds while
the ignition is in RUN. Press any of the DIC
buttons to acknowledge this message and to clear
it from the screen.
This message continues to display for two seconds
if it has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
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This message continues to display for two seconds
if it has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
HOOD AJAR
If your vehicle has the remote start feature, this
message displays when the hood is not closed
properly. When this message appears, make sure
that the hood is closed completely. SeeHood
Release on page 421.
This message displays while the ignition is in RUN.
Press any of the DIC buttons to acknowledge this
message and to clear it from the screen.
This message continues to display for two seconds
if it has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
KEY FOB BATTERY LOW
This message displays when the battery in the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter needs to
be replaced. To replace the battery, see “Battery
Replacement” underRemote Keyless Entry
System Operation on page 107.
This message displays while the ignition is in RUN.
Press any of the DIC buttons to acknowledge this
message and to clear it from the screen.
This message continues to display for two seconds
if it has not been acknowledged when the engine is
turned off. It also re-displays for two seconds if the
message has been acknowledged, but the
condition still exists when the engine is turned off.
If the condition still exists, the message re-appears
when the engine is turned on.
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