
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols have
to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
RUNNING
* 0
DAYTIME -
LAMPS '.*
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
COOLANT a
ENGINE PRESSURE OIL e,
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN k3
SPEAKER
b
FUEL B3
V

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
“VORTEC” 4300 Engine 2.2L Engine
In very cold weather,
0°F (- 18°C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged
in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To use the coolant heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
1
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could.overheat and cause
a fire.
You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least
15 amps.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. After you’ve used the coolant heater, be sure to
store the cord as it was before
to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don’t,
it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends
on the outside temperature, the
kind
of oil you have, and so.me other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that
you contact
your
GM dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
. --
P RNDD 21
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
transmission, it features an electronic shift position
indicator within the instrument cluster. This display
must be powered anytime
the shift lever is capable of
being moved out of the PARK (P) position. This means
that
if your key is in the OFF position, but not locked,
there will be a small current drain on your battery which
could discharge your battery over a period
of time. If
you need to leave your key in the ignition in the OFF
position for an extended period, it is recommended that
you disconnect the battery cable from the battery to
prevent discharging your battery.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position
to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
2-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If
the gage pointer moves into
the red area, your engine is
260 too hot!
TEMP
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
control systems.
It means that your 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.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows you
what
to do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index. 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.
(In
Canada, OBD I1 is replaced by Enhanced Diagnostics.)
The SERVICE ENGINE SOON 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, which may prevent more serious
damage to your vehicle. This system
is also designed to
assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing
any malfunction.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check Gages Light
The CHECK GAGES light
will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
CHECK
GAGES
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your coolant temperature and engine oil pressure
gages to see if they are
in the warning zones.
Fuel Gage
When the ignition is on, the
fuel gage tells
you about
how much fuel
you
have remaining.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage reads
FULL (F).
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.
2-62

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it. On cold days, use
HEATER with the
temperature knob turned clockwise.
BLEND is useful in
cool weather when you have fog or ice on the
windshield or side windows.
If you use the optional engine coolant heater before
starting your engine, your heating system will produce
warmer air faster
to heat the passenger compartment in
cold weather. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in the Index.
Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use
VENT to direct outside air
through your vehicle. Airflow is through the instrument
panel outlets.
Your vehicle’s ventilation system supplies outside air
to
the inside of your vehicle when it is moving. When the
vehicle
is not moving, you can get outside air to flow
through by selecting any mode. and any fan speed.
.. ..
You will find air outlets in the center and on the sides of
your instrument panel.
You can move the outlets to direct the flow of air, or
close the outlets altogether. When you close an outlet, it
will increase the flow of air coming out of any outlets
that are open.
3-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (included
in
the optional trailering package).
The green arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down,
you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well, On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 kdh) to reduce the
possibility of engine
and transmission overheating.
If you have an automatic transmission, you should use
DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer. Operating your
vehicle in DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer will
minimize heat buildup and extend the life of your
transmission. Or, if you have a manual transmission, it’s
better not to use FIFTH
(5), just drive in FOURTH (4)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear).
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil
at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep
uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK
(P) (or the
manual transmission out of gear and the parking brake
applied) for
a few minutes before turning the engine off.
If you do get the overheat warning, see “Engine
Overheating’’
in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle’s instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is
no sign of steam or coolant before
opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with
no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
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