1996 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN engine

Water in Fuel Light
WATER
IN
FUEL
This red light will come on to warn you if there is water in the diesel fuel
system. For more information
on how this light works, see “Diesel Fuel
Requirements and Fuel System” in the Index.
Service Throttle Soon Light
SERVICE
THROTTLE
SOON
On diesel engines, a computer monitors the operation of the electronic
accelerator.
As a check to show you it’s working, this orange light comes on
for a few seconds after the ignition is turned on. Normally, it will not come
back on unless the ignition has been off for 30 seconds or more. If the light
does not come on at
all, and the ignition has been off for 30 seconds or
more, have the light fixed right away.
If the light stays on after the engine
starts, or comes on while
you are driving, the computer is indicating that
your vehicle
has a problem. You should take your vehicle in for service
soon.
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Glow Plugs Light
GLOW
PLUGS
If you have a diesel engine, it has a special starting system. An orange
instrument panel Glow Plugs light shows that the system is functioning
properly and tells you when the engine is ready to be started. For more
details, see “Starting Your Diesel Engine”
in the Index.
Low Coolant Warning Light
If you have a diesel engine, you have a low coolant light. As a check to
show you it’s working, this orange light comes on for a few seconds after
the ignition
is turned on. If this light comes on anytime the engine is
running,
your system is low on coolant and the engine may overheat. See
“Engine
Coolant” in the Index and have your vehicle serviced as soon as
you can.
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Charging System Warning Light
The red Charging System Warning light should come on briefly when you
turn on the ignition, before starting the engine, as a check to show you it is
working. After the engine starts, the light should go out. If it stays on or
conles on while you are driving, you may have a problem with your
charging system.
It could indicate a problem with the alternator drive belt,
or some other charging system problem. Have
it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with this light on, it helps to turn off all
your accessories, such
as the radio and air conditioner.
Malfunction indicator (Service Engine Soon) Lamp
A computer monitors the operation of your fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This orange light should come on when the ignition is on
but the engine is
not running, as a check to show you it’s working. If it does
not come on at all, have
it fixed right away. If it stays on, or comes on while
you are driving, the computer is indicating that you have a problem. You
should take your vehicle in for service soon.
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NOTICE:
If’ you keep driving your vehicle with this light on, after a whi\
le
the emission controls won’t work as well, your
fuel economy
won’t be as
good, and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs not covered by your warranty\
.
Check Gages Light
This orange light will come on briefly when you are starting the engine. If
the light comes on and stays on while you are driving, it could indicate a
problem
with your vehicle. It could be a problem with your oil pressure,
coolant temperature, or some other problem. Check your various gages to
see
if they are in the warning zones. If they are, have your vehicle serviced
right away.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) Indicator Light
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Turn Signal and Lane Change lndicator Lights
The green signal indicator will come on whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. See
“Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator’‘ earlier in this section.
Gages
Fuel Gage
Gasoline Engine Diesel Engine
The fuel gage, when the ignition is on, tells you about how much fuel YOLI
have left in your tank. The gage will first indicate empty before you are out
of fuel,
and you should get more fuel as soon as possible.
Listed are
four situations you may experience with your fuel ea tracre:
At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before the gage reads ~LIII.
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It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the fuel 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.
0 The gage doesn’t go back to empty when you turn off the ignition.
None of these indicate a problem with the fuel gage.
For information on how to fill your fuel tank, see “Fuel
- Filling Your
Tank”
in the Index.
For your
fuel tank capacity, see “Fuel -Tank Capacity” in the Index.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. Most of the time, the gage
pointer will show your coolant temperature at 210°F (99”C), or less. But,
if
you are pulling a heavy load or driving up hills, your coolant temperature
may rise and fall near
the red 260°F (1 28°C) mark. This is normal. If the
gage pointer moves
to the red 260°F (1 28°C) mark, your engine is too hot!
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.
Hot Coolant Can Burn You Badly!
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to do. See “Engine
Overheating”
in the Index.
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Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage shows the engine oil pressure in psi (pounds per
square inch) when the engine is running. Canadian vehicles indicate
pressure
in kPa (kilopascals). Oil pressure may vary with engine speed,
outside temperature and
oil viscosity, but readings above the low pressure
zone indicate the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a dangerously low oil
level or other problem causing
low oil pressure. Check your oil as soon as
possible.
A CAUTION:
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If you do, your
engine can become
so hot that it catches fire. You or others could
be burned. Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems can be
costly and is not covered
by your warranty.
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Voltmeter
When your engine is not running, but the ignition is in the RUN position,
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.
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 at an
idle
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.
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