1998 CHEVROLET CAMARO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Voltmeter
You can read battery
voltage
on your voltmeter.
If it reads less than 11 volts
or more than
16 volts while
your engine is running,
8 and it stays there, you may
have a problem with the
electrical charging system.
If you must drive a short distance with the voltmeter
reading in a warning zone, turn
off all your accessories,
including your air conditioning system and audio system.
Brake System Warning Light
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.
Have it checked right away. Driving with the voltmeter
reading in a warning zone could drain your battery.
If you idle your engine for a while, the voltmeter
reading might move into the low voltage zone (indicated
by red dots). If the reading stays in
the low voltage zone
while you are driving, you may have a problem with the
electrical charging system. Have it checked. While the
voltmeter reads in the low voltage zone, your battery
may not be able to power certain electrical accessories,
like ABS.
(If this happens, your ABS INOP light will
come
on. See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light”
in this section.)
BRAKE
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.
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’’
in the Index.)
2-77

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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’ve
pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also 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.
ABS
INOP
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will
come on when you start
your engine and it will
stay on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start
the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on,
or comes on again
while you’re driving, your vehicle needs service.
If the
light is
on and the regular brake system warning light
isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. Adjust your driving accordingly.
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.
2-78

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ASR (Acceleration Slip Regulation) System
Warning Light (Option)
ASR
OFF
This warning light should
come on briefly as,you start
the engine. If the warning
light doesn’t come
on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you
if there’s
a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be
a problem with your ASR system and your
vehicle may need service. When this warning light is
on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
The ASR system warning light will come on if you turn
the system off by pressing the ASR switch located on
the instrument panel and the warning light will come on
and stay on. To turn the system back on, press the switch
again. The warning light should
go off. (See “ASR
System” in the Index for more information.)
If the
ASR system warning light comes on and stays on
for an extended period of time when the system is
turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Low Traction Light
LOW
TRAC
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid,
this light will come on.
If you have the
ASR system, this light will also come on
when the system is limiting wheel spin. You may feel or
hear the system working, but this is normal. Slippery
road conditions may exist
if the low traction light comes
on,
so adjust your driving accordingly. The light will
stay on for a few seconds after the ASR system stops
limiting wheel spin.
The low traction light also comes 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 there to tell you when
the anti-lock brake system
or ASR system is active.
2-79

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 approaching an
overheating condition.
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 section shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating,’’
in the Index.
Low Coolant Light ( 5.7L V8 Engine)
This warning light should
come on briefly while you
are starting your engine. If
the light doesn’t come on,
have it remired. Your
vehicle is equipped with
a low coolant indicator
that
is designed to detect when the coolant level drops
below the set limit.
If the low coolant level sensor (on
the radiator) detects that the level drops while the engine
is running, the low coolant indicator will light and
remain lit for five minutes or until the ignition switch
is turned to
OFF. Check the coolant level and add
coolant as needed.
The low coolant light might stay on after filling the
radiator. Turn the ignition switch to the
OW position,
then restart the engine to verify that the low coolant
light goes out. See “Engine Coolant” in the Index.
NOTICE:
Driving with the low coolant light on could
cause your vehicle to overheat. See “Engine Overheating’’ in the Index. Your vehicle could
be damaged, and it wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
I . 2-80

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon Light)
I I Your vehicle is equipped
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
with a computer which
monitors operation
of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
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. 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. 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.
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:
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.
2-81

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 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. 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?
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.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly.
It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
2-82

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). 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.
Engine Oil Pressure Gage
\*
0
/
/ 80 \!
0
/
0 120
5.7L VS Engine 3800 V6 Engine
This gage tells you if there could be a problem with your
engine oil pressure.
The engine oil pressure gage shows the engine
oil
pressure in psi (pounds per square inch) in the U.S.,
or kPa (kilopascals) in Canada, when the engine is
running. Oil pressure should be
20 to 80 psi (140 to
550 kPa). On the 3800 engine, the oil pressure
should be between
20 and 120 psi (140 to 827 Wa).
2-83

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It may vary with engine speed, outside temperature and
oil viscosity, but readings above the red area show the
normal operating range. Readings in the red area tell
you that the engine is low on oil, or that you might have
some other oil problem. See “Engine Oil” in
the Index.
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.
Low Oil Light
This warning light should
come on while you are
starting your engine.
If
the light doesn’t come on,
have
it repaired.
LOW OIL
I
If the light stays on after starting your engine, your
engine oil level may be too low. You may need to add
oil. See “Engine Oil’’ in the Index.
NOTICE:
The oil level monitoring system only checks the
oil level when you are starting your engine. It
does not keep monitoring the level once the
engine is running. Also, the oil level check only
works when the engine has been turned
off long
enough for the
oil to drain back into the oil pan.
2-84