2000 CHEVROLET CAVALIER engine

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CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the air bag system
may not be working properly. The air bags in
your vehicle may not inflate in a crash, or they
could even inflate without a crash. To help avoid
injury to yourself or others, have your vehicle
serviced right away if the air bag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few seconds
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.
Charging System Light
The charging system light
will come on briefly when
you turn on the ignition, and
the engine is not running,
as a check to show you
it is working.
Then it should go out when the engine is started.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical charging system.
It could indicate that you have a loose 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 you accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.

2-68 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 light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if
the light comes 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 regular brake system warning light isn't
on, you still have brakes, but you don't have anti
-lock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is
also on, you don't have anti
-lock brakes and there's a
problem with your regular brakes. See ªBrake System
Warning Lightº earlier in this section.
The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light
(If Equipped)
United States Canada
With the Enhanced Traction System (ETS), 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 the warning light stays on, or comes on when you're
driving, there may be a problem with your Enhanced
Traction System and your vehicle may need service.
When this warning light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.

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The Enhanced Traction System warning light may come
on for the following reasons:

If you turn the system off by moving the shift lever
to FIRST (1) or SECOND (2), the warning light will
come on and stay on. To turn the system back on,
move the shift lever back to a position other than
FIRST (1) or SECOND (2). The warning light
should go off. (See ªEnhanced Traction Systemº
in the Index for more information.)

The warning light will come on when you set your
parking brake with the engine running, and it will
stay on if your parking brake doesn't release fully.
If the transaxle shift lever is in any position other
than FIRST (1) or SECOND (2) and the warning
light stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means there's a problem with the system.

If the traction control system is affected by an
engine
-related problem, the system will turn off
and the warning light will come on.
If the Enhanced Traction System warning light comes
on and stays on for an extended period of time when the
transaxle shift lever is in any position other than FIRST
(1) or SECOND (2) your vehicle needs service.
Enhanced Traction System Active Light
United States Canada
When your Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel
spin, this light will come on. Slippery road conditions
may exist if the Enhanced Traction System active light
comes on, so adjust your driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the
Enhanced Traction System stops limiting wheel spin.
The Enhanced Traction System active 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 system is active.

2-70 Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with one of these gages.
With the ignition in RUN, this gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.If the gage pointer moves into the red area, your
engine is too hot! It means that your engine coolant has
overheated. The CHECK GAGES light should come on
if this condition exists. See ªCheck Gages Lightº later
in this section for more information. If you have been
operating your vehicle under normal conditions, you
should pull off the road, stop your vehicle and turn off
the engine as soon as possible.
In ªProblems on the Road,º this manual shows what
to do. See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
Low Coolant Warning Light
If this light comes on and
stays on, your system is
low on coolant and the
engine may overheat.
See ªEngine Coolantº in the Index and have your
vehicle serviced as soon as you can.

2-71 Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (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 CHECK ENGINE 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.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust or fuel system of your vehicle or the
replacement of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the CHECK ENGINE light to
come on. Modifications to these systems could
lead to costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. This may also result in a failure to pass
a required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.

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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.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

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 ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº 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 ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº 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. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. 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.

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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
(see ªFuelº 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.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, see your dealer or qualified service center to
prepare the vehicle for inspection.

2-74 Oil Pressure Light
If you have a low engine oil
pressure problem, this light
will stay on after you start
your engine, or come on
when you are driving. This
indicates that your engine is
not receiving enough oil.
The engine could be low on oil, or could have some
other oil problem. Have it fixed immediately.
The oil light could also come on in three other situations:

When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a test to show you it is
working, but the light will go out when you turn the
ignition to START. If it doesn't come on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse
or bulb. Have it fixed right away.

If you're idling at a stop sign, the light may blink
on and then off.

If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for
a moment. This is normal.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.