2001 Oldsmobile Aurora engine

2-66 Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
If your engine speed equals or exceeds the safe limit for
operation, the message HOT...REDUCE ENG RPM is
displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC).
NOTICE:
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in
the red area, or when the message HOT...REDUCE
ENG RPM is displayed. Engine damage may occur.
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle's functions. As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they're working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.

2-70
CAUTION:
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 you try to drive off with the parking brake set,
a chime will also come on until you release the parking
brake. If the light stays on after your parking brake is
fully released, it means you have a brake problem.
A PARK BRAKE SET message will be displayed on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) while the park
brake is set and the vehicle is moving. The message
will not come on if the transaxle is in PARK (P).
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light(s) will
come on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several 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 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.

2-71 Traction Control System Warning Light
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 traction control 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 traction control system warning light may come
on for the following reasons:

If you turn the system off by pressing the TC button
located on the center console, the warning light will
come on and stay on. To turn the system back on,
press the button again. The warning light should go
off. See ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index
for more information.
If there's a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on. If your brakes begin to overheat, the traction
control system will turn off and the warning light
will come on until your brakes cool down.

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 traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Traction Control System Active Light
When your traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin, this light will come on.
Slippery road conditions may exist if the traction
control system active light comes on, so adjust your
driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the traction
control system stops limiting wheel spin.

2-72 Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the
engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves
into the red warning zone,
your engine is hot.
To prevent engine overheating, the air conditioning
compressor will turn off automatically, a fast
-pulsed
chime will sound, and the message ENGINE HOT...A/C
OFF will appear in the Driver Information Center (DIC).
As the engine cools down, the air conditioning
compressor will automatically turn back on.If the coolant temperature is over 262
F (128
C),
the message HOT...IDLE ENGINE will appear. It means
you should reduce the engine load and speed to prevent
the engine from overheating.
If the coolant temperature is over 268
F (131
C),
the message HOT...STOP ENGINE will appear.
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.
Your vehicle is equipped with an Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index for more information.
If your coolant level is low, the message LOW ENGINE
COOLANT will appear on the Driver Information
Center. Check your coolant level as soon as possible.
See ªEngine Coolantº in the Index.

2-73 Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
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.

2-74
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.
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.

2-75
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.
See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. It will take a
few driving trips to 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.

2-76 Oil Pressure Light
If you have a problem
with your oil, this light
may stay on after you start
your engine, or come on
when you are driving.
A warning chime and the DIC message LOW OIL
PRESSURE may also come on.
These indicate that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it cool. The engine could be low
on oil, or could have some other oil problem. Have it
fixed right away.
The oil light could also come on briefly 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 about five seconds after 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.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.