2-83
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.
2-84
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 SERVICE
ENGINE SOON or 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.
2-92
CHANGE BRAKE PADS - 125: This message is used
to notify you that the brake pads may have worn down.
A sensor is connected to the brake pads and is triggered
when they wear to a certain point. Have the front and
rear brakes serviced by your dealer as soon as possible.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL
- 82: This means that
the life of the engine oil has expired and it should be
changed within 200 miles. See ªEngine Oilº and ªFilter
Recommendationsº in the Index. After an oil change,
the Oil Life Indicator must be reset. See ªOil Life
Indicator, How to Resetº in the Index.
CHANGE TRANS FLUID
- 47: This message will
appear when it is time to replace the transaxle fluid.
See ªMaintenance Scheduleº in the Index for the
proper fluid and change intervals.
CHECK BRAKE FLUID
- 37: This message will
display if the ignition is in ON to inform the driver
that the brake fluid level is low. Have the brake
system serviced by a technician as soon as possible.
See ªBrake System Warning Lightº in the Index.
CHECK COOLANT LEVEL
- 2: This message
will appear when there is a low level of engine coolant.
Have the cooling system serviced by a technician as
soon as possible.CHECK FUEL GAGE
- 50: This message will appear
when the fuel supply is less than 5 gallons (18.9 L) and
the display is turned off. A single chime will also sound
when this message is displayed.
CHECK GAS CAP
- 61: This message will appear
if the gas cap has not been fully tightened. You should
recheck your gas cap to ensure that it's on properly.
CHECK OIL LEVEL
- 36: For correct operation of
the low oil sensing system, your vehicle should be on
a level surface. A false CHECK OIL LEVEL message
may appear if the vehicle is parked on grades. The oil
level sensing system does not check for actual oil level
if the engine has been off for a short period of time,
and the oil level is never sensed while the engine is
running. If the CHECK OIL LEVEL message appears,
and your vehicle has been parked on level ground with
the engine off for at least 30 minutes, the oil level
should be checked by observing the oil dipstick.
Prior to checking the oil level, be sure the engine has
been off for a few minutes and your vehicle is on a
level surface. Then check the dipstick and add oil
if necessary. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.
4-30
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle
-- such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as ªdinghy
towingº (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground) and ªdolly towingº (towing your vehicle
with two wheels on the ground and two wheels up
on a device known as a ªdollyº).With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See ªDinghy
Towingº and ªDolly Towing,º following.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What's the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle
manufacturer's recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment? See your
dealer or trailering professional for additional advice
and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you would
prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you'll want to
make sure your vehicle is prepared to be towed. See
ªBefore Leaving on a Long Tripº in the Index.
4-32
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire
-Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver's door tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle Capacity Weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo and all
options not installed in the factory.
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver's door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo. Never
exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear axle.
If you do have a heavy load, you should spread it out.
Don't carry more than 176 lbs. (80 kg) in your trunk.
4-34 Electronic Level Control
This feature keeps the rear of your vehicle level as the
load changes. It's automatic
-- you don't need to
adjust anything.
Towing a Trailer
CAUTION:
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
You may also damage your vehicle; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your dealer for advice
and information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in ªWeight of the Trailerº
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That's the reason for this part. In it are many
time
-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load
-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What's more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
6-
6-1
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-6 Filling Your Tank
6
-9 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-9 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-12 Engine Oil
6
-17 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-20 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-24 Engine Coolant
6
-29 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-30 Brakes
6
-34 Battery
6
-36 Bulb Replacement
6
-47 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement6
-48 Tires
6
-61 Appearance Care
6
-61 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-63 Care of Safety Belts
6
-64 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-66 Cleaning Tires
6
-68 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-69 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-69 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-70 Electrical System
6
-74 Removing the Rear Seat Cushion
6
-79 Replacement Bulbs
6
-79 Capacities and Specifications
6
-80 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
6-6
Filling Your Tank
CAUTION:
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don't smoke if you're near gasoline or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from gasoline.
The fuel cap is located behind a hinged door on the
driver's side of your vehicle.
The fuel door release button
is located on the left side of
the instrument panel below
the exterior lamp control.