2003 GMC SAFARI check engine light

Tow/Haul Mode Light
This light should come on
when the tow/haul mode
has been selected.
For more information, see“Tow/Haul Mode”inTowing a
Trailer on page 4-31.
Check Gages Warning Light
The CHECK GAGES light
will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your coolant temperature and engine oil pressure
gages to see if they are in the warning zones.
3-35
2003 - Safari OM

Anti-lock Brake System
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with the anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light on page 3-29.Let’s say the road is wet and you’re driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here’s what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels. United States
Canada
4-7
2003 - Safari OM

{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can’t see it or
smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
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.
4-27
2003 - Safari OM

Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmissionuid (don’t overll),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help yound them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these sections
before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
If you have the optional trailering package, your vehicle
will have an eight-wire harness, including the center
high-mounted stoplamp battery feed wire. The harness
is stored on the passenger’s side of the vehicle near
the rear wheel well. This harness has a 30 amp battery
feed wire and no connector, and should be wired by
a qualied electrical technician. After choosing an
aftermarket trailer mating connector pair, have the
technician attach one connector to the eight-wire trailer
harness and the other connector to the wiring harness
on the trailer. Be sure the wiring harness on the trailer is
taped or strapped to the trailer’s frame rail and leave
it loose enough so the wiring doesn’t bend or break, but
not so loose that it drags on the ground. The eight-wire
harness must be routed out of your vehicle betweenthe rear door and theoor, with enough of the harness
left on both sides so that the trailer or the body won’t
pull it. If you do not have the optional trailering package,
your vehicle will still have a trailering harness. The
harness is located near the passenger’s side rear wheel
well. It consists of six wires that may be used by
after-market trailer hitch installers.
The technician can use the following color code chart
when connecting the wiring harness to your trailer.
Brown: Rear lamps.
Yellow: Left stoplamp and turn signal.
Dark Green: Right stoplamp and turn signal.
White (Heavy Gage): Ground.
Light Green: Back-up lamps.
White (Light Gage): Center High-Mounted Stoplamp.
Blue: Auxiliary circuit (eight-wire harness only).
Orange: Fused auxiliary (eight-wire harness only).
Store the harness in its original place. Wrap the
harness together and tie it neatly so it won’t
be damaged.
4-40
2003 - Safari OM

How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the engine air cleaner/filter remove thefilter
from the vehicle and lightly shakefilter to release
loose dust and dirt. If thefilter remains caked with dirt, a
newfilter is required.
To inspect or replace thefilter, do the following:
1. Unsnap both clips on the cover.
2. Remove the cover.
3. Change thefilter.
4. Snap both clips to secure the engine air
cleaner/filter cover.
{CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/lter
off can cause you or others to be burned. The
air cleaner not only cleans the air, it helps to
stopame if the engine backres. If it isn’t there
and the engine backres, you could be burned.
Don’t drive with it off, and be careful working on
the engine with the air cleaner/lter off.Notice:If the air cleaner/lter is off, a backre can
cause a damaging enginere. And, dirt can
easily get into your engine, which will damage it.
Always have the air cleaner/lter in place when
you’re driving.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmissionfluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both thefluid andfilter every 15,000 miles
(25 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
•In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
•In hilly or mountainous terrain.
•When doing frequent trailer towing.
•Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change thefluid andfilter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km).
SeePart A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page 6-4.
5-22
2003 - Safari OM

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmissionfluid to use. SeePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-34.
Addfluid only after checking the transmissionfluid while
it is hot. (A cold check is used only as a reference.) If
thefluid level is low, add only enough of the properfluid
to bring the level up to the HOT area for a hot check.
It doesn’t take muchfluid, generally less than one pint
(0.5 L).Don’t overfill.
Notice:We recommend you use onlyuid labeled
DEXRON
®-III, becauseuid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused byuid other than DEXRON
®-III is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
•After addingfluid, recheck thefluid level as
described under“How to Check.”
•When the correctfluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; thenflip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle isfilled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occursfirst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
®extended life coolant.The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, seeEngine Overheating on
page 5-28.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
•Give freezing protection down to−34°F(−37°C).
•Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
•Protect against rust and corrosion.
•Help keep the proper engine temperature.
•Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:When adding coolant, it is important that
you use only DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL®is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner -- at 30,000 miles
(50,000 km) or 24 months, whichever occursrst.
Damage caused by the use of coolant other
than DEX-COOL
®is not covered by your new vehicle
warranty.
5-25
2003 - Safari OM

Check
Engine Light...............................................3-30
Gages Warning Light...................................3-35
Checking Brake Fluid......................................5-40
Checking Coolant............................................5-26
Checking Engine Oil........................................5-13
Checking Things Under the Hood
....................... 5-9
Checking Your Restraint Systems
......................1-68
Chemical Paint Spotting
...................................5-82
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems
...............................1-44
Infants and Young Children
...........................1-38
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
..........................1-52
Older Children
.............................................1-35
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System
........................................1-54
Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Seat
Position
..................................................1-57
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside
Seat Position
...........................................1-54
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position
...........................................1-58
Top Strap
...................................................1-48
Top Strap Anchor Location
............................1-50
Where to Put the Restraint
...........................1-47
Cigarette Lighter
.............................................3-17Cleaning
Inside of Your Vehicle..................................5-77
Outside of Your Vehicle................................5-79
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-82
Weatherstrips..............................................5-79
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels..............................5-81
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses.......................5-80
Cleaning Fabric/Carpet....................................5-77
Cleaning Glass Surfaces..................................5-78
Cleaning Interior Plastic Components.................5-78
Cleaning Leather............................................5-78
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel...........5-78
Cleaning the Windshield and Wiper Blades.........5-81
Cleaning Tires................................................5-81
Cleaning Vinyl................................................5-78
Climate Control System...................................3-18
Rear ..........................................................3-21
Rear Air Conditioning System........................3-20
Rear Heating System...................................3-19
Compact Disc Messages..................................3-44
Compact Spare Tire........................................5-75
Composite Headlamps.....................................5-51
Control of a Vehicle.......................................... 4-5
Convenience Net............................................2-45
Coolant
Engine Temperature Gage............................3-29
Heater, Engine............................................2-21
Cooling System..............................................5-30
3
2003 - Safari OM

E
Electrical System
Add-On Equipment......................................5-85
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-86
Headlamp Wiring.........................................5-85
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-85
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-85
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs.................................3-32
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-21
Battery.......................................................5-42
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-30
Compartment Overview................................5-12
Coolant......................................................5-25
Coolant Heater............................................2-21
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-29
Cooling System Inspection............................6-32
Cover........................................................5-17
Exhaust.....................................................2-30
Fan Noise..................................................5-36
Oil .............................................................5-13
Overheating................................................5-28
Starting......................................................2-20
Engine Coolant Level Check.............................6-27
Engine Oil Additives........................................5-16
Engine Oil Level Check...................................6-27Entry Lighting.................................................3-15
Erasing HomeLink
®Buttons..............................2-37
Except Cargo Vans.................................1-38, 1-47
Exit Lighting...................................................3-15
Express-Down Window....................................2-17
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-34
Exterior Lamps...............................................3-12
F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-21
Finding a Station....................................3-38, 3-41
Finish Care....................................................5-80
Finish Damage...............................................5-82
Fixed Mast Antenna........................................3-49
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-7
Flat Tire........................................................5-64
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-65
Fluid
Automatic Transmission................................5-22
Power Steering...........................................5-36
Windshield Washer
......................................5-37
FM
...............................................................3-49
Following Distance
..........................................4-37
Front Axle
......................................................5-49
Front Doors
..................................................... 2-8
5
2003 - Safari OM