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, your GM dealer can prepare the
vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Light
{CAUTION:
Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches re. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may
damage the engine. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Always follow the
maintenance schedule in this manual for changing
engine oil.
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This light tells you if there
could be a problem with
your engine oil pressure.
The light goes on when you turn your key to ON or
START. It goes off once you start your engine. That is a
check to be sure the light works. If it does not come
on, be sure to have it xed so it will be there to warn you
if something goes wrong.
When the light comes on and stays on, it means that oil
is not owing through your engine properly. You
could be low on oil and you might have some other
system problem.Security Light
For information regarding
this light, see
Theft-Deterrent Systems
on page 2-19.
Fog Lamp Light
This light will come on
when the fog lamps are in
use. It will go out when the
fog lamps are turned off.
For more information about the fog lamps, see “Fog
Lamps” underExterior Lamps on page 3-17.
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ENGINE OIL LIFE:Press the INFO button to display
ENGINE OIL LIFE, then press and hold the INFO
RESET button until 100% ENGINE OIL LIFE is
displayed. (This only needs to be reset after you
have had the oil changed.)
TRANSMISSION FLUID LIFE:Under normal
conditions, the rate of deterioration of the
transmission uid is slow. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4for proper uid and change
intervals. To reset the transmission uid life, press
the INFO button to display TRANS FLUID LIFE, then
press and hold the INFO RESET button until 100%
TRANS FLUID LIFE is displayed. (This only needs to
be reset after you have had the uid changed.)
ON/OFF:Pressing this button turns the Programming
and Personalization Features on and off. (FEATURE
PROGRAMMING must be displayed on the DIC to begin
actual programming.) This button also starts and
stops the timer.
MILES RANGE:(Analog Cluster Only) This message
shows about how many miles you can drive without
re lling your fuel tank. Once the range drops below
40 miles (64 km) remaining, the display will show LOW.MPG INST (Instantaneous Miles per Gallon):This
message shows the instantaneous fuel economy which
varies with your driving conditions, such as acceleration,
braking and the grade of the road being traveled.
The INFO RESET button does not function in this mode.
BATTERY VOLTS:This message shows the current
battery voltage. If the voltage is normal the display
will show BATTERY VOLTS OK. If the voltage drops
below 10.5 volts, the display will show BATTERY
VOLTS LOW. If the voltage is above 16 volts, the
display will show BATTERY VOLTS HIGH. If the display
shows the high or low message, you will need to
have your battery checked. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-65for more information.
LF-RF-LR-RR TIRE:On vehicles equipped with the tire
pressure monitor, this message shows the tire pressure
for each tire (left front, right front, left rear and right rear).
Pressing the INFO button will scroll through the tire
pressure for each of the four tires, such as:
34 PSI LF TIRE OK or
234 kPa LF TIRE OK
If a tire pressure is below 25 PSI (172 kPa) or above
38 PSI (265 kPa), the message will appear as shown
above except it will show TIRE LOW or TIRE HIGH as
appropriate. If desired, the tire pressure information
can be programmed not to appear when using the INFO
button to scroll through the DIC displays. SeeDIC
Vehicle Personalization on page 3-74.
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BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW – 6:This message will
appear when the electrical system is charging less than
10 volts or if the battery has been drained. If this
message appears immediately after starting, it is
possible that the generator can still recharge the battery.
The battery should recharge while driving but may
take a few hours to do so. Consider using an auxiliary
charger (be sure to follow the manufacturer’s
instructions) to boost the battery after returning home or
to a nal destination. If this message appears while
driving or after starting your vehicle and stays on, have
it checked immediately to determine the cause of
this problem. To help the generator recharge the battery
quickly, you can reduce the load on the electrical
system by turning off the accessories. You can monitor
battery voltage on the DIC by pressing the INFO
button. The normal range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL – 82:This means that the life
of the engine oil has expired. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4. After an oil change, the Oil
Life Indicator must be reset. SeeOil Life Indicator
on page 3-89. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-15.CHANGE TRANS FLUID – 47:This message will
appear when it is time to change the transaxle uid. See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4for the proper
uid and change intervals.
CHECK BRAKE FLUID – 37:This message will display
if the ignition is in ON to inform the driver that the brake
uid level is low. Have the brake system serviced by a
technician as soon as possible. SeeBrake System
Warning and Parking Brake Indicator Light on page 3-51.
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. SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-27.
CHECK FUEL GAGE – 50:(Analog Cluster) 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 is on properly.
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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 a grade. 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 checked 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. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-15.CHECK TIRE PRESSURE – 144:This message is
displayed when the Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) system
detects a low or high tire pressure condition in one or
more of the road tires. By pressing the INFO button
up or down, the DIC display will show which tire or tires
do not have the correct in ation pressure. A “LOW
TIRE” condition exists when the tire’s air pressure is
under 25 psi (172 kPa) and a “HIGH TIRE” condition
exists when the tire’s air pressure is above 38 psi
(262 kPa). The system will display the air pressure, the
tire location (LF, RF, RR or LR) and if the air pressure
is low or high. The tire pressure information is available
in English or metric measurements. For example, a
driver’s side front tire that is low may be shown
as: 22 PSI LF TIRE LOW.
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Trip Computer
Oil Life Indicator
This feature lets you know when to change the engine
oil. It is based on the engine oil temperatures and
your driving patterns.
To see the display, press the INFO button several times
until ENGINE OIL LIFE appears. If you see 99%
ENGINE OIL LIFE, 99 percent of your current oil life
remains.
The DIC may display a CHANGE ENGINE OIL
message. For more information, seeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4. If you see CHANGE ENGINE
OIL, it means the oil life is gone and you should
change the oil right away. The system does not check
how much oil you have, so you will still have to check for
that. To see how, seeEngine Oil on page 5-15.When the oil is changed, you will need to reset the
system. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-15. Always keep a
written record of the mileage and date when you
changed your oil.
Audio System(s)
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment to
your vehicle, like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone, or two-way radio, make sure that it can
be added by checking with your dealer. Also,
check federal rules covering mobile radio and
telephone units. If sound equipment can be added,
it is very important to do it properly. Added
sound equipment may interfere with the operation
of your vehicle’s engine, radio, or other systems,
and even damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may
interfere with the operation of sound equipment
that has been added improperly.
Figure out which audio system is in your vehicle, nd
out what your audio system can do, and how to operate
all of its controls.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio system can be
played even after the ignition is turned off. See
“Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” underIgnition
Positions on page 2-24.
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Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all in ated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the
wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Do
not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can
leave the road inless than a second,and you could
crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
start your engine
shift into a gear, and
make sure the parking brake has released.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you are
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for
more on this. Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transaxle uid (do
not over ll), engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you nd them quickly. If you
are trailering, it is a good idea to review this information
before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-31.
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