2004 CHEVROLET COLORADO check engine light

ENG (Engine) HOT
This message will be displayed on your DIC when your
engine coolant temperature is hot. Check your engine
coolant temperature gage. SeeEngine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 3-24for more information.
You should have your vehicle serviced by your
GM dealer as soon as possible if you suspect your
engine is overheating. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 5-28for more information.
FLUID
This message will be displayed on the DIC if your brake
uid is low. Check the brake uid as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by your GM dealer. See
Brakes on page 5-39for more information. Press the
reset stem to acknowledge the message and clear
it from the DIC display.
FUEL CAP
This message will be displayed if your vehicle’s fuel cap
is either off or loose. You should pull over and check
to see if your vehicle’s fuel cap is secure as soon
as possible. You may also see the check engine light
on the instrument panel cluster. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-24for more information. Press
the reset stem to acknowledge the message and
clear it from the display.
LOW FUEL
This message will be displayed on your DIC if the level
of fuel in your vehicle is low. You should also check
your fuel gage. SeeFuel Gage on page 3-29for more
information. You should ll your vehicle’s tank as
soon as possible.
LOW TRAC (Traction)
If you have the Traction Control System (TCS), you will
see this message when the TCS is active. See
Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-8for more
information. Press and release the reset stem to
acknowledge the message and clear it from the
DIC display.
OIL
This message will be displayed when your oil pressure
is low. SeeOil Pressure Light on page 3-27, and
Engine Oil on page 5-13for more information.
OIL LIFE
This message will be displayed when your GM Oil Life
System needs to be checked. Press the reset stem
to acknowledge the message. For more information, see
“GM Oil Life System” underDIC Controls and Displays
on page 3-30.
3-34

PARK BRK (Brake)
This message will be displayed when your vehicle’s
parking brake is active. SeeParking Brake on page 2-31
andBrake System Warning Light on page 3-22for
more information. The message will clear from
the display after the parking brake is released.
REDUCED POWER
This message will be displayed on your DIC when your
vehicle’s engine power is reduced. Press the reset
stem to acknowledge the message and clear it from
the display.
SERV (Service) 4WD
(Four-Wheel Drive)
This message will be displayed on your DIC when there
is a problem with your transfer case control system.
Check the transfer case on your vehicle and have
it serviced by your GM dealer. SeeFour-Wheel Drive on
page 2-27for more information about your transfer
case. Press the reset stem to acknowledge the message
and clear it from the display.
TRACTION FAULT
If you have the Traction Control System (TCS), you may
see this message if there is a problem with your Traction
Control System (TCS). Check your TCS as soon as
possible and have your vehicle serviced by your
GM dealer. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 4-8for more information. Press the reset stem to
acknowledge the message and clear it from the display.
SERV VEH (Service Vehicle)
This message will be displayed on your DIC if your
vehicle needs service. You should have your vehicle
serviced by your GM dealer as soon as possible.
TURN SIGNAL
This message will be displayed on your DIC when your
turn signal is on for approximately 0.75 miles (1.2 km)
of travel. Press the reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the display.
3-35

Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeand
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That isperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That isreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second. But that is
only an average. It might be less with one driver and as
long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age,
physical condition, alertness, coordination and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But
even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph
(100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of
distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space
between your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking.If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine stops,
you will still have some power brake assist. But you will
use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up,
it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be
harder to push.
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 is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-23.
4-6

{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 not 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 does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is 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.
4-41

{CAUTION:
If you spill fuel and then something ignites it,
you could be badly burned. Fuel can spray out
on you if you open the fuel cap too quickly. This
spray can happen if your tank is nearly full, and
is more likely in hot weather. Open the fuel cap
slowly and wait for any “hiss” noise to stop.
Then unscrew the cap all the way.
{CAUTION:
If a re starts while you are refueling, do not
remove the nozzle. Shut off the ow of fuel by
shutting off the pump or by notifying the
station attendant. Leave the area immediately.Be careful not to spill fuel. Do not top off or overll your
tank and wait a few seconds after you have nished
pumping before you remove the nozzle. Clean fuel from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. SeeCleaning
the Outside of Your Vehicle on page 5-98. When lling
the tank do not overll by squeezing in much more
fuel after the pump shuts off.
When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound. Make
sure you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. If the fuel cap is not properly installed,
FUEL CAP will appear on the DIC and the check engine
light will be lit on instrument panel cluster. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-32andMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-24for more information.
Notice:If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get the
right type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you get
the wrong type, it may not t properly. This may
cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light and
may damage your fuel tank and emissions system.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-24.
5-9

How to Check and Add Fluid
The proper uid should be added if the level does not
reach the bottom of the diaphragm when it’s in place in
the reservoir. See the instructions on the reservoir cap.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled 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 occurs rst, 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:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
5-25

4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (-) terminal locations on
each vehicle. SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more information on location of
the battery.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the batteries have enough water. You
do not need to add water to the ACDelco
®
battery (or batteries) installed in your new
vehicle. But if a battery has ller caps, be sure
the right amount of uid is there. If it is low,
add water to take care of that rst. If you do
not, explosive gas could be present.
Battery uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, ush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative (-) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (-) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Don’t connect positive (+) to negative (-) or you’ll
get a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts too. And don’t connect the
negative (-) cable to the negative (-) terminal on the
dead battery because this can cause sparks.
5-44

When you go to your GM Goodwrench dealer for your
service needs, you will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will perform the work
using genuine GM parts.
If you want to get service information, seeService
Publications Ordering Information on page 7-12.
Owner Checks and Services on page 6-8tells you what
should be checked, when to check it and what you can
easily do to help keep your vehicle in good condition.
The proper replacement parts, uids and lubricants to
use are listed inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-12andNormal Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 6-14. When your vehicle is serviced,
make sure these are used. All parts should be replaced
and all necessary repairs done before you or anyone
else drives the vehicle. We recommend the use of
genuine GM parts.
Scheduled Maintenance
When the CHANGE OIL light comes on, it means that
service is required for your vehicle. Have your
vehicle serviced as soon as possible within the next
600 miles (1 000 km). It is possible that, if you are
driving under the best conditions, the engine oil life
system may not indicate that vehicle service is
necessary for over a year.However, your engine oil and lter must be changed at
least once a year and at this time the system must
be reset. Your GM Goodwrench dealer has GM-trained
service technicians who will perform this work using
genuine GM parts and reset the system.
If the engine oil life system is ever reset accidentally,
you must service your vehicle within 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) since your last service. Remember to reset
the oil life system whenever the oil is changed. See
Engine Oil on page 5-13for information on the Engine
Oil Life System and resetting the system.
When the CHANGE OIL light appears, certain services,
checks and inspections are required. Required services
are described in the following for “MaintenanceI” and
“MaintenanceII.” Generally, it is recommended that your
rst service be MaintenanceI, your second service be
MaintenanceIIand that you alternate MaintenanceIand
MaintenanceIIthereafter. However, in some cases,
MaintenanceIImay be required more often.
MaintenanceI— Use MaintenanceIif the CHANGE
OIL light comes on within ten months since vehicle was
purchased or MaintenanceIIwas performed.
MaintenanceII— Use MaintenanceIIif the previous
service performed was MaintenanceI. Always use
MaintenanceIIwhenever the light comes on ten months
or more since the last service or if the light has not
come on at all for one year.
6-4