2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO AIR

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 briey 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.Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages
and warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages
shows there may be a problem, check the section that
tells you what to do about it. Please follow this
manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs can be
costly – and even dangerous. So please get to know
your warning lights and gages. They’re a big help.
Your vehicle also has a driver information system that
works along with the warning lights and gages. See
Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-53.
3-33

Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for several seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for several seconds,
then it will ash for
several more.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel cluster, which shows the air bag symbol.
The system checks the air bag’s electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. The system check includes the air bag
sensors, the air bag modules, the passenger sensing
system (if equipped), the wiring and the crash sensing
and diagnostic module. For more information on the
air bag system, seeAir Bag Systems on page 1-67.
This light will come on
when you start your
vehicle, and it will ash for
a few seconds. Then
the light should go out.
This means the system
is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your air
bag system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
3-36

Air Bag Off Light
When you turn the right front passenger’s air bag off,
this light will be lit and stay lit to remind you that the air
bag has been turned off. This light will go off when
you turn the air bag back on again. SeeAir Bag
Off Switch on page 1-73for more on this, including
important safety information. The AIR BAG OFF light will
look like one of the following illustrations.
United States with Passenger Sensing System
United States without Passenger Sensing System
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{CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s air bag is turned
off for a person who isn’t in a risk group
identied by the national government, that
person won’t have the extra protection of an
air bag. In a crash, the air bag wouldn’t be able
to inate and help protect the person sitting
there. Don’t turn off the passenger’s air bag
unless the person sitting there is in a risk
group. See″Air Bag Off Switch″in the Index
for more on this, including important safety
information.
{CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light ever comes on
when you have turned off the air bag, it means
that something may be wrong with the air bag
system. The right front passenger’s air bag
could inate even though the switch is off.
If your vehicle is a regular cab pickup and this
ever happens, do not let anyone whom the
national government has identied as a
member of a passenger air bag risk group sit
in the right front passenger’s position (for
example, do not secure a rear-facing child
restraint in your vehicle) until you have your
vehicle serviced.
If your vehicle is an extended cab pickup and
this ever happens, do not let anyone whom the
national government has identied as a
member of the passenger air bag risk group sit
in the right front passenger’s position (for
example, do not secure a rear-facing child
restraint in the right front passenger’s seat)
until you have your vehicle serviced.
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Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator
If your vehicle has the passenger sensing system
your rearview mirror will have a passenger air bag
status indicator.
When the ignition key is turned to RUN or START, the
passenger air bag status indicator will light ON and
OFF, or the symbol for on and off, for several seconds
as a system check. Then, after several more seconds,
the status indicator will light either ON or OFF, or either
the on or off symbol to let you know the status of the
right front passenger’s frontal air bag.If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the passenger
air bag status indicator, it means that the right front
passenger’s frontal air bag is enabled (may inate).
{CAUTION:
If the on indicator comes on when you have a
rear-facing child restraint installed in the right
front passenger’s seat, it means that the
passenger sensing system has not turned off
the passenger’s frontal air bag. A child in a
rear-facing child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front passenger’s
air bag inates. This is because the back of
the rear-facing child restraint would be very
close to the inating air bag. Don’t use a
rear-facing child restraint in the right front
passenger’s seat unless the air bag has been
turned off. Passenger Air Bag Status Indicator – United States
Passenger Air
Bag Status
Indicator – Canada
3-40

If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the passenger
air bag status indicator, it means that the passenger
sensing system or the air bag off switch has turned off
the right front passenger’s air bag. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 1-78orAir Bag Off Switch on
page 1-73for more on this, including important
safety information.
{CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s air bag is turned
off for a person who isn’t in a risk group
identied by the national government, that
person won’t have the extra protection of an
air bag. In a crash, the air bag wouldn’t be able
to inate and help protect the person sitting
there. Don’t turn off the passenger’s air bag
unless the person sitting there is in a risk
group. See″Air Bag Off Switch″in the
Index for more on this, including important
safety information.If, after several seconds, all status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the air bag off indicator and the air bag
readiness light ever come on together, it
means that something may be wrong with the
air bag system. If this ever happens, have the
vehicle serviced promptly, because an
adult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger seat may not have the protection of
the air bag. See″Air Bag Readiness Light″in
the Index.
3-41

Battery Warning Light
If this light is displayed
when the engine is
running, you may have
a problem with your
charging system.
The battery display will also stay on while the key is in
RUN until the engine is started.
If the light stays on after starting the engine it could
indicate a problem with the generator drive belt, or some
other charging system problem. Have it checked right
away. Driving with this light displayed could drain
your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with this light
displayed, it helps to turn off all your accessories, such
as the radio and the air conditioner.
Voltmeter Gage
When your engine is not
running, but the ignition is
in RUN, this gage
shows your battery’s state
of charge in DC volts.
When the engine is running, the gage shows the
condition of the charging system. Readings between the
low and high warning zones indicate the normal
operating range.
3-42

SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-53for
further information.
If your vehicle has an Allison transmission, and the uid
reaches temperatures of approximately 275°F (135°C)
or greater, the driver information center will display
a TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE warning message and a
chime will sound until the temperature falls below
265°F (129°C). Pull the vehicle off the roadway when it
is safe to do so. Set the parking brake, place the
transmission in PARK (P) and allow the engine to idle
until the transmission temperature falls below 265°F
(129°C). If the transmission continues to operate above
265°F (130°C), contact your nearest dealer or the
GM Roadside Assistance Center. SeeRoadside
Assistance Program on page 7-6.
Notice:If you drive your vehicle with the
transmission temperature gage above normal
operating range, you can damage the transmission.
This could lead to costly repairs that would not
be covered by your warranty. Do not drive your
vehicle while the transmission temperature gage
reading is above normal. See your dealer for service.The following situations can cause the transmission to
operate at higher temperatures:
Towing a trailer
Hot outside air temperatures
Hauling a large or heavy load
Low transmission uid level
High transmission uid level
Restricted air ow to the radiator and the auxiliary
transmission oil cooler (if equipped).
A temporary solution to hotter transmission operating
temperatures may be to let the transmission cool down.
If the transmission is operated at higher temperatures
on a frequent basis, seeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4for the proper transmission
maintenance intervals.
3-47