2007 CHEVROLET EXPRESS PASSANGER warning

Warning Lights, Gages,
and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages on
your vehicle. The pictures help to 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 the 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
the details show on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they are 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 is a problem with your
vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and
stays on as 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 vehicle’s warning
lights and gages. They can be a big help.
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Voltmeter Gage
When your engine is not
running, but the ignition
is on (in the RUN
position), 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.
Readings in the low warning zone may occur
when a large number of electrical accessories are
operating in the vehicle and the engine is left at
an idle for an extended period. This condition
is normal since the charging system is not able to
provide full power at engine idle. As engine
speeds are increased, this condition should correct
itself as higher engine speeds allow the charging
system to create maximum power.You can only drive for a short time with the
reading in either warning zone. If you must drive,
turn off all unnecessary accessories.
Readings in either warning zone indicate a
possible problem in the electrical system. Have
the vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
Brake System Warning Light
With the ignition on, the brake system warning
light will come on when you set your parking
brake. The light will stay on if your parking brake
doesn’t release fully. If it stays on after your
parking brake is fully released, it means you have
a brake problem.
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided
into two parts. If one part isn’t working, the
other part can still work and stop you. For good
braking, though, you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a
brake problem. Have your brake system inspected
right away.
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This light should come on briefly when you turn
the ignition key to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. You may notice that the
pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer
to the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is
still on, have the vehicle towed for service. See
Towing Your Vehicle on page 266.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you have pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
With the Anti-Lock
Brake System (ABS),
this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may
stay on for several
seconds, that is normal.
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176

A chime may also sound when the light comes on.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you are
driving, your vehicle needs service. If the regular
brake system warning light is not on, you still have
brakes, but you do not have anti-lock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on, you
do not have anti-lock brakes and there is a problem
with your regular brakes. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 175earlier in this section.
The ABS warning light should come on briefly
when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the light
does not come on then, have it fixed so it will
be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
StabiliTrak®Not Ready Light
If your vehicle has the
StabiliTrak®system, this
light will come on
according to the
description table for the
StabiliTrak
®system.
For more information, seeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 235.
You will hear three chimes if the light turns on and
one chime if the light turns off.
StabiliTrak®Indicator Light
If you have the
StabiliTrak®system, this
light will be on or
flashing, according to
the description table for
the StabiliTrak
®system.
For more information, seeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 235.
You will hear three chimes if the light turns on and
one chime if the light turns off.
If this light remains on steady, your vehicle needs
to be taken in for service.
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Highbeam On Light
This light comes on
when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on
page 149for more information.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Indicator Light
You have this light on
the instrument panel.
It will light whenever the
DRL are on. It is also
a reminder to turn
on your headlamps
when driving at night.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
This message is
displayed when the
tow/haul mode has
been activated.
For more information, see “Tow/Haul Mode” in
Towing a Trailer on page 269.
Check Gages Warning Light
This light will come on briefly when you are
starting the engine.
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185

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.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage, when the ignition is on, tells you
about how much fuel you have left in your tank.
The gage will first indicate empty before you
are out of fuel, and you should get more fuel as
soon as possible.Listed are four situations you may experience with
your fuel gage:
•At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
•It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than
the fuel gage indicated. For example, the
gage may have indicated the tank was half full,
but it actually took a little more or less than
half the tank’s capacity to fill the tank.
•The gage moves a little when you turn a
corner or speed up.
•The gage doesn’t go back to empty when you
turn off the ignition.
None of these indicate a problem with the
fuel gage.
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186

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the
steering, and the accelerator. All three systems
have to do their work at the places where the tires
meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 290.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 175.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths 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 three-fourths 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,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition
of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle; and the
amount of brake force applied.
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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. The brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. The 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 vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the 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.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 290.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that
will help prevent a braking skid.
When you start the engine and begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You might hear
a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem
with the ABS, this
warning light will stay
on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light
on page 176.
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