2007 CHEVROLET OPTRA 5 check engine

Starting Your Engine
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn
the ignition key to START. When the engine
starts, let go of the key. The idle speed will go
down as your engine gets warm.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer
than 15 seconds at a time will cause your
battery to be drained much sooner. And the
excessive heat can damage your starter motor.
Wait about 15 seconds between each try to
help avoid draining your battery or damaging
your starter.
2. If it does not start, wait about 15 seconds and
try again to start the engine by turning the
ignition key to START. Wait about 15 seconds
between each try.
After the engine has run about 10 seconds to
warm up, your vehicle is ready to be driven.
Do not “race” your engine when it is cold.
If the weather is below freezing (32°F or 0°C),
let the engine run for a few minutes to
warm up.3. If the engine still does not start, or starts but
then stops, it could be flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the accelerator pedal
all the way to the floor and holding it there
as you hold the key in START for about
three seconds. If the vehicle starts briefly
but then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or
six seconds. This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you add
electrical parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine operates. Before
adding electrical equipment, check with
your dealer. If you do not, your engine might
not perform properly. Any resulting damage
would not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranty.
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AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is
for normal driving.
Notice:Driving your vehicle if you notice that
it is moving slowly or not shifting gears as
you increase speed may damage the transaxle.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower
fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
•When driving on hilly, winding roads.
•When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2):This position gives you more power
but lower fuel economy. Use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control the vehicles speed as you
go down steep mountain roads, but then you
would also want to use your brakes off and on.
Notice:Do not drive in SECOND (2) at speeds
over 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can damage
the transaxle. Use THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) as much as possible. Do not
shift into SECOND (2) unless you are going
slower than 65 mph (105 km/h) or you can
damage your engine.FIRST (1):This position gives you even more
power but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2).
Use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or
mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1),
the transaxle does not shift into first gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle.
If you are stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use the brakes, or
parking brake to hold the vehicle in place.
If there is a malfunction with the automatic
transaxle, the Check Engine Light or the HOLD
indicator light will turn on or flash. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 172orHold Mode Light
on page 170.
Take your vehicle to your dealer as soon as
possible.
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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 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 warning lights and gages.
They are a big help.
Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let
you know at a glance how your vehicle is running.
You will know how fast you are going, how
much fuel you are using, and many other things
you will need to drive safely and economically.
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{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the
instrument panel cluster ever comes on
and stays on, it means that something may
be wrong with the airbag system. If this
ever happens, have the vehicle serviced
promptly, because an adult-size person
sitting in the right front passenger’s seat
may not have the protection of the frontal
airbag and side airbag (if equipped).
SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 164
for more on this, including important safety
information.
Charging System Light
The charging system
light will come on briefly
when you turn on the
ignition, and the engine
is not running, as a
check to show you it
is working.
Then it should go out when the engine is started.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical charging
system. Have it checked by your dealer. Driving
while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on,
be certain to turn off all your accessories, such
as the radio and air conditioner.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
Your vehicle has an
engine coolant
temperature gage.
With the ignition turned
to ON, this gage
shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves into the red area, your
engine is too hot. It means that your engine
coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under
normal driving conditions, you should pull off the
road, stop your vehicle and turn off the engine
as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 271.
Tire Pressure Light
This light comes on
briefly when you turn
the ignition to RUN.
This light will also come on when one or more of
your tires are significantly underinflated.
Stop and check your tires as soon as it is safe to
do so. If underinflated, inflate to the proper
pressure. SeeTires on page 303for more
information.
This light will flash for about 75 seconds and then
stay on if a problem is detected with the Tire
Pressure Monitor system.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System on page 312
for more information.
171

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle has a
computer which
monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition,
and emission control
systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions are at acceptable
levels for the life of the vehicle, helping to produce
a cleaner environment. The Check Engine light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service is required. Malfunctions often will be
indicated by the system before any problem is
apparent. This may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle. This system is also designed to
assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with
this light on, after awhile, the emission controls
might not work as well, your vehicle’s fuel
economy might not be as good, and the engine
might not run as smoothly. This could lead
to costly repairs that might not be covered by
your warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transaxle, exhaust, intake, or fuel system
of your vehicle or replacement tires that do not
match your vehicle’s original tires can affect
your vehicle’s emission controls and may
cause this light to come on. Modications to
these systems could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty. This may also
result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 249.
When the ignition is on, this light should come on
and should go out after a few seconds as a
check to show you it is working. If the light does
not come on, have it repaired.
172

Did you just drive through a deep puddle
of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The
condition will usually be corrected when the
electrical system dries out. A few driving trips
should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 251. Poor fuel
quality will cause your engine not to run as
efficiently as designed. You may notice this as
stalling after start-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is
warmed up.) This will be detected by the system
and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the
light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light
turn off, your dealer can check the vehicle.
Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.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 to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
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 dealer can prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
174

Oil Pressure Light
If your vehicle has low
engine oil pressure, this
light will stay on after
you start your engine, or
come on when you
are driving.
This indicates that your engine is not receiving
enough oil. The engine could be low on oil,
or could have some other oil problem. Have it
fixed immediately by your dealer.
The oil light could also come on in three other
situations:
•When the ignition is on but the engine is not
running, the light will come on as a test to
show you it is working. The light will go
out when you turn the ignition on. If it does
not come on with the ignition on, you
may have a problem with the fuse or bulb.
Have it fixed right away.
•If you are idling at a stop sign, the light may
blink on and then off.
•If you make a hard stop, the light may come
on for a moment. This is normal.
{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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