How OnStar®Service Works
In order to provide you with OnStar®services, your
vehicle’s OnStar®system has the capability of
recording and transmitting vehicle information.
This information is automatically sent to an OnStar
®
Call Center at the time of an OnStar®button press,
Emergency button press or if your airbags or AACN
system deploys. The vehicle information usually
includes your GPS location and, in the event of a
crash, additional information regarding the accident
that your vehicle has been involved in (e.g. the
direction from which your vehicle was hit). When
you use the Virtual Advisor feature of OnStar
®
Hands-Free Calling, your vehicle also sends
OnStar®your GPS location so that we can provide
you with location-based services.
OnStar
®service cannot work unless your vehicle
is in a place where OnStar®has an agreement
with a wireless service provider for service in that
area. OnStar
®service also cannot work unless
you are in a place where the wireless service
provider OnStar
®has hired for that area
has coverage, network capacity and reception
when the service is needed, and technology that
is compatible with the OnStar
®service. Not all
services are available everywhere, particularly in
remote or enclosed areas, or at all times.OnStar
®service that involves location information
about your vehicle cannot work unless GPS
satellite signals are unobstructed and available in
that place as well.
Your vehicle must have a working electrical
system (including adequate battery power) for the
OnStar
®equipment to operate. There are other
problems OnStar®cannot control that may prevent
OnStar®from providing OnStar®service to you
at any particular time or place. Some examples are
damage to important parts of your vehicle in an
accident, hills, tall buildings, tunnels, weather
or wireless phone network congestion.
Your Responsibility
You may need to increase the volume of your
radio to hear the OnStar®advisor. If the light next
to the OnStar®buttons is red, this means that
your system is not functioning properly and should
be checked by a dealer. If the light appears
clear (no light is appearing), your OnStar
®
subscription has expired. You can always press
the blue OnStar®button to con rm that your
OnStar®equipment is active.
149
Instrument Panel Overview........................ 156
Hazard Warning Flashers.......................... 158
Other Warning Devices............................. 158
Horn.......................................................... 158
Tilt Wheel.................................................. 158
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.................. 159
Turn and Lane-Change Signals................. 160
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer.......... 161
Flash-to-Pass............................................ 161
Windshield Wipers..................................... 161
Windshield Washer.................................... 162
Cruise Control........................................... 163
Exterior Lamps.......................................... 166
Headlamps on Reminder........................... 167
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)................. 167
Automatic Headlamp System..................... 168
Fog Lamps................................................ 169
Exterior Cargo Lamps................................ 169
Interior Lamps........................................... 170
Instrument Panel Brightness...................... 170
Dome Lamp.............................................. 170
Dome Lamp Override................................ 170
Exit Lighting.............................................. 171
Electric Power Management...................... 171
Battery Run-Down Protection..................... 171Accessory Power Outlet(s)........................ 172
Ashtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter................ 173
Climate Controls......................................... 173
Climate Control System............................. 173
Outlet Adjustment...................................... 176
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators..... 177
Instrument Panel Cluster........................... 178
Speedometer and Odometer...................... 179
Trip Odometer........................................... 179
Tachometer............................................... 179
Safety Belt Reminder Light........................ 180
Passenger Safety Belt Reminder Light....... 180
Airbag Readiness Light............................. 181
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator............. 182
Battery Warning Light................................ 184
Up-Shift Light (Manual Transmission)........ 185
Brake System Warning Light..................... 185
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light...... 186
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage............ 187
Tire Pressure Light.................................... 187
Malfunction Indicator Lamp........................ 188
Oil Pressure Light..................................... 191
Security Light............................................ 192
Cruise Control Light.................................. 192
Section 3 Instrument Panel
153
Exit Lighting
With exit lighting, the interior lamps will come on
when you remove the key from the ignition.
The lamps will not come on if the dome override
button is pressed in.
Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management
(EPM) that estimates the battery’s temperature and
state of charge. It then adjusts the voltage for
best performance and extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the
voltage is raised slightly to quickly put the charge
back in. When the state of charge is high, the
voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging.
If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage, you may
see the voltage move up or down. This is normal.
If there is a problem, an alert will be displayed.The battery can be discharged at idle if the
electrical loads are very high. This is true for all
vehicles. This is because the generator (alternator)
may not be spinning fast enough at idle to
produce all the power that is needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate
control fan at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
Battery Run-Down Protection
This feature shuts off the dome lamp if it is left on
for more than 20 minutes when the ignition is
in LOCK. This will help prevent your battery from
running down.
171
Accessory Power Outlet(s)
Your vehicle may have accessory power outlets.
With accessory power outlets you can plug in
auxiliary electrical equipment such as a cellular
telephone or CB radio.
Your vehicle may have two accessory power outlets
located on the lower part of the instrument panel
below the climate control system and there may be
one located on the rear of the center console.
A small cap must be pulled down to access an
accessory power outlet. When not using an outlet
be sure to cover it with the protective cap.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery. Always
unplug electrical equipment when not in use
and do not plug in equipment that exceeds the
maximum amperage rating of 20 amperes.
Certain electrical accessories may not be
compatible with the accessory power outlet and
could result in blown vehicle or adapter fuses.
If you experience a problem, see your dealer for
additional information on accessory power outlets.Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to
your vehicle may damage it or keep other
components from working as they should.
The repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not use equipment exceeding
maximum amperage rating of 20 amperes.
Check with your dealer before adding electrical
equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to
follow the proper installation instructions included
with the equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can
cause damage not covered by your warranty.
Do not hang any type of accessory or
accessory bracket from the plug because the
power outlets are designed for accessory
power plugs only.
172
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 off indicator and the airbag
readiness light ever come on together,
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 seat
may not have the protection of the frontal
airbag. SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 181.
Battery Warning Light
This light will come on
brie y when you start
the vehicle, as a
check to show you it is
working; then it
should go out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving,
you may have a problem with the electrical
charging system. Have it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your
battery and result in a vehicle that may stall. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 198for
more information.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on,
be certain to turn off all your accessories, such
as the radio and climate control system.
184
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 318. 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, mis ring, 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 x 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.
190
SERV (Service) VEH (Vehicle)
This message displays if your vehicle needs
service. Have your vehicle serviced by your dealer
as soon as possible.
SERVICE CHARG (Charge)
SYS (System)
This message displays if there is a problem with
the battery charging system. Under certain
conditions, the battery warning light may also turn
on in the instrument panel cluster. SeeBattery
Warning Light on page 184. The battery will not be
charging at an optimal rate and the vehicle will
lose the ability to enter the fuel economy mode.
The vehicle is safe to drive, however have
the electrical system checked by your dealer.
Press and release the reset stem to acknowledge
the message and clear it from the display.
TRACTION FAULT
If your vehicle has the Traction Control
System (TCS), this message may display if
there is a problem with the TCS. Check the
TCS as soon as possible and have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 249for more information.
Press and release the reset stem to acknowledge
the message and clear it from the display.
TURN SIGNAL
This message displays when the turn signal is on
for about 0.75 miles (1.2 km) of travel. Press
and release the reset stem to acknowledge the
message and clear it from the display.
202
{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 cannot 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.
283