2008 CADILLAC SRX check engine light

Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
A computer system called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems. It makes
sure 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 an OBD II problem
and service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before
any problem is apparent. This can 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 a while, 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,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of
your vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and can cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This could
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 5-3.
This light comes on, as a check to show it is working,
when the ignition is turned ON/RUN but the engine is not
running. If the light does not come on, have it repaired.
This light also comes on during a malfunction in
one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and could damage the emission control system
on your vehicle. Diagnosis and service might
be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
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If the Light is Flashing
The following can prevent more serious damage to your
vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park the vehicle.
Turn the ignition off, wait at least 10 seconds, and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the
Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still ashing,
follow the previous steps and see your dealer/retailer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You might be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel caphas been left off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your vehicle’s electrical system might be wet.
The condition is usually 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. See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality causes
the engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You
might notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when
you put the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation on
acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration — these
conditions might 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/retailer can check the vehicle. Your dealer/
retailer has the proper test equipment and diagnostic
tools to x any mechanical or electrical problems that
might have developed.
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Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
might 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 the battery or if the battery
has run down. The diagnostic system is designed to
evaluate critical emission control systems during normal
driving. This can 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/retailer can prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Light
Your vehicle may have this
feature.
If the vehicle has an oil problem, this light may stay on
after the engine is started, or come on while you are
driving.
This light indicates that oil is not going through the engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine could be
low on oil or could have some other oil problem. Have it
xed right away.
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The oil light could also come on in the following
situations:
The light will come on briey when the ignition is
turned on to show that it is working properly. If it
does not come on with the ignition on, there may
be a problem with the fuse or bulb. Have it
xed right away.
Sometimes when the engine is idling at a stop, a
chime will sound and the light may blink on and
off. 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.
Security Light
For information regarding
this light and the vehicle’s
security system, see
Theft-Deterrent System
on page 2-20.
Fog Lamp Light
The fog lamp light will
come on when the fog
lamps are in use.
The light will go out when the fog lamps are turned off.
SeeFog Lamps on page 3-18for more information.
3-45

CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
This message displays when the pressure in one or more
of the vehicle’s tires needs to be checked. This message
also displays LEFT FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT
REAR, or RIGHT REAR to indicate which tire needs to
be checked. You can receive more than one tire pressure
message at a time. To read the other messages that may
have been sent at the same time, press the set/reset
button. If a tire pressure message appears on the DIC,
stop as soon as you can. Have the tire pressures
checked and set to those shown on the Tire Loading
Information label. SeeTires on page 5-51,Loading Your
Vehicle on page 4-33, andInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-59. The DIC also shows the tire pressure values.
SeeDIC Operation and Displays on page 3-48. If the tire
pressure is low, the low tire pressure warning light comes
on. SeeTire Pressure Light on page 3-41.
CRUISE SET TO XXX MPH (km/h)
This message displays whenever the cruise control
is set. SeeCruise Control on page 3-12for more
information.
DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the driver door is not
closed completely. Make sure that the door is closed
completely.
ENGINE HOT – A/C
(Air Conditioning) OFF
This message displays when the engine coolant
becomes hotter than the normal operating temperature.
SeeEngine Coolant Temperature Gage on page 3-40.
To avoid added strain on a hot engine, the air
conditioning compressor automatically turns off.
When the coolant temperature returns to normal,
the air conditioning compressor turns back on.
You can continue to drive your vehicle.
If this message continues to appear, have the system
repaired by your dealer/retailer as soon as possible
to avoid damage to the engine.
3-54

STABILITRAK OFF
This message displays when you turn off StabiliTrak®,
or when the stability control has been automatically
disabled. To limit wheel spin and realize the full benets
of the stability enhancement system, you should
normally leave StabiliTrak
®on. However, you should
turn StabiliTrak®off if your vehicle gets stuck in
sand, mud, ice, or snow and you want to rock your
vehicle to attempt to free it, or if you are driving
in extreme off-road conditions and require more wheel
spin. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow on page 4-32. To turn the StabiliTrak
®
system on or off, seeStabiliTrak®System on page 4-7.
There are several conditions that can cause this
message to appear.
One condition is overheating, which could occur if
StabiliTrak®activates continuously for an extended
period of time.
The message also displays if the brake system
warning light is on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-38.
The message could display if the stability system
takes longer than usual to complete its diagnostic
checks due to driving conditions.
The message displays if an engine or vehicle
related problem has been detected and the vehicle
needs service. See your dealer/retailer.The message turns off as soon as the conditions that
caused the message to be displayed are no longer
present.
STARTING DISABLED SERVICE
THROTTLE
This message displays when your vehicle’s throttle
system is not functioning properly. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer/retailer.
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This symbol appears with
this message.
This message displays if the theft-deterrent system
has detected a break-in attempt while you were away
from your vehicle. SeeTheft-Deterrent System on
page 2-20for more information.
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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 could 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 can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Antilock 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. SeeAntilock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-39.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any
driver could. The computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road conditions. This can
help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, the computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
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You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{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 the 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 the headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
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