2008 CHEVROLET KODIAK warning light

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
..............................................1-10
Safety Belts
.............................................1-11
Child Restraints
.......................................1-28
Airbag System
.........................................1-48
Restraint System Check
............................1-60
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-6
Windows
.................................................. 2-8
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-10
Mirrors
....................................................2-51
Storage Areas
.........................................2-53
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-20
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-24
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-47
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-24Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-4
Fuel
......................................................... 5-7
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-22
Rear Axle
...............................................5-72
Four-Wheel Drive
.....................................5-73
Front Axle
...............................................5-74
Noise Control System
...............................5-75
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-76
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-76
Other Service Items
..................................5-78
Tires
......................................................5-82
Appearance Care
.....................................5-94
Vehicle Identification
...............................5-101
Electrical System
....................................5-102
Capacities and Specifications
...................5-109
Maintenance Replacement Parts
...............5-115
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-9
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-11
Index................................................................ 1
2008 Chevrolet Kodiak Owner ManualM

If the light does not come on when the engine is cold,
your vehicle needs service.
If your batteries do not have enough charge to start
your engine, seeBattery on page 5-66.
Be sure you have the right oil for your engine, and that
you have changed the oil at the proper times. If you
use the wrong oil, your engine may be harder to start.
Be sure you are using the proper fuel for existing
weather conditions. SeeWhat Fuel to Use on page 5-9.
If the engine starts, runs a short time, then stops,
your vehicle needs service.
{CAUTION:
Do not use gasoline or starting aids, such as
ether, in the air intake. They could damage
your engine. There could also be a re, which
could cause serious personal injury.
Engine Alarm and Automatic
Shutdown
Your check gages warning light will come on if the
system senses high engine temperature, and a low or
high engine oil pressure. If high engine temperature
is detected, you will hear a tone alarm at two beats per
second. If a low or high engine oil pressure is
detected, you will also hear a tone alarm at two beats
per second. The alarm and the light will remain on until
the condition is fixed. If the engine temperature or oil
pressure condition worsens, the tone alarm will go to
five beats per second.
If the system senses low engine coolant, the five beat
per second alarm and the low coolant warning light
will come on.
The five beats per second tone alarm means that your
engine will shut down in about 25 to 30 seconds.
There is also an engine shutdown light to indicate that
the engine will shut down. SeeEngine Shutdown
Warning Light on page 3-39.
2-18

Pull off the road and shut off the engine. Do not start it
until the reason for the problem is known, and the
problem is fixed. If the engine shuts down when you are
still in traffic, you can restart the engine and get another
25 to 30 seconds of operation. Do this only if you have to,
since there is a problem that can harm the engine if it is
not fixed. Engine automatic shutdown, for gasoline
engines, requires activation by your dealer/retailer.
Notice:If you try to operate the vehicle after the
engine automatically shuts down, you may damage
the vehicle. Have your vehicle repaired as soon
as possible.
Ambulance, Fire, and Rescue Packages
Your check gages warning light will come on if the
system senses high engine temperature or low engine
oil pressure. If high engine temperature or low engine oil
pressure is detected, you will also hear a tone alarm
at two beats per second. The alarm and the light
will remain on until the condition is fixed. If the engine
temperature or oil pressure condition worsens, the
tone alarm will go to five beats per second.
If the system senses low engine coolant, the five beat
per second alarm and the low coolant warning light
will come on.
The engine will not shutdown, but you should have the
vehicle checked as soon as you can. SeeCheck
Gages Warning Light on page 3-42for more information.
Idle Shutdown
If your vehicle has a diesel engine it could have an
engine idle shutdown feature.
This feature automatically shuts down the engine after it
idles continuously for five minutes and if the following
conditions are met:
•The parking brake is set.
•The vehicle is at a complete stop.
•The automatic transmission is in NEUTRAL (N) or
PARK (P).
If the parking brake is not engaged, then the engine
shuts down after 15 minutes of continuous idling
operation.
The driver can reset the engine shutdown timer by
momentarily changing the position of the accelerator,
brake, or clutch pedal or by shifting the transmission out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N). Once reset, the engine
idle shutdown will restart the shutdown sequence
described above, and will continue to do so until the
engine shuts down or the vehicle is driven.
2-19

The engine will not go into idle shutdown mode if:
•The Power Take-Off (PTO) equipment is operating.
SeePower Take-Off (PTO) on page 2-32for more
information.
•The engine coolant temperature is below 60° F.
The engine idle shutdown will be activated once
the vehicle coolant reaches 60°F or above.
•The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) is in regeneration
mode and the green DPF lamp is illuminated to
notify the driver that DPF is regenerating. The
engine idle shutdown mode will be overridden for
the time necessary to complete the regeneration
process, up to a maximum of 30 minutes.
•Service or maintenance is being performed on the
engine. The engine idle shutdown mode may be
deactivated, by using a diagnostic scan tool,
for a period of up to a maximum of 60 minutes.
The ENGINE SHUTDOWN WARNING LIGHT will come
on and a continuous chime will alert the driver
30 seconds before the engine goes into idle shutdown
mode. The engine shutdown warning light and chime will
stay on for the entire duration of the idle shutdown
event to inform the driver that the engine is in idle
shutdown mode. SeeEngine Shutdown Warning Light
on page 3-39for more information.After the engine shutdown occurs, the engine is no
longer running, and the ignition is still in the ON/RUN
position, all accessories can be used. Turn the ignition
switch to START to restart the engine or turn it to
LOCK/OFF to prevent the battery from draining.
High Idle System
High Idle System with Switch
If your vehicle has this
feature, the manual high
idle switch is located in the
instrument panel
switchbank.
2-20

During this warm-up period, check your warning lights
and gages:
•If oil pressure does not begin to rise within
15 seconds of starting, stop the engine and find the
cause. SeeOil Pressure Gage on page 3-37for
more information.
•If the engine coolant temperature gage needle goes
into the hot area on the gage, stop the engine and
find the cause of the overheating. SeeEngine
Coolant Temperature Gage on page 3-35for more
information.
•If you have air brakes, the dual-needle air pressure
gage should read at least 115 psi (790 kPa) for both
service systems before you try to move the vehicle.
When air pressure is below 60 psi (420 kPa), the
LOW AIR light will come on and you will hear a tone
alarm. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 3-32for more information. If the pressure does
not build up or drops during warm-up, stop the
engine and find the cause before you try to move the
vehicle. Recommended air pressure before driving is
120 psi (830 kPa). SeeAir Pressure Gage on
page 3-46for more information.
•The charging system light should come on when the
ignition key is turned to ON/RUN or START and
should go out when the engine is running above idle.
If the light does not go out or comes back on during
normal engine operation, have the charging system
checked right away. (This light tells you if the
generator is not charging; it does not reflect the
condition of the battery.) SeeCharging System Light
on page 3-30for more information.
•The voltmeter charge indicator gage tells you the
condition of your battery’s charge. The gage should
be in the center area during engine operation. The
red area on the left indicates an undercharge
condition; the red area on the right indicates an
overcharge. If the gage is in either red area, have the
battery and charging system checked right away.
SeeVoltmeter Gage on page 3-31for more
information.
Notice:Do not allow the engine to operate at low
idle for more than ve minutes. This can cause
low engine operating temperatures which can affect
engine operation and reduce engine life. Engine
idle speed should be increased to 1200 rpm
whenever extended idle is required. Once started,
the engine should be placed under load to allow the
engine coolant temperature to reach 150°F (66°C)
before shutting off the engine.
2-24

Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case out of NEUTRAL, do the
following:
1. Set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake (With
Hydraulic Brakes) on page 2-38orParking Brake
(With Air Brakes) on page 2-41for parking
brake apply procedure.
2. Apply the regular brake pedal.
3. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Turn the transfer case knob to the desired shift
position (Two-Wheel High, Four-Wheel High,
Four-Wheel Low).
6. After the transfer case has shifted out of NEUTRAL,
the indicator light goes out.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that
the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.7. Release the parking brake.
8. Start the engine and shift the transmission lever to
the desired position.
Excessively shifting the transfer case into or out of the
different modes can cause the transfer case to enter the
shift protection mode. This protects the transfer case from
possible damage and only allows the transfer case to
respond to one shift per 10 seconds. The transfer case
can stay in this mode for up to three minutes.
Parking
{CAUTION:
If you do not park your vehicle properly, it can
roll. If you have left the engine running, it can
move very quickly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on level ground, follow the
steps below.
2-37

To set the foot pedal parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down with your right foot. Push down
the parking brake pedal with your left foot.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
without the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or
others could be injured. To be sure your vehicle
will not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set the parking brake.
To set the hand lever parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down with your right foot. Pull up on
the handle with your right hand, until it stops.If the ignition is on when the parking brake is set, the
brake system warning light will come on.
Once the parking brake is applied, slowly remove your
foot from the regular brake pedal, while checking to
see if the vehicle moves. If the vehicle does start
to move, press the regular brake pedal and adjust the
parking brake holding force. See “Parking Brake
Adjustment” later in this section.
If the parking brake still does not set, take the vehicle to
your dealer/retailer for service.
To release the foot pedal parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down. Pull the brake release handle,
located just above the parking brake pedal.
To release the hand lever parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down and push down on the handle
until it stops.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
2-39

{CAUTION:
If you apply any one of the air brake parking
controls while the vehicle is moving, your rig
will stop suddenly. If you are not ready for
this, you or others could be injured. Do not
apply any one of these controls while you are
driving, unless you have to make an
emergency stop.
If the air pressure drops below 60 to 70 psi
(413 to 482 kPa), the primary brake light and warning
buzzer will come on. If the air pressure drops to
35 to 45 psi (241 to 310 kPa), the red trailer air supply
knob will automatically pop out and apply the spring
brakes on the trailer.
If the air pressure drops to 35 to 45 psi (241 to 310 kPa),
the yellow park brake knob will automatically pop out
and apply the spring brakes on the truck or tractor.
If you ever have a complete loss of air so that your air
brakes automatically apply, there is a way that the
tow operator can release the parking brakes to tow the
vehicle. SeeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-24.
Parking Brake Burnish Procedure
All vehicles which have hydraulic brakes have a parking
brake. It is recommended that the parking brake be
burnished as part of the new vehicle break-in. The
parking brake will work best after it has been burnished
following these instructions:
1. Make sure that there is no other traffic around,
bring the vehicle speed up to 20 mph (32 km/h)
and apply the parking brake. Let the vehicle come
to a complete stop. Apply the base brakes and
disengage the parking brake.
2. Repeat the burnishing procedure in Step 1 a total
of 10 times
3. Between stops, drive the vehicle about
2.5 miles (4 km)
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
damage the transmission and brake system parts.
Verify that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before driving.
2-43