# What is this orange indicator light?



## JPull07 (Jun 16, 2016)

What is this light? Check engine?ive still got a 30 day warranty would it be covered?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Yes. 

Autozone or something will read the code for free. 

If you just bought the car, they should honor their warranty and fix it, but depending on the code, it may be covered under the manufacturers powertrains warranty.


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## JPull07 (Jun 16, 2016)

jblackburn said:


> Yes.
> 
> Autozone or something will read the code for free.
> 
> If you just bought the car, they should honor their warranty and fix it, but depending on the code, it may be covered under the manufacturers powertrains warranty.


Thanks, I just noticed it today on my way into work, so I hope it isnt anything too major as I just did the purchase a week ago. You think it best to run it up to autzone first and then call the dealer?


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

JPull07 said:


> Thanks, I just noticed it today on my way into work, so I hope it isnt anything too major as I just did the purchase a week ago. You think it best to run it up to autzone first and then call the dealer?


Sounds like a good plan - then at least you'll have some idea of what the code was - write down the Pxxxx numbers (dealers don't always communicate those directly).


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## Philb (Jun 18, 2016)

From owner's manual:
If the malfunction indicator lamp comes on while the engine is running, this indicates that the OBD II system has detected a problem and diagnosis and service might be required.


Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before any problem is apparent. Being aware of the light can prevent more serious damage to the vehicle. This system also assists the dealer technician in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.


Notice: If the vehicle is continually driven with this light on, the emission controls might not work as well, the vehicle 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 the vehicle warranty.


Notice: Modifications made to the engine, transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of the vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with other than those of the same Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) can affect the vehicle's emission controls and can cause this light to come on. Modifications to these systems could lead to costly repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty. This could also result in a failure to pass a required Emission


This light comes on during a malfunction in one of two ways: Light Flashing


: A misfire condition has been detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and could damage the emission control system on the vehicle. Diagnosis and service might be required.


To prevent more serious damage to the vehicle:


• Reduce vehicle speed.


• Avoid hard accelerations.


• Avoid steep uphill grades.


• If the vehicle is towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.


If the light continues to flash, find a safe place to stop and park the vehicle. Turn the vehicle off, wait at least 10 seconds, and restart the engine. If the light is still flashing, follow the previous steps and see your dealer for service as soon as possible.


Light On Steady: An emission control system malfunction has been detected on the vehicle.


Diagnosis and service might be required.


The following may correct an emissions control system malfunction:


• Check that the fuel cap is fully installed. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has 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.


• Check that good quality fuel is used. Poor fuel quality causes the engine not to run as efficiently as designed and may cause stalling after start-up, stalling when the vehicle is changed into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration.


These conditions might go away once the engine is warmed up.


If one or more of these conditions occurs, change the fuel brand used.


It may require at least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.


If none of the above have made the light turn off, your dealer can check the vehicle. The dealer has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical problems that might have developed.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Hate these newer vehicles, older ones with O2 sensors and fuel injection would display them. Your engine computer has a complete self diagnostic system that is constantly looking at it self, and if anything is wrong, no matter how minor, the check engine lamp comes on. 

Cruze already has a DIC, could be nice for a change and display these codes, but they want you to run to your dealer every five minutes and get robbed. So why don't we just leave these things in the showroom.

Problems? How about your oil dipstick is not fully inserted? Generates a so-called type A code that can only be reset by a scanner. Carbon canister is mounted back by the fuel tank, splash of water can get into the purge valve, freeze, keep it from closing it, also a type A code, working perfectly fine when it melts, that check engine stays lite until reset.

A mouse crawling up your exhaust pipe can generate a secondary O2 sensor code. But be okay when the exhaust cooks it and blows it out. Sure you don't want to read another 400 examples. Minor misfires can damage the cat, this would be expensive as can a defective camshaft solenoid not keeping exhaust gas in the cylinder that causes severe valve damage.

Could even have two check engine lights, one that says stop your engine, other that says, no big deal, get to it never you can.

Another name for the CEL is HAL, heart attack lamp.


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## Philb (Jun 18, 2016)

NickD said:


> Hate these newer vehicles, older ones with O2 sensors and fuel injection would display them. Your engine computer has a complete self diagnostic system that is constantly looking at it self, and if anything is wrong, no matter how minor, the check engine lamp comes on.
> 
> Cruze already has a DIC, could be nice for a change and display these codes, but they want you to run to your dealer every five minutes and get robbed. So why don't we just leave these things in the showroom.
> 
> ...


Two check engine lights is a good idea. How about if one says "Please ignore other light."


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## JPull07 (Jun 16, 2016)

So strange. I swore it stayed on on the way home but then when I was heading up to autozone to get it tested it didnt even come on. My wife says I'm crazy (she's probably right but lets not give her that lol )


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

JPull07 said:


> So strange. I swore it stayed on on the way home but then when I was heading up to autozone to get it tested it didnt even come on. My wife says I'm crazy (she's probably right but lets not give her that lol )


It takes multiple occurrences (or a multiple times of a condition not being present) to flag the check engine light. It will most likely be back again, but you could still check for "pending" codes in the computer.

Out of curiosity, because I had the same thing happen where mine went off - remove the spark plug cover from the top of the engine (just pull up at both ends), and listen for a hissing sound from the valve at the upper right of the cam cover. It should not be sucking air; this creates a vacuum leak and is probably the most common cause of a check engine light and poor idle on these cars.


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## its a syn (Feb 24, 2016)

May be caused by a untight gas cap also.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

its a syn beat me to it. A CEL that goes away in my experience is a loose gas cap.


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## JPull07 (Jun 16, 2016)

Will check both of these, thanks for the suggestion. I still have a few days left on the warranty so will keep an eye on it.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

JPull07 said:


> Will check both of these, thanks for the suggestion. I still have a few days left on the warranty so will keep an eye on it.


Take it in to a local auto parts store. Many of these can read codes and many will do it for free. You need the codes to determine if this is critical or not.


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## jsusanka (Jan 31, 2011)

its a syn said:


> May be caused by a untight gas cap also.


The only time I had a check engine light my gas cap came off. It was like the second week I had the car and I didn't screw the cap on correctly. Put the cap back and the light went back out after a little while I didn't even have the code read since when I checked the cap it just about fell out when I opened the gas cap cover.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Never laid out 5,600 bucks for a GM Tech II scanner yet with the ABS module, did buy some less expensive scanners. But quite pleased with Pro Torque from goggle play for five bucks installed on my smart phone. Have or had an iCar blue tooth elm327 plugged in they diagnostic port with an off on switch so could leave it in all the time for 20 bucks.

When a code did pop up, would do a net search to let me know what it is. Could also reset it on the road. Even shows so-called history codes.

For whatever strange reason, low cost scanners will not show ABS codes, stupid, claim liability when these basterds lie that in no way does ABS interfere with the primary service brakes. Sure does if a solenoid valve transistor leaks or a valve sticks, no brakes at all to that wheel.

How about this in a 93 Olds Bravada, with an ABS light on, dealer said 900 bucks to repair it, what cause that light to come on in the first place was a flat tire, and once set would stay set. All I needed was a paper clip to short out two pins on the diagnostic plug to reset it, when out an never came back on again. Live in a world loaded with crooks.

ABS is another bad joke, use cheap sensors that only cost 75 cents sensors with cheap wire and connectors running all over the place under your vehicle exposed to road salt that give more problems than they are worth, totally useless on glare ice roads. Traction control uses the same crap and even kills the engine when one wheel slips on ice.

Not only idiot engineers, but idiots running our country making this POS law and another reason for dealers to lie and cheat and screw the hail out of us if you don't know your vehicle.

How about this with crap rear calipers put on my then new Cruze, wouldn't ratchet to adjust the brakes. Go into my dealer, told nothing wrong with your Cruze, ain't getting any codes, what an AH. This is the kind of BS you have to put up with today.


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## anthonysmith93 (Jul 15, 2015)

When I went to check a "pending" code/intermittent engine light (on my old car) the auto parts stores all turned me away saying the light HAD to currently be on, or nothing would show up. I knew that wasn't true but they weren't even willing to plug in their scanners


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

anthonysmith93 said:


> When I went to check a "pending" code/intermittent engine light (on my old car) the auto parts stores all turned me away saying the light HAD to currently be on, or nothing would show up. I knew that wasn't true but they weren't even willing to plug in their scanners


Guess they never heard of history codes. With GM, the IC engine has not changed since the 1903 Buick, no CEL back then, had to use external test equipment to find problems, with me, a compressor and oil pressure test is the first step, also use an AF ratio meter, timing light, cylinder balance tester, cylinder leakdown test, and brains. Brains were replaced by an 89 cent microcontroller.

With the start of OBD I, code was stored in PROM, but also have both open and closed loop mode, O2 sensor and the catalytic converter are worthless with a cold engine, so open loop was learned from closed loop operation and stored in RAM, disconnect the battery of a half a second, that code was lost, car would run rough for 15 or so miles until it relearned.

But when full operating specifications were given for all the sensors, could bench test all of these and made darn sure all were within tolerance, 88 Supra is this way, so when I do disconnect the battery, nothing to relearn, engine start perfectly. They are not giving sensor specifications anymore, concerned about warranty replacement.

With the advent of OBD II not only relearn is stored in non-erasable memory, but the code as well, entirely stupid for the firmware, so disconnecting the battery is no longer a problem.

In the design of military self diagnostic systems secondary and even tertiary references were used, but not with consumable grade throwaway automobiles like we get stuck with. Most are only good for determining a complete or opened sensor, not a darn thing to do with way out of tolerance. But are trying to use code for cross checking, good luck.

Their idea of checking a sensor is to replace it with a known good one, but how do you know whats good or bad without specifications? This results in a huge amount of time wasted and money by replacing good parts with who knows what.

Never in the history of automotive have I experience more idiots working in this field, and this is exactly what the problem is. Can start off right at the top with the EPA.

And treating a loose gas cap like a very serious engine problem that can toast the engine is entirely stupid, but this is the way it is today. 

Ha, your bumper isn't falling off, ain't getting a code.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Ha, in the start of emissions testing, first it was just HC's, then CO, was added, then NOx's, and now CO2 is being made a strong issue.

Bottom line is just putting into the engine two basis elements, carbon and nitrogen, get rid of these two, won't be an emission problems.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

JPull07 said:


> Thanks, I just noticed it today on my way into work, so I hope it isnt anything too major as I just did the purchase a week ago. You think it best to run it up to autzone first and then call the dealer?


Hello JPull07,

We apologize that you're having concerns with the check engine light in your Cruze. If you'd like assistance in setting up a dealership appointment, please send us a private message with your full contact information, VIN, mileage, and your preferred dealership to move forward.

Have a good day!

Chelsea D.
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## _MerF_ (Mar 24, 2015)

NickD said:


> Hate these newer vehicles, older ones with O2 sensors and fuel injection would display them. Your engine computer has a complete self diagnostic system that is constantly looking at it self, and if anything is wrong, no matter how minor, the check engine lamp comes on.


Yeah, these jerks trying to tell us that we could do something preventative to stop a potential problem before it gets expensive. :idisagree:


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

_MerF_ said:


> Yeah, these jerks trying to tell us that we could do something preventative to stop a potential problem before it gets expensive. :idisagree:


How dare the car even try to tell me that it thinks it knows what's wrong with it! I'd much rather blindly throw parts at it!


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I don't mind the CEL, but please, stop disabling vehicle control safety systems for a bloody gas cap off alert or other such nonsense that has absolutely nothing to do with vehicle control. In engineering design there's a concept of graceful degradation - the CEL systems in modern cars fail this in so many ways.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

How about a worn brush detector? Brushes are used in alternators, starters, blower motors, fuel pumps, windshield wiper motors, power windows and door lock motors, good one day, dead the next. When only generators and starters were used, had a one screw cover for a very quick check, now everything made today is throwaway, just because of a nickel brush?

Would be awfully difficult to detect a low or dried lube in lubed for life bearings. Have four of these on your wheels and in the belt drive train, can also be good one day and seized the next. Use to have zerk fittings on these for a lube refresh, today, more throwaway parts. If one bearing seizes up, can be disastrous in a wheel, or leave you stranded in some God forsaken place in sub zero weather. When tapered bearings where used, could very easily be checked, cleaned and relubed.

Same with suspension components, ball joints use to have zerk fittings and last a very long time, even added these to my Cavalier, tight after 160K miles, too bad I didn't grease that unibody. With the Cruze, not only the ball joint has to be replaced, but the control arm its welded to. That saved a couple of screws.

Battery needs look at, batteries with cap where you could fill them with distilled water lasted a lot longer, maintenance free sucks to borrow a teenage word, another throwaway part, electrolyte still gets low, goodbye a bunch of bucks. The terminals must be clean, key function beside starting your vehicle is filtering out the huge spikes in your alternator, too cheap to add a linear regulator that doesn't have spikes, and with all these electronics, can cook those as well, dey all do dis. Plus other key electrical terminals, can't check them all, way too many.

Ha, found a NOS complete wiring harness for my 30 Model A, could put the whole thing in my jacket pocket.

For safety adding all this entertainment to our vehicles that for some is distracting, and driving at 90 feet per second, not much room for error.

Infrastructure sure has gone to hail, had much better roads in the 50's than we have today, actually the same roads, can't even be maintained. And what about the EPA or DNR blocking road construction because of some worm or other insect in the ground?

And perhaps a degree of corruption, those cones put on the road that cause my wife to slow down, because they were in the middle of the road. The reason why they were there, were rebuilding a bridge that is only 14 years old! Those lanes were closed causing the drivers to share the lanes for the other bridge.

This is sure not the same country I was planted in, seems like everything is going to hail. One thing I like about my Supra, not a thing I can't do myself on that car without getting into bed with a dealer first. Car manufacturers better start taking an interest in their customers.


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## its a syn (Feb 24, 2016)

pull the battery cables an leave off for at least an hour and see if it resets its self.


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## sedanfan (Jun 17, 2016)

Computer should just notify the user via the DIC: "Check for loose fuel cap"

or the DIC should display the trouble code itself so at least the driver has some idea what is wrong after he gets home and looks up the code.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

sedanfan said:


> Computer should just notify the user via the DIC: "Check for loose fuel cap"
> 
> or the DIC should display the trouble code itself so at least the driver has some idea what is wrong after he gets home and looks up the code.


I'd love to have this feature - give me a display with the stored codes and a quick title.


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## JPull07 (Jun 16, 2016)

has not come back on since... So seems to be in the clear for now!


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## nealweaver85 (Jan 15, 2015)

When your car's "Check Engine" light comes on, it's usually accompanied by a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. The light could mean a costly problem, like a bad catalytic converter, or it could be something minor, like a loose gas cap. But in many cases, it means at minimum that you'll be visiting the car dealer to locate the malfunction and get the light turned off.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

About the only thing disconnecting the negative battery cable will do is to reset the clock, everything else is stored in flashram, nonerasable. CEL can also pop on due to a glitch caused by a poor electrical connection.

One extremely stupid thing about automotive electronics is that they are trying to solve problems without an oscilloscope and posting really idiotic statements like, solid state do not test. To tell it exactly like it is and with 60 successful years in this field, we have idiots writing instructions for idiots. Would be dead meat without my scopes, one reason why I have eight of them for different applications. These are my eyes, without them would be blind.

Another thing I hate when my job moved to China was losing my access to software, can either have software or hardware problems. But how can a company survive in this stupid country ran by spoil brat kids. China does not have to put up with the EPA, OSHA, ERA, DOT, the IRS, DNR, super high cost of health insurance, workmans compensation, liability suits, and all the rest of the BS while trying to make a profit.

Another thing I hated about my Cruze was using these super cheap Made in China point contact relays, never seen such crap used in a vehicle in my life, so you wonder why you have problems.

Can reboot the system, but besides turning off the key, have to open a door first, wonder what idiot came up with this. 

First question I ask, is how is the engine running. Another really stupid thing the Cruze is doing is mounting the carbon canister and purge valve clear back by the fuel tank exposed both to road salt and water puddles. Was never much of a problem when mounted up high on the firewall, and not talking about a huge V-10 up there but a tiny little four, all kinds of room.

How is this for stupidity, putting that large rubber grommet on a gas station fuel nozzle, and tell us to put that tight at the fuel filler tube. If you do this, that pump will click off as soon as you turn it on. On easy living in a country ran by idiots.

Could write a book on this subject.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Should be called the EWL (empty wallet light) in many cases.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

obermd said:


> Should be called the EWL (empty wallet light) in many cases.


Or HAL from that 2001 Space Odyssey movie.

*H*eart *A*ttack *L*amp

Ha, could only wonder if there will be a liability suit if that lamp comes on causing someone to have a heart attack. Sure makes my family and friends panic. Or is this Pan Nick?


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## sedanfan (Jun 17, 2016)

NickD said:


> About the only thing disconnecting the negative battery cable will do is to reset the clock, everything else is stored in flashram, nonerasable.


It's not non-erasable. It's called nonvolatile. Nonvolatile means it won't be erased if there is no power to the chip. It can still be erased on command when powered up.


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## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

sedanfan said:


> Computer should just notify the user via the DIC: "Check for loose fuel cap"
> 
> or the DIC should display the trouble code itself so at least the driver has some idea what is wrong after he gets home and looks up the code.


I'm OK with the idea of the MIL alerting the operator that something needs attention, but the requirement to connect a scanner to retrieve any useful information seem decidedly anti-consumer. That might have been OK with the first generation with no display, but not in modern cars with a DIC. Heck, I could retrieve codes from my Corsica (OBDI) with a "magic paperclip" and counting light blinks. Can't do that on the Cruze.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

sedanfan said:


> It's not non-erasable. It's called nonvolatile. Nonvolatile means it won't be erased if there is no power to the chip. It can still be erased on command when powered up.


You are correct in terminology, but taken in context, and keeping it simple, statement is correct, these codes will not go away or be reset by disconnecting the battery. But neither will the vehicle configuration, nor the paired phones, or the radio presets be reset that is a good thing. Bad thing is if you are going in for an emissions test, won't pass it.


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