Service Vehicle Light

[akcamaro02]

When I started my car this morning, the "brake" light, indicating you e-brake is up, flashed a couple times, went off and then this "service vehicle" light came on. Took it to autozone, no codes, now it's magically off. From what I read it's non emissions related problem, based on what people says GM's purpose of this light is for.

My question is, should I be worried?

ON a side note: I did notice, there's a slight, rapid click noise when the throttle is pressed. You can't hear it at idle, but when I had the hood open i revved it slightly and noticed it. Resembles something being put into a fan while it's in motion and No, the fans were not on.
I don't know if it's related or not.
Same goes for the fact that the gas gauge no longer works and frequently reads E when it's Full, throwing the check gauges light on. Wasn't sure if that's what caused this "service vehicle" light.

[1997Canadian3.8]

Re: Service Vehicle Light

Sounds like it could be an exhaust leak. Hard to tell your best bet would be to try taking a video.

[Docta]

Re: Service Vehicle Light

Was it REALLY cold?

[ChibiBlackSheep]

Re: Service Vehicle Light

Check your brake fluid, could be a little low too.

[akcamaro02]

Re: Service Vehicle Light

brake fluid is fine, not low, but not at Max line either. It was like 20 degrees out. No colder than the days before it when it snowed.

I took some videos but the sound of the motor and exhaust, coupled with the crap phone video equals a video of nothing.

I found this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-r427OeqAI
If you listen, there's a faint, but distinct high pitch, very rapid clicking sound as I'd call it that is there and that's what I hear, it tends to fade away once the car is at operating temp, personally it sounds like it is coming from the area of the intake manifold/throttle body/EGR area(just the upper area of the motor), but it could be a leak in the manifold and resonating off things, thus traveling upward. THen again, it could not be a leak at all. I did recently replace my cat with a high flow cat, I smelled gas in the passenger compartment for about a week but it went away.

I have no idea if this service vehicle light and these sounds are related at this point.

[akcamaro02]

Re: Service Vehicle Light

Then again, it could be a leak in the manifold and it's only noticable when it's running cold because if it's a cracked manifold, the metal might be expanding due to the extreme heat, thus closing the hole/crack.

[Hib Halverson]

Re: Service Vehicle Light

If the "service vehicle" light rather than the "service engine soon" light is on, the fault is not in the engine computer, thus, Auto Zone's scanner probably was unable to read it.

My guess is the "service vehicle" light is on because of either an ABS fault or, if the car's an automatic, a fault in the traction control system.

To read those codes, the scan tester must support GM chassis computers. Most inexpensive testers will not support the chassis computer and most Auto Zones have inexpensive testers. That may be why they found no codes.

You may need to go to a GM dealer and have them connect their TECH2 to the car to read ABS or TCS codes.

[2.8 Bird]

Re: Service Vehicle Light

Then again, it could be a leak in the manifold and it's only noticable when it's running cold because if it's a cracked manifold, the metal might be expanding due to the extreme heat, thus closing the hole/crack.

I think you just answered your own question.

Hib has a good point too.