GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

The Driver Information Center (DIC) has different modes which can be accessed by pressing the following buttons located on the instrument panel, to the right of the instrument panel cluster.


Object Number: 1370983  Size: B4
(Fuel): Press this button to display fuel information such as fuel economy and range.

(Gages): Press this button to display gage information like oil pressure and temperature, coolant temperature, automatic transmission fluid temperature, if equipped, battery voltage, and front/rear tire pressures.

TRIP: Press this button to display your total and trip distance driven, the elapsed time function, your average speed, and the engine oil life.

OPTION: Press this button to choose personal options that are available on your vehicle, depending on the options your vehicle is equipped with, such as door locks, easy entry seats, and language.

RESET: Press this button, used along with the other buttons, to reset system functions, select personal options, and turn off or acknowledge messages on the DIC.

FUEL Button

The fuel button displays average fuel economy and instantaneous fuel economy, calculated for your specific driving conditions, and range information.

Average Fuel Economy: The average fuel economy is viewed as a long-term approximation of your overall driving conditions. You should reset the average fuel economy display every time you refuel. If you press the RESET button in this mode while you are driving, the system will reset this display and begin figuring fuel economy from that point in time.

Press the fuel button to display average fuel economy, such as:

    • AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY 20.1 MPG or
    • AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY 11.7 L/100 km
Instantaneous Fuel Economy: Instantaneous fuel economy reflects only the fuel economy that the vehicle has right now and will change frequently as driving conditions change. Unlike average fuel economy, this menu item cannot be reset.

Press the fuel button again to display instantaneous fuel economy, such as:

    • INSTANT FUEL ECONOMY 20.1 MPG or
    • INSTANT FUEL ECONOMY 11.7 L/100 km
Fuel Range: The range calculates the remaining distance you can drive without refueling. It is based on fuel economy and the fuel remaining in the tank.

Press the fuel button again to display the range, such as:

    • RANGE 30 MI or
    • RANGE 48 km

If the LOW FUEL warning is displayed or if RANGE is less than 40 miles (64 km), the display will read RANGE LOW.

The fuel economy data used to determine fuel range is an average of recent driving conditions. As your driving conditions change, this data is gradually updated automatically.

If the vehicle has been idling for a long time, the range displayed on the DIC could be abnormally low. The vehicle must be driven 5-10 miles (8-16 km) to get an accurate reading.

GAGES Button

The gages button displays oil pressure, oil temperature, coolant temperature, transmission fluid temperature for automatic transmission vehicles only, battery voltage, and tire pressure information.

Oil Pressure: This display shows the oil pressure.

Press the gages button to display the oil pressure, such as:

    • OIL PRESSURE 40 PSI or
    • OIL PRESSURE 276 kPa
Oil Temperature: This display shows the oil temperature.

Press the gages button again to display the oil temperature, such as:

    • OIL TEMPERATURE 234°F or
    • OIL TEMPERATURE 112°C

If the oil temperature is low, the display will show OIL TEMPERATURE LOW. If the oil temperature is high, the display will show OIL TEMPERATURE HIGH.

Coolant Temperature: This display shows the engine coolant temperature.

Press the gages button again to display the coolant temperature, such as:

    • COOLANT TEMPERATURE 123°F or
    • COOLANT TEMPERATURE 51°C

If the coolant temperature is low, the display will show COOLANT TEMPERATURE LOW. If the coolant temperature is high, the display will show COOLANT TEMPERATURE HIGH.

Transmission Fluid Temperature: If you have an automatic transmission vehicle, this display shows the automatic transmission fluid temperature.

Press the gages button again to display the automatic transmission fluid temperature, such as:

    • TRANS FLUID TEMP 123°F or
    • TRANS FLUID TEMP 51°C

If the transmission fluid temperature is low, the display will show TRANS FLUID TEMP LOW. If the transmission fluid temperature is high, the display will show TRANS FLUID TEMP HIGH.

Battery Voltage: This display shows the current battery voltage.

Press the gages button again to display the battery voltage, such as:

    • BATTERY VOLTAGE 13.5 VOLTS
Tire Pressure: This display shows the tire pressure for each tire.

Press the gages button again to display the tire pressure for the front tires, such as:

    • FRONT TIRE PRESSURES L 34 PSI R 33 PSI or
    • FRONT TIRE PRESSURES L 234 kPa R 228 kPa

Press the gages button again to display the tire pressure for the rear tires, such as:

    • REAR TIRE PRESSURES L 34 PSI R 33 PSI or
    • REAR TIRE PRESSURES L 234 kPa R 228 kPa

Tire pressure is not available until the vehicle has reached a speed of 15 mph (24 km/h) or more.

TRIP Button

The TRIP button displays the odometer, trip distance, elapsed time, average speed, and oil life remaining information.

Odometer: The odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven in either miles or kilometers. Press the TRIP button to display odometer readings, such as:

    • ODOMETER 12345 MI or
    • ODOMETER 20008 km

Without the keys in the ignition, you can also display the odometer by turning on the parking lamps.

Trip Odometers: There are two trip odometers. Press the TRIP button to display TRIP ODOMETER A readings and press the button again to display TRIP ODOMETER B readings, such as:

    • TRIP ODOMETER A 130.5 MI or
    • TRIP ODOMETER A 209.9 km
    • TRIP ODOMETER B 300.5 MI or
    • TRIP ODOMETER B 483.5 km

Both of the trip odometers can be used simultaneously. TRIP A could be used to track the distance to a destination. TRIP B could be used to track maintenance periods. The trip odometers can be reset by pressing the RESET button on the DIC.

There is also a miles since last ignition feature that displays the number of miles (kilometers) driven since you last started the vehicle. Press and hold the RESET button for three seconds, then release it. The miles (kilometers) since the last ignition cycle will be set into the trip odometer.

Elapsed Timer: Press the TRIP button until ELAPSED TIMER is displayed, such as ELAPSED TIMER .00.

When the ignition is in ON, the DIC can be used as a stopwatch. The display can show hours, minutes and seconds. The elapsed time indicator will record up to 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds, then it will reset to zero and continue counting. The display appears as ELAPSED TIMER .00 in the elapsed time function.

You can start or stop the elapsed time by pressing the RESET button. To reset the elapsed time to zero, press the RESET button for three seconds while the timer is displayed.

Pressing and holding the RESET button for at least 10 seconds will reset the timer display to the time since last ignition cycle.

Average Speed: Press the TRIP button until the average speed is displayed, such as:

    • AVERAGE SPEED 62 MPH or
    • AVERAGE SPEED 100 km/h

Press and hold the RESET button to reset to 0.0 mph.

Engine Oil Life: Press the TRIP button until the engine oil life is displayed, such as OIL LIFE REMAINING 89%.

This is an estimate of the engine oil's remaining useful life. It will show 100% when the system is reset after an oil change. It will alert you to change your oil on a schedule consistent with your driving conditions.

When the remaining oil life is low, the system will alert you with the message CHANGE ENGINE OIL.

Remember, you must reset the engine oil life system yourself after each oil change. It will not reset itself. To reset the system, press and hold the RESET button for three seconds. Also, be careful not to reset the engine oil life system accidentally at any time other than when the oil has just been changed. It cannot be reset accurately until the next oil change.

See "How to Reset the Engine Oil Life System" under Engine Oil Life System , Scheduled Maintenance , and Engine Oil for more information.

OPTION Button

The OPTION button allows you to access the PERSONAL OPTIONS menu and customize the personalization settings on your vehicle. See DIC Vehicle Personalization for more information.

RESET Button

The RESET button, used along with other buttons, will reset system functions and turn off or acknowledge messages on the DIC.