Initial Inspection and Diagnostic Overview

1. Verify the customer concern by operating the system in question.
2. Visually inspect the components listed below:

VISUAL INSPECTION CHART

Mechanical
^ Damaged engine oil filter
^ Damaged oil pump
^ Low engine oil level
^ Stuck oil pressure gauge needle
^ Stuck coolant temperature gauge
^ Door adjustment
^ Tripped Inertia Fuel Shutoff (IFS) switch
^ Engine coolant level
^ Damaged water thermostat

Electrical
^ Blown fuse(s)
^ Damaged miniature bulb(s)
^ Damaged wiring harness
^ Loose or corroded connectors
^ Damaged instrument cluster

3. Verify the following systems are working properly:
^ Charging.
^ Fuel.
^ Cooling.
^ Safety belt warning chime (GEM).
^ Turn signals.
^ Headlamps.
^ Anti-theft.
^ Vehicle speed control (if equipped).

If the system(s) is not working properly, refer to the appropriate system.

4. If the concern remains after the inspection, connect the New Generation STAR (NGS) Tester to the Data Link Connector (DLC) located beneath the instrument panel and select the vehicle to be tested from the NGS menu. If the NGS does not communicate with the vehicle:
^ check that the program card is properly installed.
^ check the connections to the vehicle.
^ check the ignition switch position.
5. If the NGS still does not communicate with the vehicle, refer to the New Generation STAR Tester manual.
6. Perform the DATA LINK DIAGNOSTIC TEST. If the NGS Tester responds with:
^ CKT914, CKT915 or CKT70 = ALL ECUS NO RESP/NOT EQUIP, refer to Information Bus.
^ NO RESP/NOT EQUIP for Generic Electronic Module (GEM), go to Pinpoint Test A. A: No Communications With Generic Electronic Module (GEM)
^ SYSTEM PASSED, retrieve and record the continuous Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), erase the continuous DTCs and perform self-test diagnostics for the GEM.

NOTE: For vehicles built prior to February 5, 1998, the following criteria must be met when performing the GEM On-Demand Self-Test: headlamps and parklamps must be off and the power windows must be completely up. Failure to meet this criteria will result in DTCs B1577 and B2357 being set. For vehicles built after February 5, 1998, the following criteria must be met when performing the GEM On-Demand Self-Test: headlamps and parklamps must be on. Failure to meet this criteria will result in DTC B1575 being set.

7. If the DTCs retrieved are related to the concern, go to the GEM Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) Index to continue diagnostics. Diagnostic Trouble Code Tests and Associated Procedures
8. If no DTCs related to the concern are retrieved, proceed to Symptom Chart to continue diagnostics. Symptom Related Diagnostic Procedures