GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Abbreviation

Meaning

A

A

Ampere(s)

ABS

Antilock Brake System

A/C

Air Conditioning

AC

Alternating Current

ACC

Accessory, Automatic Climate Control

ACL

Air Cleaner

ACR4

Air Conditioning Refrigerant, Recovery, Recycling, Recharging

A/D

Analog to Digital

ADL

Automatic Door Lock

A/F

Air/Fuel (Ratio)

AIR

Secondary Air Injection

ALC

Automatic Level Control

AM/FM

Amplitude Modulation/Frequency Modulation

Ant

Antenna

AP

Accelerator Pedal

API

American Petroleum Institute

APP

Accelerator Pedal Position

APT

Adjustable Part Throttle

ARS

Automatic Restraint System

ASR

Acceleration Slip Regulation

A/T

Automatic Transmission/Transaxle

ATC

Automatic Temperature Control

ATDC

After Top Dead Center

Auto

Automatic

AUX

Auxiliary

avg

average

AWD

All Wheel Drive

AWG

American Wire Gage

B

B+

Battery Positive Voltage

B-

Battery Negative Voltage

BARO

Barometric (pressure)

batt

battery

BBV

Brake Booster Vacuum

BCM

Body Control Module

BHP

Brake Horsepower

BLK

Black

BLU

Blue

BP

Back Pressure

BPM

Brake Pressure Modulator

BPMV

Brake Pressure Modulator Valve

BPP

Brake Pedal Position

BRN

Brown

BTDC

Before Top Dead Center

Btu

British thermal units

C

°C

Degrees Celsius

CAC

Charge Air Cooler

CAFE

Corporate Average Fuel Economy

Cal

Calibration

Cam

Camshaft

CARB

California Air Resources Board

cc

cubic centimeters

CCM

Central Control Module

CCOT

Cycling Clutch Orifice Tube

CCP

Climate Control Panel

CD

Compact Disc

CE

Commutator End

CEAB

Cold Engine Air Bleed

CEMF

Counter Electromotive Force

cfm

cubic feet per minute

cg

center of gravity

CID

Cubic Inch Displacement

CKP

Crankshaft Position

CKT

Circuit

CL

Closed Loop

C/Ltr

Cigar Lighter

CMP

Camshaft Position

CNG

Compressed Natural Gas

CO

Carbon Monoxide

CO2

Carbon Dioxide

Coax

Coaxial

COMM

Communication

Conn

Connector

CPA

Connector Position Assurance

CPP

Clutch Pedal Position

CPS

Central Power Supply

CPU

Central Processing Unit

CRT

Cathode Ray Tube

CRTC

Cathode Ray Tube Controller

CS

Charging System

CTP

Closed Throttle Position

cu ft

cubic foot/feet

cu in

cubic inch/inches

CV

Constant Velocity (joint)

CVRSS

Continuously Variable Road Sensing Suspension

Cyl

Cylinder(s)

D

DAB

Delayed Accessory Bus

dB

decibels

dBA

decibels on A-weighted scale

DC

Direct Current

DCM

Door Control Module

DE

Drive End

DEC

Digital Electronic Controller

DERM

Diagnostic Energy Reserve Module

DI

Distributor Ignition

dia

diameter

DIC

Driver Information Center

Diff

Differential

DK

Dark

DLC

Data Link Connector

DMM

Digital Multimeter

DOHC

Dual Overhead Camshafts

DR

Driver

DRL

Daytime Running Lamps

DTC

Diagnostic Trouble Code

E

EBCM

Electronic Brake Control Module

EBTCM

Electronic Brake and Traction Control Module

EC

Electrical Center

ECC

Electronic Climate Control

ECI

Extended Compressor at Idle

ECL

Engine Coolant Level

ECM

Engine Control Module

ECS

Emission Control System

ECT

Engine Coolant Temperature

EEPROM

Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory

EEVIR

Evaporator Equalized Values in Receiver

EFE

Early Fuel Evaporation

EGR

Exhaust Gas Recirculation

EGR TVV

Exhaust Gas Recirculation Thermal Vacuum Valve

EI

Electronic Ignition

ELAP

Elapsed

ELC

Electronic Level Control

E/M

English / Metric

EMF

Electromotive Force

Eng

Engine

EOP

Engine Oil Pressure

EOT

Engine Oil Temperature

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

EPR

Exhaust Pressure Regulator

EPROM

Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory

ESC

Electronic Suspension Control

ESD

Electrostatic Discharge

ETC

Electronic Throttle Control, Electronic Temperature Control

ETCC

Electronic Touch Climate Control

ETR

Electronically Tuned Receiver

EVAP

Evaporative Emission

EVO

Electronic Variable Orifice

Exh

Exhaust

F

°F

Degrees Fahrenheit

FC

Fan Control

FDC

Fuel Data Center

FED

Federal (all United States except California)

FEDS

Fuel Enable Data Stream

FF

Flexible Fuel

FI

Fuel Injection

FMVSS

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

F/P

Fuel Pump

ft

foot/feet

FT

Fuel Trim

F4WD

Full Time Four Wheel Drive

4WAL

Four Wheel Antilock

4WD

Four Wheel Drive

FW

Flat Wire

FWD

Front Wheel Drive

G

g

grams, gravitational acceleration

GA

Gage

gal

gallon

gas

gasoline

GCW

Gross Combination Weight

Gen

Generator

GL

Gear Lubricant

GM

General Motors

GM SPO

General Motors Service Parts Operations

gnd

ground

gpm

gallons per minute

GRN

Green

GRY

Gray

GVWR

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

H

H

Hydrogen

H2O

Water

Harn

Harness

HC

Hydrocarbons

H/CMPR

High Compression

HD

Heavy Duty

HDC

Heavy Duty Cooling

hex

hexagon

Hg

Mercury

Hi Alt

High Altitude

HO2S

Heated Oxygen Sensor

hp

horsepower

HPL

High Pressure Liquid

HPS

High Performance System

HPV

High Pressure Vapor

Htd

Heated

HTR

Heater

HUD

Head-up Display

HVAC

Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning

HVACM

Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning Module

HVM

Heater Vent Module

Hz

Hertz

I

IAC

Idle Air Control

IAT

Intake Air Temperature

IC

Integrated Circuit, Ignition Control

ICM

Ignition Control Module

ID

Identification, Inside Diameter

IDI

Integrated Direct Ignition

ign

ignition

ILC

Idle Load Compensator

in

inch/inches

INJ

Injection

inst

instantaneous

I/P

Instrument Panel

IPC

Instrument Panel Cluster

I/PEC

Instrument Panel Electrical Center

ISC

Idle Speed Control

ISO

International Standards Organization

ISS

Input Speed Shaft

K

KAM

Keep Alive Memory

KDD

Keyboard Display Driver

kg

kilogram

kHz

kilohertz

km

kilometer

km/h

kilometers per hour

km/l

kilometers per liter

kPa

kilopascals

KS

Knock Sensor

kV

kilovolts

L

L

Liter

L4

Four Cylinder Engine, In-line

L6

Six Cylinder Engine, In-Line

lb

pound

lb ft

pound feet (torque)

lb in

pound inch (torque)

LCD

Liquid Crystal Display

LDCL

Left Door Closed Locking

LDCM

Left Door Control Module

LED

Light Emitting Diode

LF

Left Front

LH

Left Hand

lm

lumens

LR

Left Rear

lt

left

LT

Light

M

MAF

Mass Air Flow

Man

Manual

MAP

Manifold Absolute Pressure

MAT

Manifold Absolute Temperature

max

maximum

M/C

Mixture Control

MDP

Manifold Differential Pressure

MFI

Multiport Fuel Injection

mi

miles

MIL

Malfunction Indicator Lamp

min

minimum

ml

milliliter

mm

millimeter

mpg

miles per gallon

mph

miles per hour

ms

millisecond

MST

Manifold Surface Temperature

M/T

Manual Transmission/Transaxle

MV

Megavolt

mV

millivolt

N

NAES

North American Export Sales

NC

Normally Closed

NEG

Negative

Neu

Neutral

NLGI

National Lubricating Grease Institute

N·m

Newton-meter (torque)

NO

Normally Open

NOx

Oxides of Nitrogen

NPTC

National Pipe Thread Coarse

NPTF

National Pipe Thread Fine

NVRAM

Non Volatile Random Access Memory

O

O2

Oxygen

O2S

Oxygen Sensor

OBD II

On-Board Diagnostics II

OC

Oxidation Converter (Catalytic)

OD

Outside Diameter

ODO

Odometer

OE

Original Equipment

OEM

Original Equipment Manufacturer

OHC

Overhead Camshaft

OL

Open Loop

ORN

Orange

OSS

Output Shaft Speed

oz

ounce(s)

P

PAG

Polyalkylene Glycol

PASS

Passenger

PASS-Key®

Personalized Automotive Security System

P/B

Power Brakes

PC

Pressure Control

PCB

Printed Circuit Board

PCM

Powertrain Control Module

PCS

Pressure Control Solenoid

PCV

Positive Crankcase Ventilation

PM

Permanent Magnet (Generator)

P/N

Part Number

PNK

Pink

PNP

Park/Neutral Position

PRNDL

Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low

POA

Pilot Operated Absolute (Valve)

POS

Positive

POT

Potentiometer (Variable Resistor)

PPL

Purple

ppm

parts per million

PROM

Programmable Read Only Memory

P/S

Power Steering

PSD

Power Sliding Door

PSP

Power Steering Pressure

psi

pounds per square inch

psia

pounds per square inch absolute

psig

pounds per square inch gage

pt

pint

PWM

Pulse Width Modulated

Q

qt

quart(s)

R

R-12

Refrigerant-12

R-134a

Refrigerant-134a

RAM

Random Access Memory (non permanent memory devise, memory contents are lost when power is removed)

RAP

Retained Accessory Power

RAV

Remote Activation Verification

RCDLR

Remote Control Door Lock Receiver

RDCM

Right Door Control Module

Ref

Reference

Rev

Reverse

RF

Right Front, Radio Frequency

RFA

Remote Function Actuation

RFI

Radio Frequency Interference

RH

Right Hand

RKE

Remote Keyless Entry

Rly

Relay

ROM

Read Only Memory (permanent memory devise, memory contents are retained when power is removed)

RPM

Engine Speed (Revolutions Per Minute)

RPO

Regular Production Option

RR

Right Rear

rt

right

RTD

Real Time Damping

RTV

Room Temperature Vulcanizing (sealer)

RWAL

Rear Wheel Antilock

RWD

Rear Wheel Drive

S

s

second(s)

SAE

Society of Automotive Engineers

SC

Supercharger

SCB

Supercharger Bypass

SCM

Seat Control Module

SDM

Sensing and Diagnostic Module

SEO

Special Equipment Option

SFI

Sequential Multiport Fuel Injection

SI

System International (modern version of metric system)

SIR

Supplemental Inflatable Restraint

SLA

Short/Long Arm (suspension)

sol

solenoid

SO2

Sulfur Dioxide

SP

Splice Pack

SPO

Service Parts Operations

sq ft

square foot/feet

sq in

square inch/inches

SRC

Service Ride Control

SRI

Service Reminder Indicator

ST

Scan Tool

S4WD

Selectable Four Wheel Drive

Sw

Switch

syn

synchronizer

T

Tach

Tachometer

TBI

Throttle Body Fuel Injection

TC

Turbocharger

TCC

Torque Converter Clutch

TCS

Traction Control System

TDC

Top Dead Center

TEMP

Temperature

Term

Terminal

TFP

Transmission Fluid Pressure

TFT

Transmission Fluid Temperature

TOC

Transmission Oil Cooler

TP

Throttle Position

TPA

Terminal Positive Assurance

TPM

Tire Pressure Monitoring

TR

Transmission Range

TRANS

Transmission/Transaxle

TV

Throttle Valve

TVRS

Television and Radio Suppression

TVV

Thermal Vacuum Valve

TWC

Three Way Converter (Catalytic)

TWC+OC

Three Way + Oxidation Converter (Catalytic)

TXV

Thermal Expansion Valve

U

UART

Universal Asynchronous Receive and Transmit

U/H

Underhood

U/HEC

Underhood Electrical Center

U-joint

Universal Joint

UTD

Universal Theft Deterrent

UV

Ultraviolet

V

V

Volt(s), Voltage

V6

Six Cylinder Engine, V-Type

V8

Eight Cylinder Engine, V-Type

Vac

Vacuum

VAC

Vehicle Access Code

VATS

Vehicle Anti-Theft System

VCM

Vehicle Control Module

VDOT

Variable Displacement Orifice Tube

VDV

Vacuum Delay Valve

vel

velocity

VES

Variable Effort Steering

VF

Vacuum Fluorescent

VIO

Violet

VIN

Vehicle Identification Number

VMV

Vacuum Modulator Valve

VR

Voltage Regulator

V ref

Voltage Reference

VSS

Vehicle Speed Sensor

W

w/

with

W/B

Wheel Base

WHL

Wheel

WHT

White

w/o

without

WOT

Wide Open Throttle

W/P

Water Pump

W/S

Windshield

WSS

Wheel Speed Sensor

WU-OC

Warm Up Oxidation Converter (Catalytic)

WU-TWC

Warm Up Three Way Converter (Catalytic)

X

X-valve

Expansion valve

Y

yd

yard(s)

YEL

Yellow