1994 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA headlights

Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on
your Oldsmobile. and information on
starting. shifting and braking
. Also
explained are the instrument panel
and the warning systems that tell you
if everything is working properly -
and what to do if you have a problem .
Part 2
Features & Controls
Keys ........................................................................\
.......................................... .. ....... 38
Locks ........................................................................\
.................................................. 39
Remote Lock Control
........................................................................\
........................ 40
Tailgate ........................................................................\
.............................................. 42
Ignition ........................................................................\
.............................................. 45
Starting Your Engine ........................................................................\
........................ 45
Shifting the Transmission ........................................................................\
................. 48
Parking Brake ........................................................................\
.................................... 51
Shifting into Park ........................................................................\
.............................. 51
Horn ........................................................................\
................................................... 54
Tilt Steering Wheel ........................................................................\
............................ 55
Windows ........................................................................\
............................................ 55
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever ........................................................................\
..... 55
Windshield Wipers and Washer ........................................................................\
........ 57
Cruise Control ........................................................................\
................................... 59
Headlights
........................................................................\
.......................................... 62
Fog Lights ........................................................................\
.......................................... 63
Overhead Console
........................................................................\
............................. 64
Sun Visors
........................................................................\
......................................... 69
Mirrors
........................................................................\
............................................... 69
Storage Compartments
........................................................................\
..................... 71
Ashtrays and Lighter
........................................................................\
......................... 73
Luggage Carrier ........................................................................\
................................. 74
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
..................................................................... 80
Instrument Panel ........................................................................\
............................... 76
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Tilt Steering Wheel
A tilt steering wheel allows you to
adjust the steering wheel before you
drive. You can also raise it to the
highest level to give your legs more
room when you exit and enter the
vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering
wheel and pull the lever. Move the
steering wheel
to a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel
in place.
Power Windows
Switches on the driver's door control
each of the windows when the ignition
is on. In addition, each passenger door
has a control switch for its own
.- window.
'I- I
4 Turn SignullMukifinction
Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering
column includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change
Cruise Control
Headlight High-Low Beam
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
The High-Low Beam feature is
discussed under
Headlights. See the
Index under Headlights.
Indicator
3
55
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Features & Controls
56
Operation of Lights
Although your vehicle’s lighting system (headlights, parking lights, fog lamps,
side marker lights and taillights) meets
all applicable federal lighting
requirements, certain states and
provinces may apply their
own lighting
regulations that may require special
attention before
you operate these lights.
For example, some jurisdictions may
require that you operate your fog lamps
only when your lower beam headlights
are also on, or that headlights be
turned
on whenever you must use your
windshield wipers. In addition, most
jurisdictions prohibit driving solely
with parking lights, especially at dawn
or dusk. It is recommended that you
check with your own state or provincial
highway authority for applicable
lighting regulations.
U
0
rurn Signal and Lane Change
’ndicator
The turn signal has two upward (for
light) and
two downward (for Left)
)ositions. These positions allow you to
ignal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the
yay up or down. When the turn is
inished, the lever will return
lutomatically.
A green arrow on the instrument panel
will flash in the direction of the turn or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or
lower the lever until the green arrow
starts to flash. Hold it there until
you
complete your lane change. The lever
will return by itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, ij
the arrows don’t flash but just stay on,
signal bulb may be burned out and
other drivers won’t see your turn signal
If your vehicle has the electronic
instrument cluster, the turn signal
arrows will flash at a faster rate
if a
signal bulb is burned out.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to hell
avoid an accident.
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Features & Controh
62
Headlights
Push the switch marked pe to turn on:
Parking Lights
Side Marker Lights
Taillights
Instrument Panel Lights
II I II I LIGHTS
Push the -:Q- switch to turn on the
headlights, together with:
Parking Lights
Side Marker Lights
Taillights
Instrument Panel Lights
Pull the switch or press
OFF to turn off
the lights.
Lights on Reminder
If you open the door while leaving the
lights
on, you will hear a warning tone.
Headlight High-Low Beam
To change the headlights from low
beam to high
or high to low, pull the
turn signal lever all the way toward
you.
Then release it.
When the high beams are on,
a blue
light
on the instrument panel also will
be on.
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T
II
instrument Panel intensity
Control
Turn the dial above the headlight
switch to the left to dim your
instrument panel lights. This will also
silence your Lights On Reminder.
Turn the dial to the right to make your
instrument panel lights brighter.
If you
turn the dial all the way to the right
until it cliclts, your interior lights will
come on.
Fog Lights
Use your fog lights for better vision in
foggy or misty conditions. Your parking
lights or low beam headlights must be
on for them to come on.
The fog light switch is on the
instrument panel under the headlight
switch. Press the right side of the switch
to turn the fog lights on, and the left
side of the switch to turn them off. An
indicator light will glow in the right side
of the switch when they are on.
Remember, fog lights alone will not give
off as much light as your headlights.
Never use your fog lights in the dark
without turning on your headlights. The
fog lights will go off whenever your
high beam headlights come on. When
the high beams go
off, the fog lights will
come on again.
L 1
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Driving Uphi//
Once you decide you can safely drive
up the hill, you need to take some
special steps.
Use a low gear and get a firm grip on
the steering wheel.
Get a smooth start up the hill and try
to maintain your speed. Don’t use
more power than you need, because
you don’t want your wheels to start
spinning or sliding.
Try to drive straight up the hill if at all
possible. If the path twists and turns,
you might want to find another route.
Ease up on your speed as you
approach the top of the.hill..
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make
you more visible to approaching
traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach the
top of the hill to let opposing traffic
know you’re there.
Use your headlights even during the
day. They make you more visible to
oncoming traffic.
Q: What should I do if my vehicle
stalls,
or is about to stall, and I
can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some
things you should
do, and there are
some things you must not do. First,
here’s what you
should do:
Push the brake pedal to stop the
vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards. Also, apply the parking
brake.
the transmission into reverse,
release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in reverse.
If your engine has stopped running,
you’ll need
to restart it. With the
brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the
transmission to
P (Park) and
restart the engine. Then, shift to
reverse, release the parking brake,
and slowly back down the hill as
straight as possible in reverse.
As you are backing down the hill,
put
your left hand on the steering
wheel at the
12 o’clock position.
This way, you’ll be able to tell if
your wheels are straight and
maneuver
as you back down. It’s
best that you back down the hill
with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction.
Turning the wheel too far
to the
left or right will increase the
possibility
of a rollover.
If your engine is still running, shift
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Your Driving and the Road
124
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than
day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely to be impaired
- by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to
reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may
need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher
speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the
daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at
night as
a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also
affect your night vision. For example, if
you spend the day in bright sunshine
you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to
night. But if you’re driving, don’t wear
sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare from headlights, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by
approaching lights. It can take a second
or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes
to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from
a driver who doesn’t lower the high
beams, or a vehicle with misaimed
headlights), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching
lights.
Keep your windshield and
all the glass
on your vehicle clean
- inside and out.
Glare
at night is made much worse by
dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the
glass can build up a film caused by
dust.
Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and
flash more than clean glass would,
malting the pupils of your eyes contract
repeatedly.
Remember that your headlights light up
far less of a roadway when
you are in a
turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving;
that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlights
should be checked regularly for proper
aim,
so should your eyes be examined
regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness
- the inability to see in
dim light
- and aren’t even aware of it.
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Your Driving and the Road
126
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much
water can build up under your tires that
they can actually ride on the water. This
can happen
if the road is wet enough
and you’re going fast enough. When
your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little
or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often.
But it can
if your tires haven’t much
tread or
if the pressure in one or more is
low. It can happen
if a lot of water is
standing on the road.
If you can see
reflections
horn trees, telephone poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops
“dimple” the water’s surface, there
could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher
speeds. There just isn’t a hard and fast
rule about hydroplaning. The best advice
is to
slow down when it is raining.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlights -
not just your parking lights - to help
make you more visible to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some
extra following distance. And be
especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more
clear room ahead, and be prepared to
have your view restricted by road
spray.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. (See
Tires in the Index.)
A , ”
I City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city
streets is the amount
of traffic on them.
You’ll want
to watch out for what the
other drivers are doing and pay
attention to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in
city driving:
Know the best way to get to where
you are going. Get a city map and
plan your trip into an unknown part
of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
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