
(J LOW
TRACTION -'I
AIR BAG
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
Low Traction Light (OPTION)
: If your vehicle has the traction control
~ i system, there will be a LOW
TRACTION light on the instrument
panel. When your anti-lock system is
adjusting brake pressure to help avoid a
braking skid, or when your traction
control system is limiting wheel spin,
the
LOW TRACTION light will come
on. Slippery road conditions may exist
if this light comes on, so adjust your
driving accordingly. The light will come
on and stay on for four seconds when
your anti-lock system adjusts brake pressure
for less than four seconds or
when your traction control system
limits wheel spin for less than four
seconds. Otherwise, the light will go out
as soon as the anti-lock system stops
adjusting brake pressure or the traction
control system stops limiting wheel
spin. The
LOW TRACTION light also
comes on briefly,
as a bulb check, when
the engine is started.
P* -
40 ~m
rn
60
100
81)
ZO 1
1fin
Traction Control System Warning
Light (OPTION: 3800 V6 ENGINE)
The TCS (Traction Control System)
warning light may come on if your
brakes overheat. When this warning
light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly. This means that your
traction control system has temporarily
shut down to allow the brakes to cool.
(The traction control system will not
shut down while it is actively
controlling wheel spin.) When the
brakes have cooled down, the
TCS
warning light will go off.
If the TCS warning light comes on and
stays on for an extended period of time,
your vehicle needs service.
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SEEK: Press SEEK to tune in and stop
on the next station on the
AM or FM
radio band.
SCAN: When you press SCAN, the
radio will go to the next station and
pause there for a few seconds.
SCAN
will display on the digital screen. Press
SCAN again to stop on a station.
RCL (Recall) : When the ignition is off,
press to display the clock. When the
radio is on, press to change between the
clock and the radio station frequency
displayed on the digital screen.
The five pushbuttons in the lower right
corner can be used to preset up to ten
radio stations (five AM and five FM
stations). These buttons have other
uses when you are playing a compact
disc (see
Compact Disc Controls later
in this section).
To Preset Radio Stations:
1. Tune the digital display to the station
you want.
2. Press SET. The SET indicator will
appear on the digital screen for five
seconds.
3. While the SET indicator is displayed,
press one of the five pushbuttons.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for each of five AM
and five FM stations.
Compact Disc Controls
Many of the controls for the radio also
have functions for the compact disc
player, as explained here.
To Play a Compact Disc:
Don’t use mini-discs that are called
singles. They won’t eject. Use only full-
size compact discs.
1. Press POWER to turn the radio on.
2. Insert a disc part-way into the slot,
with the label side up. The player will
pull it in. In a few seconds, the disc
should play.
If the disc comes back out:
The disc may be upside down.
The disc may be dirty, scratched or
wet.
There may be too much moisture in
the air (wait about one hour and
try
again).
The player may be too hot, or the road
may be too rough for the disc to play.
If the word
HOT appears on the
display, the player is too hot. Press
RCL to remove HOT from the
display. As soon as things get back to
normal, the disc should play.
While a disc is playing, the
CD
indicator is displayed on the digital
screen, as is the clock.
RCL (Recall): Press once to see which
track is playing. Press again within five
seconds to see how long your selection
has been playing. The track number
also will be displayed when the volume
is changed or a new track starts to play.
PREV (Previous): Press to play a track
again. If you hold or keep pressing the
PREV button, the disc will keep
backing up to previous tracks.
NEXT: Press when you want to hear
the next track before the track you are
listening to has finished. If you hold or
keep pressing the
NEXT button, the
disc will keep advancing to other tracks.
REV (Reverse): Press and hold to
rapidly back up to a favorite passage.
Release to resume playing.
FF (Fast Forward): Press and hold to
rapidly advance the disc. Release to
resume playing.
r
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Comfort Conboh &Audio Systems
126
COMP (Compression): Press this
button to make soft and loud passages
more equal in volume. Press again to
resume normal play.
When Finished with the Compact
Disc Player:
If you press POWER or turn off the
ignition, the disc will stay in the player
and start again when you turn on the
ignition or power switch. The disc will
begin playing at the point where it had
been stopped.
ST/PL (Stop/Play): Press to stop the
disc player; the radio will play. Press
again to play the disc (the player will
start playing the disc where it was
stopped earlier).
EJCT (Eject): Press to eject the disc;
the radio will play.
CD Player Anti-Theft Feature
Delco LOC 110 is a security feature for
the compact disc player. It can be used
or ignored. If ignored, the system plays
normally. If it is used, your player won’t
be usable if it is ever stolen, because it will go
to LOC mode any time battery
power is removed. Until an
unLOC
code is entered, it will not turn on.
The instructions below tell you how to
enter
a secret code into the system. If
your vehicle loses battery power for any
reason, you must unlock the system
with the secret code before the radio
will turn on.
To Set the Anti-Theft System:
1. Write down any six-digit number and
2. Turn the ignition to the Accessory or
3. Press the POWER button to turn the
4. Press the PREV and FF buttons
keep
it in a safe place.
Run position.
radio off.
together. Hold them down until
“- - -”
shows on the display (at least five
seconds).
You are ready to enter your
secret code.
NOTE: If you allow more than
15
seconds to elapse between any steps,
the radio automatically reverts to time
and you must start the procedure over
at step
4.
5. Press SET and 000 will appear on
6. Press and hold SEEK until the first
7. Press and hold SCAN until the
the
display.
digit
of your code appears.
second and third digits of your code
appear.
8. Press AM/FM and 000 will appear
again. Now you are ready to enter the
last three digits of your code.
9. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the last three
digits of your code.
IO. Press AM/FM and rEP will appear.
11. Repeat steps 6 through 10. This
time
SEC will appear, indicating
that the radio is secure. If
“- - -”
appears, the steps were not
successful and you must repeat the
entire procedure.
To Unlock the System After a Power
Loss:
When battery power is reapplied to a
secured radio, the radio won’t turn on
and
LOC will appear on the display.
Enter your secret code as follows; pause
no more than
15 seconds between
steps.
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Your Driving and the Road
* x1000
136
i‘his light on the instrument panel will
go on when you start your vehicle.
When you start your vehicle, or when
jou begin to drive away, you may hear a
nomentary motor or clicking noise.
4nd you may even notice that your
)rake pedal moves
a little while this is
going on. This is the
ABS system
:esting itself.
(You may also hear a
:licking noise if you leave the ignition in
.he
Run position for about four seconds
Iefore starting the vehicle.) If there’s a
Jroblem with the anti-lock brake
iystem, the anti-lock brake system
Yarning light will stay on or flash.
See
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
2ight
in the Index.
lere’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say
1
the road is wet. You’re driving safely.
Suddenly an animal jumps out
in front
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what
happens with
ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are
slowing down.
If one of the wheels is
about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front
wheel and at the rear wheels.
The anti-lock system can change the
brake pressure faster than any driver
could. The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road
conditions. of
you.
You can steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change
the time you need
to get your foot up to
the brake pedal.
If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you won’t
have time to apply your brakes if that
vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to stop,
even though you have anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down and let anti-lock
work for you. You may feel the system
working, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.
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Your Driving and the Road
138
I’he traction control system
mtomatically comes
on whenever you
start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, you should
dways leave the system on. But you can
:urn the traction control system off if
IOU ever need to. (You should turn the
;ystem off
if your vehicle ever gets stuck
n sand, mud, ice or snow. See Rocking
Your Vehicle in the Index.)
To turn the system off, press the switch
ocated on the center instrument panel
:onsole.
The light on the switch will go
off. If the
Lraction control system is limiting wheel
;pin when you press the switch, the
;ystem won’t turn
off right away. It will wait until
there’s
no longer a current
need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any
time by pressing the switch again. The
light
on the switch should come on.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when
you need to. With anti-lock, you can
steer and brake at the same time.
In
many emergencies, steering can help
you more than even the very best
braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist
because the engine stops or the system
is not functioning, you can steer but it
will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control”
accidents mentioned on the news
happen
on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of
us is subject to the same laws of physics
when driving
on curves. The traction of
the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its
path when you turn the front wheels. If
there’s
no traction, inertia will keep the
vehicle going in the same direction.
If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on
wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve
depends
on the condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which
the curve is banked, and your speed.
While you’re in a curve, speed
is the one
factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a
sharp curve. Then you suddenly
accelerate. Both control systems
-
steering and acceleration - have to do
their work where the tires meet the
road. Unless you have traction control
and the system is on, adding the sudden
acceleration can demand too much
of
those places. You can lose control.
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Your Driving and the Road
140
I
I Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right
wheels have dropped off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder while you’re
driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only
slightly below the pavement, recovery
should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing
in the way, steer
so that your vehicle
straddles the edge of the pavement.
You
can turn the steering wheel up to % turn
until the right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. Then turn your steering
wheel to go straight down the roadway.
I Passing
The driver of a vehicle abor It t o pass
another on a two-lane highway waits for
just the right moment, accelerates,
moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again.
A
simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle
on a two-lane highway is a potentially
dangerous move, since the passing
vehicle occupies the same lane as
oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A
miscalculation, an error in judgment, or
a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face
to face with the worst of all traffic
accidents
- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road,
to the sides, and to crossroads for
situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any
doubt whatsoever about malting a
successful pass, wait for a better time.
markings, and lines. If you can see
a
sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your
Watch for traffic signs, pavement pass.
A broken
center line usually
indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear).
Never cross a solid line on your side
of the lane or a double solid line, even
if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
Do not get too close to the vehicle
you want to pass while you’re
awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces
your area of vision, especially if you’re
following a larger vehicle. Also, you
won’t have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly
slows or
stops. Keep back a reasonable
distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is
coming up, start to accelerate but stay
in the right lane and don’t get too
close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to
move into the other lane. If the way is
clear to pass, you will have
a “running
start” that more than rnaltes
up for
the distance you would lose by
dropping back. And if something
happens to cause you to cancel your
pass, you need only slow down and
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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,
making 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.
4 Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving
trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your
tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on
dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have
much tread left, you’ll get even less
traction. It’s always wise to go slower
and be cautious if rain starts to fall
while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement. The
heavier the rain, the harder it is to
see. Even
if your windshield wiper
blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the
edge of the road, and even people
walking.
It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment
in good shape and keep your windshield
washer tank filled. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they
show signs of streaking or missing areas
on the windshield, or when strips of
rubber start to separate from the
inserts.
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Your Driving and the Road
146
flow. Try to merge into the gap at close
to the prevailing speed. Switch on your
turn signal, check your mirrors and
glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with
the traffic flow.
Once
you are on the freeway, adjust
your speed to the posted limit or to the
prevailing rate
if it’s slower. Stay in the
right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your
mirrors. Then use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance
quickly over your shoulder to make sure
there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving
on the freeway,
make certain you allow a reasonable
following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway,
move to the proper lane well in
advance. If you
miss your exit do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back
up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply. The exit
speed
is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your
speedometer, not to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at
higher speeds, you may tend to think
you are going slower than you actually
are.
I Before Leaving on a Long
Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested. If you must start when you‘re
not fresh
- such as after a day’s work
- don’t plan to make too many miles
that first part of the journey. Wear
comfortable clothing and shoes you can
easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If
you keep it serviced and maintained, it’s
ready to go. If
it needs service, have it
done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service
experts in Oldsmobile dealerships all
across North America. They‘ll be ready
and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things you can check
before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are
all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape?
you checked all levels?
lenses clean?
safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
weather outlook along your route?
Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
Tires: They are vitally important to a
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
Highway Hypnosis
Is tbere actually such a condition as
“highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
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