
What  will  you see  after  an  air  bag  inflates? 
After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates.  This occurs 
so quickly that  some people  may not even  realize the  air 
bag  inflated.  Some components  of the  air bag  module in 
the steering wheel hub will be hot  for a short time,  but 
the part 
of the bag that comes  into contact with you  will 
not  be hot  to the touch.  There will be  some  smoke  and 
dust  coming  from vents in  the deflated  air bag. Air bag 
inflation  will not prevent the driver  from seeing  or  from 
being able to steer  the vehicle, nor  will 
it stop people 
from  leaving the vehicle. 
0 
0 
0 
The air bag  is designed  to inflate  only once. After  it 
inflates, you’ll need  some new parts  for your  air bag 
system.  If you don’t  get them, the air bag  system 
won’t be there  to help  protect you in another crash. 
A new system will include the  air bag module and 
possibly other parts.  The service manual  for your 
vehicle  covers the need  to replace other parts. 
Your  vehicle  is equipped with a diagnostic module, 
which records information about the  air bag system. 
The  module records information about the readiness 
of  the system, when the sensors  are activated and 
driver’s safety belt usage  at deployment. 
Let only qualified technicians work on your  air bag 
system. Improper  service can mean that your air bag 
system won’t work properly.  See your retailer  for 
service. 
I NOTICE: 
If  you  damage  the  cover  for  the  driver’s  air  bag, 
it  may 
not work  properly. You may  have  to 
replace  the  air  bag  module. 
Do not  open or break 
the  air  bag  cover.  

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a): If your automarlc 
transaxle  has 
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE, this position 
is for normal  driving. If you  need  more power  for 
passing,  and  you’re: 
Going  less  than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your 
accelerator  pedal about  halfway  down. 
Going  about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more,  push the 
accelerator  all the way down. You’ll  shift down 
to 
the next  gear and have  more power. 
NOTICE: 
This  NOTICE  applies  only if you  have  an 
Automatic  Overdrive  transaxle. 
If your  vehicle  is 
so equipped  and if it seems  to start  up  rather 
slowly, 
or if  it seems  not to shift  gears  as you go 
faster, something may  be wrong with a  transaxle 
system  sensor.  If  you  drive very 
far that way, 
your  vehicle  can be damaged. 
So, if this  happens, 
have  your  vehicle  serviced  right away.  Until 
then,  you can use SECOND 
(2) when  you  are 
driving  less than 
35 mph (55 kmk) and 
OWRDRIVE 
(0) for  higher  speeds. 
DRIVE (D) or  THIRD (3): If your automatic  transaxle 
does  not have  OVERDRIVE,  this position  is for normal 
driving,  at 
all speeds, in most  street  and highway 
situations. 
If your  automatic  transaxle has  OVERDRIVE (@), 
THIRD (3) is like  OVERDRIVE (@), but you never  go 
into  OVERDRIVE 
(@). 
Here  are some times you  might  choose  THIRD (3) 
instead of OVERDRIVE (a): 
When driving  on  hilly,  winding roads. 
When towing  a  trailer, so there is less shifting 
between  gears. 
When  going  down  a  steep hill. 
SECOND (2): This position gives you more  power but 
lower 
fuel economy. You can  use  SECOND (2) on hills. 
It  can  help control  your  speed as you go down steep 
mountain  roads, but then  you would also want to use 
your  brakes 
off and  on. 
2-21  

Fog Lamps  (Option) Daytime  Running  Lamps  (Canada  Only) 
7 %. 
OFF 
LIGHTS 
The 
button  for  your 
fog  lamps  is  below the 
instrument  panel 
intensity  control.  Daytime Running 
Lamps (DRL) can  make  it  easier  for 
others  to  see the front  of your  vehicle  during the  day. 
DRL  can  be helpful in many different driving 
conditions, but they  can 
be especially helpful in  the 
short periods  after dawn and  before sunset. Several 
countries, including Canada,  require  DRL. 
A light  sensor  on top of the  instrument  panel makes the 
DRL  work, 
so be sure it isn’t  covered.  The  DRL  system 
will  make  your  high and low-beam  headlamps  come  on 
at a reduced brightness  when: 
0 The  ignition is  on, 
Push the button  to turn the  fog  lamps  on. 
When  using fog  lamps,  the  parking lamps or low beam 
headlamps must  be  on. 
Fog  lamps  will go off  whenever the high  beam 
headlamps  come on. When  the  high  beams  go 
off, the 
fog  lamps  will come  on  again. 
0 The  headlamp  switch is off, and 
0 The  parking brake is released (manual transaxle);  or 
0 The transaxle is not  in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) 
(automatic transaxle). 
When  the DRL  are  on, only your high and low-beam 
headlamps will  be  on.  The taillamps, sidemarker and 
other  lamps  won’t be  on. Your  instrument panel won’t 
be lit up either. 
When  it’s dark enough  outside, your headlamps will 
come  on at 
full brightness.  The other lamps that come 
on  with your headlamps will  also  come on.  

Air Bag Readiness  Light 
There is  an air bag readiness  light on the  instrument 
panel,  which  shows AIR BAG.  The system  checks  the 
air  bag’s  electrical system  for malfunctions.  The light 
tells 
you if  there is  an electrical  problem. The system 
check includes the  air  bag  sensors and module, the 
wiring and the diagnostic  module.  For more information 
on  the  air bag  system,  see “Air Bag”  in  the  Index. 
AIR 
BAG 
You will see this light 
flash  for  a  few 
seconds when  you 
turn your ignition  to 
RUN or START. 
Then  the light should 
go out.  This  means 
the system is ready. 
If the air  bag readiness  light  doesn’t  come  on  when you 
start your vehicle, or stays on,  or comes on when  you 
are  driving,  your air bag system may not work properly. 
Have your vehicle serviced right away. 
Charging System Light 
WASH 
I FLUID 
The  CHARGE  light 
will  come  on  when 
you  turn  on the 
ignition,  but the 
engine  is  not running, 
as  a  check  to  show 
you  it  is working. 
Then it should  go  out. If it stays  on, or 
co !s on while 
you  are  driving,  you  may have a problem  with the 
electrical charging system. It  could  indicate that you 
have  a  loose  generator  drive  belt  or another electrical 
problem.  Have it checked  right away.  Driving  while  this 
light 
is on could drain your battery. 
If  you  must drive 
a short  distance  with the light  on, be 
certain  to turn  off all your accessories, such 
as the  radio 
and  air conditioner. 
2-60  

Check Oil Light 
80 
Your engine  is 
equipped  with 
an oil 
level monitoring 
system. When  the 
ignition key is turned 
on, the CHECK 
OIL 
light  will briefly  flash. 
If the light  stays on,  stop the vehicle on a level  surface 
and  turn  the  engine 
off. Check  the  oil  level using the 
engine  oil dipstick.  (See  “Engine  Oil”  in the Index.) 
If 
the light  does  not flash,  have  the  low oil level sensor 
system repaired 
so it  will be ready to warn you if  there’s 
a problem. 
I NOTICE: 
The  oil  level  monitoring  system only checks  oil 
level  during  the  brief period  between  key  on and 
engine  crank. 
It does not  monitor  engine oil  level 
when  the engine  is running.  Additionally,  an oil 
level  check  is  only  performed  if the  engine  has 
been  turned 
off for a considerable  period of time 
allowing  the oil normally  in  circulation  to  drain 
back  into  the  oil pan. 
2-68  

Fuels  in  Foreign  Countries 
If you  plan on driving in another  country  outside the 
U.S. or  Canada,  unleaded fuel  may  be hard to find. Do 
not  use  leaded gasoline.  If  you use even  one tankful, 
your emission controls won’t work  well or at 
all. With 
continuous use, spark plugs can get fouled, the  exhaust 
system can corrode,  and your  engine 
oil can deteriorate 
quickly.  Your vehicle’s oxygen  sensor will be damaged. 
All  of  that means costly repairs  that wouldn’t  be covered 
by  your warranty. 
To check  on fuel availability,  ask  an auto  club,  or 
contact 
a major oil  company  that does  business in the 
country where you’ll be  driving. 
You  can 
also write  us at the  following  address for 
advice.  Just tell  us  where you’re going  and give your 
Vehicle  Identification  Number  (VIN). 
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation  North  American Export  Sales 
(NAES) 
1908 Colonel Sam Drive 
Oshawa,  Ontario 
LIH 8P7 
Filling  Your  Tank 
6-4