If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer
to stop. If the light is still on, or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing, have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” and “Towing Your Vehicle”
in
the Index.)
The brake system warning light will also come
on when
you set your parking brake, and it will stay on if your
parking brake doesn’t release fully. If it stays on after
your parking brake is fully released, it means you have a
brake problem.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come on
when you start your engine and it will
stay on for three
seconds. That’s normal. If the light doesn’t come on,
have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a
problem.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be
a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull
off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer to the floor. It may take longer
to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle” in
the Index.)
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If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine,
turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Oldsmobile needs service.
If
the light is on but not flashing and the regular brake
system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but
you don’t have ahti-lock brakes.
Traction Control System Warning Light
(Option)
TCS
This warning light should
come on briefly as you start
the engine.
If the warning light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem. If it
stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there may be
a problem with your traction control system and your
vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on,
the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
If your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will
turn off and the warning light will come on
until your brakes cool down. If the traction control
system warning light comes on and stays on for an
extended period
of time, your vehicle needs service.
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Low Traction Light (Option)
If your vehicle has the
traction control system,
there will be a
LOW
TRACTION light on
the instrument panel.
LOW
TRACTION
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. If the light
doesn't come on then, have it fixed
so it will be there to
tell you when the system is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
In
260
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the red area, your engine is too
hot! It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If
you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
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RCL: Press this button once to see which track is
playing. Press it 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: Press this button 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 this button 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: Press and hold this button to rapidly back up to a
favorite passage. Release it to resume playing.
FF: Press and hold this button to rapidly advance the
disc. Release
it to resume playing.
COMP: Press this button to make soft and loud
passages more alike in volume. Press it 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.
STEL: Press this button to stop the disc player (the
radio will then play). Press
it again to play the disc (the
player will start playing the disc where it was stopped
earlier).
EJCT Press this button to eject the disc (the radio will
then play).
CD Player Anti-Theft Feature
Delco LOC 11' 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 unlock code is
entered, it will not turn
on.
The instructions that follow 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.
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Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to 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 making a successful pass, wait for a better time.
0 Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate
a turn
or an intersection, delay your 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 makes 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 drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you
as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
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is off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by
easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
Driving at Night
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second
skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material
is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving
to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance
will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on
a surface with reduced traction, try
your best
to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking (including engine braking by shifting
to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues
--
such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to
make
a “mirrored surface” -- and slow down when you
have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid
only the braking skid. 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.
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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 headlamps 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 headlamps 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.
Driving in the Rain
I
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.
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The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most
of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks
a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on
a freeway as a passing lane.
At
the entrance there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway.
If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the 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.
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.
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