
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your
dealer
will order you an extender. It’s free. When you go
in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear,
so the
extender will be long enough for you. The extender will
be just for you, and just for the seat
in your vehicle that
you choose. Don’t let someone else use it, and use it
only for the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and
all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety
belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from
doing its
job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt is
torn or frayed, get
a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air
bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
1-38

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Replacing Restraint System
Parts After a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you need new belts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need to have safety belt
or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts and repairs
may be necessary even
if the belt wasn’t being used at
the time of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part
on the air bag system earlier in
this section.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Door Locks
1 CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won't open
it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be
so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors aren't locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways
to lock and unlock your vehicle. You
can use the Keyless Entry System,
if you have
this option.
You can use your key to unlock your door from
the outside.
To lock your door from the
inside, slide the lever
on
your inside door rearward.
To unlock the door from the inside, slide the lever
on your inside door forward. You will see a red area on
the lever.
2-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes. the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause
an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your waxking lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
’
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when’you start the
engine just to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
i
When one.of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you
are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a tone will
come on for about eight seconds to rernind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt
is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds, then
it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled,
neither the tone nor the
light will come on.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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, the air
bag
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 Indicator Light
The charging system light
will come
on briefly when
you turn on the ignition,
but the engine is not
running, as
a check to
show you it is working.
It should go out once the engine
is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system. It could indicate that
you have problems with a 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.
2-54

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored
in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat. If they aren’t, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. If you notice a reduction in sound
quality, try
a known good cassette to see if the tape or
the tape player is at fault. If this other cassette has no
improvement in sound quality, clean the tape player.
Cleaning may be done with a scrubbing action,
non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of
the cleaner cassette turn. It
is normal for the cassette
to eject while cleaning. Insert
the cassette at least three times
to ensure thorough
cleaning.
A scrubbing action cleaning cassette is
available through your
GM dealer.
You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not
eject. It may not clean as thoroughly as
the scrubbing
type cleaner. Cassettes are
subject to wear and the sound quality may
degrade over time. Always make sure that the cassette
tape is in good condition before you have your tape
player serviced.
Care of Your Compact Discs
Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight
and dust. If
the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a
clean, soft cloth
in a mild, neutral detergent solution and
clean it, wiping from the center to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling
discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the
edge of the hole and the outer edge.
Fixed Mast Antenna
The fixed mast antenna can withstand most car washes
without being damaged. If the mast should ever become
slightly bent,
you can straighten it out by hand. If the
mast is badly bent, as
it might be by vandals, you should
replace
it.
Check every once in a while to be sure the mast is still
tightened to
the fender.
3-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
?,
Here you’ll find information about driving on different
kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We’ve
also included many other useful tips
on driving.
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive
defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts” in the Index.)
Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.”
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
“always expect the unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might
do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable
of
accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough
following distance. It’s
the best defensive driving
maneuver,
in both city and rural driving. You never
know when
the vehicle in front of you is going to brake
or turn suddenly.
4-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Off-Road Recovery
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding
the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason
to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly. 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 one-quarter turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge.
Then turn your
steering wheel
to go straight down the roadway.
4-10