1997 Oldsmobile Aurora tow

Lamps
Headlamps
See “Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever” in the Index.
Daytime Running Lamps
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.
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 low-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness in daylight when:
0 The ignition is on,
0 The headlamp switch is off and
0 The transaxle is not in PARK (P).
When DRL are
on, only your low-beam headlamps will
be on. The parking lamps, 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 low-beam
headlamps will change to full brightness. The other
lamps that come on with your headlamps will also come
on. When it’s bright enough outside, the regular lamps
will
go off, and your low-beam headlamps change to the
reduced brightness of DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, shift the
transaxle into PARK
(P). The DRL will stay off until
you shift out of PARK
(P).
To turn off all exterior lighting at night when you are in
PARK (P), turn off the headlamps and move the twilight
sentinel control, located to the left
of the steering
column, all
the way toward MIN. See “Twilight
Sentinel” in
the Index.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need
it.
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Twilight Sentinel
TWILIGHTSENTINEL I
Twilight sentinel hlms your
headlamps, taillamps and
parking lamps on and
off by
sensing how dark it
is outside.
To operate it, leave the headlamp switch off and move
the twilight sentinel control toward
MAX. The control is
located to the left of the steering column.
If you move the control all the way to MAX, your lamps
will remain on for three minutes after
you turn off your
engine. If
you move the control toward MIN, the lamps
will go off quickly when
you turn off your engine. You
can set this delay time for only a few seconds or up to
three minutes.
Light Sensor
Your twilight sentinel and daytime running lamps work
with the light sensor on top
of the instrument panel.
Don't cover
it up. If you do it will read "dark" and the
headlamps will come on.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness
INTERIOR LIGHTS TWILIGHT SENTINEL
C A
You can brighten or dim your instrument cluster, radio
and climate control displays and control lights by
rotating the INTERIOR
LIGHTS control between LO
and HI when your lights are on. Rotate the control all
the way to HI and you will turn on the interior
courtesy lamps.
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If the light and chime come 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, have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
‘A CAUTI
I
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake warning light is on. Driving with the
brake warning light on can lead to an accident.
If
the light is still on after you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
Parking Brake Indicator Light
PARK
When the ignition is on, this
light will come on when
you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on
if
your parking brake doesn’t
release fully.
If you try to
drive off with the parking
brake set, a chime will also
come on until you release
the parking brake.
This light should also come on when you turn the
ignition key to START.
If it doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed
so it will be ready to remind you if the parking
brake hasn’t released fully.
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If the Light Is Flashing If the Light Is On Steady
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
retailer or qualified service center for service.
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did
you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should
turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the
fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
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Automatic Operation
Press the AUTO-PUSH knob when you want the system
to automatically adjust the interior temperature to your
preference. When the system is set for automatic
operation, air will come from the floor, upper or the
windshield outlets depending on the temperature inside
the vehicle, the outside temperature and the sun load.
Fan speed will vary as the system reaches and maintains
the comfort setting you have selected.
To find your comfort setting, start with the system in
automatic mode by pressing the AUTO-PUSH knob.
Adjust the comfort setting by using
the red and blue
buttons located below the digital display until you reach
a value of 75°F (24"C), on the display. Give the vehicle
about
20 minutes to stabilize and then readjust the
comfort setting if necessary. The display will show the
comfort setting for five seconds and then
it will show
the outside temperature.
In cold weather, the system will delay turning on the fan
to avoid blowing cold air. The length of the delay
depends
on the engine coolant temperature and the
outside temperature. Rotating the AUTO FAN knob will
override this delay by turning
off the automatic fan
mode and changing the fan speed.
I A I
Your automatic electronic climate control system has
two sun sensors located on the top of the instrument
panel that detect direct sunlight.
To keep you and your
passengers comfortable, the system may supply cooler
air to the side toward the sun. Be careful not
to put
anything over these sun sensors. The automatic
electronic climate control system may not operate
correctly if these sensors are covered.
To change the automatic electronic climate control display
from an English display to a Metric display, push the
OFF
button located in the Driver Information Center (DIC) for
two seconds. The display
in the DIC will also change from
an English
to a Metric display. To return to an English
display, repeat
the above procedure.
3-4

Section 4 Your Dri.ving 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.
4-2 4-3
4-6
4-6
4-11
4-13
4-13
4-15 4-16 Defensive
Driving
Drunken Driving Control of a Vehicle
Braking Steering
Off-Road Recovery
Passing
Loss of Control
Driving at Night 4-18
4-2
1
4-22
4-23
4-24
4-24
4-26
4-30 4-32 Driving
in Rain and
on Wet Roads
City Driving
Freeway Driving
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Highway Hypnosis Hill and Mountain Roads
Winter Driving
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer
4-1

Towing a Trailer
,A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your Aurora retailer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle
and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Aurora
retailer for important information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with
proper towing equipment.
To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should read
the information in “Weight
of the Trailer” that appears
later in this section. But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes
in handling, durability and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has
to be
used properly.
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That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against
the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
0
0
0
0
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
Three important considerations have
to do with weight:
0 the weight of the trailer,
0 the weight of the trailer tongue
0 and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires.
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