1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE tow

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2-22
Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has a Brake
-Transaxle
Shift Interlock (BTSI). You must fully apply your regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is in ON. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P),
ease pressure on the shift lever by pushing it all the way
into PARK (P) while keeping the brake pushed down.
Then move the shift lever out of PARK (P), being sure
to press the shift lever button. See ªShifting Out of
PARK (P)º in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
ªStuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snowº in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn't
connect with the wheels. To restart when you're already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
CAUTION:
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is ªracingº (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don't shift out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn't covered by your warranty.
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DRIVE (D): 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 pedal all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle 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 km/h) and DRIVE (D) for
higher speeds.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, but it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D).Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of DRIVE (D):

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 than THIRD (3). 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.
NOTICE:
Don't drive in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km) at speeds over 55 mph (88
km/h), or you can damage your transaxle. Use
DRIVE (D) or THIRD (3) as much as possible.
Don't shift into SECOND (2) unless you are going
slower than 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage your engine.
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2-25
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won't move, even when
you're on fairly level ground, use the steps that
follow. If you're pulling a trailer, see ªTowing a
Trailerº in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
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2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this:

Hold in the button on the lever.

Push the lever all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave with the ignition key in your hand, your
vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the
engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don't leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you've moved the shift lever into the PARK (P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without first pulling it toward you. If you can, it means
that the shift lever wasn't fully locked into PARK (P).
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Running Your Engine While
You're Parked
It's better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control system
off could allow dangerous exhaust into your
vehicle (see the earlier Caution under
ªEngine Exhaustº).
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is a garage. Exhaust
-- with
CO
-- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard. (See
ªBlizzardº in the Index.)
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don't leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you've left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won't move, even when you're on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won't
move. See ªShifting Into PARK (P)º in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and if you're pulling a
trailer, also see ªTowing a Trailerº in the Index.
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2-32 Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
The turn signal lever has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the turn is finished, the lever will return automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction of the turn or
lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or lane change, if the arrow flashes
faster than normal, a signal bulb may be burned out and
other drivers won't see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don't go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned
-out bulbs and then check
the fuse (see ªFuses and Circuit Breakersº in the Index).A chime will sound if you leave your turn signal on for
more than 3/4 mile (1.2 km).
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change your headlamps
from low beam to high
beam, push the lever away
from you. To change back
to low beam, pull the lever
toward you.
To flash your high beams, pull the lever toward you and
release. The lever will return to the low
-beam position.
Flash-to-Pass
With the lever in the low-beam position, pull the lever
toward you momentarily to switch to high beams (to
signal you are going to pass). If you have the headlamps
on, they will return to low beams when you release
the lever.
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2-41 Exit Illumination
To see better when exiting your vehicle at night, your
vehicle is equipped with an Exit Illumination feature.
The interior lamps will illuminate for up to 25 seconds
when you remove your key from the ignition. After
25 seconds have elapsed, the interior lamps will slowly
fade out. The lamps will fade out before the 25 seconds
have elapsed if you:

turn the ignition to ON.

lock all doors using your remote keyless entry
transmitter (if equipped).

lock the doors using the power door lock switch.
When any door is opened, Exit Illumination is
cancelled. The interior lamps will stay on while any
door is opened. The interior lamps may stay on for up to
25 seconds after all the doors have been closed if they
have not been locked. See ªDelayed Illuminationº in
the Index.
Battery Saver
Your vehicle has a feature to help prevent you from
draining the battery in case you accidentally leave an
interior or trunk lamp on. If you leave any of these
lamps on while the ignition is in ACC or OFF, they will
automatically turn off after 20 minutes. The lamps won't
come back on until you do one of the following:

turn the ignition to ON,

turn the interior lamp dial all the way up or

open (or close and reopen) a door that is closed.
Note that if your vehicle has less than 15 miles (25 km)
on the odometer, the battery saver will turn off the lamps
after only three minutes.
Mirrors
Adjust all mirrors so you can see clearly when you are
sitting in a comfortable position.
Inside Day/Night Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lamps behind you, push the
lever away from you (to the night position). To return
the mirror back to the day position, pull the lever
toward you.
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2-42 Electrochromic Day/Night Rearview Mirror
with Compass and Map Lamps
(If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have an automatic electrochromic
day/night rearview mirror with a compass and
map lamps.
This mirror automatically changes to reduce glare from
headlamps behind you. A time delay feature prevents
rapid changing from the day to night positions while
driving under lights and through traffic.
The mirror includes two map lamps, an automatic
dimming function and an eight
-point compass display in
the upper corner of the mirror face. When the compass
display is turned on, the compass automatically
calibrates as the vehicle is driven.
The automatic dimming feature is turned on or off by
pressing the IO button located on the lower part of the
mirror. Press and hold the IO button for up to three
seconds to turn this feature on or off.
The compass display feature is turned on or off by
pressing the IO button for three seconds or more.
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper towel or similar
material dampened with glass cleaner. Do not spray
glass cleaner directly on the mirror housing.
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