2002 OLDSMOBILE AURORA heater

2-
2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Windows
2
-4 Keys
2
-6 Door Locks
2
-10 Remote Keyless Entry System
2
-15 Trunk
2
-17 Theft
2
-18 Universal Theft-Deterrent
2
-20 PASS-Key
III
2
-22 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-22 Ignition Positions
2
-24 Starting Your Engine
2
-25 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-26 Automatic Transaxle Operation
2
-29 Parking Brake
2
-30 Shifting Into PARK (P)
2
-32 Shifting Out of PARK (P)2
-32 Parking Over Things That Burn
2
-33 Engine Exhaust
2
-34 Tilt Wheel
2
-35 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-43 Exterior Lamps
2
-47 Interior Lamps
2
-51 Mirrors
2
-55 Storage Compartments
2
-57 Accessory Power Outlet
2
-58 OnStar
System (If Equipped)
2
-62 Sunroof (Option)
2
-63 HomeLink
Transmitter (If Equipped)
2
-66 The Instrument Panel - Your
Information System
2
-70 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2
-83 Driver Information Center (DIC)
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2-25
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer. If you don't,
your engine might not perform properly.
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0
F (-18
C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm
-up. Usually, the
coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of four
hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures above
32
F (0
C), use of the coolant heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The engine coolant heater cord is located on
the passenger's side of the vehicle, above the
headlamp assembly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110
-volt AC outlet.
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach,
use a heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord
rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for
that particular area.
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2-47
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Knob
This feature controls the brightness of the instrument
panel lights.
The knob for this feature is
located on the driver's side
of the instrument panel.
Turn the knob clockwise to brighten the instrument
panel cluster lights and displays. Turn the knob
counterclockwise to dim the instrument panel cluster
lights and displays.
If it is day and your parking lamps are on, the instrument
panel cluster lights and displays will come on at full
intensity and will not be adjustable. If it is dark enough
outside and your parking lamps are on, the instrument
panel cluster lights and displays and the backlighting for
the door switches will come on, and can also be adjusted.
Courtesy Lamps
If it is dark enough outside and the front reading lamp
slider lever, located on the overhead console, is in the
AUTO position, when any door is opened all of the
vehicles courtesy lamps will come on. See ªReading
Lampsº in the Index. They make it easier for you to
enter and leave the vehicle. The courtesy lamps will
remain on for about 25 seconds after all doors have
been closed. They will then theater dim to off.
Move the front reading lamp slider lever to ON to turn
on the interior courtesy lamps. When the control is
moved back to either OFF or AUTO, the courtesy
lamps will immediately turn off.
If the control is OFF when the doors are opened, only
the lower instrument panel courtesy lamps will come on.
Also, if the control is OFF when illuminated entry or
delayed exit lighting are active, only the lower
instrument panel courtesy lamps will be on.
If a door is left ajar, your interior lamps will turn
off after 10 minutes to save your battery.
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2-48 Illuminated Entry
If it is dark enough outside and you press the unlock
symbol on the remote keyless entry transmitter while all
doors are closed, the interior courtesy lamps will come
on and stay on for approximately 40 seconds. When the
40 seconds are up, the lights will automatically fade
until they turn off. The lamps will turn off immediately
by pressing the lock symbol on the remote keyless entry
transmitter, by turning the ignition key to ON or by
activating the power door locks.
Delayed Entry Lighting
When you open the door to enter your vehicle, the
interior lamps will come on if it is dark enough outside.
When you close the door with the ignition off, the
interior lamps will stay on for 25 seconds. When the
25 seconds are up the lights will automatically fade
until they turn off. Locking the doors with the power
door lock switch or with the lock symbol on the remote
keyless entry transmitter, will override the delayed entry
lighting and the lamps will turn off immediately.
Theater Dimming
This feature allows for a three to five-second fade out of
the overhead courtesy lamps instead of immediate turn
off after you remove the key from the ignition. They
will not fade if the interior lamps are manually turned
on. The lower instrument panel courtesy lamps will not
fade out.
Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature will turn on the interior lamps for
25 seconds after you remove the key from the ignition
while the doors are closed and it is night. This will give
you time to find the door handle or lock switches as
you exit the vehicle. When the 25 seconds are up, or
if the key is reinserted into the ignition, the lights will
be turned off by the theater dimming system. The
lamps will turn off immediately by pressing the lock
symbol on the remote keyless entry transmitter, by
turning the ignition key to ON or by activating the
power door locks.
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3-9
Turn the thumbwheel between the front outlets to
open and close the outlets. Adjust the direction of
airflow from side to side with the levers in the center
of each outlet.
Move the control between the rear outlets up to direct
airflow through the upper outlets. Move the control
down to direct airflow through the floor ducts. Adjust
the direction of airflow from side to side with the levers
located in the center of each outlet.Ventilation Tips

Keep the hood and front air inlet area between the
base of the windshield and the hood free of ice,
snow, or any other obstruction (such as leaves).
The defroster and heater will work far better,
reducing the chance of fogging the inside of your
windows, if this area is clear.

Keep the air path under the front seats clear
of objects. This helps air to circulate throughout
your vehicle.
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4-29

Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you've been stopped by the snow.

Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly.
This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps
the battery charged. You will need a well
-charged
battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling
later on with your headlamps. Let the heater run for
a while.
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5-12 If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
An overheat warning, along with a low coolant message,
can indicate a serious problem. See ªLow Coolant
Messageº in the Index.
If you get an engine overheat warning with no low
coolant message, but see or hear no steam, the problem
may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a
little too hot when you:

Climb a long hill on a hot day.

Stop after high
-speed driving.

Idle for long periods in traffic.

Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If your air conditioner is on, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you're in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
--AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D)
or THIRD (3).If you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn't come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while you're parked. If you still have the
warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down. Also, see ªOverheated
Engine Protection Operating Modeº listed previously in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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5-14
A low coolant level should be indicated by a LOW
ENGINE COOLANT message on the Driver
Information Center. If it is, you may have a leak at
the pressure cap or in the radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in the
cooling system.
CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don't touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don't run the engine if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running. If
they aren't, your vehicle needs service.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn't covered by your warranty.
See ªOverheated Engine Protection Operating
Modeº in the Index.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you
use only DEX
-COOL
(silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the
use of coolant other than DEX
-COOL
is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
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