2-76
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or may
begin programs to inspect the emission control equipment
on your vehicle. Failure to pass this inspection could
prevent you from getting a vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the SERVICE
ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light is on or not
working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
OBD (on
-board diagnostic) system determines
that critical emission control systems have not been
completely diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would
be considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is designed
to evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This may take several days of routine
driving. If you have done this and your vehicle still
does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD system
readiness, see your dealer or qualified service center to
prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Gage
United States Canada
The oil pressure gage shows the engine oil pressure in
psi (pounds per square inch) when the engine is running.
Canadian vehicles indicate pressure in kPa (kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary with engine speed, outside
temperature and oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.
2-77
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a
dangerously low oil level or other problems causing low
oil pressure.
CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
If you do, your engine can become so hot that
it catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Change Engine Oil Light
United States Canada
This light is displayed when the engine oil needs to
be changed.
Once the engine oil has been changed, the CHANGE
ENG OIL light must be reset. Until it is reset, the light
will be displayed when the engine is on. For more
information on resetting the system, see ªOil Life
Systemº in the Index.
2-80 Check Gages Light
United States Canada
The CHECK GAGES light will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are
driving, check your coolant temperature and engine oil
pressure gages.
Gate Ajar
United States Canada
If this light comes on, your liftgate or liftglass is ajar.
Try closing the liftgate or liftglass again. Never drive
with the liftgate or liftglass even partially open.
2-85
GM Oil Life System
Press the fuel information button until ENGINE OIL
LIFE appears in the display. The GM Oil Life System
shows an estimate of the oil's remaining useful life.
It will show 100% when the system is reset after
an oil change. It will alert you to change your oil on
a schedule consistent with your driving conditions.
Always reset the engine oil life after an oil change.
To reset the Oil Life System press and hold the
select button while ENGINE OIL LIFE is displayed.
Be careful not to reset the engine oil life accidentally at
any time other than when the oil has just been changed.
It can't be reset accurately until the next oil change.
The DIC does not replace the need to maintain your
vehicle as recommended in the Maintenance Schedule
in this manual. Also, the oil change reminder will not
detect dusty conditions or engine malfunctions that may
affect the oil. If you drive in dusty areas, change your
oil after every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or three months,
whichever occurs first, unless the DIC instructs you to
do so sooner. Also, the oil change reminder does not
measure how much oil you have in your engine. So,
be sure to check your oil level often. See ªEngine Oilº
in the Index.Personalization Button
You can program certain features to a preferred setting
for up to two people. Press the personalization button
to scroll through the following personalization features.
All of the personalization options may not be available
on your vehicle. Only the options available will be
displayed on your DIC.
ALARM WARNING TYPE
AUTOMATIC LOCKING
AUTOMATIC UNLOCKING
SEAT POSITION RECALL (If Equipped)
PERIMETER LIGHTING
REMOTE LOCK FEEDBACK
REMOTE UNLOCK FEEDBACK
HEADLAMPS ON AT EXIT
TILT MIRROR IN REVERSE (If Equipped)
EASY EXIT SEAT (If Equipped)
DISPLAY UNITS (E/M)
DISPLAY LANGUAGE
The driver's preferences are recalled by pressing the
unlock button on the remote keyless entry transmitter
or by pressing the appropriate memory button 1 or 2
located on the driver's door.
2-93 DIC Warnings and Messages
Warning messages are displayed on the DIC to notify
the driver that the status of the vehicle has changed and
that some action may be needed by the driver to correct
the condition. More than one message may appear at
one time, they will appear one behind the other. Some
messages may not require immediate action but you
should press the select button to acknowledge that
you received the message and clear it from the display.
Some messages cannot be cleared from the display
because they are more urgent. These message required
action before they can be removed from the DIC display.
The following are the possible messages that can be
displayed and some information about them,
ENGINE COOLANT HOT/IDLE ENGINE
If the cooling system temperature gets hot this
message will appear in the DIC and you will hear a
chime. Stop the vehicle and let the engine idle in
PARK (P) to allow the coolant to reach a safe
temperature. This message will clear when the coolant
temperature drops to a safe operating temperature.ENGINE OVERHEATED/STOP ENGINE
(If Equipped)
If the engine cooling system reaches unsafe
temperatures for operation, this message will appear in
the DIC and you will hear a chime. Stop and turn off
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so to avoid severe
damage. This message will clear when the engine has
cooled to a safe operating temperature.
OIL PRESSURE LOW/STOP ENGINE
If low oil pressure levels occur this message will be
displayed on the DIC. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely
possible and do not operate it until the cause of the low
oil pressure has been corrected. Check your oil as soon
as possible and have your vehicle serviced.
BATTERY NOT CHARGING
If the battery is not charging during operation this
message will appear on the DIC. Driving with this
problem could drain your battery. Have the electrical
system checked as soon as possible. Pressing the select
button will acknowledge this message and clear it from
the DIC display.
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CHECK OIL LEVEL
If the oil level in the vehicle is low this message will
appear on the DIC. Check the oil level and correct it
as necessary. You may need to need to let the vehicle
cool or warm up and cycle the ignition to be sure this
message will clear. Once the problem is corrected,
pressing the select button will clear this message from
the DIC display.
CHECK WASHER FLUID
If the washer fluid level is low this message will appear
on the DIC. Adding washer fluid will clear the message.
Pressing the select button will acknowledge this message
and clear it from the DIC display.
TRANS HOT IDLE ENGINE
If the transmission fluid in the vehicle gets hot this
message will appear on the DIC. Driving with the
transmission fluid temperature high can cause damage
to the vehicle. Stop the vehicle and let it idle to allow
the transmission to cool. This message will clear when
the fluid temperature reaches a safe level.ICE POSSIBLE
If the outside temperature reaches a level where ice
could form on the roadway, this message may appear
on the DIC. If the temperature rises to a safe level
the message will clear. Pressing the select button will
acknowledge this message and clear it from the
DIC display.
DRIVER DOOR AJAR
If the driver's door is not fully closed this message
will appear on the display and you will hear a chime.
Stop and turn off the vehicle, check the door for
obstacles, and close the door again. Check to see if
the message still appears on the DIC. Pressing the
select button will acknowledge this message and clear it
from the DIC display.
4-37
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.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you'll find experienced and able service experts in
Oldsmobile dealerships all across North America.
They'll be ready and willing to help if you need it.Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long
-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What's the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up
-to-date maps?
4-54 Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with
the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you're turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so your trailer won't strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you're about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument panel
will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned
out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you are seeing
your signal when they are not. It's important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD (3) or a lower gear, under heavy
loads or hilly conditions.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a
few minutes before turning the engine off. If you do
get the overheat warning, see ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index.