2003 Oldsmobile Alero cruise control

Section 3 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview ............................... 3.4
Hazard Warning Flashers
.......... .............. 3.6
Other Warning Devices
................................... 3.6
Horn
............................................................. 3.6
Tilt Wheel
..................................................... 3.7
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
......................... 3.7
Exterior Lamps
............................................. 3.13
Interior Lamps
.............................................. 3.16
Accessory Power Outlets
............................... 3.17
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
........................ 3.18
Climate Controls
........................................... -3-1 9
Climate Control System
................................. 3.19
Outlet Adjustment
......................................... 3.22
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
............. 3.23
Instrument Panel Cluster
................................ 3.24
Speedometer and Odometer
........................... 3.25
Tachometer
................................................. 3.25
Safety Belt Reminder Light
............................. 3.26
Air
Eag Reauiness iighi 3-LW
Charging System Light .................................. 3.27
fi cln ................................
Up-Shift Light .............................. .......... 3-28
Brake System Warning Light
........, .......... 3-28
Anti-Lock Brake System
Enhanced Traction System
Enhanced Traction System
Warning
bight
........................................ 3-29
Warning Light
........................................... 3-29
Active Light
.............................................. 3-30
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
.................. 3-31
Low Coolant Warning Light
............................ 3-31
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
............................. 3-31
Oil Pressure Light
......................................... 3-34
Low Oil Level Light
....................................... 3-35
Security Light
............................................... 3-36
Cruise Control Light
...................................... 3-36
%??:ice ‘!ehic!n see!? Light ........................... ._ 2-36
Fuel Gage ................................................... 3-37
Change Engine
Oil Light
................................ 3-35
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
..................... 3-36
3-
1

The main components of your instrument panel are the following:
A. Instrument Panel Fuse Blocks L. Cruise Control Switches
B. Air Outlets
C. Instrument Panel Cluster
D. Hazard Warning Flasher Button
E. Audio System
F. Climate Control System
G. Side Window Defogger Vent
H. Fog Lamp Button (If Equipped)
I. Instrument Panel Brightness Thumbwheel
J. Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
K. Hood Release Handle M.
N.
0.
P,
Q
R
S
T.
Tilt
Wheel Lever
Ignition Switch
Windshieid Wiperwasher Lever
Enhanced Traction System Button
Transaxle Shift Lever Parking Brake
Cigarette Lighter/Accessory Power Outlet
Accessory Power Outlet
3-5

Windshield Washer Cruise Control
To wash your windshield, push in the button at the end
0 er until the washers begin.
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer fluid can form ice
on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
I I
When you release the button, the washers will stop, but
the wipers will continue to wipe about three times or
will resume the speed you were using before.
1
If your vehicle has this feature, the cruise control
buttons are located on the steering wheel.
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help on long
trips. Cruise control does not work at speeds below
25 mph (40 km/h).
3-1 0

The cruise control will turn off when any of the
following occur:
The brakes are applied,
the clutch is applied (manual transaxle),
the parking brake is applied, or
the brake system warning light is on.
Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can’t drive safely at a steady speed.
So, don’t use your cruise control on
winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
0 Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
needless wheel spinning, and you could
lose control. Don’t use cruise control on
slippery roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the enhanced
traction system,
if your vehicle has this feature, begins to
limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengx~e. See Enhanced Trac?im Sys?m (ETSI ar?
page 4-9. When road conditions allow you to safely use
it again, you may turn the cruise control back on.
:ing Cruise Contrc
If you leave your cruise control on when you’re
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go
into cruise when you don’t want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch
off until you want to use
cruise control.
1. Press the cruise control
ON OFF button. The
indicator light above the button will turn on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press the CST SET (Coast Set) button and release
it. The
CRUISE light on the instrument panel cluster
will come on.
3-1 1

Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts
off the cruise control. But you don’t need to reset
it. Once you’re going about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can press the cruise control RES ACCL
(Resume/Accelerate) button for about half a second.
You’ll go right back up to your chosen speed and
stay there.
If you press the RES ACCL button longer than half a
second, the vehicle will keep going faster until you
release the button or apply the brake.
So unless you
want to go faster, don’t hold down the RES ACCL
button.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher
speed. Press the CST SET button, then release the
button and the accelerator pedal.
You’ll now
cruise at the higher speed.
Press the RES ACCL button. Hold it there until you
get up to the speed you want, and then release the
button.
To increase your speed in very small
amounts, press the RES ACCL button for less than
half a second and then release it. Each time you
do this, your vehicle will go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h)
faster.
The accelerate feature will only work after you turn on
the cruise control by pressing the CST SET button.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
Press the CST SET button until you reach the lower
speed you want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, press the
CST SET button for less than half a second.
Each time you do this, you’ll go
1 mph (1.6 km/h)
slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot
off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
3-1 2

Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may have to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or
shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out
of cruise control. Many
drivers find this to be too much trouble and don’t use
cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are five ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step on the brake pedal.
Press the cruise control CANCEL button.
Press the cruise control RES ACCL button and the
CST SET buttons at the same time.
Press the cruise control ON OFF button. The
indicator liqht above the cruise control button
will turn
of.
Push the clutch pedal if your vehicle has a manual
transaxle.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory
is erased.
Exterior Lamps
I
The lever on the left side of the steering column
operates the exterior lamps.
-p- (Exterior Lamps): Turn the outside part of the
lever with the symbol on it, to operate the lamps.
3-1 3

Security Light
SECURITY
This light will come on
when you turn the key to
ON and will stay on
until the vehicle starts.
If you’re driving and the security light comes on and
remains on, your Passlock@ system is not working
properly. Your vehicle is not protected by Passlock@
and you should see your dealer.
Cruise Control Light
CRUISE
The CRUISE light comes
on whenever you set your
cruise control,
if equipped.
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
LOW
WASHER
FLUID
United States Canada
This light will come on briefly when you turn on the
ignition. It will also stay on, or come on and a chime will
sound,
if the windshield washer fluid reservoir is less
than one-third full.
Service Vehicle Soon Light
SERVICE VEHICLE
SOON
This light will come on
briefly when you turn the
ignition
to ON.
3-36

In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels.
If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease
off the brake pedal.
This will help you retain steering control.
If you do have
anti-lock, it’s different. See “Anti-Lock Brakes.”
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
Your vehicle may have an Enhanced Traction System
(ETS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only
if
it senses that one or both of the front wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, the system reduces engine power and may
also upshift the transaxle to limit wheel spin.
I
This light will come on
when your Enhanced
Traction Slmtem is !irniting
wheel spin. See
Enhanced Traction System
Active Light on page
3-30.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the enhanced
traction system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. See ‘Cruise Control” under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
The Enhanced Traction System operates in all transaxle
shift lever positions. But the system can upshift the
transaxle only as high as the shift lever position you’ve
chosen, so you should use the lower gears only
when necessary. See
Automatic Transaxle Operation on
page 2-22.
TRAC
OFF
When the system is on
and the parking brake is
fully released, this warning
light will come on to let
you know
if there’s a
problem.
See
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light on
page 3-29.
When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
Traction System on. But you can turn the system
off if
you prefer.
ca?dltic?ns, you should alwa‘js leave the Enhanced
4-9