2003 Oldsmobile Alero warning

Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving
at
60 mph (1 00 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could
be a lot
of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough
space between your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount
of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster
if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes.
If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down.
If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use
it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes. ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
ANTI -
LOCK
United States
Canada
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this warning light on
the instrument panel
will come on briefly when you
start your vehicle.
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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
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To turn the system on or
off, press the ETS button
on the center console.
When you turn the system
off, the Enhanced Traction
System warning light will come on and stay on.
If
the Enhanced Traction System is limiting wheel spin
when you press the button to turn the system
off,
the warning light will come on and the indicator light will
go off - but the system won’t turn off right away. It
will wait until there’s no longer a current need to limit
wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The Enhanced Traction
System warning light should go
off.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning,
you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels.
If there’s no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction.
If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can
control.
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Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, Driving at Night
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
- such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a “mirrored surface”
- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid only the braking skid.
If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the
.A
brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores
steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
are rolling, you will have steering control. impaired
- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
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problems, or by fatigue.
4-1 5

Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your Driving Through Flowing Water
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen
if a lot of water is standing
on the road.
If you can see reflections from trees,
telephone poles or other vehicles, and raindrops
“dimple” the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when
it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage
your engine. Never drive through water that
is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If
you can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly. Fla
ng or rushi - ater creates strong
forces. If you try to drive through flowing
water, as you might at a low water crossing,
your vehicle can be carried away.
As little as
six inches
of flowing water can carry away a
smaller vehicle. If this happens, you and other
vehicle occupants could drown. Don’t ignore
police warning signs, and otherwise be
very cautious about trying to drive through
flowing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
e Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared to have your
view restricted by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires
on page 5-53.
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City Driving One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them.
You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways
to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities.
You’ll save time and energy.
See the next part, “Freeway Driving.”
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is
busy enough
to need it. When a light turns green, and just before
you start to move, check
both ways for vehicles
that have not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.
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How to Reset the Change Oil Light
The GM Oil Life SystemTM calculates when to change
your engine oil and filter based on vehicle use. Anytime
your oil is changed, reset the system
so it can
calculate when the next oil change is required. If a
situation occurs where you change your oil prior to a
CHANGE OIL light being turned on, reset the system.
After changing the engine oil, the system must be reset.
To reset the oil life indicator, do the following steps:
1. With the ignition key in ON (a short time after
turning
off the engine), press the RESET button
located in the driver's side instrument panel
fuse block. See "Instrument Panel Fuse Block"
under
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-81.
2. When the CHANGE OIL light starts to flash, press
and hold the RESET button again.
The reset
is complete when you hear the chimes and
the CHANGE
OIL light goes out.
If your vehicle is equipped with a 2.2L L4 ECOTEC
engine, it has a unique oil filter element. When
reinstalling the filter cap do not exceed
18 Ib ft (25 N*m ).
Inspect the condition of the O-ring and replace if
damaged.
See your dealer for additional information.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Don't let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose
of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer's
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
filter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting it
in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers, or into
streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it by
taking it to a place that collects used oil.
If you have a
problem properly disposing of your used
oil, ask
your dealer, a service station or a local recycling center
for help.
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When to Check and What to Use
Schedule to determine
how often you should
check the fluid level in your
master cylinder reservoir
and for the proper
fluid. See
Part B: Owner
Checks and Services
on page 6-9 and Part D:
Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants
on
page 6- 15.
How to Check and Add Fluid
You do not need to check the fluid level unless you
suspect a clutch problem. To check the fluid level, take
the cap
off. If the fluid level reaches the top of the
reservoir, the fluid level is correct. It isn’t a good idea to
top
off your clutch fluid. Adding fluid won’t correct a
leak. A fluid loss in this system could indicate a problem
Have the system inspected and repaired.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL@ engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add
only DEX-COOL@ extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when
it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see
Engine Overheating on
page 5-26.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (1 29°C).
@ Protect against rust and corrosion.
@ Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
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