2003 OLDSMOBILE AURORA Owners Manual

Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front
of you that you want to pass.
It works even
if your headlamps are off.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever toward you.
Your high-beam headlamps will turn on. They’ll stay on
as long as you hold the lever there. Release the
lever
to turn them off.
If your headlamps are on, and on high beam, your
headlamps will switch to low beam when the lever is
released.
To get back to high beam, push the lever away
from you.
Windshield Wipers
The lever on the right side of your steering column
operates your windshield wipers.
If your windshield wipers are on for more than
six
seconds while you are driving, the low-beam headlamps,
instrument panel cluster backlighting and the taillamps
will turn on. For more information see “Wiper-Activated
Headlamps” under
Exterior Lamps on page 3-14.
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For a single wiping cycle, move the lever down to MIST.
Hold it there until the wipers start, then release it. The
wipers will stop after one cycle.
If you want more cycles,
hold the lever on MIST longer.
For steady wiping at low speed, move the lever up to
the
LO position. For high-speed wiping, move the lever
up further, to HI.
To stop the wipers, move the lever
to OFF.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wiper cycles. Move the lever up to the first
detent, INT (Intermittent). Turn the band labeled
INT ADJ (Intermittent Adjustment) down toward the
shorter lines for fewer wiper passes per minute. As you
turn the band toward the longer lines, the wiper
cycles per minute will increase.
Remember that damaged wiper blades may prevent you
from seeing well enough to drive safely. To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If they’re frozen to the
do become damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
See
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement on
page
5-59.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers. A circuit
snow or ice to prevent an overload.
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RainsenseTM II Wipers
The moisture sensor is mounted on the interior side of
the windshield below the rearview mirror and is used
to automatically operate the windshield wipers.
This system operates by monitoring the amount of
moisture build-up on the windshield. Wipes occur as
needed to clear the windshield depending on the driving
conditions and sensitivity setting. In light rain or snow,
fewer wipes will occur. In heavy rain or snow, wipes will
occur more frequently. The system will operate in the
delay, low speed and high speed modes. If the system is
left on for long periods of time, occasional wipes may
occur without any moisture
on the windshield. This
is normal and indicates that the RainsenseTM system is
activated.
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The RainsenseTM system is activated by moving the
wiper lever up to the INT position and turning the
INT ADJ band to one
of the five sensitivity levels within
the delay area. The bottom INT ADJ position is the
lowest sensitivity setting, level one. This allows more
rain or snow to collect on the windshield between wipes.
You can increase the sensitivity of the system and the
frequency of wipes by turning the INT ADJ band
away from you to the higher sensitivity levels. The top
position is the highest sensitivity setting, level five.
A single wipe will occur each time you turn the INT ADJ
band to a higher sensitivity level to indicate that the
sensitivity level has been increased.
Notice: The wipers must be turned off when going
through a car wash to avoid damage.
The MIST and wash cycles operate as normal and are
not affected by the RainsenseTM function. The
system can be overridden at any time by manually
changing the wiper control to
LO or HI speed.
Notice: Do not place stickers or other items on the
exterior glass surface directly in front of the
rainsensor. Doing this could cause the rainsensor
to malfunction.
Windshield Washer
The lever on the right side of your steering column also
controls your windshield washer. To spray washer
fluid on the windshield, push the button on the end
of
the lever. The wipers will clear the window and then
either stop or return
to your preset speed. For more
washer cvcles, push and hold the button.
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.
Ice build up can block washer nozzles. Remove ice for
proper operation.
If the fluid level in the windshield washer bottle is low,
the message LOW WASHER FLUID will appear on
the
DIC. See Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-38.
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Cruise Control
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 is helpful on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control
shuts
off.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. See
Traction
Control System
(TCS) on page 4-8. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may turn
the cruise control back on.
Setting Cruise Control
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.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
lose control. Don’t use cruise control on
slippery roads.
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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.
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Resuming a Set Speed
Setting the cruise control at a desired speed and then
applying the brake will end the cruise control function.
Once you’re going about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more, you
can briefly push the cruise control lever up to RES-ACC
(Resume-Accelerate) to reset. This returns you to
the desired preset speed.
Remember,
if you hold the lever up at RES-ACC, the
vehicle will accelerate until you release the lever
or apply the brake.
So unless you want to go faster,
don’t hold the lever at RES-ACC.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
1.
2.
3.
4.
Push the cruise control switch, located on the right
side of the steering column at the end of the lever,
in to
ON.
Get up to the speed you want.
Push the lever down to SET-CST (Coast) and
release it. The CRUISE light on the instrument
panel cluster will come on.
Take your foot
off the accelerator pedal. There are
three ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to go to a higher speed.
Push the lever down, then release the lever and
the accelerator pedal. You’ll now cruise at the higher
speed.
Move the cruise lever up to RES-ACC. Hold it there
until you reach a desired speed and then release
the lever.
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To increase your speed in very small amounts,
move the lever up to RES-ACC briefly 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 have set
the cruise control speed by pushing the lever down
to SET-CST.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
@ Push the lever down until you reach a desired lower
speed then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, push the lever
down briefly. Each time you do this, you’ll go about
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.
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 Without Erasing the
Set Speed
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
* Step lightly on the brake pedal, or
@ pull the cruise lever towards you to cancel cruise.
To resume the set speed see “Resuming a Set Speed”
earlier in this section.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
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Exterior Lamps
The lever on the left side
of the steering column
operates the exterior
lamps.
{OO: (Parking Lamps): Turning the switch to this
position turns on the parking lamps, together with the
following:
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
-:g- : Turn the outside part of the lever with this symbol
on
it, to operate the lamps. The exterior lamp switch
has three positions.
OFF: Turning the switch to this position turns off all
lamps and lights, except the Daytime Running
Lamps
(DRL).
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
- - zo (Headlamps): Turning the switch to this position
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
AUTO (Automatic Headlamps): Turning the exterior
lamps control to AUTO will turn the headlamps, taillamps
and parking lamps on and
off, while the ignition is on,
by sensing how dark it is outside. See “Automatic
Headlamp System” later in this section for more
information.
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Wiper-Activated Headlamps
This feature turns on the low-beam headl,amps,
instrument panel cluster backlighting and taillamps after
the windshield wipers have been in use for
approximately six seconds. To operate, the exterior
lamps control must be in AUTO and it must be
dark enough outside.
When the exterior lamps control is in OFF or the
parking lamp position and the windshield wiper control
is on (LO, HI or INT), the HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED
message
will appear on the DIC.
When you turn the key to OFF, the wiper-activated
headlamps will immediately turn off. The wiper-activated
headlamps will also turn off
if you turn the exterior
lamps control to OFF or turn off the windshield wipers.
Headlamps on Reminder
If the exterior lamps control is left on, you’ll hear a
warning chime when you turn the ignition off, remove
the key from the ignition and open the driver’s door.
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Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful
in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after
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daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada. A
light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work,
so be sure it isn’t covered.
The DRL system will make your high-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness in daylight when the
following conditions are met:
The ignition is on,
the exterior lamps control is off, and
e the transaxle is not in PARK (P).
When the DRL are on, only your high-beam headlamps
will be on. The parking lamps, taillamps, sidemarker
and other lamps won’t be on.
With your headlamp control in AUTO when it is dark
enough outside, your low-beam headlamps will
automatically come on. The other lamps that turn on
with your headlamps will also turn on. When it is bright
enough outside, the regular lamps will go
off, and
your high-beam headlamps change to the reduced
brightness of DRL.
To turn off all exterior lighting at night when you are
parked, turn the exterior lamps control all the way toward
OFF. The DRL will turn on automatically and the
HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message will be displayed
on the DIC when you move the transaxle out of
PARK (P).
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