
If  something  is  between an occupant  and  an 
air  bag,  the  bag  might  not  inflate  properly  or 
it 
might  force  the  object  into  that  person  causing 
severe  injury  or  even  death. The path  of  an 
inflating  air  bag  must  be kept  clear.  Don’t  put 
anything  between  an occupant  and  an  air bag, 
and  don’t  attach  or  put  anything  on  the 
steering  wheel  hub  or  on  or  near  any other  air 
bag  covering.  Don’t  let  seat  covers  block  the 
inflation  path 
of a  side  impact  air  bag. 
The  right  front  passenger’s  side  impact  air bag  is in  the 
side 
of the  passenger’s  seatback  closest to the door. 
1-72  

What Makes  an Air Bag Inflate? 
In an impact  of sufficient severity,  the air bag  sensing 
system  detects that  the vehicle  is  in a crash.  For  both 
frontal and side impact air  bags,  the sensing system 
triggers  a release of  gas from  the inflator,  which inflates 
the  air bag.  The inflator, the  air bag and related  hardware 
are  all  part of the air  bag modules  inside the steering 
wheel,  the instrument panel, and the side  of the  front 
seatbacks  closest to  the door. 
How  Does  an Air Bag Restrain? 
In moderate  to  severe frontal or  near frontal collisions, 
even  belted  occupants  can  contact the steering  wheel 
or  the  instrument panel. In  moderate to  severe side 
collisions,  even belted  occupants  can contact  the inside 
of  the  vehicle.  The air bag  supplements  the protection 
provided  by safety belts.  Air  bags distribute  the force 
of  the  impact  more evenly over the occupant’s 
upper  body, stopping the  occupant  more gradually. 
But  the  frontal air  bags  would  not help you in many 
types  of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts,  and 
many  side  impacts, primarily  because  an occupant’s 
motion  is not  toward  the air  bag. Side  impact  air bags 
would  not help  you 
in many types  of collisions, 
including frontal or  near frontal collisions, rollovers, and 
rear impacts, primarily  because  an occupant’s motion  is not toward those air 
bags.  Air  bags should never  be 
regarded as anything  more  than a supplement  to 
safety belts,  and then  only in moderate  to  severe  frontal 
or  near-frontal collisions for  the  driver’s  and  right front 
passenger’s frontal air  bags,  and  only in moderate 
to  severe side collisions  for  the driver’s  and  right  front 
passenger’s side impact air  bag. 
What  Will You See  After  an  Air  Bag 
Inflates? 
After  the air bag  inflates, it  quickly  deflates, so quickly 
that  some  people  may  not  even  realize the  air  bag 
inflated.  Some  components  of  the  air  bag  module  will be 
hot  for a short time.  These  components  include  the 
steering  wheel  hub  for  the  driver’s  frontal air  bag  and  the 
instrument panel  for  the  right front passenger’s  frontal 
air  bag.  For vehicles  with  side impact air  bags,  the  side 
of  the  seatback  closest to the  driver’s  and/or  right 
front passenger’s  door  will  be hot. The  parts  of the  bag 
that  come  into contact  with  you  may  be  warm,  but 
not  too  hot to touch.  There  will  be  some  smoke  and  dust 
coming  from the vents  in the  deflated  air  bags.  Air  bag 
inflation doesn’t prevent the  driver  from  seeing  or 
being able  to steer the  vehicle,  nor  does  it  stop  people 
from  leaving  the vehicle. 
1 -74  

When an  air  baa  jnflates,  there is dust  in  the 
air.  This  dust  could  cause  breathing  problems 
for  people  with  a  history  of  asthma  or  other  breathing  trouble. 
To avoid this, everyone in 
the  vehicle  should  get  out  as  soon  as it is safe 
to  do 
so. If  you  have breathing  problems but 
can’t  get  out  of  the  vehicle  after  an  air  bag 
inflates,  then  get  fresh  air  by  opening  a 
window  or  a  door. 
If you  experience  breathing 
problems  following  an  air  bag  deployment, 
you  should  seek medical  attention. 
In  many  crashes  severe  enough to inflate an  air  bag, 
windshields  are  broken  by  vehicle deformation. 
Additional  windshield  breakage  may  also occur from 
the  right  front  passenger  air  bag. 
Air  bags  are designed to  inflate only once. After  an 
air  bag  inflates,  you’ll  need some  new  parts for 
your  air  bag  system.  If  you don’t  get them,  the air 
bag  system  won’t  be  there to help protect you 
in  another  crash. 
A new  system  will include air  bag 
manual  for  your  vehicle  covers the  need to replace 
other  parts. 
modules and possibly other parts. The service 
Your vehicle is equipped  with an electronic frontal 
sensor,  which helps the sensing system distinguish 
between  a moderate frontal impact and  a more 
severe  frontal  impact.  Your vehicle  is also equipped 
with  a  crash sensing and diagnostic module, 
which  records information about the frontal air  bag 
system.  The  module records information about 
the  readiness  of the system,  when the system 
commands  air bag inflation and driver’s safety belt 
usage  at deployment. The  module 
also records 
speed,  engine 
RPM, brake and throttle  data. 
Let only qualified technicians  work on your air  bag 
systems.  Improper service can  mean  that an air 
bag system  won’t  work properly. See your dealer 
for  service. 
Notice: If you  damage  the  covering  for  the  driver’s 
or the  right  front  passenger’s  air  bag, or  the  air 
bag  covering  on  the  driver’s  and  right  front 
passenger’s  seatback,  the  bag  may  not  work 
properly.  You  may  have  to replace  the  air  bag 
module 
in the  steering  wheel,  both  the  air  bag 
module  and  the  instrument  panel  for  the  right  front 
passenger’s  air  bag,  or  both  the  air  bag  module 
and  seatback  for  the  driver’s  and  right  front 
passenger’s  side  impact  air  bag. 
Do not  open  or 
break  the  air  bag  coverings. 
1 -75  

This key can  be used  for 
the  ignition  as well  as  all 
door  locks,  the liftgate 
lock and  the storage 
compartments. 
If  you  need  a  new  key, contact your dealer,  who can 
obtain  the correct key code. 
Your  vehicle  has the PASS-Key@ 
Ill vehicle theft 
system.  The key has  a transponder  in the  key head that 
matches  a  decoder  in the  vehicle’s steering column. 
If a  replacement  key or any additional key  is needed, 
you  must  purchase  this key from your dealer.  The key 
will  have  PK3  stamped  on it. Keep  the bar code tag that 
came with the original keys. Give this tag to your  dealer 
if you  need  a  new  key made.  Any  new  PASS-Key@ 
Ill key  must  be  programmed 
before  it will  start  your  vehicle.  See 
PASS-Kep 111 on 
page  2-29 
for  more  information  on  programming 
your  new key. 
Notice: Your  vehicle has  a  number of features 
that  can help prevent  theft.  You  can  have  a 
lot of 
trouble getting into  your  vehicle  if  you  ever  lock 
your  keys inside.  You  may  even  have to damage 
your  vehicle  to get  in. 
So be sure  you  have 
spare  keys. 
If you  ever  do  get  locked out of your  vehicle,  call 
Oldsmobile  Roadside  Assistance.  See 
Roadside 
Assistance  Program  on  page  7-5 
for  more  information. 
If your vehicle is equipped  with  the  Onstar@ system 
with  an active subscription  and  you  lock  your  keys  inside 
the vehicle, Onstar@  may  be able to send a command 
to  unlock your vehicle.  See 
OnStap System  on 
page  2-47 
for more  information. 
2-4  

B (LOCK): This is the  only  position from which you 
can  remove  the  key.  This  position locks your  ignition, 
steering  wheel  and  transaxle. 
Notice: If  your  key  seems stuck in LOCK and  you 
can’t  turn 
it, be  sure  you  are  using  the  correct  key; 
if 
so, is it all  the  way in?  If it is, then  turn  the 
steering  wheel  left  and  right  while  you  turn  the  key  hard.  Turn  the  key  only  with  your  hand.  Using  a 
tool  to  force 
it could  break  the  key  or  the  ignition 
switch.  If  none 
of these  works,  then  your  vehicle 
needs  service. 
C (OFF): This  position  unlocks  the  ignition, steering 
wheel  and  transaxle  but,  does  not  send power to 
any  accessories.  Use  this  position 
if your vehicle 
must  be pushed  or  towed,  but  never try 
to push-start 
your  vehicle. 
D (RUN): This  is the position to  which the switch returns 
after you  start your engine and release the ignition key. 
This  is the position for driving. Even  when the engine  is 
not  running,  you can  use RUN to  operate  your  electrical 
accessories and 
to display  some instrument panel 
warning lights. 
E (START): This position starts  the  engine. When the 
engine  starts, release the  ignition  key.  The switch 
will  return to  RUN for  normal  driving. 
If  the engine  is not  running,  ACCESSORY  and  RUN 
are  positions that allow you  to operate  your electrical 
accessories, such as the  radio. 
Retained  Accessory  Power  (RAP) 
With RAP,  the power  windows,  power  rear  quarter 
windows,  audio system and the automatic level control 
will continue to work  up to 
10 minutes after  the 
ignition key  is turned  to 
OFF and none  of the doors 
are opened. 
2-33  

Memory Seat 
If your  vehicle has this 
feature,  the controls are 
located  to the left  of 
the  steering column  and 
are  used  to program 
and recall the driver’s 
seat  settings. 
Adjust  the driver’s seat to the  position you would like for 
driving.  Then press and  hold  memory button 
1 for 
more than three seconds. 
A double beep will sound 
when  the memory  is set. 
To  set the seat  for a second  driver, follow the  previous 
steps, but press button 
2 instead.  To 
recall  your  memory  positions,  your  vehicle 
must  be in PARK 
(P). Press  and release  the  memory 
button 
(1 or 2) corresponding  to  the  desired  driving 
position. The seat will  move  to the position  previously 
stored for the identified  driver. 
You will  hear  one  beep. 
You can  also store an  exit position  for  each  driver. 
The  exit position is  programmed  by  moving  the  seat  to 
the desired  exit position and  then  holding  the  EXIT 
button for  more than  three  seconds.  The  exit  position 
set  will  be for  the  most  recently  selected  driving 
position 
(1 or 2). A double  beep will  sound  when  the 
memory  is set.  To use  EXIT,  your  vehicle  must  be 
in  PARK  (P). Press  and  release  the  EXIT  button  and  the 
seat  will  move  to the exit position  stored  for  the  most 
recently selected  driver.  You  will  hear  one  beep. 
To stop  recall  movement  of the  seat  at  any  time, 
press one  of the  three  memory  buttons  or  one  of the 
power  seat controls  located  on  the outboard  side  of the 
driver’s  seat. 
2-72  

3 Instrument  Panel 
Audio System(s) ...... ................................ 3.63 
Setting the  Time 
....................................... 3-63 
Radio  with  CD 
.......................................... 3-64 
Radio  with  Cassette and  CD 
...................... 3-71 
Radio  with  Six-Disc CD 
......... .... , ......... 3-80 
Entertainment  System 
.................... , ......... 3-91 
Rear  Seat  Audio  (RSA)  (Without Entertainment  System) 
................... 3-98 
Rear  Seat  Audio  (RSA)  (With  Entertainment  System) 
... ............ 3.100 Theft-Deterrent 
Feature 
................................ 3-101 
Audio  Steering  Wheel Controls 
...................... 3.102 
DVD  Distortion 
............................................ 3.103 
Understanding  Radio Reception 
.................... 3.103 
Care 
of Your  CDs  and  DVDs ........................ 3-104 
Care 
of Your  CD  and  DVD  Player ................. 3-104 
Cleaning  Your  DVD  Player 
........................... 3.105 
Cleaning the  Video  Screen 
........................... 3.105 
Fixed  Mast  Antenna 
.................................... 3.105 
Care 
of Your 
Cassette  Tape Player ............... 3-103 
3-2  

A.  Side Outlets 
B. Front Outlets 
C.  Turn  SignaVMultifunction  Lever 
D. Hazard  Warning  Flasher Switch 
E. Instrument Panel Cluster 
F.  Center  Outlets 
G. Audio  System 
H.  Side  Outlets 
I. Exterior  Lamps  Control 
J. Hood  Release 
K. Audio Steering  Wheel Controls 
L. Horn 
M. Ignition Switch 
N. Audio Steering  Wheel Controls 
0. Climate Controls 
P.  Rear  Fan  Controls 
Q. Cupholder  Tray 
R. Accessory  Power  Outlet 
S. Instrument Panel Switchbank 
T. Glove Box 
U. Front Outlets 
V. Instrument Panel Fuse Block 
3-5