2004 Oldsmobile Alero Owner's Manuals

Six-Way Power Driver Seat
If your vehicle has this
feature, the power seat
control is located on
the outboard side of the
driver’s seat.
This control allows you to move the seat up, down,
forward, or backward. It will also move the front or rear
of the seat cushion up or down.
•Move the seat forward or rearward by pushing the
control toward the front or rear of the vehicle.
•Raise or lower the entire seat cushion by holding
the control up or down.
•Raise or lower the front of the seat cushion by
holding the front of the control up or down.
•Raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion by
holding the rear of the control up or down.
Reclining Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, lift the lever located on the
outboard side of the seat and move the seatback
to where you want it. Release the lever to lock the
seatback. Pull up on the lever without pushing on the
seatback and the seatback will go to an upright position.
1-3

But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts can’t do their job
when you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash
the belt could go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety belt
properly.
1-4

Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of
the restraint is closest to the top of your head. This
position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Seatback Latches
For two-door model vehicles, the front seatbacks fold
forward to let people get into the back seat. The
seatback latch is designed for one-handed operation.
To fold a front seatback forward, lift the seatback
latch fully without pushing forward on the seatback to
unlock it. Then the seatback will fold forward.
Push the seatback to its original position, and the
seatback will lock.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
1-5

Easy Entry Seat
For two-door model vehicles, the right front seat of your
vehicle makes it easy for people to get in and out of
the rear seat.
1. Fold the right front seatback forward after lifting the
seatback latch fully.
2. Slide the seat forward to allow someone to get into
the rear seat area.
3. Push the seatback upright to lock it and slide the
seat fully rearward to lock it.
4. Adjust the seat to the desired position.
5. The front passenger should try to move the seat to
make sure the seat is locked into place.{CAUTION:
If the easy entry right front seat isn’t locked, it
can move. In a sudden stop or crash, the
person sitting there could be injured. After
you’ve used it, be sure to push rearward on an
easy entry seat to be sure it is locked.
1-6

Power Lift Seat
If your vehicle has this feature, to move the power lift
seat forward or rearward, pull up on the lever located
under the front of the driver’s seat to unlock it. Slide the
seat to where you want it and release the lever. Try
to move the seat with your body to make sure the seat
is locked into place.To raise or lower the power lift seat, hold the switch
located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat up
or down.
1-7

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
Folding the Seatback
If your vehicle has this feature, do the following:
1. Pull the release straps
located in the trunk.
The right strap
operates the
passenger’s side rear
split seat. The left
strap operates
the driver’s side rear
split seat.
2. Fold the seatback down from the inside of the
vehicle.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t provide the
protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.
To raise the seatback, push the seatback up to return it
to its original position.
Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is latched
securely in the fully upright position.
1-8

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts are
fastened properly too.
{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up. See
Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-26.
1-9

In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here’s why:They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on
wheels.
1-10