2005 SATURN L-SERIES window

Outside Convex Mirror
{CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder
before changing lanes.
The passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved so more can be seen from
the driver’s seat. It also makes things appear farther
away than they really are.
Outside Heated Mirrors
When the rear window defogger is turned on, it also
warms both outside rearview mirrors to help clear them
of ice, snow, or condensation. SeeClimate Control
System on page 3-18.
Storage Areas
Glove Box
To open the glove box, lift up on the lever. The glove
box has a light inside.
Center Console Storage Area
Your vehicle is equipped with a center console.
To open the console’s storage area, pull up on the
latch located in the front of the console lid.
2-28
ProCarManuals.com

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A. Air Outlets. SeeOutlet Adjustment on page 3-20.
B. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
C. Cruise Control. SeeCruise Control on page 3-10.
D. Horn. SeeHorn on page 3-6.
E. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-23.
F. Windshield Wiper Lever. SeeWindshield Wiper
Lever on page 3-9.
G. Fog Lamps (If Equipped). SeeFog Lamps on
page 3-15.
H. Hazard Warning Flasher Button. SeeHazard
Warning Flashers on page 3-6.I. Traction Control. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light on page 3-29.
J. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on page 3-38.
K. Trunk Release Button/Dimmer Switch. SeeTrunk
on page 2-10andInstrument Panel Brightness
on page 3-15.
L. Hood Release. SeeHood Release on page 5-11.
M. Climate Control. SeeClimate Control System
on page 3-18.
N. Automatic Transaxle Shift Lever. SeeAutomatic
Transaxle Operation on page 2-18.
O. Power Windows. SeePower Windows on page 2-13.
P. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 2-28.
3-5
ProCarManuals.com

Climate Controls
Climate Control System
With this system you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation for your vehicle.
Operation
To change the current mode, turn the right knob to
select one of the following:
H(Vent):This mode directs air to the instrument
panel outlets.
)(Bi-Level):This mode directs half of the air to the
instrument panel outlets, and then directs most of
the remaining air to the floor outlets. Some air may be
directed toward the side windows.
6(Floor):This mode directs most of the air to the
floor outlets with some air directed to the side window
outlets.
The right knob can also be used to select defog or
defrost modes. Information on defogging and defrosting
can be found later in this section.
A(Fan):Turn the knob in the center of the system
clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease
the fan speed. The fan must be on to run the
air-conditioning compressor.
Temperature Control:Turn the left knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
temperature inside your vehicle.
?(Recirculation):This mode keeps outside air
from coming in the vehicle. It can be used to prevent
outside air and odors from entering your vehicle or
to help cool the air inside your vehicle more quickly.
Press this button to turn the recirculation mode on or off.
When the button is pressed, an indicator light above
the button will come on to let you know that it is
activated. The air-conditioning compressor comes on.
3-18
ProCarManuals.com

The recirculation mode can be used with vent, bi-level,
or floor modes, but it cannot be used with the defog
or defrost modes. When you switch to the defog
or defrost modes the system will automatically move
from recirculation to outside air. When you move
the mode knob back to another mode, the system will
move back into recirculation. When the car is turned off
and back on the system will default to outside air
automatically.
AC (Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn the
air-conditioning system on or off. When A/C is pressed,
an indicator light above the button will come on to let
you know that air conditioning is activated.
On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside air
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for your vehicle to cool down. It also helps
the system to operate more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days, do the following:
1. Select the vent mode.
2. Select the highest fan speed.
3. Select A/C.
4. Select the recirculation mode.
5. Select the coolest temperature.Using these settings together for long periods of time
may cause the air inside of your vehicle to become too
dry. To prevent this from happening, after the air in
your vehicle has cooled, turn the recirculation mode off.
The air-conditioning system removes moisture from
the air, so you may sometimes notice a small amount of
water dripping underneath your vehicle while idling or
after turning off the engine. This is normal.
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the inside of windows is a result of high humidity
(moisture) condensing on the cool window glass. This
can be minimized if the climate control system is used
properly. There are two modes to choose from to clear
fog or frost from your windshield. Use the defog mode
to clear the windows of fog or moisture and warm the
passengers. Use the defrost mode to remove fog or frost
from the windshield more quickly.
Turn the right knob to select the defog or defrost mode.
-(Defog):This mode directs half of the air to the
windshield and half to the floor outlets with a small
amount directed to the side windows. When you select
this mode, the system turns off recirculation automatically
and runs the air-conditioning compressor unless the
outside temperature is at or below freezing. The
recirculation mode cannot be selected while in the
defog mode. Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
3-19
ProCarManuals.com

1(Defrost):This mode directs most of the air to the
windshield with some air directed to the floor vents.
In this mode, the system will automatically force outside
air into your vehicle and run the air-conditioning
compressor. Recirculation cannot be selected while in
the defrost mode.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog or frost from the rear window.
defogger on or off. An indicator light above the
button will come on to let your know that the rear
window defogger is activated. Be sure to clear as much
snow from the rear window as possible.
The rear window defogger will turn off approximately
15 minutes after the button is pressed. If turned on
again, the defogger will only run for approximately seven
minutes before turning off. The defogger can also be
turned off by pressing the button again or by turning off
the engine.
If your vehicle has heated outside mirrors, the mirrors
will also heat when the rear defogger is on. SeeOutside
Heated Mirrors on page 2-28for more information.Notice:Don’t use anything sharp on the inside of
the rear window. If you do, you could cut or damage
the warming grid, and the repairs wouldn’t be
covered by your warranty. Do not attach a temporary
vehicle license, tape, a decal or anything similar
to the defogger grid.
Outlet Adjustment
Use the louvers located on the air outlets to change the
direction of the airflow.
Operation Tips
•
Clear away any ice, snow, or leaves from the air
inlets at the base of the vehicle that may block
the flow of air into your vehicle.
•Use of non-GM approved hood deflectors may
adversely affect the performance of the system.
•Keep the path under the front seats clear of objects
to help circulate the air inside of your vehicle more
effectively.
3-20
ProCarManuals.com

Here are some things you can check before a trip:
•Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?
•Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
•Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
•Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
•Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
•Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
•Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway hypnosis?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the
wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy.
Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can
leave the road in less than a second, and you could
crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
•Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
•Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
•If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
4-23
ProCarManuals.com

•Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags,
floor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
4-29
ProCarManuals.com

Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all
the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and
repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable from
the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel
as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as rocking
can help you get out when you are stuck, but you
must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transaxle or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment re or other damage.
When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little
as possible. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle back
and forth, you can destroy your transaxle. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-31.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
seeTire Chains on page 5-61.
4-30
ProCarManuals.com