2004 Oldsmobile Alero Owners Manual

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key to START. Wait about 15 seconds between each try. When your engine has run about 10 seconds to warm up, your vehicle is ready to be driven. Don’t “race” your engine when it’s cold. If the weather is below freezing (32°F or 0°C), let the engine run for a few minutes to warm up. 3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then stops), it could be ﬂooded with too much gasoline. Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the ﬂoor and holding it there as you hold the key in START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts brieﬂy but then stops again, do the same thing, but this time keep the pedal down for ﬁve or six seconds. This clears the extra gasoline from the engine. Notice: Your engine is designed to work with the electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical parts or accessories, you could change the way the engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment, check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine might not perform properly. Starting Your 3400 V6 Engine 1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn your ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your engine warms up. Notice: Holding your key in START for longer than 15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can damage your starter motor. Wait about 15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining your battery or damaging your starter. 2. If the engine doesn’t start in 10 seconds, push the accelerator pedal about one-quarter of the way down while you turn the key to START. Do this until the engine starts. As soon as it does, let go of the key. 3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then stops), it could be ﬂooded with too much gasoline. Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the ﬂoor and holding it there as you hold the key in START for a maximum of 15 seconds. This clears the extra gasoline from the engine. If the engine still won’t start or starts brieﬂy but then stops again, repeat Step 1 or 2, depending on temperature. When the engine starts, release the key and the accelerator pedal. Notice: Your engine is designed to work with the electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical parts or accessories, you could change the way the engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment, check with your dealer. If you do not, your engine might not perform properly. 2-19 Engine Coolant Heater 2.2L L4 ECOTEC™ Engine 3400 V6 Engine Your vehicle may have this feature. In very cold weather, 0°C (−18°F) or colder, the engine coolant heater can provide easier starting and better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle. At temperatures above 32°F (0°C), use of the coolant heater is not required. 2-20 To Use the Engine Coolant Heater 1. Turn off the engine. 2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. On the 2.2L L4 ECOTEC™ engine, the engine coolant heater cord is located in front of the coolant surge tank on the passenger’s side. On the 3400 V6 engine, the engine coolant heater cord is located near the engine air cleaner/ﬁlter. See Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for more information on location. 3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet. {CAUTION: Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong kind of extension cord could overheat and cause a ﬁre. You could be seriously injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for at least 15 amps. 4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the cord as it was before to keep it away from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could be damaged. How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that particular area. 2-21 Automatic Transaxle Operation Your automatic transaxle has a shift lever located on the console between the seats. PARK (P): This position locks your front wheels. It is the best position to use when you start your engine because your vehicle can not move easily. {CAUTION: It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the parking brake ﬁrmly set. Your vehicle can roll. Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, always set your parking brake and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See Shifting Into Park (P) on page 2-28. If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer on page 4-39. 2-22 Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock control system. You have to apply your regular brake and press the shift lever button before you can shift from PARK (P) while the ignition key is in ON. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever into another gear. See Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-30 later in this section. REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up. Notice: Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is moving forward could damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is stopped. To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow, ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-30. NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed. {CAUTION: Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your foot is ﬁrmly on the brake pedal, your vehicle could move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear while your engine is running at high speed. Notice: Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine racing may damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not racing when shifting your vehicle. 2-23 SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. Notice: Driving in SECOND (2) for more than 25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h) may damage the transaxle. Also, shifting into SECOND (2) at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can cause damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) instead of SECOND (2). FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power but lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST (1), the transaxle won’t shift into ﬁrst gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough. Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place. AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and you’re: • Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your accelerator pedal about halfway down. • Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the accelerator all the way down. You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power. Notice: Driving your vehicle if you notice that it is moving slowly or not shifting gears as you increase speed may damage the transaxle. Have your vehicle serviced right away. You can drive in SECOND (2) when you are driving less than 35 mph (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) for higher speeds until then. THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving. However, it offers more power and lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D). Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): • When driving on hilly, winding roads. • When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between gears. • When going down a steep hill. 2-24 Manual Transaxle Operation This is your shift pattern. The clutch must be fully pressed in when shifting a manual transaxle to ensure the transaxle is fully in gear. Here’s how to operate your transaxle: FIRST (1): Press the clutch pedal and shift into FIRST (1). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal. You can shift into FIRST (1) when you are going less that 20 mph (32 km/h). If you have come to a complete stop and it is hard to shift into FIRST (1), put the shift lever into Neutral and let up on the clutch. Press the clutch pedal back down. Then shift into FIRST (1). SECOND (2): Press the clutch pedal as you let up on the accelerator pedal and shift into SECOND (2). Then, slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal. THIRD (3), FOURTH (4), and FIFTH (5): Shift into THIRD (3), FOURTH (4) and FIFTH (5) the same way you do for SECOND (2). Slowly let up on the clutch pedal as you press the accelerator pedal. To stop, let up on the accelerator pedal and press the brake pedal. Just before the vehicle stops, press the clutch pedal and the brake pedal, and shift to Neutral. Neutral: Use this position when you start or idle your engine. REVERSE (R): To back up, press down the clutch pedal and lift up on the ring on the shift lever to shift into REVERSE (R). Let up on the clutch pedal slowly while pressing the accelerator pedal. Notice: Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is moving forward could damage the transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is stopped. Also, use REVERSE (R), along with the parking brake, for parking your vehicle. Once the shift lever is in REVERSE (R), the ignition can be turned to OFF and the key removed. 2-25 Up-Shift Light Shift Speeds {CAUTION: If you skip a gear when you downshift, you could lose control of your vehicle. You could injure yourself or others. Don’t shift down more than one gear at a time when you downshift. If you have a manual transaxle, you may have a SHIFT light located on the instrument panel cluster. This light will show you when to shift to the next higher gear for the best fuel economy. When this light comes on, you can shift to the next higher gear if the weather, road and traffic conditions permit. For the best fuel economy, accelerate slowly and shift when the light comes on. 2-26 Parking Brake Automatic Transaxle shown, Manual Transaxle similar To set the parking brake, pull up on the parking brake handle. If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will come on. See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-28. To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal down. Pull the parking brake handle up until you can press the release button. Hold the release button in as you move the brake handle all the way down. Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can overheat the brake system and cause premature wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify that the parking brake is fully released and the brake warning light is off before driving. If you are towing a trailer and are parking on a hill, see Towing a Trailer on page 4-39. 2-27 Shifting Into Park (P) 2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this: {CAUTION: It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the parking brake ﬁrmly set. Your vehicle can roll. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, use the steps that follow. If you are pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer on page 4-39. If your vehicle is an automatic transaxle, do the following to shift into PARK (P): 1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and set the parking brake. 2-28 • Press and hold the button on the shift lever. • Push the shift lever all the way toward the front of the vehicle. 3. Turn the ignition key to OFF. 4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P). Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine Running {CAUTION: It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the engine running. Your vehicle could move suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the parking brake ﬁrmly set. And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat and even catch ﬁre. You or others could be injured. Do not leave your vehicle with the engine running. Torque Lock If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your automatic transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in the transaxle. You may ﬁnd it difficult to pull the shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.“ To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s seat. To ﬁnd out how, see Shifting Into Park (P) on page 2-28. When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of PARK (P) before you release the parking brake. If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another vehicle push your vehicle a little uphill to take some of the pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P). If you have to leave your automatic transaxle model vehicle with the engine running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your parking brake is ﬁrmly set before you leave it. After you’ve moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P) without ﬁrst pushing the button. If you can, it means that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P). 2-29 Shifting Out of Park (P) If your vehicle has an automatic transaxle, it has an automatic transaxle shift lock control system which locks the shift lever in PARK when the ignition is in the OFF position. In addition, you have to fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in ON. See Automatic Transaxle Operation on page 2-22. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever into the gear you wish. Press the shift lever button before moving the shift lever. If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift out of PARK (P), try this: 1. Turn the ignition key to ACCESSORY. There is no shift interlock in this key position. 2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4. 3. Shift the transaxle to NEUTRAL (N). 4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the gear you want. 5. Have the system ﬁxed as soon as possible. Parking Your Vehicle/Key Removal Before leaving your manual transaxle model vehicle, fully press the clutch pedal in, move the shift lever into REVERSE (R) and ﬁrmly apply the parking brake. Once the shift lever has been placed in REVERSE (R) with the clutch pedal pressed in, you can turn the ignition key to OFF, remove the key and release the clutch. See Manual Transaxle Operation on page 2-25. 2-30 Parking Over Things That Burn Engine Exhaust {CAUTION: Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas carbon monoxide (CO), which you can not see or smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death. You might have exhaust coming in if: (cid:127) Your exhaust system sounds strange or different. (cid:127) Your vehicle gets rusty underneath. (cid:127) Your vehicle was damaged in a collision. (cid:127) Your vehicle was damaged when driving over high points on the road or over road debris. (cid:127) Repairs were not done correctly. (cid:127) Your vehicle or exhaust system had been modiﬁed improperly. If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into your vehicle: (cid:127) Drive it only with all the windows down to blow out any CO; and (cid:127) Have your vehicle ﬁxed immediately. 2-31 {CAUTION: Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not park over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that can burn. {CAUTION: It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the parking brake ﬁrmly set. Your vehicle can roll. Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be injured. To be sure your vehicle will not move, even when you are on fairly level ground, always set your parking brake and move the shift lever to PARK (P). Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will not move. See Shifting Into Park (P) on page 2-28. If you are parking on a hill and if you are pulling a trailer, also see Towing a Trailer on page 4-39. Running Your Engine While You Are Parked It is better not to park with the engine running. But if you ever have to, here are some things to know. {CAUTION: Idling the engine with the climate control system off could allow dangerous exhaust into your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under Engine Exhaust on page 2-31. Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if the climate control fan is at the highest setting. One place this can happen is a garage. Exhaust — with CO — can come in easily. NEVER park in a garage with the engine running. Another closed-in place can be a blizzard. See Winter Driving on page 4-26. 2-32 Mirrors Outside Power Mirrors Manual Rearview Mirror The mirror can be adjusted two ways. First, to adjust the height of the mirror, adjust the arm that connects the mirror to the windshield. Second, adjust the angle of the mirror, by moving the mirror to a position that allows you to see out of the back window. To reduce glare from headlamps behind you, move the lever toward you to the night position. To return the mirror to the daytime position, move the lever away from you. Outside Remote Control Mirror The outside rearview mirror should be adjusted so you can see a little of the side of your vehicle when you are sitting in a comfortable driving position. Adjust the driver’s outside mirror with the control lever on the driver’s door. To adjust your passenger’s mirror, sit in the driver’s seat and have a passenger adjust the mirror for you. If your vehicle has power mirrors these controls are located on the driver’s door. First move the selector switch left or right depending on which mirror you want to adjust. Then use the arrows on the control pad to move the mirror in the desired direction. 2-33 Outside Convex Mirror Your passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex mirror’s surface is curved so you can see more from the driver’s seat. {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. Storage Areas Glove Box To open, pull the glove box latch toward you. Cupholder(s) Pull down the door on the rear of the center console to use the rear seat cupholders. 2-34 Center Console Storage Area The center console has two separate storage areas. To open, pull up on the lid. Sunroof If your vehicle has this feature, the switch is located on the headliner between the sun visors. The sunroof will only operate while the ignition is in ON. The sunroof can be opened to a vent position or it can be express-opened all of the way. To open the sunroof to the vent position, you must ﬁrst open the sunshade by hand. Then push the switch back and release it. To fully open the sunroof, push the switch back again and release it. In both the vent and fully open positions, the air ﬂow can be adjusted for driving comfort by pushing and holding the switch forward until the sunroof moves to the desired position. To close the sunroof, push the switch forward and hold it until the sunroof is closed. The sunroof will stop if the switch is released during operation. Close the sunshade by hand. The sunroof glass panel cannot be opened or closed if your vehicle has an electrical failure. Notice: sliding glass panel, damage will occur and the sunroof may not open or close properly. Always close the glass panel before closing the sunshade. If you force the sunshade forward of the 2-35 ✍ NOTES 2-36 Section 3 Instrument Panel Instrument Panel Overview ...............................3-2 Hazard Warning Flashers ................................3-4 Other Warning Devices ...................................3-5 Horn .............................................................3-5 Tilt Wheel .....................................................3-5 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever .........................3-6 Windshield Wiper Lever ...................................3-9 Cruise Control ..............................................3-10 Exterior Lamps .............................................3-14 Interior Lamps ..............................................3-16 Accessory Power Outlets ...............................3-18 Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter ........................3-19 Climate Controls ............................................3-19 Climate Control System .................................3-19 Outlet Adjustment .........................................3-22 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators .............3-23 Instrument Panel Cluster ................................3-24 Speedometer and Odometer ...........................3-25 Tachometer .................................................3-25 Safety Belt Reminder Light .............................3-26 Air Bag Readiness Light ................................3-26 Charging System Light ..................................3-27 Up-Shift Light ...............................................3-28 Brake System Warning Light ..........................3-28 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light .............3-29 Enhanced Traction System Warning Light .........3-30 Enhanced Traction System Active Light ............3-31 Engine Coolant Temperature Gage ..................3-31 Low Coolant Warning Light ............................3-32 Malfunction Indicator Lamp .............................3-32 Oil Pressure Light .........................................3-35 Change Engine Oil Light ................................3-36 Security Light ...............................................3-37 Cruise Control Light ......................................3-37 Low Washer Fluid Warning Light .....................3-37 Service Vehicle Soon Light ............................3-38 Fuel Gage ...................................................3-38 Audio System(s) .............................................3-39 Setting the Time for Radios without Radio Data Systems (RDS) ..................................3-39 Setting the Time for Radios with Radio Data Systems (RDS) .........................................3-40 Radio with CD (Base Level) ...........................3-40 Radio with CD (Up Level) ..............................3-45 Radio with Cassette and CD ..........................3-55 Theft-Deterrent Feature (RDS Radios) ...........................................3-67 Understanding Radio Reception ......................3-67 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player .................3-67 Care of Your CDs .........................................3-68 Care of Your CD Player ................................3-68 Backglass Antenna .......................................3-69 XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System (48 Contiguous US States) .........................3-69 Chime Level Adjustment ................................3-69 3-1 Instrument Panel Overview 3-2 The main components of your instrument panel are the following: A. Instrument Panel Fuse Blocks. See Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-90. B. Air Outlets. See Outlet Adjustment on page 3-22. C. Instrument Panel Cluster. See Instrument Panel Cluster on page 3-24. D. Hazard Warning Flashers Button. See Hazard Warning Flashers on page 3-4. E. Audio System. See Audio System(s) on page 3-39. F. Climate Control System. See Climate Control System on page 3-19. G. Side Window Defogger Vent. See “Defogging and Defrosting” in Climate Control System on page 3-19. H. Fog Lamp Button (If Equipped). See “Fog Lamps” in Exterior Lamps on page 3-14. I. Instrument Panel Brightness Thumbwheel. See “Instrument Panel Brightness” in Interior Lamps on page 3-16. J. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. See Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6. K. Hood Release Handle. See Hood Release on page 5-10. L. Cruise Control Switches (If Equipped). See Cruise Control on page 3-10. M. Tilt Wheel Lever. See Tilt Wheel on page 3-5. N. Ignition Switch. See Ignition Positions on page 2-17. O. Windshield Wiper/Washer Lever. See Windshield Wiper Lever on page 3-9. P. Enhanced Traction System Button (If Equipped). See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9. Q. Transaxle Shift Lever. See Automatic Transaxle Operation on page 2-22. R. Parking Brake. See Parking Brake on page 2-27. S. Cigarette Lighter/Accessory Power Outlet. See Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter on page 3-19. T. Accessory Power Outlet. See Accessory Power Outlets on page 3-18. 3-3 Hazard Warning Flashers The hazard warning ﬂasher is located near the center of the instrument panel. Your hazard warning ﬂashers work no matter what position your key is in, and even if the key isn’t in. Press the button to make the front and rear turn signal lamps ﬂash on and off. Press the button again to turn the ﬂashers off. When the hazard warning ﬂashers are on, your turn signals won’t work. Your hazard warning ﬂashers let you warn others. They also let police know you have a problem. Your front and rear turn signal lamps will ﬂash on and off. 3-4 Other Warning Devices If you carry reﬂective triangles, you can set one up at the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your vehicle. Horn You can sound the horn by pressing the horn symbol on your steering wheel. Tilt Wheel A tilt wheel allows you to adjust the steering wheel before you drive. You can raise it to the highest level to give your legs more room when you exit and enter your vehicle. The lever that allows you to tilt the steering wheel is located on the left side of the steering column. To tilt the wheel, hold the wheel and pull the lever toward you. Then move the wheel to a comfortable position and release the lever to lock the wheel in place. 3-5 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever Turn and Lane-Change Signals The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you to signal a turn or a lane change. To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down. When the turn is ﬁnished, the lever will return automatically. An arrow on the instrument panel cluster will ﬂash in the direction of the turn or lane change. The lever on the left side of the steering column includes the following: • Turn and Lane-Change Signals • Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer • Flash-to-Pass • Exterior Lamps Control For information on the exterior lamps, see Exterior Lamps on page 3-14. 3-6 To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever until the arrow starts to ﬂash. Hold it there until you complete your lane change. The lever will return by itself when you release it. As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows ﬂash rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out and other drivers won’t see your turn signal. If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an accident. If the arrows do not go on at all when you signal a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and then check the fuse. See Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-90. Turn Signal On Chime If your turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km), a chime will sound at each ﬂash of the turn signal. To turn off the chime, move the turn signal lever to the off position. Headlamps The lever on the left side of the steering column operates the exterior lamps. O(Exterior Lamps): Turn the outside part of the lever with the symbol on it, to operate the lamps. 3-7 The exterior lamps control has three positions: < (Parking Lamps): Turn the control to this position to turn on the parking lamps, together with the following. • Sidemarker Lamps • Taillamps • License Plate Lamps • Instrument Panel Lights 3 (Headlamps): Turn the control to this position to turn on the headlamps, together with the previously listed lamps and lights. AUTO: Turn the control to this position to turn the headlamps, taillamps and parking lamps on and off automatically while the ignition is on, by sensing how dark it is outside. For more information see Automatic Headlamp System later in this section. Headlamps On Reminder If you open the driver’s door and turn off the ignition while leaving the lamps on, you will hear a warning chime. Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer To change the headlamps from low beam to high beam, push the turn signal/multifunction lever away from you. When the high beams are on, a light on the instrument panel cluster will come on if the ignition is in ON. To change the headlamps from high beam to low beam, pull the turn signal lever toward you. Flash-to-Pass Feature This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to signal a driver in front of you that you want to pass. To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever toward you until the high-beam headlamps come on, then release the lever to turn them off. 3-8 Windshield Wiper Lever Use this lever located on the right side of the steering wheel to operate the windshield wipers. OFF: Move the lever to OFF to turn off the windshield wipers. INT (Intermittent): Move the lever to INT to choose a delayed wiping cycle. Turn the INT ADJ band down for a longer delay or up for a shorter delay. The further the INT ADJ band is turned upward, the shorter the delay will be and the further the INT ADJ band is turned downward, the longer the delay will be. The wiper speed can only be adjusted when the lever is in the INT position. Use this position for light rain or snow. LO (Low Speed): Move the lever up to the ﬁrst setting past INT, for steady wiping at low speed. HI (High Speed): Move the lever up to the second setting past INT, for steady wiping at high speed. MIST: Move the lever all the way down to MIST for a single wiping cycle. Hold it there until the windshield wipers start; then let go. The windshield wipers will stop after one wipe. If you want more wipes, hold the band on mist longer. 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 windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them. If your blades do become damaged, get new blades or blade inserts. Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor. A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools. Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload. 3-9 Windshield Washer To wash your windshield, push in the button at the end of the lever until the washers begin. Cruise Control {CAUTION: In freezing weather, do not use your washer until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer ﬂuid can form ice on the windshield, blocking your vision. When you release the button, the washers will stop, but the wipers will continue to wipe about three times or will resume the speed you were using before. 3-10 If your vehicle has this feature, the cruise control buttons are located on the steering wheel. 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 can really help on long trips. Cruise control does not work at speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h). The cruise control will turn off when any of the following occur: • The brakes are applied, • the clutch is applied (manual transaxle), • the parking brake is applied, or • the brake system warning light is on. {CAUTION: (cid:127) Cruise control can be dangerous where you can not drive safely at a steady speed. So, do not use your cruise control on winding roads or in heavy traffic. (cid:127) Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire traction can cause needless wheel spinning, and you could lose control. Do not use cruise control on slippery roads. Your vehicle may have Enhanced Traction System (ETS). See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9. If your vehicle is in cruise control while the ETS begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may turn the cruise control back on. Setting Cruise Control {CAUTION: If you leave your cruise control on when you are not using cruise, you might hit a button and go into cruise when you do not want to. You could be startled and even lose control. Keep the cruise control switch off until you want to use cruise control. 1. Press the cruise control ON OFF button. The indicator light above the button will turn on. 2. Get up to the speed you want. 3. Press the CST SET (Coast Set) button and release it. The CRUISE light on the instrument panel cluster will come on. 4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal. 3-11 Resuming a Set Speed Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts off the cruise control. But you don’t need to reset it. Once you’re going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more, you can press the cruise control RES ACCL (Resume/Accelerate) button brieﬂy. You’ll go right back up to your chosen speed and stay there. If you press the RES ACCL button longer, the vehicle will keep going faster until you release the button or apply the brake. So unless you want to go faster, don’t hold down the RES ACCL button. Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control There are two ways to go to a higher speed: • Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed. Press the CST SET button, then release the button and the accelerator pedal. You’ll now cruise at the higher speed. • Press the RES ACCL button. Hold it there until you get up to the speed you want, and then release the button. To increase your speed in very small amounts, press the RES ACCL button 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 turn on the cruise control by pressing the CST SET button. Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control There are two ways to reduce your speed while using cruise control: • Press the CST SET button until you reach the lower speed you want, then release it. • To slow down in very small amounts, press the CST SET button brieﬂy. Each time you do this, you’ll go 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower. 3-12 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 There are ﬁve ways to turn off the cruise control: • Step on the brake pedal. • Press the cruise control CANCEL button. • Press the cruise control RES ACCL button and the CST SET buttons at the same time. • Press the cruise control ON OFF button. The indicator light above the cruise control button will turn off. • Push the clutch pedal if your vehicle has a manual transaxle. Erasing Speed Memory When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your cruise control set speed memory is erased. 3-13 Exterior Lamps Headlamps See “Headlamps” under Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6. Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) 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 dawn and before sunset. Fully functional daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles ﬁrst sold in Canada. The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps come on at a reduced brightness when the following conditions are met: • The ignition is on, • the exterior lamps control is in AUTO or the parking lamps only position, • the light sensor detects daytime light, • the parking brake is released, and • the shift lever is not in PARK (P) on vehicles with an automatic transaxle only. When the DRL system is on, the taillamps, sidemarker lamps, parking lamps and instrument panel lights will not be illuminated unless you have turned the exterior lamps control to the parking lamp position. As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular headlamp system when you need it. 3-14 Automatic Headlamp System When it is dark enough outside, your Automatic Headlamp System will turn on your headlamps at the normal brightness along with other lamps such as the taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps and the instrument panel lights. The radio lights will also be dim. Your vehicle is equipped with a light sensor on the top of the instrument panel under the defroster grill, so be sure it is not covered which will cause the system to be on whenever the ignition is on. The system may also be on when driving through a parking garage, heavy overcast weather or a tunnel. This is normal. There is a delay in the transition between the daytime and nighttime operation of the DRL and the Automatic Headlamp System so that driving under bridges or bright overhead street lights does not affect the system. The DRL and Automatic Headlamp Systems will only be affected when the light sensor sees a change in lighting lasting longer than this delay. If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic headlamp system will come on immediately. Once you leave the garage, it will take approximately one minute for the automatic headlamp system to change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay, your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness control is in the full bright position. See “Instrument Panel Brightness Control” under Interior Lamps on page 3-16. To idle your vehicle with the system off, set the parking brake while the ignition is off. Then start the vehicle. The system will stay off until you release the parking brake. As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular headlamps when you need them. Headlamps Off in PARK (P) To turn the headlamps off when it is dark outside, turn the exterior lamps control to the parking lamp position. In this position, the parking lamps, sidemarker lamps, taillamps, license plate lamps and instrument panel lights will be on, but the headlamps will be off. To turn on the headlamps along with the other lamps when it is dark outside, turn the exterior lamps control to the AUTO or headlamp position. 3-15 Interior Lamps Instrument Panel Brightness The thumbwheel for this feature is located on the instrument panel to the left of the steering wheel. Move the thumbwheel up to brighten the lights and down to dim them. Delayed Headlamps The delayed headlamps feature will continue to illuminate the headlamps for 20 seconds after the key is turned to OFF, then the headlamps will automatically turn off. To override the 20 second delayed headlamp feature while it is active turn the turn signal/multifunction lever up one position and then back to AUTO. Fog Lamps If your vehicle has this feature, the button for your fog lamps is located on the instrument panel, to the left of the steering wheel, beside the instrument panel brightness thumbwheel. When using the fog lamps, the ignition must be on as well as the parking lamps or the low-beam headlamps. Press the button to turn the fog lamps on and off. An indicator light on the button will glow while the fog lamps are on. The fog lamps will turn off while the high-beam headlamps are turned on. 3-16 Entry/Exit Lighting The lamps inside your vehicle will go on when you open any door. These lamps will fade out after about 10 seconds after all of the doors have been closed or when the ignition is turned to ON. These lamps will also go on when you press the trunk release, unlock symbol button or the horn symbol on the remote keyless entry system transmitter (if equipped). The lamps inside your vehicle will stay on for about 10 seconds after your key is removed from the ignition to provide an illuminated exit. Dome Lamp The switch on this lamp has three positions. The ON position will turn on the light. The DOOR position will turn on the light whenever a door is opened or when the instrument panel brightness thumbwheel is moved up. The OFF position will shut off the lamp completely, even when a door is opened. If your vehicle is equipped with a sunroof, the dome lamp also has reading lamps for the rear seat passengers. Press the left switch for the left reading lamp and the right switch for the right reading lamp. Trunk Lamp The trunk lamp comes on when you open your trunk. Battery Run-Down Protection Your vehicle has a battery run-down protection feature designed to protect your vehicle’s battery. When any interior lamp (trunk, mirror reading lamps, dome lamp or glove box) is left on when the ignition is turned off, the battery saver system will automatically shut the lamp off after 20 minutes. This will avoid draining the battery. To reactivate the interior lamps, do one of the following: • Lift the driver’s door handle, • open any door or • press any remote keyless entry transmitter button (if equipped), • press the power door lock switch, • press the remote trunk release or • turn the lamp that was left on to off and then to on again. 3-17 Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible with the accessory power outlet and could result in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a problem, see your dealer for additional information on accessory power outlets. Notice: Adding any electrical equipment to your vehicle may damage it or keep other components from working as they should. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Check with your dealer before adding electrical equipment. When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow the proper installation instructions included with the equipment. Notice: damage not covered by your warranty. Do not hang any type of accessory or accessory bracket from the plug because the power outlets are designed for accessory power plugs only. Improper use of the power outlet can cause Accessory Power Outlets With accessory power outlets you can plug in auxiliary electrical equipment such as a cellular telephone or CB radio. The accessory power outlet is located to the left of the glovebox on the lower side of the instrument panel and behind a ﬂip-out door. Notice: Leaving electrical equipment on for extended periods will drain the battery. Always turn off electrical equipment when not in use and do not plug in equipment that exceeds the maximum amperage rating. 3-18 Climate Controls Climate Control System With this system you can control the heating, cooling and ventilation for your vehicle. If you put papers or other ﬂammable items Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter To use the lighter, push it in all the way and let go. Notice: in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other smoking materials could ignite them and possibly damage your vehicle. Never put ﬂammable items in the ashtray. Notice: Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is heating will not allow the lighter to back away from the heating element when it is hot. Damage from overheating may occur to the lighter or heating element. Do not hold a cigarette lighter in while it is heating. Operation To change the current mode, 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. 3-19 A (Floor): This mode directs most of the air to the ﬂoor outlets with some air directed to the side windows. 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. 9 (Fan): Turn the left knob clockwise or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the fan speed. : (Outside Air): Press this button to turn the outside air mode on or off. When this mode is on, outside air will circulate throughout your vehicle. The outside air mode can be used with all modes, but it cannot be used with the recirculation mode. ? (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 heat or cool the air inside your vehicle more quickly. Press this button to turn the recirculation mode on or off. The air-conditioning compressor will come on. The recirculation mode cannot be used with the outside air mode. Recirculation is not available when in the defog or defrost modes or when the fan is off. 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. Temperature Control: Turn the center knob clockwise or counterclockwise to manually increase or decrease the temperature inside your vehicle. When it’s cold outside 0°F (−18°C) or lower, use the engine coolant heater, if equipped, to provide warmer air faster to your vehicle. An engine coolant heater warms the coolant that the engine uses to provide heat to warm the inside of your vehicle. For more information, see Engine Coolant Heater on page 2-20. A/C (Air Conditioning): Press this button to turn the air-conditioning system on or off. When A/C is pressed, an indicator light in the button will come on to let you know that air conditioning is activated. The fan knob must be set to a speed for the air conditioning to operate. 3-20 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: 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 is 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 most of the remaining air to the ﬂoor outlets with a small amount directed at the side windows. When you select this mode, the system turns off recirculation 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. 1 (Defrost): This mode directs most of the air to the windshield with some air directed to the ﬂoor outlets. In this mode, the system will automatically turn off recirculation and run the air-conditioning compressor, unless the outside temperature is at or below freezing. Recirculation cannot be selected while in the defrost mode. 3-21 Rear Window Defogger The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to remove fog from the rear window. < Rear: Press this button to turn the rear window defogger on or off. An indicator light in the button will come on to let you 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 about 10 minutes after the button is pressed. If turned on again, the defogger will only run for about ﬁve minutes before turning off. The defogger can also be turned off turning off the engine. 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. 3-22 Outlet Adjustment Use the sliding levers on the air outlets located in the center and on the sides of the instrument panel, 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 windshield 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. • When an objectionable odor outside the vehicle is encountered, use the recirculation mode, with the temperature knob at a comfortable setting to prevent the odor from entering the vehicle through the ventilation system. This can be helpful when driving through a long tunnel with poor ventilation. However, extended usage of this mode in cold or cool weather can cause window fogging. Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators This part describes the warning lights and gages that may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you locate them. Warning lights and gages can signal that something is wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to your warning lights and gages could also save you or others from injury. Warning lights come on when there may be or is a problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As you will see in the details on the next few pages, some warning lights come on brieﬂy when you start the engine just to let you know they are working. If you are familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed when this happens. Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and warning lights work together to let you know when there is a problem with your vehicle. When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows there may be a problem, check the section that tells you what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs can be costly — and even dangerous. So please get to know your warning lights and gages. They are a big help. 3-23 Instrument Panel Cluster Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know how fast you’re going, how much fuel you’re using, and many other things you’ll need to drive safely and economically. Your vehicle has this cluster or one very similar to it. It includes indicator warning lights and gages that are explained on the following pages. Be sure to read about them. United States Automatic Transaxle Cluster shown, Manual Transaxle and Canada Clusters similar 3-24 Speedometer and Odometer Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h). Your odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven, in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers (used in Canada). Your vehicle has a tamper resistant odometer. The digital odometer will read 999,999 if someone tries to turn it back. Repair or replacement of your instrument panel cluster should only be performed by a qualiﬁed GM service center. Trip Odometer The trip odometer can tell you how far you have driven since you last reset it. The reset button is located below the tachometer. To reset the trip odometer to zero, press and hold brieﬂy the ribbed side of the button while the trip odometer is displayed. Also, by pressing this button for less than one second you can toggle between the odometer and the trip odometer. Tachometer If you operate the engine with the The tachometer shows your engine speed in revolutions per minute (rpm). Notice: tachometer in the shaded warning area, your vehicle could be damaged, and the damages would not be covered by your warranty. Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in the shaded warning area. 3-25 Safety Belt Reminder Light When the key is turned to ON or START, a chime will come on for several seconds to remind people to fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is already buckled. The safety belt light will also come on and stay on for several seconds, then it will ﬂash for several more. If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime nor the light will come on. Air Bag Readiness Light There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument panel, which shows the air bag symbol. The system checks the air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system check includes the air bag modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module. For more information on the air bag system, see Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) on page 1-54. This light will come on when you start your vehicle, and it will ﬂash for a few seconds. Then the light should go out. This means the system is ready. 3-26 If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your air bag system may not work properly. Have your vehicle serviced right away. {CAUTION: If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start your vehicle, it means the air bag system may not be working properly. The air bags in your vehicle may not inﬂate in a crash, or they could even inﬂate without a crash. To help avoid injury to yourself or others, have your vehicle serviced right away if the air bag readiness light stays on after you start your vehicle. The air bag readiness light should ﬂash for a few seconds when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it ﬁxed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem. Charging System Light The charging system light will come on when you turn on the ignition, but the engine is not running, as a check to show you it is working. When the engine is running, the light should go out. If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving and you hear a chime, you may have a problem with the electrical charging system. It could indicate that you have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this light is on could drain your battery. If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio and air conditioner. 3-27 Up-Shift Light If your manual transaxle vehicle has this feature this light comes on when you need to shift to the next higher gear. See Manual Transaxle Operation on page 2-25. Brake System Warning Light Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you need both parts working well. If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem. Have your brake system inspected right away. 3-28 United States Canada This light should come on brieﬂy when you turn the ignition key to ON. If it doesn’t come on then, have it ﬁxed so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem. When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will also come on when you set your parking brake. The light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it means you have a brake problem. If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the ﬂoor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the vehicle towed for service. See Towing Your Vehicle on page 4-31. {CAUTION: Your brake system may not be working properly if the brake system warning light is on. Driving with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident. If the light is still on after you have pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed for service. Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light If your vehicle has the anti-lock brake system, the light will come on when your engine is started and may stay on for several seconds. That’s normal. If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again while you’re driving, your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with your regular brakes. See Brake System Warning Light on page 3-28. The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on brieﬂy when you turn the ignition key to ON. This is normal. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it ﬁxed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem. United States Canada 3-29 Enhanced Traction System Warning Light If your vehicle has the Enhanced Traction System (ETS), this warning light should come on brieﬂy as you start the engine. If the warning light doesn’t come on then, have it ﬁxed so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem. If the warning light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there may be a problem with your Enhanced Traction System and your vehicle may need service. When this warning light is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. The Enhanced Traction System warning light may come on for the following reasons: • If you turn the system off by pressing the ETS button on the center console near the gear shift lever, the warning light will come on and stay on. To turn the system back on, press the button again. The warning light should go off. See Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9 for more information. • If the traction control system is affected by an engine-related problem, the system will turn off and the warning light will come on. • If the vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road, the warning light may come on momentarily but will go off again when the vehicle leaves the rough surface. If the Enhanced Traction System warning light comes on and stays on for an extended period of time when the system is turned on and the parking brake is fully released, your vehicle needs service. 3-30 Enhanced Traction System Active Light If your vehicle has the Enhanced Traction System (ETS), this light will come on when the system is limiting wheel spin. Slippery road conditions may exist if the Enhanced Traction System active light comes on, so adjust your driving accordingly. The light will stay on for a few seconds after the Enhanced Traction System stops limiting wheel spin. The Enhanced Traction System active light also comes on brieﬂy when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it ﬁxed so it will be there to tell you when the system is active. Engine Coolant Temperature Gage This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the gage pointer moves into the red area, the light comes on and you hear a chime, your engine is too hot. It means that your engine coolant has overheated. See Engine Overheating on page 5-26. 3-31 Low Coolant Warning Light This light comes on brieﬂy when you turn your ignition on. Malfunction Indicator Lamp Service Engine Soon Light in the United States or Check Engine Light in Canada United States Canada Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission control systems. If you operate the engine without coolant If this light comes on and stays on and you hear a chime, the coolant level in your vehicle is low. See Engine Coolant on page 5-23. If the light is on along with an overheat warning, you may have a serious overheating problem. See Engine Coolant Temperature Gage on page 3-31 listed previously. Notice: or fail to maintain the cooling system properly, you could damage the engine. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Always follow the maintenance schedule in this manual for maintaining your cooling system. See Cooling System on page 5-29 for more information. See Engine Overheating on page 5-26 for information on what to do. Your vehicle should be serviced as soon as possible. 3-32 This system is called OBD II (On-Board Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner environment. The SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system before any problem is apparent. This may prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also designed to assist your service technician in correctly diagnosing any malfunction. If you keep driving your vehicle with this Notice: light on, after a while, your emission controls may not work as well, your fuel economy may not be as good and your engine may not run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered by your warranty. Notice: Modiﬁcations made to the engine, transaxle, exhaust, intake or fuel system of your vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with other than those of the same Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission controls and may cause this light to come on. Modiﬁcations to these systems could lead to costly repairs not covered by your warranty. This may also result in a failure to pass a required Emission Inspection/ Maintenance test. This light should come on, as a check to show you it is working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not running. If the light does not come on, have it repaired. This light will also come on during a malfunction in one of two ways: • Light Flashing — A misﬁre condition has been detected. A misﬁre increases vehicle emissions and may damage the emission control system on your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be required. • Light On Steady — An emission control system malfunction has been detected on your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be required. If the Light Is Flashing The following may prevent more serious damage to your vehicle: • Reducing vehicle speed. • Avoiding hard accelerations. • Avoiding steep uphill grades. • If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible. 3-33 Have you recently changed brands of fuel? If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See Gasoline Octane on page 5-4. Poor fuel quality will cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you put the vehicle into gear, misﬁring, hesitation on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. These conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up. This will be detected by the system and cause the light to turn on. If you experience one or more of these conditions, change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off. If none of the above steps have made the light turn off, your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to ﬁx any mechanical or electrical problems that may have developed. If the light stops ﬂashing and remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light continues to ﬂash, when it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still ﬂashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer for service as soon as possible. If the Light Is On Steady You may be able to correct the emission system malfunction by considering the following: Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle? If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install the cap. See Filling Your Tank on page 5-6. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly installed should turn the light off. Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water? If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition will usually be corrected when the electrical system dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off. 3-34 Oil Pressure Light If you have a low engine oil pressure problem, this light will stay on after you start your engine, or come on and you will hear a chime when you are driving. This indicates that your engine is not receiving enough oil. The engine could be low on oil, or could have some other oil problem. Have it ﬁxed immediately. Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs Some state/provincial and local governments have or may begin programs to inspect the emission control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle registration. Here are some things you need to know in order to help your vehicle pass an inspection: Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light is on or not working properly. Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD (on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical emission control systems have not been completely diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if you have recently replaced your battery or if your battery has run down. The diagnostic system is designed to evaluate critical emission control systems during normal driving. This may take several days of routine driving. If you have done this and your vehicle still does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD system readiness, your GM dealer can prepare the vehicle for inspection. 3-35 When the ignition is on but the engine is not running, the light will come on as a test to show you it is working, but the light will go out when the engine is running. If it doesn’t come on with the ignition on, you may have a problem with the bulb. Have it ﬁxed right away. {CAUTION: Do not keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If you do, your engine can become so hot that it catches ﬁre. You or others could be burned. Check your oil as soon as possible and have your vehicle serviced. Notice: Lack of proper engine oil maintenance may damage the engine. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Always follow the maintenance schedule in this manual for changing engine oil. Change Engine Oil Light The CHANGE OIL light should come on brieﬂy as a bulb check when you start the engine. If the light doesn’t come on, have it serviced. If the CHANGE OIL light comes on and stays on after you start the engine, have the oil changed. To reset the CHANGE OIL light, see Engine Oil on page 5-15. 3-36 Security Light Cruise Control Light This light will come on when you turn the key to ON and will stay on until the vehicle starts. The CRUISE light comes on whenever you set your cruise control, if equipped. If you’re driving and the security light comes on and remains on, your Passlock® system is not working properly. Your vehicle is not protected by Passlock® and you should see your dealer. Low Washer Fluid Warning Light United States Canada This light will come on brieﬂy when you turn on the ignition. It will also stay on, or come on and a chime will sound, if the windshield washer ﬂuid reservoir is less than one-third full. 3-37 Service Vehicle Soon Light Fuel Gage This light will come on brieﬂy when you turn the ignition to ON. It will stay on, or come on and a chime will sound if it detects a problem on the vehicle, such as a Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) or an automatic headlamp system malfunction. If this happens, see your dealer as soon as possible. United States Canada Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have left, when the ignition is on. When the indicator nears empty, the light will come on and you will hear a chime. You still have a little fuel left, but you should get more soon. Here are four things that some owners ask about. None of these show a problem with your fuel gage: • At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before the gage reads full. 3-38 • It takes a little more or less fuel to ﬁll up than the gage indicated. For example, the gage may have indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to ﬁll the tank. • The indicator moves a little when you turn a corner or speed up. • The gage goes back to empty when you turn off the ignition. Audio System(s) Notice: Before you add any sound equipment to your vehicle – like a tape player, CB radio, mobile telephone or two-way radio – be sure you can add what you want. If you can, it’s very important to do it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere with the operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio or other systems, and even damage them. Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with the operation of sound equipment that has been added improperly. So, before adding sound equipment, check with your dealer and be sure to check federal rules covering mobile radio and telephone units. Your audio system has been designed to operate easily and to give years of listening pleasure. You will get the most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it ﬁrst. Figure out which radio you have in your vehicle, ﬁnd out what your audio system can do and how to operate all of its controls to be sure you’re getting the most out of the advanced engineering that went into it. Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP, you can play your audio system even after the ignition is turned off. See “Retained Accessory Power (RAP)” under Ignition Positions on page 2-17. Setting the Time for Radios without Radio Data Systems (RDS) Press and hold the HR or MIN arrow for two seconds. Then press the HR arrow until the correct hour appears on the display. Press and hold the MIN arrow until the correct minute appears on the display. The time may be set with the ignition on or off. 3-39 Setting the Time for Radios with Radio Data Systems (RDS) Press and hold HR or MN for two seconds. Then press and hold HR until the correct hour appears on the display. AM or PM will appear on the display for morning and evening hours. Press and hold MN until the correct minute appears on the display. The time may be set with the ignition on or off. To synchronize the time with an FM station broadcasting Radio Data System (RDS) information, press and hold HR and MN at the same time for two seconds until UPDATED appears on the display. If the time is not available from the station, NO UPDATE will appear on the display. RDS time is broadcast once a minute. Once you have tuned to an RDS broadcast station, it may take a few minutes for your time to update. 3-40 Radio with CD (Base Level) Playing the Radio PWR (Power): Press this knob to turn the system on and off. VOL (Volume): Turn this knob to increase or to decrease volume. RCL (Recall): Press this knob to switch the display between the radio station frequency and the time. Time display is available with the ignition turned off. Finding a Station AM FM: Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2, and AM. The display will show your selection. TUNE: Turn this knob to select radio stations. o SEEK p: Press the right or the left arrow to go to the next or to the previous station and stay there. To scan stations, press and hold either SEEK arrow for two seconds until you hear a beep. The radio will go to a station, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next station. Press either SEEK arrow again to stop scanning. To scan preset stations, press and hold either SEEK arrow for more than four seconds until you hear two beeps. The radio will go to the ﬁrst preset station stored on your pushbuttons, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next preset station. Press either SEEK arrow again to stop scanning presets. The radio will seek and scan only to stations that are in the selected band and only to those with a strong signal. Setting Preset Stations The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six FM1, six FM2, and six AM) by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press AM FM to select FM1, FM2, or AM. 3. Tune in the desired station. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered pushbutton, the station you set will return. 5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton. Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble) AUDIO: To adjust the bass or the treble, press and release the AUDIO button until BAS or TRE appears on the display. Then press and hold the up or the down arrow to increase or to decrease. If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble. To adjust bass or treble to the middle position, select BAS or TRE. Then press and hold the AUDIO button for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. B and a zero or T and a zero will appear on the display. 3-41 To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls to the middle position, ﬁrst end out of audio mode by pressing another button, causing the radio to perform that function, or by waiting ﬁve seconds for the display to return to the time of day. Then press and hold the AUDIO button for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. CEN will appear on the display. Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) To adjust both tone controls and both speaker controls to the middle position, ﬁrst end out of audio mode by pressing another button, causing the radio to perform that function, or by waiting ﬁve seconds for the display to return to the time of day. Then press and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. CEN will appear on the display. Radio Messages AUDIO: To adjust the balance between the right and the left speakers, press and release the AUDIO button until BAL appears on the display. Then press and hold the up or the down arrow to move the sound toward the right or the left speakers. To adjust the fade between the front and the rear speakers, press and release the AUDIO button until FAD appears on the display. Then press and hold the up or the down arrow to move the sound toward the front or the rear speakers. To adjust balance or fade to the middle position, select BAL or FAD. Then press and hold AUDIO for more than two seconds until you hear a beep. L and a zero or F and a zero will appear on the display. CAL (Calibration): Your audio system has been calibrated for your vehicle from the factory. If CAL appears on the display it means that your radio has not been conﬁgured properly for your vehicle and must be returned to the dealer for service. Playing a CD With the ignition on, insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player will pull it in and the CD should begin playing. CD will appear on the display. If you want to insert a CD with the ignition off, ﬁrst press the eject button or the RCL knob. If you turn off the ignition or radio with a CD in the player, it will stay in the player. When you turn on the ignition or the radio, the CD will start playing where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. 3-42 As each new track starts to play, the track number will appear on the display. The CD player can play the smaller 8 cm single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner. If playing a CD-R the sound quality may be reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled. You may experience an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur try a known good CD. Do not add paper labels to CDs, they could get caught in the CD player. Do not play 3 inch CDs without a standard adapter CD. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. 1 PREV (Previous): Press this pushbutton to go to the previous track if the current track has been playing for less than eight seconds. If pressed when the current track has been playing for more than eight seconds, it will go to the beginning of the current track. The track number will appear on the display. If you hold the pushbutton or press it more than once, the player will continue moving back through the CD. 2 NEXT: Press this pushbutton to go to the next track. The track number will appear on the display. If you hold the pushbutton or press it more than once, the player will continue moving forward through the CD. 3 REV (Reverse): Press and hold this pushbutton to reverse quickly within a track. Release it to play the passage. The display will show the elapsed time of the track. 4 FWD (Forward): Press and hold this pushbutton to advance quickly within a track. Release it to play the passage. The display will show the elapsed time of the track. 5 RDM (Random): Press this pushbutton to hear the tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. RND will appear on the display. Press RDM again to turn off random play. OFF will appear on the display. 6 RPT (Repeat): Press this pushbutton once to hear a track over again. RPT will appear on the display. The current track will continue to repeat. Press RPT again to turn off repeat play. OFF will appear on the display. 3-43 o SEEK p: Press the right or the left arrow to go to the next or to the previous track. The track number will appear on the display. RCL (Recall): Press this knob to see the current track number or how long the current track has been playing. AM FM: Press this button to listen to the radio when a CD is playing. The inactive CD will remain safely inside the radio for future listening. CD: Press this button to play a CD when listening to the radio. CD will appear on the display. Z (Eject): Press this button to eject a CD. Eject may be activated with either the ignition or radio off. CDs may be loaded with the radio and ignition off if this button is pressed ﬁrst. CD Messages If the CD comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: • It is very hot. When the temperature returns to normal, the CD should play. • You are driving on a very rough road. When the road becomes smoother, the CD should play. • The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down. • The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and try again. • There may have been a problem while burning the CD. • The label may be caught in the CD player. If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer. 3-44 Radio with CD (Up Level) Radio Data System (RDS) Your audio system is equipped with a Radio Data System (RDS). RDS features are available for use only on FM stations that broadcast RDS information. With RDS, your radio can do the following: • Seek to stations broadcasting the selected type of programming • Receive announcements concerning local and national emergencies • Display messages from radio stations • Seek to stations with traffic announcements This system relies upon receiving speciﬁc information from these stations and will only work when the information is available. In rare cases, a radio station may broadcast incorrect information that will cause the radio features to work improperly. If this happens, contact the radio station. While you are tuned to an RDS station, the station name or the call letters will appear on the display instead of the frequency. RDS stations may also provide the time of day, a program type (PTY) for current programming and the name of the program being broadcast. XM™ Satellite Radio Service (48 Contiguous US States) XM™ is a continental U.S. based satellite radio service that offers 100 coast to coast channels including music, news, sports, talk, and children’s programming. XM™ provides digital quality audio and text information, including song title and artist name. A service fee is required in order to receive the XM™ service. For more information, contact XM™ at www.xmradio.com or call 1-800-852-XMXM (9696). Playing the Radio POWER: Push this knob to turn the system on and off. VOLUME: Turn this knob to increase or to decrease volume. 3-45 SCV (Speed-Compensated Volume): With SCV, your audio system adjusts automatically to make up for road and wind noise as you drive. Set the volume at the desired level. Press this button to select MIN, MED, or MAX. Each higher setting allows for more volume compensation at faster vehicle speeds. Then, as you drive, SCV automatically increases the volume, as necessary, to overcome noise at any speed. The volume level should always sound the same to you as you drive. If you don’t want to use SCV, select OFF. RCL (Recall): Press this knob to switch the display between the radio station frequency and the time. Pressing this knob with the ignition off will display the time. For XM™ (48 contiguous US states, if equipped), press the RCL knob while in XM™ mode to retrieve four different categories of information related to the current song or channel: Artist, Song Title, Category or PTY, Channel Number/Channel Name. 3-46 To change the default on the display, press the RCL knob until you see the display you want, then hold the knob until the display ﬂashes. The selected display will now be the default. Finding a Station BAND: Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2, AM, or XM1 or XM2 (48 contiguous US states, if equipped). The display will show your selection.

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2004 Oldsmobile Alero Owners Manual