key Oldsmobile Alero 2000 Owner's Manuals

Table of Contents
Keys and Door Locks
Remote Lock Control
Trunk Release
Automatic Transmission (If Equipped)
Manual Transmission
Parking Brake
Windows
Tilt Wheel
Turn Signal/Multifunction LeverWindshield Wipers
Cruise Control
Interior and Exterior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Convenience Net (If Equipped)
Accessory Power Outlets
Sunroof (If Equipped)
Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages Seats and Seat Controls
Safety BeltsAir Bag Systems
Child Restraints
Section
1
Section
2
Seats and Restraint Systems
Features and Controls
ii

1-23
The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it's more
likely that the fetus won't be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger's safety belt
properly, see ªDriver Positionº earlier in this section.
The right front passenger's safety belt works the same
way as the driver's safety belt
-- except for one thing.
If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out
all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking
feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the
way and start again.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) or air bag system.
Your vehicle has air bags
-- one air bag for the driver
and another air bag for the right front passenger.
Frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of
injury from the force of an inflating air bag. But these
air bags must inflate very quickly to do their job and
comply with federal regulations.Here are the most important things to know about the
air bag system:
CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if
you aren't wearing your safety belt
-- even if you
have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air
bags are ªsupplemental restraintsº to the safety
belts. All air bags are designed to work with
safety belts, but don't replace them. Air bags
are designed to work only in moderate to severe
crashes where the front of your vehicle hits
something. They aren't designed to inflate at
all in rollover, rear, side or low
-speed frontal
crashes. And, for unrestrained occupants,
air bags may provide less protection in frontal
crashes than more forceful air bags have
provided in the past. Everyone in your vehicle
should wear a safety belt properly
-- whether or
not there's an air bag for that person.

1-29
NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver's or the
right front passenger's air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger's air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as
water up to the carpeting or higher
-- or if water enters
your vehicle and soaks the carpet, the air bag controller
can be soaked and ruined. If this ever happens, and then
you start your vehicle, the damage could make the air
bags inflate, even if there's no crash. You would have
to replace the air bags as well as the sensors and related
parts. If your vehicle is ever in a flood, or if it's exposed
to water that soaks the carpet, you can avoid needless
repair costs by turning off the vehicle immediately and
disconnecting the battery cables. Don't let anyone start
the vehicle under any circumstances. See your dealer
for service.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don't want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle.
Your dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system.
To purchase a service manual, see ªService and Owner
Publicationsº in the Index.
CAUTION:
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape
or yellow connectors. They are probably part
of the air bag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.

2-
2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
- 2 Keys
2
- 4 Door Locks
2
- 9 Remote Lock Control (If Equipped)
2
- 13 Trunk
2
- 15 Theft
2
- 16 Passlock

2- 16 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
- 17 Ignition Switch
2
- 18 Starting Your Engine
2
- 20 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
- 22 Automatic Transaxle Operation
2
- 25 Manual Transaxle Operation
2
- 27 Parking Brake
2
- 28 Shifting Into PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle Only)
2
- 30 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle Only)
2
- 30 Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transaxle Models Only)2
- 31 Parking Over Things That Burn
2
- 31 Engine Exhaust
2
- 32 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
(Automatic Transaxle)
2
- 33 Windows
2
- 34 Tilt Wheel
2
- 34 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
- 41 Exterior Lamps
2
- 44 Interior Lamps
2
- 46 Mirrors
2
- 47 Storage Compartments
2
- 48 Ashtray and Lighter (If Equipped)
2
- 48 Sun Visors
2
- 49 Auxiliary Power Accessory Outlet
2
- 49 Sunroof (If Equipped)
2
- 50 Instrument Panel - Your Information System
2
- 54 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators

2-2
Keys
CAUTION:
Leaving children in a vehicle with the ignition
key is dangerous for many reasons. A child or
others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate the power windows or
other controls or even make the vehicle move.
Don't leave the keys in a vehicle with children.

2-3
One key is used for the
ignition and all locks.
When a new vehicle is delivered, the key has a
bar
-coded key tag. This tag may be removed by
your dealer before it is delivered.Each tag has a key code on it that tells your dealer or a
qualified locksmith how to make extra keys. Keep the
tag in a safe place. If you lose your keys, you'll be able
to have one made easily using this tag. If you need a
new key, go to your dealer for the correct key code.
In an emergency, call the Oldsmobile Roadside
Assistance Center at 1
-800-442-OLDS (6537).
(In Canada, call 1
-800-268-6800.)
NOTICE:
Your vehicle has a number of new features that
can help prevent theft, therefore you can have a
lot of trouble getting into your vehicle if you ever
lock your keys inside. You may even have to
damage your vehicle to get in. So be sure you
have extra keys.

2-4
Door Locks
CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers -- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and fall out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won't open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors aren't locked. Wear safety
belts properly, lock your doors, and you will be
far better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your key or remote lock control
system, if your vehicle is equipped with this feature.
From the inside, you can lock the door by pushing the
locking lever forward.
To unlock the door, pull the locking lever rearward.

2-5 Power Door Locks
With the power door locks, you can unlock or lock all
of the doors of your vehicle from the driver or front
passenger door lock switch.
Push the top of the switch to unlock all of the doors.
Push the bottom of the switch to lock all of the doors.
Automatic Door Locks
Just close your doors and turn on the ignition. All of
the doors will lock when you move your shift lever
out of PARK (P) to REVERSE (R) for an automatic
transaxle. All of the doors will lock when the vehicle
speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h) for a manual
transaxle. If someone needs to get out while the vehicle
is running, have that person use the door lock. When
the door is closed again, it will lock automatically when
the vehicle reaches about 5 mph (8 km/h). All doors
will automatically unlock when the shift lever is moved
to PARK (P) and when the key is turned to OFF.
Programmable Automatic Door Locks
Programmable Automatic Door Locks is a standard
feature intended to provide enhanced security and
convenience by automatically locking and unlocking
the doors.

2-6
One of four operating modes may be selected and
programmed by the driver for an automatic transaxle:

Mode 1: All doors automatically lock when the
transaxle is shifted out of PARK (P). The doors
will remain locked unless manually unlocked or the
lock button is pressed. All doors will unlock when
the transaxle is shifted into PARK (P) and the key
is turned to OFF.

Mode 2: This mode is only available with the remote
lock control transmitter. All doors automatically lock
when the transaxle is shifted out of PARK (P).
Automatic driver's door only unlock when the
transaxle is shifted into PARK(P) and the key is
turned to OFF.

Mode 3: All doors automatically lock when the
transaxle is shifted out of PARK (P). No automatic
door unlock.

Mode 4: No automatic door lock or unlock.One of the four operating modes may be selected and
programmed by the driver for a manual transaxle:

Mode 1: All doors automatically lock when the
vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h). The
doors will remain locked unless manually unlocked
or the lock button is pressed. All doors will unlock
when the transaxle is shifted into REVERSE (R)
and the key is turned to OFF.

Mode 2: This mode is only available with the remote
lock control transmitter. All doors automatically
lock when the vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph
(8 km/h). Automatic driver's door only unlock when
the transaxle is shifted into REVERSE (R) and
the key is turned to OFF.

Mode 3: All doors automatically lock when the
vehicle speed is greater than 5 mph (8 km/h).
No automatic door unlock.

Mode 4: No automatic door lock or unlock.
The Programmable Automatic Door Locks will be in
operating mode 1 when the vehicle is shipped from
the factory.

2-7
Disconnecting the vehicle battery for up to one year will
not change the programmed mode of the Programmable
Automatic Door Locks.
The operating mode of the Programmable Automatic
Door Locks will be changed when the driver performs
the following sequence with the doors closed and the
vehicle's ignition key is turned to ON. Perform the
following procedure for an automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) and manual transaxle in REVERSE (R)
and the parking brake engaged.
To change the mode:
1. Press and hold LOCK on the power door lock
switch for 10 seconds. Release the switch when you
hear the chime.
2. Count the number of chimes you hear. The number
of chimes tells you which mode your vehicle is in.
You can change the mode by pressing and holding
LOCK on the power door lock switch (two chimes
for mode 2, three chimes for mode 3 and four
chimes for mode 4).
3. Repeat Step 1 until you hear the number of chimes
that matches the mode you want.
The mode you selected is now set.Delayed Locking
The Delayed Locking feature is standard and makes
it easier to use your power door locks at any time
either manually or with the power door lock switches.
This feature will not operate if the key is left in the
ignition. See Anti
-Lockout Protection later in
this section.
When the driver leaves the vehicle and the driver's
door is open and pushes the power door lock switch to
LOCK, three chimes will be heard. The doors will not
lock. Seven seconds after the driver's door has been
closed, all of the doors will lock, the parking lamps
will flash and the horn will sound.
If the driver opens another door before the seven
seconds, the doors will not lock until seven seconds
after the last door is closed.
If the power door lock switch is pressed to LOCK
twice when leaving the vehicle, the doors will
lock immediately.