wheel Oldsmobile Aurora 2001 s Owner's Guide

2-71 Traction Control System Warning Light
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 it
stays on, or comes on when you're driving, there may be
a problem with your traction control 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 traction control system warning light may come
on for the following reasons:

If you turn the system off by pressing the TC button
located on the center console, 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 ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index
for more information.
If there's a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on. If your brakes begin to overheat, the traction
control system will turn off and the warning light
will come on until your brakes cool down.

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 traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Traction Control System Active Light
When your traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin, this light will come on.
Slippery road conditions may exist if the traction
control system active light comes on, so adjust your
driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the traction
control system stops limiting wheel spin.

3-
3-1
Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you'll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your vehicle.
Be sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3
-2 Comfort Controls
3
-2 Automatic Electronic Climate Control
3
-6 Air Conditioning
3
-7 Heating
3
-7 Defogging and Defrosting
3
-8 Rear Window Defogger
3
-8 Passenger Temperature Control (Option)
3
-9 Ventilation System
3
-10 Steering Wheel Controls for Climate Control
3
-10 Audio Systems
3
-10 Setting the Clock3
-11 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and
Compact Disc Player with Programmable
Equalization and Radio Data System (RDS)
3
-20 Trunk-Mounted CD Changer (Option)
3
-24 Theft-Deterrent Feature
3
-24 Audio Steering Wheel Controls
3
-25 Understanding Radio Reception
3
-25 Tips About Your Audio System
3
-26 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
3
-27 Care of Your Compact Discs
3
-27 Care of Your Compact Disc Player
3
-27 Diversity Antenna System
3
-28 Chime Level Adjustment

3-9 Ventilation System
Your vehicle's flow-through ventilation system always
allows filtered outside air to flow through your vehicle
when it is moving, even when the system is off.
The direction of the air
can be controlled by
adjusting or closing
the outlets in the
instrument panel.
Turn the thumbwheel between the front outlets to open
and close the outlets. Adjust the direction of airflow
from side to side with the controls in each outlet.
Turn the control between the rear outlets up to direct air
through the upper outlets. Turn the control down to direct
air through the lower outlets. Adjust the direction of
airflow from side to side with the controls in each outlet.
Ventilation Tips

Keep the hood and front air inlet area between the base
of the windshield and the hood free of ice, snow, or
any other obstruction (such as leaves). The defroster
and heater will work far better, reducing the chance of
fogging the inside of your windows, if this area is clear.

Keep the air path under the front seats clear of objects.
This helps air to circulate throughout your vehicle.

3-10 Steering Wheel Controls for Climate Control
Some heating and cooling
controls can be adjusted
at the steering wheel.
Other touch controls
also operate some audio
controls. See ªAudio
Steering Wheel Controlsº
later in this section.
Press the upper part of the fan symbol button to override
the automatic fan control and increase the fan speed.
Press the lower part of the fan symbol button to override
the automatic fan control and reduce the fan speed.
Press either arrow on the TEMP button once to display
your current comfort setting in the digital display. Press
the upper part of the TEMP button again to provide a
warmer comfort setting or press the lower part of the
TEMP button again to provide a cooler comfort setting.
Audio Systems
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and give years of listening pleasure. You will get the
most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it
first. Find out what your audio system can do and how
to operate all its controls, to be sure you're getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Setting the Clock
Press and hold HR until the correct hour appears. The
letters AM or PM will appear on the display. Then, press
and hold MN until the correct minute appears. The clock
may be set with the ignition on or off. In addition, the
clock can also be automatically set, when tuned to an
RDS station that is broadcasting time, by pressing and
holding the HR and the MN button at the same time.
The display will show TIME UPDATED. If there is no
time available, NO UPDATE will be displayed.

3-24 Theft-Deterrent Feature
THEFTLOCK
is designed to discourage theft of
your radio. It works by using a secret code to disable
all radio functions whenever battery power is removed
and the radio is placed in a different vehicle. This
feature requires no user input to be activated. It is
automatically armed when it is put into the vehicle for
the first time.
When the radio is turned off, the blinking red light
indicates that THEFTLOCK is armed.
If THEFTLOCK is activated, your radio will not operate
if stolen. The radio will display LOC and a red LED
indicator light will come on above the THEFTLOCK
logo to indicate a locked condition. If this occurs,
the radio will have to be returned to the dealer.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
With this feature, you can control certain radio functions
using the buttons on your steering wheel.
Some steering wheel
controls operate climate
controls. See ªSteering
Wheel Controls for
Climate Controlº earlier
in this section.
VOL: Press the up or down arrow to increase or
decrease volume.
SEEK: Press this button to tune to the next strong
radio station. When playing a cassette tape or compact
disc, press SEEK to hear the next selection. There must
be at least a three
-second gap between selections on a
cassette tape.
PROG: Press this button to tune in the next preset
radio station. When playing a cassette tape, press PROG
to hear the other side of a tape that is playing. When
listening to a disc in the CD changer, press PROG to
select the next loaded disc.

4-8
Here's how anti-lock works. Let's say the road is wet.
You're driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here's what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.The anti
-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.

4-9
Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti
-lock brakes.
Using Anti
-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may hear
a motor or clicking noise during a hard stop, but this
is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System
Your vehicle has a traction control system that limits
wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road
conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the
system works the front brakes and reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
This light will come
on when your traction
control system is limiting
wheel spin. See ªTraction
Control System Active
Lightº in the Index.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. See ªCruise Controlº
in the Index.

4-10
This light should come on
briefly when you start
the engine. If it stays on
or comes on while you
are driving, there's a
problem with your
traction control system.
See ªTraction Control System Warning Lightº in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow. See ªRocking Your
Vehicleº in the Index.To turn the system off,
press the TC button on the
center console.
The traction control system warning light will come
on and stay on. If the system is limiting wheel spin
when you press the button, the warning light will
come on
-- but the system won't turn off right
away. It will wait until there's no longer a current
need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The traction control system
warning light should go off.

4-11
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Magnetic-Speed Variable Assist Steering
Your vehicle is equipped with a steering system that
continuously adjusts the effort you feel when steering
at all vehicle speeds. It provides ease when parking yet
a firm, solid feel at highway speeds.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned
on the news happen on curves. Here's why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turnthe front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you've ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you're
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you're steering through a sharp curve. Then you
suddenly accelerate. Both control systems
-- steering and
acceleration
-- have to do their work where the tires meet
the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much of those places. You can lose control. Refer to
ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
If you have Stabilitrak

, you may see the STABILITY
ACTIVE message on the Driver Information Center.
See ªStability Active Messageº in the Index.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you'll want to go slower.

4-12
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can ªdriveº through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly
pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right in front of you.
You can avoid these problems by braking
-- if you
can stop in time. But sometimes you can't; there isn't
room. That's the time for evasive action
-- steering
around the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First apply your brakes. See ªBraking in
Emergenciesº earlier in this section. It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left
or right depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended 9 and 3 o'clock positions, you can
turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly,
and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.