steering wheel OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE 1998 User Guide

The accelerate feature will only work after you set the
cruise control speed by pressing the COAST/SET button
on the steering wheel.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
Press the COAST/SET button on the steering wheel
until
you reach the lower speed you want, then
release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, press the
COASTBET button on the steering wheel for less
than a half second. Each time you do this, you’ll go
1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
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 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 three ways to cancel the cruise control:
0 Step lightly on the brake pedal,
0 Press CLEAR on the steering wheel or
Press the CRUISE button on the instrument panel.
Erasing Cruise Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
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Exterior Lamps
The lamp controls are located on the multifunction
lever on the left
of the steering wheel. They control
these systems:
Headlamps
Taillamps
Parking Lamps
License Lamps
0 Sidemarker Lamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
Turn the end of the lever to this symbol to turn on
the headlamps and other operating lamps.
zoo=
- Turn the end of the lever to this symbol to turn
on the parking and other operating lamps without the
headlamps.
Turn the end of the lever to
OFF to turn off the lamps.
A warning chime will sound if you open the driver’s
door when you turn the ignition switch to
OFF or ACC
with the lamps on.
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Section 3 Comfort Controls
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
3-2
3-4
3
-4
3 -4
3-9
3
-9
3- 10
3- 14
Comfort Controls Air Conditioning with Electronic Controls
Heating
Ventilation
Defogging and Defrosting
Rear Window Defogger Setting
the Clock
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
and Automatic Tone Control
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and
Compact Disc Player with Automatic Tone
Control (If Equipped) 3-20
3 -23
3-25
3-25
3-26
3 -27
3-28
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Trunk Mounted CD Changer (If Equipped)
Theft-Detement Feature
Audio Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
Understanding Radio Reception
Tips About Your Audio System
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
Care of Your Compact Discs
Care of Your Compact Disc Player
Backglass Antenna
(If Equipped)
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Audio Steering Wheel Controls
(If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this
feature, you can control
certain radio functions
using the buttons
on your
steering wheel.
VOL: Press the up or down arrow to increase or
decrease volume.
SEEK: Press this button to tune to a higher 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 a higher preset radio
station. When playing a cassette tape, press
PROG to
hear the other side of a tape that is playing. When using
the
CD changer, this button will seek the next selection.
Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines.
Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to
40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings
or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to come and
go.
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When the system is on, this
warning light will come on
to let you know if there’s a
problem with the system.
TRAC
OFF
See “Enhanced Traction System Warning Light’’ in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Enhanced
Traction System on. But you can turn the 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
“Rocking Your Vehicle” in the Index.)
To turn the system on
or
off, press the button
on the console.
Your Enhanced Traction System is automatically
activated when you turn the ignition on. This switch
will activate/deactivate the Enhanced Traction System.
If you need to disable the system, such as when you
are stuck and are rocking your vehicle back and forth,
push this switch. See “Stuck:
In Sand, Mud or Snow”
in the Index.
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.
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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 Sensitive Steering
This steering system provides lighter steering effort
for parking and when driving at speeds below
20 mph (32 km/h). Steering effort will increase at
higher speeds for improved road
feel.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” 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 turn
the 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.
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.
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.
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 “drive” 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.
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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 “Braking in
Emergencies” 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.
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Off-Road Recovery
You may find that your right wheels have dropped off the
edge of a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.
F*- LEFT APPROX. QUARTERTURN
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again.
A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents
-- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
0
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off
the accelerator and then, if there
is nothing in the way,
steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the
pavement. You can turn
the steering wheel up to
one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
0
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides
and to crossroads for situations that might affect
your passing patterns. If you have any doubt
whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait
for a better time.
Watch for traffk signs, pavement markings and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross
a solid
line on your side of the lane or
a double solid line,
even if the road seems empty
of approaching traffic.
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Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and
by not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are
always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip
and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid,
too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid
only the acceleration skid.
If your traction control system is
off, then an
acceleration skid is
also best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs. Of
course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help
you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good
deal longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom or me steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer
to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide
you.
Making Turns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
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