light OLDSMOBILE ALERO 1999 Owner's Guide

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2-60 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.
In ªProblems on the Road,º of this manual shows what
to do. See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on
briefly when you turn
your ignition on.
If this light comes on and stays on and you hear a chime,
the vehicle should promptly be pulled off the road and
the coolant level checked.
See ªEngine Coolantº in the Index. If there are visible
signs of steam, see ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index
before opening the hood. Have your vehicle serviced as
soon as you can.
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2-61 Low Tire Pressure Light (If Equipped)
The tire pressure monitor system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure in one tire. After the system has
ªlearnedº tire pressures with properly inflated tires, the
LOW TIRE PRESSURE light will come on if the
pressure in one tire becomes 12 psi (83 kPa) lower than
the other three tires. The tire pressure monitor system
won't alert you if the pressure in more than one tire is
low, if the system is not yet calibrated, or if the vehicle
is moving at less than 15 mph (25 km/h), faster than
75 mph (120 km/h), on rough roads or during turns.
The light may also come on if you are driving on
partially cleared pavement.When the LOW TIRE PRESSURE light comes on, you
should stop as soon as you can and check all your tires
for damage. (If a tire is flat, see ªIf a Tire Goes Flatº in
the Index.) Also check the tire pressure in all four tires
as soon as you can. See ªInflation
- Tire Pressureº in
the Index.
The light will stay on until you turn off the ignition or
reset the system. See ªTire Pressure Monitor Systemº in
the Index.
The LOW TIRE PRESSURE 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 if the pressure in a tire is low or high.
If the anti
-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the tire pressure monitor system may not be working.
See your dealer for service. (Also, see ªAnti
-Lock
Brake System Warning Lightº in the Index).
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2-62 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.
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.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this 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 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 the SERVICE ENGINE SOON or
the CHECK ENGINE 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.
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2-63
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 doesn't 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. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center 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.If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see ªIf
the Light Is On Steadyº 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 ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
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 ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. 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.
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2-64
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
ªFuelº in the Index). 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,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
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.
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 fuse or bulb. Have it fixed
right away.
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2-65
CAUTION:
Don't 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:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Low Oil Light (If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped
with a 3400 V6 engine, then
you will have a LOW OIL
light in your instrument
panel cluster.
This light will come on briefly when you start
your vehicle.
If the light stays on after starting your vehicle, or comes
on and chimes while you are driving, your engine oil
level should be checked.
Prior to checking the oil level, be sure your vehicle has been
shut off for several minutes and is on a level surface. Check
the oil level on your dipstick and bring it to the proper level.
See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.
NOTE: A false LOW OIL light may be generated when
parking on steep grades.
The oil level monitoring system only checks oil level during
the brief period between when the key is on and the engine is
cranking. It does not monitor engine oil level when the
engine is running. Additionally, an oil level check is only
performed if the engine has been turned off for a considerable
period of time allowing the oil normally in circulation to
drain back into the oil pan.
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2-66 Change 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.
For additional information, see ªEngine Oil, When to
Changeº in the Index. To reset the Oil Life Monitor, see
ªEngine Oil Life Monitorº in the Index.
Security Light
This light will come on
when you turn the key to
ON and will stay on until
the vehicle starts.
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.
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2-67 Cruise Light (If Equipped)
The CRUISE light comes
on whenever you set your
cruise control.
Low Washer 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 fluid reservoir is less than one
-third full.
Service Vehicle Soon Light
This light will come on
briefly when you turn
on the ignition.
It will stay on, or come on and a chime will sound if it
detects a problem on the vehicle, such as a DRL or an
ALC malfunction. If this happens, see your dealer as
soon as possible.
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2-68 Fuel Gage
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.

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 gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.

The gage goes back to empty when you turn off
the ignition.
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3-3
DEFOG: This position divides the airflow
between the floor outlets and the windshield defroster
vent. The air conditioning compressor will run
automatically in this position when it is needed to help
dry the air in the vehicle.
FRONT DEFROSTER: This position directs
most of the airflow through the window defroster vent.
Some of the air goes to the floor outlets. The air
conditioning compressor will run automatically in this
position when it is needed to help dry the air in
the vehicle.
OUTSIDE AIR: Press this button to force the
system to use outside air.
Pressing the OUTSIDE AIR button will cancel the
RECIRCULATION button.
RECIRCULATION: Press this button to limit
the amount of fresh air entering your vehicle. This is
helpful when you are trying to limit odors entering your
vehicle. Press it again to turn off the recirculation.
Pressing the RECIRCULATION button will cancel the
OUTSIDE AIR button.Air Conditioning Compressor Button
Press A/C to operate the air conditioner compressor.
The indicator light will glow when the button is pressed
to indicate that the air conditioning system has been
turned on. The fan knob must be set to a speed.
Air Conditioning
The air conditioner and heater work best if you keep
your windows closed while using them. Your vehicle
also has the flow
-through ventilation system described
later in this section.
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to
let hot inside air escape. This reduces the time it takes
for your vehicle to cool down, which should help
fuel economy.
On cool, but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
You can use BI
-LEVEL with the temperature knob in
the middle and the A/C indicator light glowing. The
system will bring in outside air and direct slightly
warmer air to your lower body.
For normal cooling on hot days, use VENT with the
temperature knob in the blue area and the A/C indicator
light glowing. The system will bring in outside air and
cool it.
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