key OLDSMOBILE ALERO 1999 Owners Manual

yellowblue
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
The right front passenger's safety belt works the same
way as the driver's safety belt. See ªDriver Positionº
earlier in this section.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS) or air bag system.
Your vehicle has ªNext Generationº frontal air
bags
-- one air bag for the driver and another air bag
for the right front passenger.
Next Generation frontal air bags are designed to help
reduce the risk of injury from the force of an inflating
air bag. But even these air bags must inflate very
quickly if they are 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
-- even Next Generation 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, Next Generation 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.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
1-29 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.
Rear Seat Passengers
It's very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up!
Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear
seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who aren't safety belted can be thrown
out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others
in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
ProCarManuals.com

2-
yellowblue
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
-8 Remote Lock Control (If Equipped)
2
-12 Trunk
2
-13 Theft
2
-14 Passlock

2-15 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-15 Ignition Switch
2
-17 Starting Your Engine
2
-20 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-22 Automatic Transaxle Operation
2
-26 Parking Brake
2
-27 Shifting Into PARK (P)
2
-29 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
2
-29 Parking Over Things That Burn2
-30 Engine Exhaust
2
-30 Running Your Engine While You're Parked
2
-31 Windows
2
-32 Tilt Wheel
2
-33 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-39 Exterior Lamps
2
-42 Interior Lamps
2
-44 Mirrors
2
-46 Storage Compartments
2
-47 Ashtray and Lighter (If Equipped)
2
-48 Sun Visors
2
-48 Auxiliary Power Accessory Outlet
2
-49 Sunroof (If Equipped)
2
-50 Instrument Panel
2
-54 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
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 power windows or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don't
leave the keys in a vehicle with children.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
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.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
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.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
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). If someone needs to get
out while the vehicle is running, have that person use the
manual or the power 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. The automatic locking and unlocking of the doors
will occur if the ignition key is turned to ON and the
driver's door is closed when the vehicle is shifted out of
PARK (P). One of four operating modes may be selected
and programmed by the driver:

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.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
2-6

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.
The Programmable Automatic Door Locks will be in
operating mode 1 when the vehicle is shipped from
the factory.
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.
To change the mode:
1. Press and hold LOCK on the power door lock switch
for 10 seconds.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.
When the driver leaves the vehicle 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
lamps will flash and the horn will chirp.
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.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
2-7 Rear Door Security Locks (4-Door Models)
Your vehicle is equipped
with rear door security
locks that help prevent
passengers from opening
the rear doors of your
vehicle from the inside.
The switch is located on the inside of the rear door.
To use the security locks:
1. Move the switch up.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same thing on the other rear door.
The rear doors of your vehicle cannot be opened from
the inside when this feature is in use. If you want to
open a rear door when the security lock is on:
1. Unlock the door from the inside.
2. Then open the door from the outside.If you don't cancel the security lock feature, adults or
older children who ride in the rear won't be able to open
the rear door from the inside. You should let adults and
older children know how these security locks work, and
how to cancel the locks.
To cancel the rear door lock:
1. Unlock the door from the inside and open it from
the outside.
2. Move the switch down.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.
The rear doors will now work normally.
Anti-Lockout Protection
Anti-Lockout Protection is a standard feature intended
to provide enhanced security and convenience. This
feature prevents a driver who has left the keys in the
ignition from locking the doors using the power door
locks while any door is open.
To override this feature, when the key is in the ignition
and a door is open, hold the power door lock switch in
the lock position for three seconds.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
2-8
This feature cannot guarantee that you will never be
locked out of your vehicle. If you don't leave the keys in
the ignition, if you use the manual door lock, or if you
use the remote lock control transmitter (if equipped),
you could still lock your keys inside your vehicle.
Always remember to take your keys with you.
Leaving Your Vehicle
If you are leaving your vehicle, open your door and set
the locks from the inside, then get out and close
the door.
Remote Lock Control (If Equipped)
If your vehicle has this option, you can lock and unlock
your doors or unlock your trunk from about 3 feet (1 m)
up to 30 feet (9 m) away using the remote lock control
transmitter supplied with your vehicle.Your remote lock control operates on a radio frequency
subject to Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Rules and with Industry Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
ProCarManuals.com