mirror OLDSMOBILE ALERO 1999 Owners Manual

2-
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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
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2-42
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Intensity Control
You can brighten or dim the
instrument panel cluster
lights by moving the
thumbwheel up to increase
intensity and to down to
decrease intensity. The
thumbwheel is located on
the instrument panel to the
left of the steering wheel.
Courtesy Lamp Control
When the thumbwheel for the instrument panel intensity
control is moved up, the dome lamp, the mirror reading
lamps (if equipped) and the footwell lamps will turn on.
Move the thumbwheel down to turn the lamps off.
Illuminated Entry/Exit System
When you lift the driver's door handle or open the
driver's door, the lamps inside your vehicle will go on.
These lamps will fade out after about 10 seconds, or
when the ignition is turned on after all doors have been
closed. These lamps will also go on when you press the
trunk release or UNLOCK button on the remote lock
control transmitter (if equipped).
The lamps inside your vehicle will stay on for about
10 seconds after your key is removed from the ignition
to provide an illuminated exit.
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2-43 Mirror Reading Lamps (If Equipped)
Press the switch on the lower front portion of the mirror
to turn on the lamps. Press the other side of the switch to
turn the lamps off.
Three-Position Dome Lamp
The switch on this lamp has three positions. The ON
position will turn on the light. The DOOR position will
turn on the light whenever a door is opened or when the
instrument panel intensity control thumbwheel is moved
up. The OFF position will shut off the lamp completely,
even when a door is opened.
Trunk Lamp
The trunk lamp comes on when you open your trunk.
Battery Saver
Your vehicle is equipped with a battery saver feature
designed to protect your vehicle's battery.
When any interior lamp (trunk, mirror reading lamps,
footwell, dome lamp or glove box) is left on when the
ignition is turned off, the battery saver system will
automatically shut the lamp off after 20 minutes.
This will avoid draining the battery.
To reactivate the interior lamps, do one of the following:

Lift the driver's door handle.

Open any door.

Press any remote lock control transmitter button
(if equipped).

Press the power door lock switch.

Press the remote trunk release.
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2-44
Mirrors
Inside Day/Night Rearview Mirror
This mirror can be adjusted two ways. First, to adjust
the angle of the mirror, move the mirror to a position
that allows you see to out the back window. To adjust
the height of the mirror, adjust the arm that connects the
mirror to the windshield.
To reduce glare from lights behind you, move the lever
toward you to the night position. To return the mirror to
the daytime position, move the lever away from you.
Manual Remote Control Mirror
The outside rearview mirror should be adjusted so you
can just see the side of your vehicle when you are sitting
in a comfortable driving position.
Adjust the driver's side outside mirror with the control
lever on the driver's door.
To adjust your passenger's side mirror, sit in the driver's
seat and have a passenger adjust the mirror for you.
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2-45 Power Remote Control Mirror
(If Equipped)
This selector controls both
outside rearview mirrors.
Select the mirror you want to adjust by moving the switch
to the right or the left. Press any of the four arrow buttons
to move the mirror in the direction desired. Adjust each
mirror so that you can see the side of your vehicle when
you are sitting in a comfortable driving position.
Convex Outside Mirror
Your passenger's side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror's surface is curved so you can see more from the
driver's seat.
CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
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Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You
can also remove them from the center mount and swing
them to the side, to block out glare from the side.
All models are equipped with sun visors that can be
extended by sliding the support rod, thus giving twice
the coverage.
Visor Vanity Mirror
Swing down the sun visor and lift the cover to expose
the vanity mirror.
Auxiliary Power Accessory Outlet
The auxiliary power accessory outlet is located to the
left of the glovebox on the lower side of the instrument
panel and behind a flip
-out door.
The power outlet can be used to plug electrical
equipment such as a cellular telephone, CD player, CB
radio, etc. Follow the proper installation instructions that
are inlcuded with any electrical equipment you install.
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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass
while you're awaiting an opportunity. For one thing,
following too closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you're following a larger vehicle.
Also, you won't have adequate space if the vehicle
ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.

When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and
don't get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
ªrunning startº that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.

If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn't trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)

Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two
-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.

Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.

If you're being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
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Loss of Control
Let's review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don't have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don't give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
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
ªoverdrivingº 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.
If you have the Enhanced Traction System, remember:
It helps avoid only the acceleration skid.If you do not have the Enhanced Traction System, or if
the 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 ªmirrored surfaceº
-- 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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Driving at NightNight driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.

Drive defensively.

Don't drink and drive.

Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.

Since you can't see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.

Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.

In remote areas, watch for animals.

If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
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The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too
-fast or
too
-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it's slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn't another vehicle in your
ªblindº spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you're ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you're not fresh
-- such as after a day's
work
-- don't plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it's ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you'll find experienced and able service experts in
Oldsmobile dealerships all across North America.
They'll be ready and willing to help if you need it.
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