service indicator OLDSMOBILE ALERO 1999 Owners Manual

yellowblue
2-55 Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument panel,
which shows the air bag symbol. The system checks the
air bag's electrical system for malfunctions. The light tells
you if there is an electrical problem. The system check
includes the air bag modules, the wiring and the crash
sensing and diagnostic module. For more information on
the air bag system, see ªAir Bagº in the Index.
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Charging System Indicator Light
The charging system
indicator light will come on
when you turn on the
ignition, but the engine is
not running, as a check to
show you it is working.
When the engine is running, the light should go out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving and you
hear a chime, you may have a problem with the
electrical charging system. It could indicate that you
have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical
problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this
light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
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.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
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.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
3-23 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat. If they aren't, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate
that you have used your tape player for 50 hours without
resetting the tape clean timer. If this message appears on
the display, your cassette tape player needs to be
cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as
soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and
player. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a
known good cassette to see if it is the tape or the tape
player at fault. If this other cassette has no improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player.
The recommended cleaning method for your cassette
tape player is the use of a scrubbing action,
non
-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn.
The recommended cleaning cassette is available through
your dealership (GM Part No. 12344789).When using a scrubbing action, non
-abrasive cleaning
cassette, it is normal for the cassette to eject because
your unit is equipped with a cut tape detection feature
and a cleaning cassette may appear as a broken tape.
If the cleaning cassette ejects, insert the cassette at least
three times to ensure thorough cleaning.
You may also choose a non
-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not
eject on its own. A non
-scrubbing action cleaner may
not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner.
The use of a non
-scrubbing action, dry-type cleaning
cassette is not recommended.
After you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for
five seconds to reset the CLN indicator. The radio will
display
--- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality may
degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette tape
is in good condition before you have your tape
player serviced.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
6-4
If you're using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service. But
don't worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you're accelerating or driving up a hill. That's normal,
and you don't have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It's the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
label), it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specifications. If such fuels are not available
in states adopting California emissions standards, your
vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel may turn on and/or your
vehicle may fail a smog
-check test. (See ªMalfunction
Indicator Lampº in the Index.) If this occurs, return to
your authorized Oldsmobile dealer for diagnosis to
determine the cause of failure. In the event it is
determined that the cause of the condition is the type of
fuels used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty.Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane
-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask your service station operator whether or not
the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does not
recommend the use of such gasolines. If fuels containing
MMT are used, spark plug life may be reduced and your
emission control system performance may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Oldsmobile dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and fuel
system, allowing your emission control system to
function properly. Therefore, you should not have to add
anything to the fuel. In addition, gasolines containing
oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to
contribute to clean air. General Motors recommends that
you use these gasolines, particularly if they comply with
the specifications described earlier.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
6-26 Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built
-in wear indicators that make
a high
-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come
and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake
pedal firmly).
CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won't work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to GM specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See ªBrake System Inspectionº in Section 7 of this
manual under Part C ªPeriodic Maintenance
Inspections.º
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
6-30
3. Lift the headlamp assembly forward, out of the
mounting bracket.
4. Twist the bulb assembly retainer counterclockwise
one
-sixth of a turn and pull out the bulb assembly.
5. Unclip the bulb assembly from the wiring harness.
6. Reverse Steps 1 through 4 to replace the bulb
assembly and headlamp housing.Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has a headlamp system equipped with
horizontal and vertical aim indicators. The aim has been
pre
-set at the factory and should need no further
adjustment. This is true even though your vertical and
horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on the ª0º
(zero) marks on their scales.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment may be necessary
if it is difficult to see lane markers (for horizontal aim),
or if oncoming drivers flash their high beams at you (for
vertical aim). If you believe your headlamps need to be
re
-aimed, we recommend that you take it to your dealer
for service; however, it is possible for you to re
-aim
your headlamps as described in the following procedure.
NOTICE:
To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before
beginning. Failure to follow these instructions
could cause damage to headlamp parts.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
6-39
When It's Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it's
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:

You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.

You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire's rubber.

The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.

The tire has a bump, bulge or split.

The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can't be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire
-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire's sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all
-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an ªMSº
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias
-belted or radial) as your original tires.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
Scheduled Maintenance
7-5
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) should be performed after 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) at the same intervals. The services shown
at 150,000 miles (240 000 km) should be performed at
the same interval after 150,000 miles (240 000 km).
See ªOwner Checks and Servicesº and ªPeriodic
Maintenance Inspectionsº following.
Footnotes

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to the
completion of the vehicle's useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the maintenance
be recorded.* Your vehicle has an Engine Oil Life Monitor. This
monitor will show you when to change the engine oil
and filter
-- usually between 3,000 miles (5 000 km)
and 7,500 miles (12 500 km) since your last oil change.
Under severe conditions, the indicator may come on
before 3,000 miles (5 000 km). Never drive your vehicle
more than 7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months
without an oil and filter change.
The system won't detect dust in the oil. So if you drive
in a dusty area, be sure to change your oil and filter
every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or sooner if the Change
Oil light comes on. Remember to reset the Oil Life
Monitor whenever the oil is changed. For more
information, see ªChange Oil Lightº in the Index.
+ A good time to check your brakes is during tire
rotation. See ªBrake System Inspectionº under ªPeriodic
Maintenance Inspectionsº in Part C of this schedule.
ProCarManuals.com

yellowblue
9-2
Brake (Continued)
System Warning Light 2-56, 6-25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trailer 4-38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transaxle Shift Interlock 2-29, 7-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transaxle Shift Interlock Check 7-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wear 6-26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brakes, Anti-Lock 2-57, 4-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking 4-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Braking in Emergencies 4-11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Break-In, New Vehicle 2-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BTSI 2-29, 7-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
BTSI Check 7-15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bulb Replacement 6-28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Back-Up Lamp 6-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CHMSL 6-32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Front Turn Signal Lamps 6-32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Headlamps 6-28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear Turn Signal Lamp 6-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stoplamp 6-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Taillamp 6-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Capacities and Specifications 6-59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Carbon Monoxide 2-12, 2-30, 4-29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Care of Your Compact Disc Player 3-24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cassette Deck Service 7-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cassette Tape Player 3-9, 3-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cassette Tape Player Care 3-23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CD Player 3-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CD Player Theft-Deterrent Feature 3-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Center Console Storage Area 2-46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp Bulb Replacement 6-32 . . . .
Center Rear Passenger Position 1-35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Certification Label 4-33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chains, Safety 4
-38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chains, Tire 6-43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Change Oil Light 2-66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Changing a Flat Tire 5-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Charging System Indicator Light 2-55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Check Engine Light 2-62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking Your Restraint Systems 1-54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chemical Paint Spotting 6-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Child Restraints 1-39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Securing in a Rear Outside Seat Position 1-45 . . . . . . . . . . .
Securing in the Center Rear Seat Position 1-47 . . . . . . . . . .
Securing in the Right Front Seat Position 1-48 . . . . . . . . . .
Top Strap 1-44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Where to Put 1-43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Circuit Breakers and Fuses 6-53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaner, Air 6-16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaning 6-44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Aluminum Wheels 6-49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fabric 6-44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Glass 6-47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Inside of Your Vehicle 6-44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Instrument Panel 6-46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Leather 6-46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Outside of Your Vehicle 6-48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Special Fabric Problems 6-45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stains 6-44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tires 6-49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vinyl 6-46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wheels 6-49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Windshield and Wiper Blades 6-47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Climate Control System 3-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clock, Setting the 3-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Comfort Controls 3-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ProCarManuals.com