turn signal Oldsmobile Alero 2003 s User Guide

< SCAN > : Press and hold either arrow for
two seconds until SC appears on the display and you
hear a beep. The radio will go to a station, play for a few
seconds, then go on to the next station. Press either
arrow again to stop scanning.
To scan preset stations, press and hold either SCAN
arrow for more than four seconds. PRESET SCAN will
appear on the display. You will hear a double beep
and the P will blink with the preset number. The radio
will go to the first preset station stored on your
pushbuttons, play for a few seconds, then go on to the
next preset station. Press either SCAN arrow again
to stop scanning presets.
The radio
will scan only to stations that are in the
selected band and only to those with a strong signal.
Setting Preset Stations
The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your
favorite stations. You can set up to
30 stations (six AM,
six FM1 and six FM2, six XMI and six XM2 (USA
Radio Service) or DAB1 and DAB2 (Canada only,
if your
radio is equipped with DAB), by performing the
following steps:
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1. Turn the radio on.
3. Press BAND to se!ect AM, FM! or FM2, or XM!,
XM2, or DAB1, DAB2.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press AUTO EQ to select the equalization.
5. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons until you hear
a beep. Whenever you
press that numbered pushbutton, the station
you set will return and the equalization that you
selected will also be automatically selected for that
pushbutton.
6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
AUDIO: Press and release this button until BASS, MID
or TREB appears on the display. Press the knob
above the AUDIO button to extend it, then turn the knob
to increase or to decrease.
If a station is weak or
noisy, you may want to decrease the treble.
Pressing and holding the AUDIO button for at least
two seconds will return all tone settings, including
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AUTO
EQ (Automatic Equalizer): Press this button to
choose bass, midrange and treble equalization
settings designed for country, jazz, talk, pop, rock, and
classical program types.
3-45

XMTM Radio Messages
Radio Display
Message Condition
Action
Required
XL (Explicit Language Channels)
Updating XL on
the radio display,
after the channel name,
indicates content with
explicit language.
Updating encryption
code These channels,
or any others, can be blocked at a
customer’s request, by calling
1 -800-852-XMXM (9696).
The encryption code in your receiver is being updated, and
no action is required. This process should take
no longer
than 30 seconds.
No Signal
Loss of signal
Your system is functioning correctly, but you are in a
location that is blocking the XM signal. When you move
into an open area, the signal should return.
Loading XM
I
CH Off Air Acquiring channel audio
Your radio system is acquiring and processing audio and
(after 4 second delay) text
data.
No action is needed. This message should
Channel not in service This channel is not currently in service. Tune to another
~~
disappear shortly.
channel.
CH Unavail
No Info
I
Channel no longer I This previously assigned channel is no longer assigned.
available Tune to another station.
It this station was one ot your
Song/Program Title not
No song title information is available at this time on this
available channel. Your system is working properly.
3-49

This system relies upon receiving specific information
from these stations and will only work when the
information is available. In rare cases, a radio station
may broadcast incorrect information that will cause
the radio features to work improperly.
If this happens,
contact the radio station.
While you are tuned to an RDS station, the station
name
or the call letters will appear on the display instead
of the frequency.
RDS stations may also provide the
time of day, a program type (PTY) for current
programming and the name of the program being
broadcast.
XMTM Radio Satellite Service (USA Only): XMTM is a
continental
US. based satellite radio service that
offers
100 coast to coast channels including music,
news, sports, talk and children’s programming. XMTM
provides digital quality audio and text information,
including song title and artist name. A service fee
is
required in order to receive the XMTM service. For more
information, contact XMTM at www.xmradio.com or
call
1 -800-852-XMXM (9696).
Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) (Canada Only): DAB
is a Canadian land-based radio service that offers
digital quality audio and text information including song
title, artist name, traffic, weather, emergency
announcements and more. Digital Audio Broadcast transmission services are currently available
in Toronto,
Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Windsor. In fringe
areas signals may be interrupted by buildings, trees and
other obstructions. Additional services will be added
in the future. For current DAB coverage and other
information consult the GM Canada website at
www.gmcanada.com, your dealer or call
1-800-263-3777.
Playing the Radio
POWER: Press this knob to turn the system on and off.
VOLUME: Turn the knob to increase or to decrease
volume.
SCV (Speed-Compensated Volume): With SCV, your
audio system adjusts automatically to make up for
road and wind noise as you drive.
Set the volume at the desired level. Press this button to
select MIN, MED or MAX. Each higher choice allows for
more volume compensation at faster vehicle speeds.
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volume, as necessary, to overcome noise at any speed.
The volume level should always sound the same to you
as you drive.
If you don’t want to use SCV, select OFF.
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3-53

RCL (Recall): Push this knob to switch the display
between the radio station frequency and the time.
Pushing this knob with the ignition off
Will display
the time.
For XMTM (USA only,
if your radio is equipped with
XMTM Satellite Radio Service), pressing this button while
in XMTM mode to retrieve various pieces of information
related to the current song or channel. By pressing
and releasing the RCL button, you may retrieve
four different categories of information: Artist,
Song Title, Category or PTY, Channel
NumberEhannel Name.
For DAB (Canada only,
if your radio is equipped with
DAB), pushing this knob switches the display between
channel name and PTY name.
To change the default on the display, push the knob
until you see the display you want, then hold the knob
until the display flashes. The selected display will
now be the default.
Finding a Station
BAND: Press this button to switch between AM, FM,
FM2, or XMI
, XM2 (USA only, if your radio is equipped
with XMTM Satellite Radio Service) or DABI, DAB2
(Canada only,
if your radio is equipped with DAB). The
display will show your selection.
TUNE: Turn this knob to select radio stations.
For DAB (Canada only,
if your radio is equipped with
DAB), the TUNE knob allows you to navigate the
DAB frequency range. Turning this knob will tune up or
tune down the range. The radio will display the letter
L with a number next to it (1 through 23). Each L number
refers to a frequency and there can be multiple
stations contained in one frequency. It may also take a
few seconds, once you have tuned to a frequency,
for that frequency
to gather all of the stations.
Depending on how many stations are within a frequency,
with every tune up or down, you may be tuning to
another station or to another frequency. The display will
show your selections.
< SEEK > : Press the right or the left arrow to go to
the next or to the previous station and stay there.
The radio will seek only to stations that are
in the
selected band and only to those with a strong signal.
3-54

< SCAN > : Press and hold either arrow for two
seconds until SC appears on the display and you hear a
beep. The radio will go
to a station, play for a few
seconds, then go on to the next station. Press either
SCAN arrow again to stop scanning.
To scan preset stations, press and hold either SCAN
arrow for more than four seconds. PRESET SCAN will
appear on the display. You will hear a double beep
and the P will blink with the preset number. The radio
will
go to the first preset station stored on your
pushbuttons, play for a few seconds, then go on to the
next preset station. Press either SCAN arrow again
to stop scanning presets.
The radio will scan only to stations that are in the
selected band and only to those with a strong signal.
Setting Preset Stations
The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your
favorite stations. You can
set up to 30 stations (six AM,
six
FMI and six FM2, six XMI and six XM2 (USA
Radio Service) or DAB1 and DAB2 (Canada only,
if your
radio is equipped with DAB), by performing the
following steps:
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1. Turn the radio on.
2. Press BAND to select AM, FMI or FM2, or XMl,
XM2, or DABI, DAB2.
3. Tune in the desired station.
4. Press AUTO EQ to select the equalization.
5. Press and hold one of the six numbered
pushbuttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you
press that numbered pushbutton, the station
you set will return and the equalization that you
selected will
also be automatically selected for that
pushbutton.
6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton.
Setting the Tone (Bassmreble)
AUDIO: Press and release the AUDIO button until
BASS, MID or TREB appears on the display. Press the
knob above the AUDIO button
to extend it, then turn
the knob
to increase or to decrease. If a station is weak
or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble.
Pressing and holding the AUDIO button for at least
two seconds will return
all tone settings, including
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AUTO EQ (Automatic Equalizer): Press this button to
choose bass, midrange and treble equalization
settings designed for country, jazz, talk, pop, rock, and
classical program types.
3-55

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.
XMTM Satellite Radio Service
XMTM Satellite Radio gives you digital radio reception
from coast to coast. Just as with FM, tall buildings
or hills can interfere with Satellite radio signals, causing
the sound to come and
so. Your radio may display
“NO SIGNAL” to indicate interference.
DAB Radio
DAB gives you digital radio reception. Just as with FM,
tall buildings or hills can interfere with radio signals,
causing the sound to come and go. Your radio
may display “NO
SIGNAL” to indicate interference,
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 CLEAN
PLAYR 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 the tape or the tape player is at fault. If this
other cassette has no improvement in sound quality,
clean the tape player.
For best results, use a scrubbing action, non-abrasive
head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. The
recommended cleaning cassette is available through
your dealership.
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3-65

In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels.
If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease
off the brake pedal.
This will help you retain steering control.
If you do have
anti-lock, it’s different. See “Anti-Lock Brakes.”
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
Your vehicle may have an Enhanced Traction System
(ETS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in
slippery road conditions. The system operates only
if
it senses that one or both of the front wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, the system reduces engine power and may
also upshift the transaxle to limit wheel spin.
I
This light will come on
when your Enhanced
Traction Slmtem is !irniting
wheel spin. See
Enhanced Traction System
Active Light on page
3-30.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this is
normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the enhanced
traction system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. See ‘Cruise Control” under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
The Enhanced Traction System operates in all transaxle
shift lever positions. But the system can upshift the
transaxle only as high as the shift lever position you’ve
chosen, so you should use the lower gears only
when necessary. See
Automatic Transaxle Operation on
page 2-22.
TRAC
OFF
When the system is on
and the parking brake is
fully released, this warning
light will come on to let
you know
if there’s a
problem.
See
Enhanced Traction System Warning Light on
page 3-29.
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
Traction System on. But you can turn the system
off if
you prefer.
ca?dltic?ns, you should alwa‘js leave the Enhanced
4-9

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.
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.
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.
If you have the Enhanced Traction System, remember:
It helps to 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.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route
or area of
less danger.
4-1 4

Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well
because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on
dry roads. And,
if your tires don’t have much tread left,
you’ll get even less traction. It’s always wise to go
slower and be cautious
if rain starts to fall while you are
driving. The sustace may get wet suddenly when your
reflexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even
if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy
rain can make it harder to see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road
and even people walking.
It’s wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment in
good shape and keep your windshield washer tank filled
with washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper
inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to
separate from the inserts.
4-1 7

City Driving One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them.
You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways
to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities.
You’ll save time and energy.
See the next part, “Freeway Driving.”
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is
busy enough
to need it. When a light turns green, and just before
you start to move, check
both ways for vehicles
that have not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.
4-20