key Oldsmobile Alero 2003 s Owner's Guide

Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
ANTI -
LOCK
United States Canada
If your vehicle has the anti-lock brake system, the light
will come on when your engine is started and may
stay on for several seconds. That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon
as possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the
engine again to reset the system.
If the light still stays
on, or comes on aqain while Vou’re drivinq, your vehicle
needs service. If the regular brake system warning
light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have
anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes
and there’s a problem with your regular brakes. See
section.
Brake Sy~Sei~7 Viamj~~ Light O/T page 3-28 earlier in this
The anti-lock brake system warning light will come on
briefly when you turn the ignition key to
ON. This is
normal.
If the light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Enhanced Traction System
Warning Light
TRAC
OFF
If your vehicle has the
Enhanced Traction System
(ETS), this warning light
should come on briefly as
you start the engine.
If the warning light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If the warning light stays on, or comes on when you’re
driving, there may be a problem with your Enhanced
I raction system ana your venicie may need service.
When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. -
3-29

The Enhanced Traction System warning light may come
on for the following reasons:
If you turn the system off by pressing the ETS
button on the center console near the gear
shift lever, the warning light will come on and stay
on. To turn the system back
on, press the button
again. The warning light should go
off. See
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9 for
more information.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn
off and
the warning light will come on.
If the vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road,
the warning light may come on momentarily but will
go off again when the vehicle leaves the rough
surface.
If the Enhanced Traction System warning light comes
on and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on and the parking brake is fully
released, your vehicle needs service.
Enhanced Traction System
Active Light
LOW
TRAC
If your vehicle has the
Enhanced Traction System
(ETS), this light will
come on when the system
is limiting wheel spin.
Slippery road conditions may exist
if the Enhanced
Traction System active light comes on,
so adjust your
driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the
Enhanced Traction System stops limiting wheel spin.
The Enhanced Traction System active 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 when the system is active.
3-30

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 “If
the Light Is On Steady” 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
Filling Your Tank on page 5-7. 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?
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
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Gasc/i,qe &fane cfi 5-5. fuel quality ;&/iff
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.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your \.lehic!e wi!! not pass this inspectinn if the SERV!CE
ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light is on or not
working properly.
3-33

Low Oil Level Light
LOW
OIL
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
Engine Oil on page 5-15.
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.
Change Engine Oil Light
CHANGE
OIL
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.
I I
If the CHANGE OIL light comes on and stays on after
you start the engine, have the oil changed.
To reset the CHANGE
OIL light, see Engine Oil on
page 5- 15.
3-35

Security Light
SECURITY
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.
Cruise Control Light
CRUISE
The CRUISE light comes
on whenever you set your
cruise control,
if equipped.
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light
LOW
WASHER
FLUID
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 windshield washer fluid reservoir is less
than one-third full.
Service Vehicle Soon Light
SERVICE VEHICLE
SOON
This light will come on
briefly when you turn the
ignition
to ON.
3-36

Many adults - by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under
21,
it’s against the law in every US. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws.
The obvious way
to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol ana
then drive. But what
if people do? How much is “too
much”
if someone plans to drive? It’s a lot less
than many might think. Although it depends on each
person and situation, here
is some general information
on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who
is drinking depends upon four things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
0 The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
consume the alcohol.
The !P“”+h Y” * c!! time It hss t2:kc:: tbz drifiker :G
According to the American Medical Association, a 180 Ib
(82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce (355 ml)
bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC
of about
0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks
if each had 1 - 1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
I
It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if
the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces
or
90 mi of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s
BAC would be close to
0.1 2 percent. A person
who consumes food just before or during drinking will
ha\le a s~mev~lciat Iwv~~ BAC ievei.
4-3

Dinghy Towing
To tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground,
follow these steps:
I
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1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.
2. Turn the ignition switch to OFF.
3. Set the parking brake
4. To prevent your battery from draining while the
vehicle is being towed, remove the following
fuses from the left side instrument panel fuse block:
WIPER, PCM ACC and IPC/BFC ACC. See
“Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Driver’s Side)” under
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-81 for the
location
of these fuses.
5. Turn the ignition switch to ACCESSORY.
6. Shift your transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
7. Release the parking brake.
Remember to reinstall the fuses once you reach your
destination. To reinstall a fuse do the following:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3. Put the fuse back in
4-32

Notice: Make sure that the towing speed does not
exceed
65 mph (1 10 km/h), or your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
Dolly Towing
To tow your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
a dolly, do the following:
Notice:
Do not tow your vehicle from the rear. Your
vehicle could be badly damaged and the repairs
!?!!X!d !?e! he Pn~!PlPc! by ;mL!r wsrrsnty.
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P) for automatic transaxles
and NEUTRAL for manual transaxles.
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
(For manual transaxle vehicles, the shift lever
must be in REVERSE
(R) before removing the key.)
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
4-33

How to Reset the Change Oil Light
The GM Oil Life SystemTM calculates when to change
your engine oil and filter based on vehicle use. Anytime
your oil is changed, reset the system
so it can
calculate when the next oil change is required. If a
situation occurs where you change your oil prior to a
CHANGE OIL light being turned on, reset the system.
After changing the engine oil, the system must be reset.
To reset the oil life indicator, do the following steps:
1. With the ignition key in ON (a short time after
turning
off the engine), press the RESET button
located in the driver's side instrument panel
fuse block. See "Instrument Panel Fuse Block"
under
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-81.
2. When the CHANGE OIL light starts to flash, press
and hold the RESET button again.
The reset
is complete when you hear the chimes and
the CHANGE
OIL light goes out.
If your vehicle is equipped with a 2.2L L4 ECOTEC
engine, it has a unique oil filter element. When
reinstalling the filter cap do not exceed
18 Ib ft (25 N*m ).
Inspect the condition of the O-ring and replace if
damaged.
See your dealer for additional information.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Don't let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose
of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer's
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
filter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting it
in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers, or into
streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it by
taking it to a place that collects used oil.
If you have a
problem properly disposing of your used
oil, ask
your dealer, a service station or a local recycling center
for help.
5-20

How to Check Power Steering Fluid
Turn the key off, let the engine compartment cool down,
wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean, then
unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
Replace the cap and completely tighten it. Then
remove the cap again and look at the fluid level on the
dipstick.
The level should be at the
FULL COLD mark. If
necessary, add only enough fluid
to bring the level up to
the mark.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to use, see Part Dr
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6- 15.
Always use the proper fluid. Failure to use the proper
fluid can cause leaks and damage hoses and seals.
Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield washer fluid, be sure to read
the manufacturer’s instructions before use.
If you will
be operating your vehicle in an area where the
temperature may fall below freezing, use
a fluid that has
sufficient protection against freezing. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on page
5-12 for reservoir
location.
Adding Washer Fluid
Your vehicle has a low
washer fluid telltale that
will come on in the
WASHER
FLU ID
instrument panel cluster
when the washer fluid
is low.
See
Low Washer Fluid Warning Light on page 3-36 for
more information.
5-36