lock Oldsmobile Alero 2003 s Service Manual

XMTM Radio Messages (cont’d)
Radio Display
Message
I No Info
I Not Found
XM Locked
Radio
ID
Unknown
L
Chk XMRcvr
Action Required
3-60

< SCAN > : Press and hold either arrow for more
than two seconds until you hear a beep and SCAN
appears on the display. The tape will go to the next
selection, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next
selection. Press this button again to stop scanning.
BAND: Press this button
to listen to the radio when a
cassette tape is playing. The tape will stop but remain in
the player.
TP
CD (TAPE): Press this button to play a cassette
tape or a CD when listening to the radio. Press TP CD
to switch between the tape and compact disc
if both
are loaded. The inactive tape or CD will remain safely
inside the radio for future listening. The display will
show the TAPE and CD symbols.
A (Eject): Press this button, located next to the
cassette tape slot, to eject
a tape. Eject may be
activated with either the ignition or radio
off. Cassettes
may be loaded with the radio and ignition
off if this
button is pressed first.
Cassette Tape Messages
If an error occurs while trying to play a cassette tape, it
could be for one of the following reasons:
TIGHT TAPE: When this message is displayed, the
tape is tight and the player can’t turn the tape hubs.
Remove the tape. Hold the tape with the open end down
and try to turn the right hub counterclockwise with a
pencil. Turn the tape over and repeat. If the hubs do not
turn easily, your tape may be damaged and should
not be used in the player. Try a new tape to make sure
your player is working properly.
BROKEN TAPE:
If this message is displayed, the tape
is broken. Try a new tape.
WRAPPED: When this message is displayed, the tape
is wrapped around the tape head. Attempt to get the
cassette out. Try a new tape.
CLEAN PLAYR (Clean Player): This message may
also appear on the radio display to indicate that
the 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 the tapes and player. For
additional information see
Care of Your Cassette Tape
Player on page
3-65.
If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error can’t be
corrected, contact your dealer.
If your radio displays an
error message, write it down and provide it to your
dealer when reporting the problem.
3-62

TP CD (Tape): Press this button to play a cassette
tape or a CD when listening to the radio. Press TP CD
to switch between the tape and compact disc
if both
are loaded. The inactive tape or CD will remain safely
inside the radio for future listening. The display will
show the
TAPE and CD symbols.
4 (Eject): Press this button to eject a CD. Eject may
be activated with either the ignition or radio
off. CDs
may be loaded with the radio and ignition
off if this
button is pressed first.
Compact Disc Messages
CHECK CD: If this message appears on the radio
display and the disc comes out,
it could be one of the
following reasons:
You’re driving on a very rough road. When the road
The disc is dirty, scratched, wet or upside down.
0 The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and
becomes
smoother, the disc should play.
try again.
If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason,
try a known good CD.
If any error occurs repeatedly or
if an error can’t be
corrected, contact your dealer.
If your radio displays an
error message, write it down and provide it to your
dealer when reporting the problem.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
(Non-RDS Radios)
THEFTLOCK@ is designed to discourage theft of your
radio. The feature works automatically by learning
a portion of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
If
the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it will not
operate and LOC will be displayed.
With THEFTLOCK@ activated, your radio will not operate
if stolen.
Theft-Deterrent Feature
(RDS Radios)
THEFTLOCK@ is designed to discourage theft of your
radio. The feature works automatically by learning
a portion of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
It
the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it will not
operate and LOCKED will be displayed.
When the radio and vehicle are turned off, the blinking
red light indicates that THEFTLOCK@ is armed.
With THEFTLOCK@ activated, your radio will not operate
if stolen.
3-64

Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving
at
60 mph (1 00 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could
be a lot
of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough
space between your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount
of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster
if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes.
If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down.
If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use
it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes. ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
ANTI -
LOCK
United States
Canada
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, this warning light on
the instrument panel
will come on briefly when you
start your vehicle.
4-6

When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test
is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal. Let’s say the road
is wet and you’re driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here’s what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
4-7

Using Anti-Lock
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always
decrease stopping distance.
If you get too close to the
vehicle
in front of you, you won’t have time to apply
your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even
though you have anti-lock brakes. Don’t
pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel a
slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise, but
this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However,
if you don’t have anti-lock,
your first reaction
- to hit the brake pedal hard and hola
it down
- may be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels
can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle can’t respond
to your steering. Momentum will carry it in whatever
direction it was headed when the wheels stopped rolling.
That could be
off the road, into the very thing you
were trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you don’t have anti-lock, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing
on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
4-8

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

Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems
- steering and braking - have to do their work
where the tires meet the road. Unless you have
four-wheel anti-lock brakes, adding the hard braking can
demand too much of those places. You can lose
control.
The same thing can happen
if you’re steering through a
sharp curve and you suddenly accelerate. Those two
control systems
- steering and acceleration - can
overwhelm those places where the tires meet the road
and make you lose control. See
Enhanced Traction
System (ETS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the brake or accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way
you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a
hill and find
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right
in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking
- if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action
- steering around the
problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes
- but, unless you
have anti-lock, not enough to lock your wheels.
See
Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem, to the left or right depending
on the space available.

An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision.
If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you
can turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer
quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving
at all times and wear safety belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find that your right wheels have dropped off
the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you’re
driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease
off the
accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way,
steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of
the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to
one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
4-1 2

Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, Driving at Night
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 “mirrored surface”
- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember: It
helps avoid only the braking skid.
If you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels are
no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the
.A
brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores
steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
are rolling, you will have steering control. impaired
- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
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problems, or by fatigue.
4-1 5