ESP Oldsmobile Alero 2004 s Owner's Guide

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
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Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blowout” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use
in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your
hazard warning flashers.
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Customer Assistance
Information
Customer Satisfaction Procedure
Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to
your dealer and to Oldsmobile. Normally, any concerns
with the sales transaction or the operation of your
vehicle will be resolved by your dealer’s sales or service
departments. Sometimes, however, despite the best
intentions of all concerned, misunderstandings can
occur. If your concern has not been resolved to your
satisfaction, the following steps should be taken:
STEP ONE:Discuss your concern with a member of
dealership management. Normally, concerns can
be quickly resolved at that level. If the matter has
already been reviewed with the sales, service or parts
manager, contact the owner of the dealership or
the general manager.STEP TWO:If after contacting a member of dealership
management, it appears your concern cannot be
resolved by the dealership without further help, contact
the Oldsmobile Customer Assistance Center by calling
1-800-442-6537. In Canada, contact GM of Canada
Customer Communication Centre in Oshawa by calling
1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French).
We encourage you to call the toll-free number in order to
give your inquiry prompt attention. Please have the
following information available to give the Customer
Assistance Representative:
•Vehicle Identification Number (This is available from
the vehicle registration or title, or the plate at the top
left of the instrument panel and visible through the
windshield.)
•Dealership name and location
•Vehicle delivery date and present mileage
When contacting Oldsmobile, please remember that
your concern will likely be resolved at a dealer’s facility.
That is why we suggest you follow Step One first if
you have a concern.
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Courtesy Rental Vehicle
Your dealer may arrange to provide you with a courtesy
rental vehicle or reimburse you for a rental vehicle you
obtained if your vehicle is kept for a warranty repair.
Reimbursement will be limited to a maximum of $30 a
day and must be supported by receipts. This requires that
you sign and complete a rental agreement and meet
state, local and rental vehicle provider requirements.
Requirements vary and may include minimum age
requirements, insurance coverage, credit card, etc. You
are responsible for fuel usage charges and may also be
responsible for taxes, levies, usage fees, excessive
mileage or rental usage beyond the completion of the
repair.
Generally it is not possible to provide a like-vehicle as a
courtesy rental.
Additional Program Information
Courtesy Transportation is available during the
Bumper-to-Bumper warranty coverage period, but itis
notpart of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. A
separate booklet entitledWarranty and Owner
Assistance Informationfurnished with each new vehicle
provides detailed warranty coverage information.Courtesy Transportation is available only at participating
dealers and all program options, such as shuttle
service, may not be available at every dealer. Please
contact your dealer for specific information about
availability. All Courtesy Transportation arrangements
will be administered by appropriate dealer personnel.
Canadian Vehicles:For warranty repairs during
the Complete Vehicle Coverage period of the General
Motors of Canada New Vehicle Limited Warranty,
alternative transportation may be available under the
Courtesy Transportation Program. Please consult
your dealer for details.
General Motors reserves the right to unilaterally modify,
change or discontinue Courtesy Transportation at
any time and to resolve all questions of claim eligibility
pursuant to the terms and conditions described
herein at its sole discretion.
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Vehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Records
Your vehicle, like other modern motor vehicles, has a
number of sophisticated computer systems that monitor
and control several aspects of the vehicle’s
performance. Your vehicle uses on-board vehicle
computers to monitor emission control components to
optimize fuel economy, to monitor conditions for
airbag deployment and, if so equipped, to provide
anti-lock braking and to help the driver control the
vehicle in difficult driving situations. Some information
may be stored during regular operations to facilitate
repair of detected malfunctions; other information
is stored only in a crash or near crash event by
computer systems commonly called event data
recorders (EDR).
In a crash or near crash event, computer systems, such
as the Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM)
in your vehicle may record information about the
condition of the vehicle and how it was operated, such
as engine speed, brake applications, throttle position,
vehicle speed, seat belt usage, airbag readiness, airbag
performance data, and the severity of a collision. This
information has been used to improve vehicle crash
performance and may be used to improve crash
performance of future vehicles and driving safety. Unlikethe data recorders on many airplanes, these on-board
systems do not record sounds, such as conversation of
vehicle occupants.
To read this information, special equipment is needed
and access to the vehicle or the SDM is required.
GM will not access information about a crash event or
share it with others other than
•with the consent of the vehicle owner or, if the
vehicle is leased, with the consent of the lessee,
•in response to an official request of police or similar
government office,
•as part of GM’s defense of litigation through the
discovery process, or
•as required by law.
In addition, once GM collects or receives data, GM may
•use the data for GM research needs,
•make it available for research where appropriate
confidentiality is to be maintained and need is
shown, or
•share summary data which is not tied to a specific
vehicle with non-GM organizations for research
purposes.
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