steering wheel OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1995 Owners Manual

How the Air Bag System Works
I
I
Where is the air bag?
The right front passenger’s air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
The driver’s air bag is in the middle
of the steering
wheel.
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When should an air bag inflate?
The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.”
If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is
about
8 to 11 mph (13 to 18 kmh). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such as
a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The
air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts, or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant.
It is possible that in a crash only one
of the two air bags
in your Aurora will deploy. This is rare, but can happen
in
a crash just severe enough to make an air bag inflate.
In any particular crash,
no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to
a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle
of the impact and
the vehicle’s deceleration. Vehicle damage is only one
indication
of this.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity,
the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle is
suddenly stopping as a result of a crash. The sensing
system triggers a chemical reaction
of the sodium azide
sealed in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen
gas, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag, and
related hardware are all part of the air bag modules
packed inside the steering wheel and in the instrument
panel
in front of the right front passenger.
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How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. The air bag supplements the
protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute
the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s
upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But
air bags would not help you in many types of collisions,
including rollovers and rear and side impacts, primarily
because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the air bag.
Air bags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in
moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates. This occurs
so quickly that some people may not even realize the air
bag inflated. Some components
of the air bag module in
the steering wheel hub for the driver’s air bag, or the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s bag, will
be hot for a short time, but the part of the bag that comes
into contact with you will not be hot to the touch. There
will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in the
deflated air bags. Air bag inflation will not prevent the
driver from seeing or from being able to steer the
vehicle, nor will it stop people from leaving the vehicle. In
many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag. The air bags are designed to inflate only once. After
they inflate, you’ll need some new parts for your air
bag system. If you don’t get them, the air bag system
won’t be there to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
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0 Your vehicle is equipped with a diagnostic module,
which records information about the air bag system.
The module records information about the readiness
of
the system, when the sensors are activated and
driver’s safety belt usage at deployment.
0 Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air bag
system won’t work properly. See your retailer for
service.
I NOTICE:
If you damage the cover for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s air bag, they may not
work properly. You may have to replace the
air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s
air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag covers.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Aurora
Air bags affect how your Aurora should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
Aurora retailer and the
1995 Aurora Service Manual
have information about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system.
To purchase a service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications’’ in the Index.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
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Glove Box Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out
of sight.
Put them
in a storage area, or take them with you.
Use the door
key to
lock and unlock the glove box. To
open, pull the latch release on the left side of the glove
box door.
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your Aurora has a number
of theft deterrent
features, we
know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal. However, there are ways you can
help.
Key in the Ignition
If you walk away from your vehicle with the keys
inside, it’s an easy target for joy riders or professional
thieves
-- so don’t do it.
When you park your Aurora and open the driver’s door,
you’ll hear a chime reminding
you to remove your key
from the ignition and take it with you. Always do this.
Your steering wheel will be locked, and
so will your
ignition and transaxle. And remember to lock the doors.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it’s best to lock
it up and take your keys.
But what if you have to leave your ignition key? What if
you have to leave something valuable
in your vehicle?
0 Put your valuables in a storage areai, like your trunk
or glove box.
0 Move the trunk security override switch to OFF.
0 Lock the glove box.
0 Lock all the doors except the driver‘s.
0 Take the door key with you.
Take the Remote Lock Control key chain with you.
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Ignition Switch
RUN
ACCESSORY
W
I NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure it
is all the way in. If it is, then
turn the steering wheel left and right while you
turn the key hard. But turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force
it could break
the key or the ignition switch.
If none of this
works, then your vehicle needs service. With
the ignition key
in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions:
ACC (Accessory): An ON position in which you can
operate your electrical power accessories. Press
in the
ignition switch as you turn the top of
it toward you.
LOCK: The only position in which you can remove the
key. This locks your steering wheel, ignition and
transaxle.
OFF: Unlocks the steering wheel, ignition, and
transaxle, but does not send electrical power to any
accessories. Use this position
if your vehicle must be
pushed or towed, but never
try to push-start your
vehicle.
A warning chime will sound if you open the
driver’s door when
the ignition is off and the key is in
the ignition.
RUN: An ON position to which the switch returns after
you start your engine and release the switch. The switch
stays
in the RUN position when the engine is running.
But even when the engine is not running, you can use
RUN to operate your electrical power accessories, and
to display some instrument panel warning lights.
START: Starts the engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch will return to
RUN
for norlnal driving.
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Window Lock
Press the right side of the WINDOW LOCK switch on
the driver’s armrest to disable all passenger window
switches. This is a useful feature when you have
children
as passengers.
Press the left side
of the WINDOW LOCK switch to
allow passengers to use their window switches again.
Horn
You can sound the horn by pressing the horn symbols on
your steering wheel.
Tilt Steering Wheel
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive. You can also raise it to the
highest level to give your legs more room when you exit
or enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to
a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock the wheel
in place.
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The Aurora instrument panel is designed to let you
know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll
know how fast you’re going, how much fuel you’re
using, and many other things you’ll need
to drive safely
and economically.
The main components
of your instrument panel are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Power Mirrors Control Switch
Fog Lamp Switch
Turn SignalMultifunction Lever
Instrument ClusterIGages
Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
Horn
Windshield Wiper/Washer Control
Driver Information Center
Climate Controls
Audio System
Glove
Box (Trunk Security Override Switch inside) 12.
Passenger Side Air Bag
13. Accessory Power Outlet
14. Gearshift Lever
15. Selectable Shift
16. Traction Control Button
17. Ashtray and Lighter
18. Fuel Door Release Switch
19. Trunk Release Switch
20. Steering Wheel Touch Controls for Audio System
21. Ignition Switch
22. Driver Side Air Bag
23.
Tilt Steering Wheel Lever
24. Steering Wheel Touch Controls for Climate Control
System
25. Twilight Sentinel Control
26. Instrument Panel Intensity Control
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Extended Idling with Automatic Electronic Climate Control
Extended idling is not recommended. See “Engine
Exhaust’’
in the Index.
Steering Wheel Touch Controls for Climate Control
Some heating and
cooling controls can be
adjusted at
the steering
wheel. Other touch
controls also operate some audio controls.
See “Steering Wheel
Touch Controls for
Audio System” later
in
this section. Press
the upper part
of the fan symbol to increase the fan
speed; press the lower part of the control to reduce the
fan speed.
Press
TEMP once to display the set temperature. Then press
the upper part of the control to raise the inside temperature \
setting; press the lower part to lower the setting.
Flow-Through Ventilation System
Your Aurora’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into the vehicle when
it is moving. Outside
air will
also enter the vehicle when the heater or the air
conditioning fan is running.
Ventilation Tips
Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow, or
any other obstruction (such
as leaves). The heater
and defroster will work far better, reducing the
chance of fogging the inside of your windows.
Keep the air path under the front seats clear of
objects. This helps air
to circulate throughout your
vehicle.
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Steering Wheel Touch Controls for Audio
System
Some audio system
functions described
in the
previous pages can also be
operated with the Steering
Wheel Touch Controls.
Other touch controls also operate some climate controls.
See “Steering Wheel Touch Controls for Climate
Control” earlier in
this section.
VOL (Volume): Press to increase or decrease volume.
SEEK: Each time you press SEEK, you will tune in a
radio station higher on the AM or FM band.
When playing
a tape, press SEEK to listen to the next
selection on the tape. There must be
at least a
four-second gap between selections on the tape. When playing
a CD, press SEEK to listen
to the next
selection
on the disc,
PROG (Program): Press PROG to tune in a preset
radio station higher on the AM or
FM band.
When playing
a tape, press PROG to play the other side
of the tape.
When playing a CD
in the trunk-mounted CD changer,
press
PROG to select the next disc in the cartridge.
Understanding Radio Reception
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about
10 to 40 miles (1 6 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to come and
go.
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 also
pick up noise from things like storms and power lines.
To lower this noise, try reducing the treble level by
turning the
TREB knob or, if you have the TONE
feature, by selecting the VOCAL tone setting.
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