traction control OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1995 Owners Manual

Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 kmh).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control shuts
off.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. (See “Traction
Control System” in the Index.) When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, you may turn the cruise
control back on.
To Set Cruise Control
1. Move the cruise control switch to ON.
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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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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ANT’- (@)
LOCK
With the anti-lock
brake system, this light
will come
on when
you start your engine
and may stay
on for
several seconds. That’s
normal. If the light
doesn’t come on, have
it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition 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
again while you’re driving, your Aurora 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 “Brake System Warning Light’’
earlier in this part.
Traction Control System Warning Light
TRACTION
OFF
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 it stays
on, or comes on when you’re
driving, there may be a problem with your traction
control system and your vehicle may need service.
When this warning light
is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
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The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
0
0
0
If you turn the system off by pressing the
TRACTION CONTROL button located on
the
center console, 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
“Traction Control System” in the Index for more
information.)
If there’s
a brake system problem that is specifically
related
to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come on.
If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on until your brakes cool down.
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 traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on
for an extended period of time when the
system
is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Traction Control System Active Light
TRACTION
ACTIVE
When your traction control system is limiting wheel
spin, the TRACTION ACTIVE light will come on.
Slippery road conditions may exist if this light comes
on, so adjust your driving accordingly. The light will
stay on for a few seconds after the traction control
system stops limiting
wheel spin.
The TRACTION ACTIVE light also comes on briefly,
as a bulb check, when the engine is started. If the light
doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed so it will be there to
tell
you when the system is active.
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your
foot up to the brake pedal. 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 01-
stops. Always leave enough 1-0om up ahead to stop. even
though you have anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear
a motor or
clicking noise during a hard stop. but this is normal.
Traction Control System
Your vehicle has a traction control system 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 works the
front brakes and reduces engine power (by shutting off
fuel injectors and managing engine spark) to
limit wheel
spin.
The TRACTION ACTIVE light will come on when
your traction control system
is limiting wheel spin. See
"Traction Control System Active Light"
in the Index.
You may feel the system working, or you may notice
some noise, but this is normal.
If yo~~r vehicle is in
cruise control when the traction control 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"
in the Index.)
TRACTION
OFF
When the system is on, the TRACTION OFF warning
light
will come on to let you know if there's a problem
with your traction control system. See "Traction Control
System Warning Light"
in the Index. When this warning
light is on, the system
will not limit wheel spin. Adjust
your driving accordingly.
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The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever
you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially
in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off
if you ever need to. (You
should
turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See “Rocking Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
I ‘ -I
To turn the system off,
press the TRACTION
CONTROL button on
the center console. The
TRACTION
OFF warning light will come on and
stay on.
If the system is limiting wheel spin when you
press the button,
the system won’t turn off right away. It
will wait until there’s no longer a current need to limit
wheel spin.
You can
turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The TRACTION
OFF warning light
should go
off.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
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Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you
can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Magnasteer TM
Your vehicle is equipped with GM Magnasteer”, a
steering system that continuously adjusts
the effort you
feel when steering at all vehicle speeds.
It provides ease
when parking yet a firm, solid feel at highway speeds.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s
why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction
of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels.
If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going
in the same direction. If you’ve ever
tried
to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this. The
traction
you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and yo~lr speed. While
you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor YOLI can
control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then
you suddenly accelerate. Both control systems
--
steering and acceleration -- have to do their work where
the tires meet the road. Unless your traction control
system is on, adding the sudden acceleration can
demand
too much of those places. You can lose control.
What should
Y~LI do if this ever happens‘? Ease up on the
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
YOLI’II want to go slower.
If YOLI need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do
it before YOLI enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust YOLI~ 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.
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0 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.)
0 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 lights are
not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
0 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.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area
of less
danger.
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 Aurora‘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.
Remember:
Any traction control system helps avoid
only the acceleration skid.
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If your traction control 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 yo11 start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
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
surfices 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.
Remember:
Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving at Night
m
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired
--
by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by
fatigue.
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What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard
to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because
it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s
about freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to
fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice
until salt and sand
crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
Keep your traction control system on.
It improves your
ability to accelerate when driving on
a slippery road.
Even though your vehicle has a traction control system,
you‘ll want
to slow down and adjust your driving to the
road conditions. See “Traction Control System”
in the
Index. Your
anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make
a
hard stop on a slippery road. Even though you have the
anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to begin stopping
sooner than you would
on dry pavement. See
“Anti-Lock”
in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery
road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can‘t reach: around
clumps
of trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see
a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on
it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
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