steering OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1996 User Guide

Wind-
The lever on the right side of your steering column
controls your windshield wipers.
For a single wiping cycle, move the lever up to MIST.
Hold it there until the wipers start, then let go. The
wipers will stop after one cycle. If
you want more
cycles, hold the lever to
MIST longer.
For steady wiping at low speed, push the lever down
to
the LO position. For high speed wiping, push the lever
down further, to
HI. To stop the wipers, move the lever
to OFF.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wiper cycles. This can be very useful in light
rain or snow. Push the lever down to the first detent,
DELAY. Turn the band closer to the short lines for fewer
wiper passes per minute. As you turn the band toward
the long lines, the wiper cycles per minute will increase.
Remember that damaged wiper blades may prevent you
from seeing well enough to drive safely.
To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If they're frozen
to the
windshield, carefully loosen
or thaw them. If your blades
do become damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers. A circuit
breaker will stop them until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice
to prevent an overload.
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Windshield Washer
The lever on the right side of your steering column also
controls your windshield washer. To spray washer fluid
on the windshield, pull the lever toward you. The wipers
will clear the window and then either stop or return to
your preset speed. For more washer cycles, pull and
hold the lever.
If the fluid level in the windshield washer bottle is low,
the message LOW WASHER
FLUID will appear in the
Driver Information Center. See “Windshield Washer
Fluid”
in the Index.
Driving without washer fluid can be dangerous. A bad
mud splash can block your vision.
You could hit another
vehicle or go
off the road. Check your washer fluid
level often.
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until
the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can
form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
Lamps
Headlamps
See “Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever” in the Index.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
A light sensor on top
of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work,
so be sure it isn’t covered.
The DRL system will make your low-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness in daylight when:
The ignition is on,
The headlamp switch is off, and
0 The transaxle is not in PARK (P).
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15. Selectable Shift
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. Power Mirrors Control Switch
2. Fog Lamp Switch
3. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
4. Instrument Cluster/Gages
5. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
6. Horn
7. Windshield Wipermasher Control
8. Driver Information Center
9. Climate Controls
10. Audio System 11. Glove
Box (Trunk Security Override Switch inside)
12. Passenger Side Air Bag
13. Accessory Power Outlet
14. Gearshift Lever 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 Controlflnterior Lamp Control
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Steering Wheel 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 Controls
for Audio System” later in
this section.
Press the upper part of the fan symbol button
to override
the automatic fan control and increase the fan speed.
Press the lower part
of the fan symbol button to override
the automatic fan control and reduce the fan speed. Press
either arrow on the TEMP button once to display
your current comfort setting in the digital display. Press
the upper part
of the TEMP button again to provide a
warmer comfort setting or press the lower part of the
TEMP button again to provide
a cooler comfort setting.
Audio Systems
Your Delco@ audio system has been designed to operate
easily and give years
of listening pleasure. You will get
the most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself
with it first. Find out what your Delco system can do
and
how to operate all its controls, to be sure you’re
getting the most out of the advanced engineering that
went into it.
Setting the Clock
Press and hold HR until the correct hour appears. The
letter
A or P may appear on the display for AM or PM.
Then, press and hold
MN until the correct minute appears.
The clock may be set with the ignition on or
OFF.
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Disabling the Theft-Deterrent Feature
Enter your secret code as follows; pause no more than
15 seconds between steps:
1. Turn the ignition to the ACCESSORY or
RUN position.
2. Turn the radio off.
3. Press the 1 and 4 buttons together. Hold them down
until SEC shows on the display.
4. Press MN and 000 will appear on the display.
5. Press MN again to make the last two digits agree
6. Press HR to make the first one or two digits agree
7. Press AM-FM after you have confirmed that the
with
your code.
with your code.
code matches the secret code you have written down.
The display will show
---, indicating that the radio is
no longer secured.
If the code entered is incorrect, SEC will appear on the
display. The radio will remain secured until the correct
code is entered.
When battery power is given to a secured radio, the
radio won’t turn on and
LOC will appear on the display.
Steering Wheel Controls for Audio
System (Option)
If your vehicle has this
feature, you can control
certain radio functions using
the buttons on your steering
wheel.
Some steering wheel controls operate climate controls.
See “Steering Wheel Controls for Climate Control”
earlier in this section.
VOL: Press the up arrow to increase the volume and the
down arrow to decrease volume.
SEEK: Press this button to tune to a higher radio station.
When playing a cassette tape or compact disc, press
SEEK to hear the next selection. There must be at least a
four-second gap between selections on a cassette tape.
PROG: Press this button to tune in a higher preset radio
station. When playing a cassette tape, press PROG
to
hear the other side of a tape that is playing.
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Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to
go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
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 (100 h/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; and the condition of your brakes.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
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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 cm help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steerin
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.
:agnasteer
Your vehicle is equipped with GM Magnasteer TM , 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 Tars
Dr ng on Curl
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:
A
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 your speed. While
you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you 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 you 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 you’ll want to go slower.
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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.
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 Aurora can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in
Emergencies” earlier in this section.) 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.
4-11
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.
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You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while
you’re driving.
QUARTER TURN
edge of paved surface
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.
0
Pa --:- -
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again.
A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst
of all traffic accidents -- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
0 “Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and
to crossroads for situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever
about making a successful pass, wait for a better
time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it’s
all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid
line
on your side of the lane or a double solid line,
even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic.
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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.
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 you 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
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.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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