steering Oldsmobile Aurora 1997 s User Guide

Windshield Wipers
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.
2-39

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.
/d CAUTldN:
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.
Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator.
This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control shuts off.
m
A CAUT1b.J:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at a steady speed. So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
2-40

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:
0 The ignition is on,
0 The headlamp switch is off and
0 The transaxle is not in PARK (P).
When DRL are
on, only your low-beam headlamps will
be on. The parking lamps, taillamps, sidemarker and
other lamps won’t be
on. Your instrument panel won’t
be lit up either. When it’s
dark enough outside, your low-beam
headlamps will change to full brightness. The other
lamps that come on with your headlamps will also come
on. When it’s bright enough outside, the regular lamps
will
go off, and your low-beam headlamps change to the
reduced brightness of DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, shift the
transaxle into PARK
(P). The DRL will stay off until
you shift out of PARK
(P).
To turn off all exterior lighting at night when you are in
PARK (P), turn off the headlamps and move the twilight
sentinel control, located to the left
of the steering
column, all
the way toward MIN. See “Twilight
Sentinel” in
the Index.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need
it.
2-44

Twilight Sentinel
TWILIGHTSENTINEL I
Twilight sentinel hlms your
headlamps, taillamps and
parking lamps on and
off by
sensing how dark it
is outside.
To operate it, leave the headlamp switch off and move
the twilight sentinel control toward
MAX. The control is
located to the left of the steering column.
If you move the control all the way to MAX, your lamps
will remain on for three minutes after
you turn off your
engine. If
you move the control toward MIN, the lamps
will go off quickly when
you turn off your engine. You
can set this delay time for only a few seconds or up to
three minutes.
Light Sensor
Your twilight sentinel and daytime running lamps work
with the light sensor on top
of the instrument panel.
Don't cover
it up. If you do it will read "dark" and the
headlamps will come on.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness
INTERIOR LIGHTS TWILIGHT SENTINEL
C A
You can brighten or dim your instrument cluster, radio
and climate control displays and control lights by
rotating the INTERIOR
LIGHTS control between LO
and HI when your lights are on. Rotate the control all
the way to HI and you will turn on the interior
courtesy lamps.
2-46

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
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/Interior
Lamp Control

@ Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you’ll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your Aurora. Be
sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3-2 3-2 3-6
3
-7
3-7
3-9
3 -9
3-10
3-10
3-1
1
3-1 1
Comfort Controls
Automatic Electronic Climate Control
Air Conditioning
Heating
Ventilation System
Defogging and Defrosting
Rear Window Defogger
Passenger Temperature Control
Steering Wheel Controls for Climate Control
Setting the Clock
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette
Tape and
Compact Disc Player with Automatic
Tone Control 3-
17
3-22
3-25
3-28
3-29
3-29
3-30
3-30
3-3 1
Delco-Bose@ AM-FM Stereo with Cassette
Tape and Compact Disc Player with
Automatic Tone Control
Trunk Mounted CD Changer
Theft-Deterrent Feature Steering Wheel Controls for-Audio System
Understanding Radio Reception
Tips About Your Audio System
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
Care
of Your Compact Discs
Power Antenna Mast Care
3-1

1 NOTICE: I
Don’t use a razor blade or something else sharp
on the inside
of the rear window. If you do, you
could cut or damage the warming grid, and the
repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
Passenger Temperature Control
With this feature, the right
front seat passenger can
control the comfort setting
for their own zone. To use
this feature, adjust the
control on the passenger’s side armrest to the desired
comfort level.
Steering Wheel Controls for Climate
Control
The passenger’s temperature control on the passenger’s
armrest will illuminate only if
the headlamps or parking
lamps are on. 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.
3-10

Steering Wheel Controls for Audio System
With this feature, you can
control certain radio
functions using the buttons
on your steering wheel.
VOL: Press the up or down arrow to increase or
decrease volume.
SEEK: Press this button to tune to the next strongest
radio station signal. When playing a cassette tape
or
compact disc, press SEEK to hear the next selection.
There must be at least a three-second gap between
selections on a cassette tape.
PROG: Press this button to tune in the next preset radio
station. When playing a cassette tape, press
PROG to
hear the other side
of a tape that is playing. When
listening to a disc
in the CD changer, press PROG to
select the next loaded disc.
Some steering wheel controls operate climate controls.
See “Steering Wheel Controls for Climate Control”
earlier in this section.
3-28

Section 4 Your Dri.ving and the Road
Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We’ve also
included many other useful tips on driving.
4-2 4-3
4-6
4-6
4-11
4-13
4-13
4-15 4-16 Defensive
Driving
Drunken Driving Control of a Vehicle
Braking Steering
Off-Road Recovery
Passing
Loss of Control
Driving at Night 4-18
4-2
1
4-22
4-23
4-24
4-24
4-26
4-30 4-32 Driving
in Rain and
on Wet Roads
City Driving
Freeway Driving
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Highway Hypnosis Hill and Mountain Roads
Winter Driving
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer
4-1

Control of a Vehicle Braking
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 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 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.
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.
4-6
c