steering OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1999 User Guide

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2-37 Lamps On Reminder
If the headlamp switch is left on you'll hear a warning
chime when you turn the ignition off, remove the key
from the ignition and open the driver's door.
Flash-To-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front of you that you want to pass. It
works even if your headlamps are off.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever toward you.
If your headlamps are off, your high
-beam headlamps
will turn on. They'll stay on as long as you hold the
lever there. Release the lever to turn them off.
If your headlamps are on, but on low beam, the system
works normally. Just pull the lever until it clicks. Your
headlamps will shift to high beam and stay there. To
return to low beam, just pull the lever toward you.
If your headlamps are on, and on high beam, your
headlamps will switch to low beam. To get back to high
beam, pull the lever toward you.
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.
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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. See ªWindshield Wiper Blade Replacementº in
the Index.
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.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.
CAUTION:
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.
If the fluid level in the windshield washer bottle is low,
the message LOW WASHER FLUID will appear in the
Driver Information Center. See ªWindshield Washer
Fluidº in the Index.
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Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:

Step lightly on the brake pedal, or

Move the cruise switch to OFF. The CRUISE light
will also go out.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
Exterior Lamps
Headlamps
See ªTurn Signal/Multifunction Leverº 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

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 ªTwilight
Sentinelº in the Index.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
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2-44 Twilight Sentinel


Twilight sentinel turns the
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 ªdarkº and the
headlamps will come on.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
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.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several lamps go on. They
make it easy for you to enter and leave the car. To turn
on these lamps, rotate the INTERIOR LIGHTS knob all
the way to HI.
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The main components of your instrument panel are:
A. Power Mirrors Control Switch
B. Fog Lamp Switch
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
D. Instrument Cluster/Gages
E. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
F. Horn
G. Windshield Wiper/Washer Control
H. Driver Information Center
I. Climate Controls
J. Audio System
K. Glove Box (Remote Trunk Release Lockout
Switch inside)
L. Instrument Panel Intensity Control/Interior
Lamp ControlM. Twilight Sentinel
Control
N. Steering Wheel Touch Controls for Climate
Control System
O. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever
P. Ignition Switch
Q. Steering Wheel Touch Controls for Audio System
R. Trunk Release Switch
S. Fuel Door Release Switch
T. Ashtray and Lighter
U. Traction Control Button
V. Selectable Shift
W. Gearshift Lever
X. Accessory Power Outlet
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3-
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3-1
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 vehicle. Be
sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3
-2 Comfort Controls
3
-2 Automatic Electronic Climate Control
3
-6 Air Conditioning
3
-6 Heating
3
-7 Defogging and Defrosting
3
-7 Rear Window Defogger
3
-8 Passenger Temperature Control
3
-8 Ventilation System
3
-9 Steering Wheel Controls for Climate Control
3
-10 Audio Systems
3
-10 Setting the Clock3
-10 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and
Compact Disc Player with Automatic
Tone Control
3
-17 Trunk-Mounted CD Changer (Option)
3
-20 Theft-Deterrent Feature
3
-22 Audio Steering Wheel Controls
3
-23 Understanding Radio Reception
3
-23 Tips About Your Audio System
3
-24 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
3
-25 Care of Your Compact Discs
3
-25 Care of Your Compact Disc Player
3
-26 Power Antenna Mast Care
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3-9
Turn the control between the rear outlets up to direct air
through the upper outlets. Turn the control down to
direct air through the lower outlets. Adjust the direction
of airflow from side to side with the controls in
each outlet.Ventilation Tips

Keep the hood and front air inlet area between the
base of the windshield and the hood free of ice,
snow, or any other obstruction (such as leaves). The
defroster and heater will work far better, reducing
the chance of fogging the inside of your windows if
this area is clear.

Keep the air path under the front seats clear of
objects. This helps air to circulate throughout
your vehicle.
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
ªAudio Steering Wheel
Controlsº later in
this section.
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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 ACCESSORY or RUN.
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
with your code.
6. Press HR to make the first one or two digits agree
with your code.
7. Press AM
-FM after you have confirmed that the
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 removed and later applied to a
secured radio, the radio won't turn on and LOC will
appear on the display.To unlock a secured radio, see ªUnlocking the
Theft
-Deterrent Feature After a Power Lossº earlier in
this section.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
With this feature, you
can control certain
radio functions using
the buttons on your
steering wheel.
Some steering wheel controls operate climate controls.
See ªSteering Wheel Controls for Climate Controlº
earlier in this section.
VOL: Press the up or down arrow to increase or
decrease volume.
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4-
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4-1
Section 4 Your Driving 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 Defensive Driving
4
-3 Drunken Driving
4
-5 Control of a Vehicle
4
-6 Braking
4
-10 Steering
4
-13 Off-Road Recovery
4
-13 Passing
4
-14 Loss of Control
4
-16 Driving at Night
4
-17 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads4
-20 City Driving
4
-21 Freeway Driving
4
-22 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
4
-23 Highway Hypnosis
4
-23 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-25 Winter Driving
4
-29 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-30 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-32 Towing a Trailer
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The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up. ªI'll be carefulº isn't the
right answer. What if there's an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able
to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There's something else about drinking and driving that
many people don't know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person's system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord or
heart. This means that when anyone who has been
drinking
-- driver or passenger -- is in a crash, that
person's chance of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not been drinking.
CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and
judgment can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol. You can have a serious
-- or even
fatal
-- collision if you drive after drinking.
Please don't drink and drive or ride with a driver
who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if
you're with a group, designate a driver who will
not drink.
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.
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