Oldsmobile Aurora 2001 Owner's Manuals

2-41 Windshield Washer
The lever on the right side of your steering column also
controls your windshield washer. To spray washer fluid
on the windshield, push the button on the end of the
lever. The wipers will clear the window and then either
stop or return to your preset speed. For more washer
cycles, push and hold the button.
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.
Ice build up can block washer nozzles. Remove ice for
proper operation.
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.
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 is helpful 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.
CAUTION:

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.

Cruise control can be dangerous on
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.

2-42
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. See ªTraction
Control Systemº in the Index. When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, you may turn the cruise
control back on.
Setting Cruise Control
CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you're not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you don't want to. You
could be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch off until you want to use
cruise control.
1. Push the cruise control switch located at the end of
the lever in to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Push the lever down to SET
-CST and release it.
The CRUISE light on the instrument panel cluster
will come on.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.

2-43
Resuming a Set Speed
Setting the cruise control at a desired speed and then
applying the brake will end the cruise control function.
Once you're going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can briefly push the cruise control lever up to
RES/ACC (Resume/Accelerate) to reset. This returns
you to your desired preset speed.
Remember, if you hold the lever up at RES/ACC,
the vehicle will accelerate until you release the lever or
apply the brake. So unless you want to go faster,
don't hold the lever at RES/ACC.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are three ways to go to a higher speed:

Use the accelerator pedal to go to a higher speed.
Push the lever down, then release the lever and
the accelerator pedal. You'll now cruise at the
higher speed.

Move the cruise lever up to RES/ACC. Hold it
there until you reach a desired speed and then
release the lever.
To increase your speed in very small amounts, move
the lever up to RES/ACC briefly and then release it.
Each time you do this, your vehicle will go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
The accelerate feature will only work after you have
set the cruise control speed by pushing the lever down
to SET
-CST.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:

Push the lever down until you reach a desired lower
speed then release it.

To slow down in very small amounts, push the lever
down briefly. Each time you do this, you'll go about
1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.

2-44
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load, and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake
takes you out of cruise control. Many drivers find this
to be too much trouble and don't use cruise control
on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control Without Erasing
the Set Speed
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:

Step lightly on the brake pedal, or

pull the cruise lever towards you to cancel cruise.
To resume the set speed see ªResuming a Set Speedº
earlier in this section.
Erasing Cruise Control 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. Fully functional daytime running
lights are required on all vehicles first sold in Canada.
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 high
-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness in daylight when the
following conditions are met:

The ignition is on,

the headlamp switch is off, and

the transaxle is not in PARK (P).
When the DRL are on, only your high
-beam headlamps
will be on. The parking lamps, taillamps, sidemarker
and other lamps won't be on.

2-45
With your headlamp control in AUTO when it is
dark enough outside, your low
-beam headlamps will
automatically come on. The other lamps that turn on
with your headlamps will also turn on. When it is bright
enough outside, the regular lamps will go off, and your
high
-beam headlamps change to the reduced brightness
of DRL.
To turn off all exterior lighting at night when you are
parked, turn the headlamp control all the way toward
OFF. The DRL will turn on automatically and the
HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message will be
displayed on the DIC when you move the transaxle
out of PARK (P).
If the headlamp control is in the parking lamps position
at night, only the parking lamps will be on. If the
transaxle is out of PARK (P), only the parking lamps
will be active and the HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED
message will be displayed on the DIC.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Automatic Headlamps
The automatic headlamps will keep your headlamps on
when it is dark outside and the ignition is in RUN.
It's possible that your headlamps may go out if you
drive from a dark area into a bright area like a lighted
parking lot. If this happens, turn on your headlamps
with the regular headlamp switch.
Light Sensor
Your automatic headlamps 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 automatic headlamp lighting will turn on.
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the manual lamp control has been left on, the exterior
lamps will turn off approximately 10 minutes after the
ignition is turned to LOCK and any door has been
opened. This protects against draining the battery in
case you have accidentally left the headlamps or parking
lamps on. If you need to leave the lamps on for more
than 10 minutes, use the manual control to turn the lamps
back on after the ignition has been turned to LOCK and
any door has been opened. To delay the lamps from
turning off, see ªAutomatic Headlampsº in the Index.

2-46
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
The instrument panel
brightness control is located
on the driver's side of the
instrument panel.
When it is dark outside, you can brighten or dim
your instrument panel cluster lights by turning the
dimmer knob.
Turn the knob clockwise to brighten the instrument
panel cluster lights and displays. Turn the knob
counterclockwise to dim the instrument panel cluster
lights and displays.
If it is day and your parking lamps are on, the
instrument panel cluster lights and displays will
come on at full intensity and will not be adjustable. If it is dark enough outside and your parking lamps are
on, the instrument panel cluster lights and displays and
the backlighting for the door and steering column
switches will come on, and can also be adjusted.
Courtesy Lamps
If it is dark enough outside and the front reading lamp
slider control is in the AUTO position, when any door is
opened all of the vehicles courtesy lamps will come on.
See ªReading Lampsº in the Index. They make it easier
for you to enter and leave the vehicle. The courtesy lamps
will remain on for about 25 seconds after all doors have
been closed. They will then theater dim to off.
Move the front reading lamp slider control in the
overhead console to ON to turn on the interior courtesy
lamps. When the control is moved back to either OFF
or AUTO, the courtesy lamps will immediately turn off.
If the control is OFF when the doors are opened, only
the lower instrument panel courtesy lamps will come on.
Also, if the control is OFF when illuminated entry or
delayed exit lighting are active, only the lower
instrument panel courtesy lamps will be on.
If a door is left ajar, your interior lamps will turn off
after 10 minutes to save your battery.

2-47 Illuminated Entry
If it is dark enough outside and you press the unlock
symbol on the remote lock control transmitter while all
doors are closed, the interior courtesy lamps will come
on and stay on for approximately 40 seconds. When
the 40 seconds is up, the lights will be turned off by
the theater dimming effect. The lamps will turn off
immediately by pressing the lock symbol on the remote
lock control transmitter, by turning the ignition key to
RUN or by activating the power door locks.
Delayed Entry Lighting
When you open the door to enter your vehicle, the
interior lamps will come on if it is dark enough outside.
When you close the door with the ignition off, the
interior lamps will stay on for 25 seconds. When the
25 seconds is up the lights will be turned off by the
theater dimming effect. Please note that locking the
doors with the power door lock switch or with the lock
symbol on the remote lock control transmitter, will
override the delayed entry lighting and the lamps will
turn off immediately.
Theater Dimming
This feature allows for a three to five-second fade out
of the overhead courtesy lamps instead of immediate
turn off after you remove the key from the ignition.
They will not fade if the interior lamps are manually
turned on. The lower instrument panel courtesy lamps
will not theater dim.
Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature will turn on the interior lamps for 25
seconds after you remove the key from the ignition
while the doors are closed and it is night. This will give
you time to find the door handle or lock switches as you
exit the vehicle. When the 25 seconds is up, or if the key
is reinserted into the ignition, the lights will be turned
off by the theater dimming effect. The lamps will turn
off immediately by pressing the lock symbol on the
remote lock control transmitter, by turning the ignition
key to RUN or by activating the power door locks.

2-48 Parade Dimming
To activate the instrument panel backlighting during
the day, turn the headlamp switch to the parking lamp
position. Dimming of the instrument panel display is
not possible during daylight hours. The instrument panel
display can only be adjusted when the parking lamps
are on and it is dark outside.
Perimeter Lighting
When the unlock symbol on the remote lock control
transmitter is pressed, the DRL headlamps, parking
lamps and back
-up lamps will turn on for approximately
25 seconds if it is dark enough outside.
This feature can be programmed on or off for each
transmitter. You can also program how long the
exterior lamps will stay on after unlocking the vehicle.
You must program this feature through the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See ªDIC Personalization
Programmingº in the Index.
Front Reading Lamps
These lamps and the interior courtesy lamps will come
on when you open a door. They will turn off when you
turn on the ignition. If a door is left open, they will turn
off after about 10 minutes.
To turn on the reading lamps when the doors are closed,
press the button under the lamp you want on. Press it
again to turn the lamp off.
These lamps work even when the ignition is off. To avoid
draining your vehicle's battery, be sure to turn off all
front and rear reading lamps when leaving your vehicle.

2-49 Rear Reading Lamps
These lamps will come on when you open the doors.
You can also turn them on by pressing the button on the
side of the lamp. Press it again to turn them off.
Inadvertent Power Battery Saver
This feature is designed to protect your vehicle's
battery against drainage from the interior lamps,
trunk lamp, glove box lamp or cigarette lighters.
When the ignition is turned off, the power to these
features will automatically turn off after 10 minutes.Power will be restored for an additional 10 minutes if
any door is opened, the trunk is opened or the courtesy
lamp switch is turned on. To restore power back to
the cigarette lighters the ignition must be turned back
to RUN.
Battery Load Management
The battery load management feature is designed to
monitor the vehicle's electrical load and determine when
the battery is in a heavy discharge condition. During
times of high electrical loading, the engine may idle at a
higher RPM setting than normal to make sure the battery
charges. High electrical loads may occur when several
of the following are on: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger, high blower fan, heated
seats and engine cooling fans.
If your vehicle's battery remains in a heavy discharge
condition for a long period of time, the blower fan,
rear defogger, heated seats and heated mirrors will be
disabled and the DIC will display BATTERY SAVER
ACTIVE. This can happen either under long periods of
idling or low speed driving with high electrical loading,
or in the event of a charging system fault.

2-50
Mirrors
Electrochromic Day/Night Rearview Mirror
with Compass
Your vehicle has an electrochromic inside rearview
mirror with a compass. Your vehicle's mirror may also
contain OnStar

controls.
This is the on/off button for mirrors equipped
with OnStar controls.
Pressing the MIRROR button (or the on/off button for
mirrors equipped with OnStar controls) located at the
bottom of the mirror, turns the automatic dimming
feature on or off.
The mirror also includes an eight
-point compass display
in the upper right corner of the mirror face. When on, the
compass automatically calibrates as the vehicle is driven.
When cleaning the mirror, use a paper towel or similar
material dampened with glass cleaner. Do not spray
glass cleaner directly on the mirror as that may cause
the liquid cleaner to enter the mirror housing.Mirror Operation
To turn on the automatic dimming feature, press MIRROR
(or press and hold the on/off button for about three seconds
for mirrors equipped with OnStar controls). To turn off
automatic dimming, press MIRROR (or press and hold
the on/off button for about three seconds for mirrors
equipped with OnStar controls) again. The green indicator
light will be illuminated when this feature is active.
The automatic dimming feature will be active each time
the vehicle is started.
Compass Operation
Press COMPASS (or the on/off button for mirrors equipped
with OnStar controls) once to turn the compass on or off.
When the ignition and the compass feature are on, the
compass will show two character boxes for approximately
two seconds. After two seconds, the mirror will display the
compass heading.
Compass Calibration
If after two seconds, the display does not show a compass
heading (ªNº for North, for example), there may be a
strong magnetic field interfering with the compass. Such
interference may be caused by a magnetic antenna mount,
magnetic note pad holder or a similar magnetic item.
If the letter ªCº should ever appear in the compass
window, the compass may need calibration.