steering Oldsmobile Bravada 2003 Owner's Manuals

I
It something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering. Don’t let seat covers block the
inflation path
of a side impact air bag.
When Should an Air Bag Inflate?
The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal air bags
are designed to inflate in moderate
to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inflate
only
if the impact speed is above the system’s
designed “threshold level.”
In addition, your vehicle has “dual stage” frontal air
bags, which adjust the amount of restraint according
to
crash severity. For moderate frontal impacts, these
air bags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts,
full deployment occurs.
If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level for the
reduced deployment
is about 12 to 16 mph (1 9 to
26 km/h), and the threshoid levei for a full deployment is
about
16 to 25 mph (26 to 40 km/h). The threshold
level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so
that it can be somewhat above or below this range.
If your vehicle strikes something that will move or
deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be
higher. The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal
air bags are not designed
to inflate in rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts because inflation
would
not help the occupant.
Your vehicle may or may not have a side impact air
bag. See Air Bag Systems in the Index. Side impact air
bags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe
side crashes.
A side impact air bag will inflate if
the crash severity is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.” The threshold level can vary with
specific vehicle design. Side impact air bags are not designed
to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant. A side impact air bag will only deploy
on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
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In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact
air bags, inflation is determined by the location and severity of the impact.
The air bag system is designed
to work properly under
a wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially on rough
terrain. As always, wear your safety belt. See
Operating
Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
Off Paved Roads on
page
4-15 for tips on off-road driving.
What Makes an Air Bag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, the air bag and
related hardware are all part of the air bag modules.
Frontal air bag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with side
impact air bags, the air bag modules are located in the
seatback closest
to the driver’s and/or right front
passenger’s door.
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate
to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But the
frontal air bags would not help you in many types
of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and many
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the air bag. Side impact air bags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including frontal
or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts, and
then only in moderate
to severe frontal or near-frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal air bags, and only in moderate
to severe
side collisions for vehicles with a driver’s and right front
passenger’s side impact air bag.
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What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inflates?
After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
inflated. Some components of the air bag module will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s frontal air bag and the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s frontal
air bag. For vehicles with side impact air bags, the side
of the seatback closest
to the driver’s and/or right
front passenger’s door will be hot. The parts of the bag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but
not
too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from the vents in the deflated air bags. Air
bag inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it
stop
people from leaving the vehicle. When an
air bag inflates, there
is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe
to do
so. If you have breathing problems but
can’t get out of the vehicle after an
air bag
inflates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or
a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an
air bag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
Your vehicle has a feature that will automatically unlock
the doors and turn the interior lamps on when the air
bags inflate
(if battery power is available). You can lock
the doors again and turn the interior lamps
off by
using the door
lock and interior lamp controls.
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In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an
air bag inflates, you’ll need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air
bag system won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash. A new system will include air bag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic frontal
sensor, which helps the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. Your vehicle is also equipped
with a crash sensing and diagnostic module,
which records information about the frontal air bag
system. The module records information about
the readiness of the system, when the system
commands air bag inflation and driver’s safety belt
usage at deployment. The module also records
speed, engine
RPM, brake and throttle data.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air
bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice: If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, or the air
bag covering on the driver’s and right front
passenger’s seatback, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger’s air bag, or both the air bag module
and seatback for the driver’s and right front passenger’s side impact air bag.
Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
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Outside Convex Mirror
A convex mirror’s surface is curved so you can see
more from the driver’s seat.
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right or left lane,
you could hit a vehicle. Check your inside
mirror or glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
Outside Heated Mirrors
Your vehicle may have this feature,
When you operate the rear window defogger, a defogger
also warms the heated driver’s and passenger’s
outside rearview mirrors to help clear them of ice, snow
and condensation.
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror
with Curb View Assist
If your vehicle has this feature, the driver’s and/or
Passenger’s outside mirror will adjust to a preset tilt
losition while the vehicle is in REVERSE
(R) gear. Curb
view assist may be useful when you are parallel
parking. The mirror(s) will return
to normal position
when the vehicle is shifted out of REVERSE
(R) gear.
Automatic mirror movement in either direction will follow
a short delay.
To first activate this feature, perform the following steps:
1. Press the Personalization button, located on the
steering wheel, until “Tilt Mirror in REVERSE
(R)”
is displayed on the DIC display.
passenger’s side mirror, twice for the driver’s side
mirror and three times for both mirrors. Then
press the Personalization button repeatedly until the
display goes blank.
2. Press the Select button once to select the
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Section 3 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview ............................... 3.4
Hazard Warning Flashers
................................ 3.5
Other Warning Devices
................................... 3.6
Horn
............................................................. 3.6
Tilt Wheel
..................................................... 3.6
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
......................... 3.7
Exterior Lamps
............................................. 3.14
Interior Lamps
.............................................. 3.17
Accessory Power Outlets
............................... 3.19
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
........................ 3.20
Climate Controls ......................................... 3.21
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
........ 3.21
Rear Climate Control System
......................... 3.25
Steering Wheel Climate Controls
..................... 3.27
Climate Controls Personalization
..................... 3.27
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ............. 3.28
Instrument Panel Cluster
................................ 3.29
Speedometer and Odometer
........................... 3.30
Tachometer
................................................. 3.30
Safety Belt Reminder Light
............................. 3.30
Air Bag Readiness Light
................................ 3-31
Charging System Light
.................................. 3.32 Voltmeter Gage
............................................ 3.32
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
......... 3.34
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
.............. 3.35
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
............................. 3.35
Oil Pressure Gage
........................................ 3.38
Change Engine Oil Light
................................ 3-39
Security Light
............................................... 3.39
Cruise Control Light
...................................... 3.40
Reduced Engine Power Light
......................... 3.40
Service All-Wheel Drive Light
......................... 3.41
Check Gages Warning Light
........................... 3.41
Gate Ajar Light
............................................. 3.42
Fuel Gage
................................................... 3.42
Low Fuel Warning Light
............................. 3.42
Driver information Center (DiC) .. .............. 3.43
DIC Operation and Displays
........................... 3.43
DIC Warnings and Messages
......................... 3.52
Audio System(s) ............................................. 3.56
Setting the Time
........................................... 3.56
Radio with Cassette and CD
.......................... 3.57
Radio with Six-Disc CD
................................. 3.66
Brake System Warning
Light
.......................... 3-33
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Section 3 Instrument Panel
Rear Seat Entertainment System .................... 3.76
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
................................. 3.87
Radio Personalization
.................................... 3.88
Theft-Deterrent Feature
.................................. 3.88
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
....................... 3.89
DVD Distortion
............................................. 3.89
Understanding Radio Reception
...................... 3.89 Care of
Your Cassette Tape Player
............. 3-90
Care
of Your CDs and DVDs ......................... 3-91
Care of Your CD and DVD Player
................... 3-91
Cleaning the Video Screen
............................. 3.91
Fixed Mast Antenna
.................................. 3.91
Chime Level Adjustment
........................ 3-91
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The main components of your instrument panel are the
following:
A. Exterior Lamp Controls
B. Air Outlets
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
D. Climate Control Steering Wheel Controls
E. Instrument Panel Cluster
F. Audio Steering Wheel Controls
G. Ignition Switch
H. Audio System
I. Climate Controls
J. Hood Release
K. Driver Information Center (DIC) Steering Wheel
Controls
L. Rear Window Washermiper
M. Lighter
N. Accessory Power Outlet
0. Rear Window Defogger
D. Glove Box
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front
and rear turn signal lamps will flash on and
off.
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The button for the hazard
warning flashers is located
on top of the steering
column. Horn
To sound the horn, press the horn symbols on the
steering wheel pad.
The hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even
if the key isn’t in.
Press the button all the way down to make your front
and rear turn signal lamps flash on and
off. To turn
off the flashers, press the button again until it clicks and
then release it.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, the turn
signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about
300 feet (I00 m) behind your
vehicle.
Tilt Wheel
You should adjust the
steering wheel before you
drive. The tilt lever is
located on the driver’s side
of the steering column,
under the turn signal lever.
You can raise it to the highest level to give your legs
more room when you enter and exit the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever toward you. Move the steering wheel to a
comfortable level, then release the lever to lock the
wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
3-6

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever Turn and Lane Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
60 : Turn and Lane Change Signals
20 : Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
Flash-to-Pass Feature
: Windshield Wipers
6 : Windshield Washer
: Cruise Control (If Equipped) To
signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold
it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by itself
when you release it. The bottom of the outside
rearview mirrors may also be equipped with lane change
indicators.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows
flash more quickly than normal,
a signal bulb may
be burned out and other drivers won’t see your turn
signal.
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