wheel OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS 1997 User Guide

Setting Cruise Control
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 it.
i
The cruise control buttons are located on the center of
the steering wheel.
1. Press the cruise control ON/OFF button.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press the SETDECEL button and release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal. Resuming
a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake.
This, of course, shuts off
the cruise control. But you don’t need to reset it. Once
you’re going about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more, you can
press the cruise control RESUME/ACCEL button for
about half a second.
You’ll go right back up to your chosen speed and stay there.
If you press the RESUME/ACCEL button longer than half a
second, the vehicle wiU keep
going faster until you release
the switch
or apply the brake. So unless you want to go faster,
don’t hold down the RESUME/ACCEL button.
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Fog Lamps
The button for your fog
lamps is on the instrument
panel, to
the left of the
steering .wheel,
beside
the instrument panel
intensity
control.
.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Intensity Control
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Your 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:
A. Fog Lamp Switch
B. Instrument Panel intensity Control
C. Turn SignalMultifunction Lever
D. Cruise Control Switches (If Equipped)
E. Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) and Horn
F. Instrument Panel Cluster
G. Windshield Wipermasher Lever
H. Ignition Switch
J. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
K. Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
L. Fuse Panels
M. Climate Control System
N. Accessory Power Outlets
0. Gear Shift Lever
P. Audio System
Q. Park Brake Pedal
R. Tilt Wheel Lever
S. Hood Release Lever
T. Trunk Release Button
U. Instrument Panel Cupholder
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Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out
in
front of you.
.You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with
ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the
rear wheels. The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer
is programmed to
make the most of available tire and road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front
of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
.anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel the
system working, or you may notice some noise, but
this
is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
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.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
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:
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 yom 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. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much
of those places. You can lose control.
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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.
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 you 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.
Steering in Emergencies
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 Oldsmobile 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.
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Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to
turn.
If you’re being passed, make
following driver to get ahead
can ease a little to the right. it easy
for the
of you. Perhaps
you
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
Oldsmobile’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.
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Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have
a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a lot less traction or
“grip” and will need to be
very careful. What’s
the worst time for ths? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive
on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32” F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution. Accelerate gently.
Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate
too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
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Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. Ths
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
You can tow your vehicle behind another vehicle for use
at your destination. Be sure to use the proper towing
equipment designed for recreational towing. Follow the
instructions for the towing equipment.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Front
There are two ways to tow your vehicle from the front.
€
m
To tow your vehicle with a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead position
with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
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To tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground,
follow these steps:
7 ---
1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.
2. Turn the ignition switch to OFF.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. Remove the following fuses from the left side
instrument panel fuse block:
A) Radio, B) Wiper,
H) Powertrain Control Module and K) Body
Function Control Module, Cluster. This will
prevent your battery
form draining while towing.
See “Instrument Panel Fusle Block-Left” in
Section
6 for location of the fuses.
5. Turn the ignition switch to ACC.
6. Shift your transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
7. Release the parking brake.
Remember
to replace the fuse once you reach your
destination. To replace the fuse:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3. Replace the fuse.
I NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
55 mph (90 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.
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