steering wheel OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS 1997 Owners Manual

How the Air Bag System Works
Where are the air bags?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
1-23
ProCarManuals.com

A
If something is between an occupant and an air
bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person. 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. When should
an
air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crash. The
air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed
is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.”
If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is
about
9 to 16 mph (14 to 26 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
air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant.
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.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and
how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal or
near-frontal impacts.
1-24
ProCarManuals.com

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. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator,
air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger.
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.
Air bags supplement 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 air bags
would
not help you in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts and side 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.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an 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
-- the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s air bag, or the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s bag
--
will be hot for a short time. 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 vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation
doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or from 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
door.
1-25
ProCarManuals.com

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.
0
0
0
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, 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 a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information about
the
air bag system. The module records information
about the readiness of the system, when the sensors
are activated and driver’s safety belt usage at
deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your
air
bag system. Improper service can mean that your air
bag system won’t work properly. See your retailer for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s air
bag, the bag may not
work properly.
You may have to replace the air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s air bag.
Do not open or
break the
air bag coverings.
1-26
ProCarManuals.com

Section 2 Features and Controls
2-3
2-4
2-5
2-6
2-8
2-11
2-13
2-13
2- 14
2-
15
2- 17
2-2
1
2-21
2-25
2-26
Here
you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Oldsmobile, and infomation on starting,
shifting and braking.
Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
Important Information About Keys
Door Locks Operation of Child Security Locks
Remote Lock Control
Battery Replacement for Remote
Lock Control
Preventing Theft of Your Vehicle
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Tips on Starting Your Engine
Using the Engine Coolant Heater
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Second-Gear Start
Parking Brake Guidelines Important Information on Engine Exhaust
Operation of Your Windows 2-27
2-28
2-29
2-30
2-32
2-35
2-36
2- 37
2-39
2-41
2-45
2-46
2-50 Adjusting
the Tilt Steering Wheel
Functions of the Multifunction Lever
How to Use the High/Low-Beam
Headlamp Changer
Windshield Wipers and Fluid Using Cruise Control
Exterior Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (Dm) and
Automatic Light Control
(ALC)
Interior Lamps
Rearview Mirrors Storage Compartments
Sunroof
Instrument Panel Overview
All About Your Warning Lights and Gages
2-1
~
ProCarManuals.com

Auto-Down Switch
The driver’s window switch has an auto-down feature.
This switch is labeled
AUTO. Push the switch back
partway, and the driver’s window will open a small
amount. If the switch is pushed
all the way back, the
window will go all the way down.
Tilt Wheel
To stop the window while it is lowering, move the
switch forward. To raise the window, move and hold
the switch forward.
Lock Out Switch
The driver’s power window controls also include a
lock out switch. Press LOCK
OUT to stop front and
rear passengers from using their window switches. The
driver can still control all the windows with the lock on.
Press the LOCK
OUT button again for normal window
operation.
Horn
You can sound the horn by pressing the horn symbol on
your steering wheel.
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before
you drive.
You can also raise it to the highest level to give your
legs more room when you exit and enter 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.
2-27
ProCarManuals.com

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.
ProCarManuals.com

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
ProCarManuals.com

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.
4-9
ProCarManuals.com

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.
4-10
ProCarManuals.com