steering Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1996 s User Guide

Steering Wheel Controls for Climate Audio Systems,
Control (Option)
Your Delco@ audio system has been designed to operate
easily and give years of listening pleasure. You will get
You can control certain the most enjoyment out of it
if you acquaint yourself
comfort control system with
it first. Find out what your Delco system can do
functions using the buttons and how to operate all its controls, to be sure you're
on your steering wheel. getting the most out of the advanced engineering that
went into it.
Setting the Clock
S FAN: Press the up or down arrows to increase or
decrease fan speed.
TEMP: Press the up or down arrows to increase or
decrease temperature. Press and hold
HR until
the correct hour appears. The
letter
A or P may appear on the display for AM or PM.
Then, press and hold
MN until the correct minute
appears'. The clock may be set with the ignition on
or
off.
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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 the ACC or RUN position.
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
7. Press AM-FM after you have confirmed that the
with your
code.
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 given to a secured radio, the
radio won’t turn on and
LOC will appear on the display.
Steering Wheel Controls for Audio System
(Option)
1
If your vehicle has this
feature, you can control
certain radio functions
using the buttons on your
steering wheel.
I
Some steering wheel controls operate climate controls.’
See “Steering Wheel Controls for Climate Control”
earlier in this section.
VOL: Press the up arrow to increase the volume and the
down arrow to decrease volume.
SEEK: Press this button to tune to a higher radio station.
When playing a cassette tape or compact disc, press SEEK
to hear the next selection. There must be at least a
three-second gap between selections on a cassette tape.
PROG: Press this button to tune in a higher preset radio
station. When playing a cassette tape, press
PROG to
hear the other side of a tape that is playing.
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’ C-ontrol 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 &ccelerator. All three systems have‘to do their ‘work
s at the places where the tires meet the road. . ,.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you- have to decide to push on .the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you, have to bring up your
€oot and do it.
Thah reaction time.
Average reacbioPz time is-about 3/4 of a second. But
th&s only an average. It might be less. with :one ‘driver
-and as long as two or three seconds or more wid
mother. Age, physical condition, ,alertness, coordination
. I
is i-mportant. “I
. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly I
’ with the surface of the road (whether it’s’ pavement or
gravel); the condition
of the road.(wet, dry, icy); tire.
tread;
and the bondition of your brakes.
!
I 1
,. ~
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s .
easy to ask more of those controi systems than the tires .~ . 1 ,.
’ . --: and road can provide. That means you can lose control .~ I .*, >.L ... .,
of your vehicle.
L- ._8
8- r- ’ i
I
, -. L. . < I - :’ 7
_.
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:i . .,

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
1 system working, or you may notice some noise, but this
~ is normal.
LOW
TRAC
When your anti-lock system
is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid,
this light will come on.
See
“Anti-Lock Brake System
Active Light” in the Index.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
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 dr the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Variable Assist Steering (Option)
This steering system provides lighter steering effort for
parking and when driving at low speeds. Steering effort
will increase at higher’speeds for improved road feel.
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 your 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.
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 your 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” earlierin this section.) It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then ste.er around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.
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. 5. . ' Ari emergency like this reqtiires dose: attention and a '
. ' quick decision. -If you are holding the' steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o'clock positions, you-can
, . turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing,
either hand. But
you have to' act fast, shier quickly, and
' .I. - just , as quickly spaighten'the wheel once you have !
4.- I avoidec€,the object.
, . The fact that such emergency situations are always
.I
., (possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving 'at
''L ' all times and wear safety belts prpperly. .- ..- .
! "
If the level of the shoulder. is only slightly below the . '
pavement, recovery shbuld be f&ly easy. Ease off the. '.
acceierator and theb, if there is nothing ,in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can turn the steering'wheel up to one-quarter turn until the
right hnt
tire. contacts the pavement edge.' Then turn your
steerhg wheel to go straight down the .. roadway.
--

0 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.)
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
0 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.
0 If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
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.

A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
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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 ca\
reful.
What’s the worst time for this? “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 ofiall. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32 OF; 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.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it.
Try not to brake while you’re actually on ’
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
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Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re, towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back
up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come, in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this
‘so your trailer won’tstrike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
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