warning light Oldsmobile Intrigue 2001 s User Guide

2-68 Precision Control System (PCS) Warning
Light (Option)
United States Canada
This light should come on briefly as you start your engine.
If the light doesn't come on then, have it serviced so it will
be ready to warn you if there's a problem.
If the PCS warning light comes on, it means there
may be a problem with your Precision Control System.
When this light comes on, so will the TRAC OFF light
and both the Precision Control System and the Traction
Control System will not be functioning. If these lights
come on, try to reset the system (stop; turn off the
engine; then start the engine again). If the PCS and
TRAC OFF lights remain on, it means there is a
problem and you should see your dealer for service.
Reduce your speed and drive accordingly.
Low Traction Active (LOW TRAC) Light
Your LOW TRAC
(Low Traction Active)
light may come on for one
of the following reasons:

The Precision Control System (PCS) (if equipped)
is active and is adjusting brake pressure to help your
vehicle continue to go in the direction in which you
are steering. The PCS activates when the computer
senses that your vehicle is starting to spin, as might
happen if you hit a patch of ice or other slippery
surface on the road, and assists the driver by
selectively applying any one of the vehicle's brakes.
The system is designed to help you in bad weather
or other difficult driving situations by making the
most of whatever road conditions will allow. When
the system is on, you may hear a noise or feel a
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal.

The optional Traction Control System is active
and is limiting wheel spin. You may feel the system
working, but this is normal. Slippery road conditions
may exist, so adjust your driving accordingly.

2-69
If the LOW TRAC light comes on, slippery road
conditions may exist, so you should consider slowing
down and adjusting your driving accordingly.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
You have a gage that
shows the engine coolant
temperature. If the gage
moves into the shaded
area near the hot mark,
your engine is too hot.
That reading means the same thing as the warning light.
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
Low Coolant Warning Light
If this light comes on,
your system is low on
coolant, and the engine
may overheat.
This light will come on briefly when the ignition is
turned to ON. This is normal.
See ªEngine Coolantº in the Index for more information,
and have your vehicle serviced as soon as possible.

2-73 Oil Warning Light
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine or come on
when you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine could
be low on oil or could have some other oil problem.
Have your vehicle serviced immediately.
The oil light could also come on when the ignition is on
but the engine is not running. This is normal. The light
comes on as a test to show you it's working, but the light
should go out when you turn the ignition to ON. If it
doesn't come on with the ignition on, you may have a
problem with the fuse or bulb. Have it fixed right away.CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
If you do, your engine can become so hot that
it catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.

2-77
Here are four things that some owners ask about. All
these things are normal and do not indicate a problem
with the fuel gage:

At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads full.

It takes more (or less) fuel to fill up than the gage
reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but it
takes more (or less) than half the fuel tank's capacity
to fill it.

The gage pointer may move while cornering, braking
or speeding up.

The gage may not indicate empty when the ignition
is turned off.Low Fuel Light
United States Canada
If your vehicle is low on fuel, this warning light near the
fuel gage will come on.
It will also come on for a few seconds when you first
turn on the ignition as a check to show you it's working.
If it doesn't come on then, the bulb may need to be
replaced. See your dealer to have it fixed right away.

4-7
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti
-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise
while this test is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
United States Canada
If there's a problem with the anti
-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on. See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in the Index.

4-10
The Traction Control System operates in all transaxle
shift lever positions. But the system can upshift the
transaxle only as high as the shift lever position you've
chosen, so you should use the lower gears only when
necessary. See ªAutomatic Transaxleº in the Index.
This warning light will
come on to let you know if
there's a problem with your
traction control system.
See ªTraction Control System Warning Lightº in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. See ªRocking Your Vehicleº in the Index.
To turn the system on or
off, press the TRACTION
CONTROL button on
the console.

4-11 Precision Control System (Option)
If your vehicle is equipped with the Precision Control
System (PCS), the system helps your vehicle to go in the
direction you are steering in difficult driving conditions.
This is accomplished when the computer senses that
your vehicle is starting to spin and assists the driver by
selectively applying any one of the vehicle's brakes.
When the Precision Control
System is active, the LOW
TRAC light will come on.
Continue to steer in the direction you want the vehicle
to go and apply the brakes normally to slow the vehicle
as desired.
You may hear or feel the system working, but this is
normal. You should adjust your driving accordingly.
See ªLow Traction Active (LOW TRAC) Lightº in
the Index.
United States Canada
When you first start the vehicle, the PCS light should
come on briefly. If the light doesn't come on then, have
your vehicle serviced so it will be ready to warn you if
there is a problem.
If you ever see the PCS warning light come on, it means
there is a problem with the Precision Control System. If
both the PCS and TRAC OFF lights are on, neither of
the systems are functioning. You can try resetting the
system: stop, turn off the engine, wait a few seconds and
then start the engine again. If both lights are still on, you
should have your vehicle serviced.

4-21
Hydroplaning doesn't happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on
the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles or other vehicles, and raindrops ªdimpleº the
water's surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn't a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine's air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you
can't avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
If you try to drive through flowing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can be
carried away. As little as six inches of flowing
water can carry away a smaller vehicle. If this
happens, you and other vehicle occupants could
drown. Don't ignore police warning signs, and
otherwise be very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips

Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.

Have good tires with proper tread depth. See ªTiresº
in the Index.

4-22
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You'll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:

Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross
-country trip.

Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You'll save time and energy. See the
next part, ªFreeway Driving.º

Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough to
need it. When a light turns green, and just before
you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that
have not cleared the intersection or may be running
the red light.

4-27
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:

Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.

You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.