User manual OLDSMOBILE ALERO 1999

yellowblue The 1999 Oldsmobile Alero Owner's Manual 1-1 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 6-1 7-1 8-1 Seats and Restraint Systems This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the "SRS" system. Features and Controls This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle. Comfort Controls and Audio Systems This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system. Your Driving and the Road Here you'll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions. Problems on the Road This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc. Service and Appearance Care Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good. Maintenance Schedule This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. Customer Assistance Information This section tells you how to contact Oldsmobile for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on "Reporting Safety Defects" on page 8-10. 9-1 Index Here's an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read. i yellowblue We support voluntary technician certification. GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, OLDSMOBILE, the OLDSMOBILE Rocket Emblem are registered trademarks and the name ALERO is a trademark of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name "General Motors of Canada Limited" for Oldsmobile Division whenever it appears in this manual. Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be there if you ever need it when you're on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it. For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Language Manual: Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez votre concessionaire ou au: DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1577 Meyerside Dr. Mississauga, Ontario L5T 1B9 Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 22600383 B First Edition ECopyright General Motors Corporation 1998 All Rights Reserved ii yellowblue How to Use this Manual Many people read their owner's manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you'll find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly. CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don't, you or others could be hurt. You will also find a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means "Don't," "Don't do this" or "Don't let this happen." Index A good place to look for what you need is the Index in back of the manual. It's an alphabetical list of what's in the manual, and the page number where you'll find it. Safety Warnings and Symbols You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. iii yellowblue Vehicle Damage Warnings Also in this book you will find these notices: NOTICE: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. In the notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. You'll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. iv yellowblue Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. For example, these symbols are used on an original battery: CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING CAUSTIC BATTERY ACID COULD CAUSE BURNS AVOID SPARKS OR FLAMES SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BATTERY These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven: These symbols have to do with your lamps: MASTER LIGHTING SWITCH These symbols are on some of your controls: WINDSHIELD WIPER These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Here are some other symbols you may see: ENGINE COOLANT TEMP WINDSHIELD WASHER BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM FUSE DOOR LOCK UNLOCK TURN SIGNALS LIGHTER PARKING LAMPS FASTEN SEAT BELTS WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER HORN BRAKE HAZARD WARNING FLASHER POWER WINDOW DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER COOLANT SPEAKER ENGINE OIL PRESSURE VENTILATING FAN FUEL AIR BAG FOG LAMPS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES v yellowblue NOTES vi yellowblue Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Here you'll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts. 1-2 1-8 1-12 1-13 1-14 1-22 1-23 1-23 1-29 Seats and Seat Controls Safety Belts: They're for Everyone Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Driver Position Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Right Front Passenger Position Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Rear Seat Passengers 1-32 1-35 1-36 1-39 1-51 1-54 1-54 1-54 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults Center Passenger Position Children Child Restraints Larger Children Safety Belt Extender Checking Your Restraint Systems Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash 1- 1-1 yellowblue Seats and Seat Controls This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them -- and also about reclining seatbacks and head restraints. 2-Way Manual Seat Controls Manual Seats CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver's seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you don't want to. Adjust the driver's seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Lift the bar under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. 1-2 yellowblue Power Lift Seat-Forward/Rearward Controls (If Equipped) Power Lift Seat-Height Controls (If Equipped) Move the control lever under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then release the lever and try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the seat is locked into place. The power seat switch is located on the lower, left side of the driver's seat. Raise the seat by holding the switch up. Lower the seat by holding the switch down. 1-3 yellowblue 6-Way Power Seat Controls (If Equipped) Move the seat higher by lifting and holding the bottom of the switch. Lower the seat by pushing and holding the top of the switch. To move the seat forward, push the rear of the switch forward. To move the seat backward, push the front of the switch rearward. Raise the front of the seat by lifting and holding the bottom front end of the switch. Lower the front of the seat by pushing and holding the top front end of the switch. Raise the rear of the seat by lifting and holding the bottom rear of the switch. Lower the rear of the seat by pushing and holding the top rear of the switch. Manual Lumbar Support (If Equipped) The power seat switch is located on the lower, left side of the driver's seat. This switch allows you to move the seat up, down, forward, and backward. It also moves the front of the seat up or down and the rear of the seat up or down. Turn the knob on the right front of the driver's seat cushion clockwise or counterclockwise to adjust support of the lower back. 1-4 yellowblue Reclining Front Seatbacks To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outer side of the seat and move the seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to lock the seatback. Pull up on the lever and the seat will go to an upright position. But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. CAUTION: Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle CAUTION: (Continued) 1-5 yellowblue CAUTION: (Continued) up, your safety belts can't do their job when you're reclined like this. The shoulder belt can't do its job because it won't be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt can't do its job either. In a crash the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. Seatback Latches (2-Door Models) Head Restraints Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. CAUTION: If the seatback isn't locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked. 1-6 yellowblue The front seatback folds forward to let people get into the back seat. The seatback latch is designed for one-handed operation. To fold a front seatback forward, lift the seatback latch fully without pushing forward on the seatback. Push the seatback to its original position, the seatback will lock. 3. Push the seatback upright to lock and slide the seat fully rearward to lock. 4. Adjust the seat to the desired position. 5. The front passenger should try to move the seat to make sure the seat is locked into place. Rear Seats Folding the Rear Seat To fold down the rear seat, pull the release straps located in the trunk. The right strap operates the right rear split seat. The left strap operates the left rear split seat. Easy Entry Seat (2-Door Models) CAUTION: If an easy entry right front seat isn't locked, it can move. In a sudden stop or crash, the person sitting there could be injured. After you've used it, be sure to push rearward on an easy entry seat to be sure it is locked. The right front seat of your vehicle makes it easy to get in and out of the rear seat. 1. Fold the right front seatback forward by lifting the seatback latch fully. 2. The seat will slide forward to allow someone to get into the rear seat area. Fold the seatback down from the inside of the vehicle. Push the seatback up to return it to its original position. To make sure the seatback is secure, push the seatback into a fully upright position. Pull the seatback forward slightly to make sure that it is latched. The seatback should not fold down. 1-7 yellowblue Safety Belts: They're for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or air bag system. CAUTION: It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly. CAUTION: Don't let anyone ride where he or she can't wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you're not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers' belts are fastened properly too. Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. (See "Safety Belt Reminder Light" in the Index.) 1-8 yellowblue In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here's why: They work. You never know if you'll be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you don't know if it will be a bad one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up a person wouldn't survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot! Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat on wheels. 1-9 yellowblue Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn't stop. 1-10 yellowblue The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ... or the instrument panel ... 1-11 yellowblue Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers Q: Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I'm wearing a safety belt? A: You could be -- whether you're wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you're upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to wear safety belts? Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you're in a vehicle that has air bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That's true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions. Q: A: or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That's why safety belts make such good sense. 1-12 yellowblue Q: A: If I'm a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? You may be an excellent driver, but if you're in an accident -- even one that isn't your fault -- you and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn't protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone. How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Adults This part is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see the part of this manual called "Children." Follow those rules for everyone's protection. First, you'll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. We'll start with the driver position. 1-13 yellowblue Driver Position This part describes the driver's restraint system. Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here's how to wear it properly. 1. Close and lock the door. 2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see "Seats" in the Index) so you can sit up straight. 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don't let it get twisted. The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly. 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. 1-14