Oldsmobile 2003 Alero User manual

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The 2003 Oldsmobile Alero Owner Manual a
Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
FrontSeats
............................................... 1-2
RearSeats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-9
Child Restraints
....................................... 1-32
SupplementalRestraint
System(SRS)
...................................... 1-53
RestraintSystemCheck
............................ 1-60
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
DoorsandLocks
....................................... 2-7
Windows
................................................. 2-14
Theft-DeterrentSystems ............................ 2-16
StartingandOperatingYour Vehicle
........... 2-17
Mirrors
.................................................... 2-32
Siorage Areas
......................................... 2-34
Sunroof .................................................. 2-35
InstrumentPanelOverview
.......................... 3-4
ClimateControls
...................................... 3-19
.w .arningLights,Gages and indicators ......... 3-23
Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-38
FeaturesandControls
..................................... 2-1
InstrumentPanel
............................................. 3-1
DrivingYourVehicle
....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
................................................... 4-31
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel ......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under
the
Hood ............................................... 5-9
Headlamp Aiming
..................................... 5-47
Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
......... 5-52
Tires
...................................................... 5-53
Appearance Care
..................................... 5-72
Vehicle Identification
................................. 5-80
Electrical System
...................................... 5-81
Zapai;iiit=s at-tii ~J~LIIIL~LIUI I> 5-w~
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ...... 5-88
Maintenance Schedule ........................... ... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information
.................... 7-1
Customer
Assistance iniorrnation .................. 7-2
Index ................................................................. 1
Service and Appearance Care
.......................... 5-1
n.- - -:I: - -1: - .- -
.....................

7-n
‘JM
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
OLDSMOBILE, the OLDSMOBILE Rocket Emblem and
the name ALERO are registered trademarks of
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includesthe latest information at the time it
was printed. We reservethe right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitutethe 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.
Canadian Owners
You can obtain a Frenchcopy of this manual from your
dealer or from:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O.
Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207
How to Use This Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receivetheir 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.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabeticallist of what’s
in the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.
Litho
in U.S.A. @CopyrightGeneral MotorsCorporation06/03/02
Part No. 22691532
A First Edition AllRights Reserved
ii

Safety Warningsand 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 ignorethe
warning.
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.”
...
Ill

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will 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 differentwords.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle may be equipped with components and
labels that use symbols instead
of text. Symbols, used
on your vehicle, are shown along with the text
describingthe operation or informationrelatingto a
specific component, control, message, gage or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator reference the following
topics in the Index:
“Engine CompartmentOverview’’
“Instrument Panel Overview”
0 “Climate Controls”
“Audio Systems”
Also see
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators on
page 3-23.

These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
ACID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVO1D
1 SPARKS OR
1 FLAMES
1 BATTERY
LATCH BOTH LAP AND
SHOULDER BELTSTO
PROTECTOCCUPANT
48: @
DO NOTTWISTSAFETY
BELT WHEN ATTACHING
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
MOVE SEAT
FULLY
\!$
REARWARD+ /z
SECURE
CHILD SEAT
PULL BELT
COMPLETELY
THEN SECURE
CHILD SEAT
I
1
DO NOT INSTALL
A REAR-FACING
CHILD RESTRAINT
INTHIS SEATING
POSITION
DO NOT INSTALL A
'ORWARD-FACING
CHILD RESTRAINT
INTHIS SEATING
POSITION
--,.-. ,.,.,, a
uvun Luun
UNLOCK
JGHTING
-
MASTERSWITCH B- / , \
SIGNALS @+
TURN
PARKING
pf
LAMPS
DAYTIME
**a
RUNNING y.:
LAMPS 0
ENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
CHARGING
I-]
BATTERY
SYSTEM
COOLANT
d
ENGINEOIL
PRESSURE
Wb
ENGINE
COOLANT
FAN
OWNERS
MANUAL
SERVICE
SFRVICF
MANUAL
V

Section 1
Seats and Restraint Systems
FrontSeats .......................... ...... 1-2
ManualSeats
............................... ...... 1-2
Six-WayPowerDriverSeat
............. , ......... 1-3
Reclining Seatbacks
........................................ 1-3
Head Restraints
............................................. 1-5
Seatback Latches ........................................... 1-5
Easy Entry Seat
............................................. 1-6
Power Lift Seat
.............................................. 1-6
Rear Seats
...................................................... .l -8
RearSeatOperation ....... ........................ -1-8
Safety Belts
..................................................... 1-9
SafetyBelts:They Are forEveryone
................. 1-9
Questions andAnswersAbout Safety Belts
...... 1-13
How to WearSafety Belts Properly
................. 1-14
Driver Position
.............................................. 1-1 5
SafetyBeltUse During Pregnancy .................. 1-22
Right Front Passenger Position
....................... 1-23
RearSeatPassengers
.................................. 1-23
Lenter Hearpassenger Posltion
i -z
RearSafetyBeltComfortGuides for Children
_I
.....................
and Small Adults ....................................... 1-29
SafetyBelt Extender
..................................... 1-31
ChildRestraints
............................................. 1-32
OIder Children .............................................. 1-32
Infants andYoung Children
............................ 1-34
Child Restraint Systems
................................. 1-38
Where to Put the Restraint
........ ...... 1-41
Top Strap
................................................ -1 -41
Top Strap Anchor Location
............................. 1-42
Children (LATCH System)
........................... 1-43
LowerAnchorages and Top Tethers for
Securing a Child Restraint Designed forthe
Securing
a Child Restraint in aRear Outside
Securing a Child Restraint in aCenterRear
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
LATCHSystem
......................................... 1-45
Seat Position
............................................ 1-45
Seat Position
............................................ 1-48
Seat Position
......................................... 1-50
Supplemental Restraint
System (SRS)
............................................. 1-53
Where Are the Air Bags?
............................... 1-55
WhenShouldanAir Bag Inflate? .................... 1-56
WhatMakesanAir Bag Inflate?
..................... 1-57
What Will YouSee After anAir Bag Inflates?
... 1-57
Servicing YourAirBag-Equipped Vehicle
......... 1-59
I I - ...
n---
--
n.,
ne- n-e4v-:-q
I IUVV
uut;a
a1 I r\ll
uay
1ca11all I : ..................... 157
Restraint System Check .................................. 1-60
CheckingYour Restraint Systems ................... 1-60
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a
Crash ...................................................... 1 -60
1-1

Front Seats
Manual Seats
1 "J 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 confuseyou,
or make you push a pedal
when you don't want to. Adjust the driver's
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
I
Lift the bar located 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

Six-Way Power Driver Seat
Reclining Seatbacks
If your vehicle has this
feature, the power seat
control is locatedon
the outboard side of the
driver's seat.
This control allows you to move the seat
up, down,
forward, or backward. It will also move the front or rear
of the seat cushion up or down.
Movetheseat forward or rearward by pushing the
control toward thefront or rear of the vehicle.
Raiseor lowerthe entire seat cushion by holding
II- - - -.-1..-I . "- ^- A -...-
11 le LUI ILIUI up VI UUVVI I.
Raise or lower the front of the seat cushion by
holding the front
of the control up or down.
To adjust the seatback, lift the lever located onthe
outboard side of the seat and movethe seatback
to where you want it. Release the lever to lock the
seatback. Pull up on the lever without pushing onthe
snrthzck IPC! !he seafhack will 20 to an upright position.
0 Raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion by
holding the rear of the control up or down.
1-3

But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
Sitting in a reclined positionwhen your vehic
is inmotion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts can’t do theirjob
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. Ina crashyou could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do it’s jobeither. In a crash
the belt could goup over yourabdomen. The
belt forces would be there,not at your pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries.
For proper protectionwhen the vehicleis in
motion, havethe seatback upright. Then sit
well back inthe seat and wear your safety belt
properly.
1 -4

HeadRestraints Seatback Latches
For two-door model vehicles, the front seatbacks fold
forward to let people get into the back seat. The
seatback latch isdesigned for one-handed operation.
To fold a front seatback forward, lift the seatback
latchfully without pushing forward on the seatback to
unlock it. Then the seatback will fold forward.
1 Push the seatback to its original position, and the
seatback will lock.
If the seatback isn't locked, it could move
forward
in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the personsitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to
be sure it is
locked.
1 -5

Easy Entry Seat
For two-door model vehicles, the right front seat of your
vehicle makes it easy for people to get in and out of
the rear seat.
1. Fold the right front seatback forward by lifting the
2. The seat will slide forward to allow someone to get
seatback latch fully.
into the rear seat area.
3. Pushthe seatback upright to lock it and slide the
seat fully rearward to lock it.
4. Adjust the seat to the desired position.
5. The front passenger should try to move the seat to
make
sllrc’! the seat is Inckeri intn place.
If the easy try right frc
can move. In a sudden stop or crash, the
person sitting there could be injured. After
you’ve usedit, be sureto push rearward onan
easy entry seat
to be sure it is locked.
Power Lift Seat
If your vehicle has this feature, to move the powerlift
seat forward or rearward, pull
up on the lever located
under the front of the driver’s seat to unlock
it. Slide the
seat to where you want it and releasethe lever. Try
to move the seat with your body to make sure the seat
is locked into place.
1 -6

Rear Seats
Rear Seat Operation
Folding the Seatback
If your vehicle has this feature, do the following:
1. Pull the release straps
located inthe trunk. The
right strap operates
the passenger’s side rear
split seat. The left
strap operates the
driver’s side rear
split seat.
To raise the seatback, push the seatback up to returnit
to its original position.
Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is latched
securely
in the fully upright position.
2. Fold the seatback down from the inside of the
vehicle.
1-8

Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are 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.
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 notbe, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
fastened properly too.
2!?d check fhll p.!1 p2ssenCJerr’ he!fs arc?
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 anyarea 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.
1-9

Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminderto buckle up. See
Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page
3-26.
In most states and in all 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 invehicles, 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.
1-10

L a,
52
L
a,
ir

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel ...
1-12

or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
y01-1 cpt mnre time tn stop Yo11 stop over more distance:
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
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 upsidedown. Andyour chance
of being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: 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
system ever offeredfor sale has required theuse 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,
saieiy beiis - rlui ir-lsieaii UI LII~ITI. CVCI y all uay
C&I-- r -:..I---
but especia!!y in side and other co!lMQnsl
1-13