2004 Oldsmobile Alero Owner Manual M Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1 Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1 Front Seats ............................................... 1-2 Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..... 4-2 Rear Seats ............................................... 1-8 Towing ................................................... 4-31 Safety Belts .............................................. 1-9 Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1 Child Restraints ....................................... 1-32 Service ..................................................... 5-3 Supplemental Restraint Fuel ......................................................... 5-4 System (SRS) ...................................... 1-54 Checking Things Under the Hood ................. 5-9 Restraint System Check ............................ 1-60 Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-48 Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1 Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-50 Keys ........................................................ 2-2 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-53 Doors and Locks ....................................... 2-7 Tires ...................................................... 5-54 Windows ................................................. 2-14 Appearance Care ..................................... 5-81 Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-16 Vehicle Identification ................................. 5-89 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-16 Electrical System ...................................... 5-89 Mirrors .................................................... 2-33 Capacities and Specifications ..................... 5-95 Storage Areas ......................................... 2-34 Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1 Sunroof .................................................. 2-35 Maintenance Schedule ................................ 6-2 Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1 Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1 Instrument Panel Overview .......................... 3-2 Customer Assistance Information .................. 7-2 Climate Controls ...................................... 3-19 Reporting Safety Defects ........................... 7-11 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ......... 3-23 Index ................................................................ 1 Audio System(s) ....................................... 3-39 Canadian Owners You can obtain a French copy of this manual from your dealer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, OLDSMOBILE, the OLDSMOBILE Rocket Emblem and How to Use This Manual the name ALERO are registered trademarks of Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning General Motors Corporation. to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If This manual includes the latest information at the time it you do this, it will help you learn about the features and was printed. We reserve the right to make changes controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you will find after that time without further notice. For vehicles first that pictures and words work together to explain things. sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Oldsmobile Division whenever it Index appears in this manual. Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be A good place to look for what you need is the Index in there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the is in the manual, and the page number where you will new owner can use it. find it. Litho in U.S.A. ©Copyright General Motors Corporation 05/29/03 Part No. 22713779 A First Edition All Rights Reserved ii Safety Warnings and Symbols You will also find a circle with a slash through it in You will find a number of safety cautions in this book. this book. This safety We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you about symbol means “Don’t,” things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the “Don’t do this” or “Don’t let warning. this happen.” {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. iii Vehicle Damage Warnings Vehicle Symbols Also, in this book you will find these notices: Your vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle, Notice: These mean there is something that could are shown along with the text describing the operation damage your vehicle. or information relating to a specific component, control, A notice will tell you about something that can damage message, gage or indicator. your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be If you need help figuring out a specific name of a covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the component, gage or indicator, reference the following notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the topics: damage. • Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1 When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different • Features and Controls in Section 2 words. • Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3 You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use • Climate Controls in Section 3 the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. • Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3 • Audio System(s) in Section 3 • Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5 iv These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle: v ✍ NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Front Seats ......................................................1-2 Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-41 Manual Seats ................................................1-2 Top Strap ....................................................1-41 Six-Way Power Driver Seat ..............................1-3 Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-43 Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-3 Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for Head Restraints .............................................1-5 Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-43 Seatback Latches ...........................................1-5 Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the Easy Entry Seat .............................................1-6 LATCH System .........................................1-46 Power Lift Seat ..............................................1-7 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Rear Seats .......................................................1-8 Seat Position ............................................1-46 Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-8 Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Rear Safety Belts .....................................................1-9 Seat Position ............................................1-49 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone .................1-9 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-13 Seat Position ............................................1-51 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-14 Supplemental Restraint Driver Position ..............................................1-15 System (SRS) .............................................1-54 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-22 Where Are the Air Bags? ...............................1-56 Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-23 When Should an Air Bag Inflate? ....................1-57 Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-23 What Makes an Air Bag Inflate? .....................1-58 Center Rear Passenger Position .....................1-27 How Does an Air Bag Restrain? .....................1-58 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children What Will You See After an Air Bag Inflates? ...1-58 and Small Adults .......................................1-29 Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle .........1-60 Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-31 Restraint System Check ..................................1-60 Child Restraints .............................................1-32 Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................1-60 Older Children ..............................................1-32 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Infants and Young Children ............................1-34 Crash ......................................................1-61 Child Restraint Systems .................................1-38 1-1 Front Seats 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 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 located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat. This control allows you to move the seat