Chevrolet Alero 2004 User Manual

2004 Oldsmobile Alero Owner Manual M

Seats and Restraint Systems

Front Seats Rear Seats Safety Belts Child Restraints Supplemental Restraint

System (SRS)

Restraint System Check

Features and Controls

Keys Doors and Locks Windows Theft-Deterrent Systems Starting and Operating Your Vehicle Mirrors Storage Areas Sunroof

Instrument Panel

Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators Audio System(s)

............................................... 1-2

............................................... 1-8

.............................................. 1-9

....................................... 1-32

...................................... 1-54

........................................................ 2-2

....................................... 2-7

................................................. 2-14

.................................................... 2-33

......................................... 2-34

.................................................. 2-35

............................................. 3-1

...................................... 3-19

....................................... 3-39

........................... 1-1

............................ 1-60

..................................... 2-1

............................ 2-16

.......................... 3-2

........... 2-16

......... 3-23

Driving Your Vehicle

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Towing

Service and Appearance Care

Service Fuel Checking Things Under the Hood Headlamp Aiming Bulb Replacement Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Tires Appearance Care Vehicle Identiﬁcation Electrical System Capacities and Speciﬁcations

Maintenance Schedule

Customer Assistance Information

Customer Assistance Information Reporting Safety Defects

Index

................................................... 4-31

..................................................... 5-3

......................................................... 5-4

...................................................... 5-54

................................................................ 1

....................................... 4-1

.......................... 5-1

................. 5-9

..................................... 5-48

.................................... 5-50

..................................... 5-81

................................. 5-89

...................................... 5-89

..................... 5-95

..................................... 6-1

................................ 6-2

.................... 7-1

.................. 7-2

........................... 7-11

..... 4-2

......... 5-53

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 the name ALERO are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes 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.

Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 22713779 A First Edition

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 will 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 is an alphabetical list of what is in the manual, and the page number where you will 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.

{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.”

iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings

Vehicle Symbols

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 youread other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in differentcolors or in different words.

You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

Your vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to 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:

• Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1

• Features and Controls in Section 2

• Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3

• Climate Controls in Section 3

• Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3

• Audio System(s) in Section 3

• Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5

These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may ﬁnd on your vehicle:

✍ NOTES

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems

Front Seats ......................................................1-2

Manual Seats ................................................1-2

Six-Way Power Driver Seat ..............................1-3

Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-3

Head Restraints .............................................1-5

Seatback Latches ...........................................1-5

Easy Entry Seat .............................................1-6

Power Lift Seat ..............................................1-7

Rear Seats .......................................................1-8

Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-8

Safety Belts .....................................................1-9

Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone .................1-9

Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-13

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-14

Driver Position ..............................................1-15

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-22

Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-23

Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-23

Center Rear Passenger Position .....................1-27

Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children

and Small Adults .......................................1-29

Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-31

Child Restraints .............................................1-32

Older Children ..............................................1-32

Infants and Young Children ............................1-34

Child Restraint Systems .................................1-38

Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-41

Top Strap ....................................................1-41

Top Strap Anchor Location .............................1-43

Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for

Children (LATCH System) ...........................1-43

Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the

LATCH System .........................................1-46

Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside

Seat Position ............................................1-46

Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Rear

Seat Position ............................................1-49

Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front

Seat Position ............................................1-51

Supplemental Restraint

System (SRS) .............................................1-54

Where Are the Air Bags? ...............................1-56

When Should an Air Bag Inﬂate? ....................1-57

What Makes an Air Bag Inﬂate? .....................1-58

How Does an Air Bag Restrain? .....................1-58

What Will You See After an Air Bag Inﬂates? ...1-58

Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle .........1-60

Restraint System Check ..................................1-60

Checking Your Restraint Systems ...................1-60

Replacing Restraint System Parts After a

Crash ......................................................1-61

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

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 up, down, forward, or backward. It will also move the front or rear of the seat cushion up or down.

• Move the seat forward or rearward by pushing the

control toward the front or rear of the vehicle.

• Raise or lower the entire seat cushion by holding

the control up or down.

• Raise or lower the front of the seat cushion by

holding the front of the control up or down.

• Raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion by

holding the rear of the control up or down.

Reclining Seatbacks

To adjust the seatback, lift the lever located on the outboard 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 without pushing on the seatback and the seatback will go to an upright position.

1-3

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 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.

1-4

Head Restraints

Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.

Seatback Latches

For two-door model vehicles, the front seatbacks fold 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 to unlock it. Then the seatback will fold forward.

Push the seatback to its original position, and the seatback will lock.

{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.

1-5

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 after lifting the seatback latch fully.

2. Slide the seat forward to allow someone to get into the rear seat area.

3. Push the 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 sure the seat is locked into place.

{CAUTION:

If the 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.

1-6

Power Lift Seat

If your vehicle has this feature, to move the power lift 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 release the lever. Try to move the seat with your body to make sure the seat is locked into place.

To raise or lower thepower liftseat, hold the switch located on the outboard sideof thedriver’s seat up or down.

1-7

Rear Seats

Rear Seat Operation

Folding the Seatback

If your vehicle has this feature, do the following:

1. Pull the release straps located in the trunk. The right strap operates the passenger’s side rear split seat. The left strap operates the driver’s side rear split seat.

2. Fold the seatback down from the inside of the vehicle.

{CAUTION:

If the seatback isn’tlocked, itcould move forward in a sudden stop or crash.That could cause injury to the person sitting there.Always press rearward on the seatback to besure it is locked.

{CAUTION:

A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted won’t provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted.

To raise the seatback, push the seatback up to return it to its original position.

Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is latched securely in the fully upright position.

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.

{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.

{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.

Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See

Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-26.

1-9

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 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.

1-10

Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider

doesn’t stop.

1-11

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...

1-12

or the instrument panel...

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 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.

Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to

wear safety belts?

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.

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 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.

1-13

Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from

home, why should I wear safety belts?

A: 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

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 Older Children on page 1-32 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-34. 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.

1-14

Driver Position

This part describes the driver’s restraint system.

Lap-Shoulder Belt

The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to wear it properly.

1. Close and lock the door.

2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.

3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not 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. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.

If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-31.

Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

1-15

5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.

1-16

The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.

The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.

Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster

(Four–Door Models)

Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt adjuster to the height that is right for you.

To move it down, squeeze the release button and move the height adjuster to the desired position. You can move the adjuster up just by pushing on the shoulder belt guide. After you move the adjuster to where you want it, try to move it down without squeezing the release button to make sure it has locked into position.

Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away from your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder.

1-17

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give

nearly as much protection this way.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt against your body.

1-18

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you.

1-19

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should

be worn over the shoulder at all times.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which aren’t as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen.

1-20

Q: What’s wrong with this?

A: The belt is twisted across the body.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you wouldn’t have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer to ﬁx it.

1-21

To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way.

Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle.

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they don’t wear safety belts.

A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy.

1-22

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly.

Right Front Passenger Position

To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety belt properly, see Driver Position on page 1-15.

The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt – except for one thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start again.

Rear Seat Passengers

It is very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.

Rear passengers who are not safety belted can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.

Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions

1-23

Lap-Shoulder Belt

The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder belts. Here is how to wear one properly.

1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not 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.

2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.

If the belt stops beforeit reachesthe buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pullinguntil youcan buckle it.

Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt

Extender on page 1-31. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

1-24

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