Oldsmobile Aurora (2001 year). Manual - part 9

2-69

Battery Warning Light

This light will come on
briefly when you start the
vehicle, as a check to show
you it is working; then it
should go out.

If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical charging system.
It could indicate that you have a generator problem or
another electrical system problem. Have it checked 
right away. Driving while this light is on could drain
your battery.

If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and climate control system.

On the DIC a CHECK CHARGE SYSTEM message
will be displayed and a warning chime will sound. 
See “DIC Warnings and Messages” in the Index 
for more information.

Brake System Warning Light

Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.

If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have your brake system inspected right away.

United States

Canada

This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.

If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See “Towing Your Vehicle” 
in the Index.

2-70

CAUTION:

Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully. If you try to drive off with the parking brake set, 
a chime will also come on until you release the parking
brake. If the light stays on after your parking brake is
fully released, it means you have a brake problem.

A PARK BRAKE SET message will be displayed on 
the Driver Information Center (DIC) while the park
brake is set and the vehicle is moving. The message 
will not come on if the transaxle is in PARK (P).

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light

With the anti

-

lock brake

system, the light(s) will
come on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
That’s normal.

If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if 
the light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving, your vehicle needs
service. If the regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti

-

lock

brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you don’t have anti

-

lock brakes and there’s a

problem with your regular brakes. See “Brake System
Warning Light” earlier in this section.

The anti

-

lock brake system warning light should come

on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.

2-71

Traction Control System Warning Light

This warning light should
come on briefly as you 
start the engine.

If the warning light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem. If it
stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there may be
a problem with your traction control system and your
vehicle may need service. When this warning light is on,
the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your 
driving accordingly.

The traction control system warning light may come 
on for the following reasons:
D If you turn the system off by pressing the TC button

located on the center console, the warning light will
come on and stay on. To turn the system back on,
press the button again. The warning light should go
off. See “Traction Control System” in the Index 
for more information.

D If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically

related to traction control, the traction control 
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on. If your brakes begin to overheat, the traction
control system will turn off and the warning light
will come on until your brakes cool down.

D If the traction control system is affected by an

engine

-

related problem, the system will turn off 

and the warning light will come on.

If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.

Traction Control System Active Light

When your traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin, this light will come on.

Slippery road conditions may exist if the traction 
control system active light comes on, so adjust your
driving accordingly.

The light will stay on for a few seconds after the traction
control system stops limiting wheel spin.

2-72

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage

This gage shows the 
engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves
into the red warning zone,
your engine is hot.

To prevent engine overheating, the air conditioning
compressor will turn off automatically, a fast

-

pulsed

chime will sound, and the message ENGINE HOT...A/C
OFF will appear in the Driver Information Center (DIC).
As the engine cools down, the air conditioning
compressor will automatically turn back on.

If the coolant temperature is over 262

_F (128_C), 

the message HOT...IDLE ENGINE will appear. It means
you should reduce the engine load and speed to prevent
the engine from overheating.

If the coolant temperature is over 268

_F (131_C), 

the message HOT...STOP ENGINE will appear. 
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. 
You should pull off the road, stop your vehicle and 
turn off the engine as soon as possible.

Your vehicle is equipped with an Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index for more information.

If your coolant level is low, the message LOW ENGINE
COOLANT will appear on the Driver Information
Center. Check your coolant level as soon as possible.
See “Engine Coolant” in the Index.

2-73

Malfunction Indicator Lamp 
(Check Engine Light)

Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.

This system is called OBD II (On

-

Board

Diagnostics

-

Second Generation) and is intended to

assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for 
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The CHECK ENGINE light comes on to
indicate that there is a problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.

NOTICE:

If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.

NOTICE:

Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust or fuel system of your vehicle or the
replacement of the original tires with other than
those of the same Tire Performance Criteria (TPC)
can affect your vehicle’s emission controls and may
cause the CHECK ENGINE light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.

2-74

This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
D Light Flashing 

--

 A misfire condition has been

detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

D Light On Steady 

--

 An emission control system

malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.

If the Light Is Flashing

The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
D Reducing vehicle speed.
D Avoiding hard accelerations.
D Avoiding steep uphill grades.
D If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of

cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.

If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, 
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.

If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.

If the Light Is On Steady

You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:

Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?

If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See “Filling Your Tank” in the Index. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. 
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.

Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?

If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.

2-75

Are you low on fuel?

As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts 
of air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. 
The system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct
this condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly.
See “Filling Your Tank” in the Index. It will take a 
few driving trips to turn the light off.

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?

If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. 
See “Fuel” in the Index. Poor fuel quality will 
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed. 
You may notice this as stalling after start

-

up, stalling

when you put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation
on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.

If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least 
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.

If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.

Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs

Some state/provincial and local governments have 
or may begin programs to inspect the emission 
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass 
this inspection could prevent you from getting a 
vehicle registration.

Here are some things you need to know in order to 
help your vehicle pass an inspection:

Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the CHECK
ENGINE light is on or not working properly.

Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on

-

board diagnostic) system determines that critical

emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen 
if you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is designed
to evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This may take several days of routine
driving. If you have done this and your vehicle still 
does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD system
readiness, see your dealer or qualified service center 
to prepare the vehicle for inspection.

2-76

Oil Pressure 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.

A warning chime and the DIC message LOW OIL
PRESSURE may also come on.

These indicate that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it cool. The engine could be low
on oil, or could have some other oil problem. Have it
fixed right away.

The oil light could also come on briefly when the
ignition is on but the engine is not running. The light
will come on as a test to show you it is working, but 
the light will go out about five seconds after you turn 
the ignition to START. 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

Cruise Light

The CRUISE light comes
on whenever you set your
cruise control. See “Cruise
Control” in the Index.

This light will come on for a few seconds when you turn
the ignition key to RUN to let you know it is working.

Fuel Gage

United States

Canada

When the ignition is on, your fuel gage tells you about
how much fuel you have left.

When you have less than 3.0 gallons (11.3 L) of 
fuel remaining, the DIC message LOW FUEL will 
be displayed and a chime will sound. You need to get 
more fuel right away.

Here are four things that some owners ask about. 
None of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
D At the service station, the gas pump shuts off 

before the gage reads full.

D It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the

gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took 
a little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to
fill the tank.

D The gage moves a little when you turn a corner 

or speed up.

D The tank is not necessarily empty when the gage

reads empty. There is a reserve of about 1.5 gallons
(5.6 L) in the tank. You should still get more fuel 
as soon as possible.

2-78

Driver Information Center (DIC)

The Driver Information Center (DIC) displays
information in either English or metric. When the
system is on or off, push the ON/OFF button down 
for three seconds to change the display between English
and metric. This will also change the digital screen for
the climate control system between English and metric.

The DIC has different display modes which can be
accessed by pressing the four buttons on the DIC. 
These buttons are labeled ON/OFF, SELECT right
arrow, SELECT down arrow and RESET. The button
functions are detailed in the following.

Turn on the system by pressing the ON/OFF button
once. When you turn on the ignition, the DIC will be in
the mode last displayed when the engine was turned off.
Keep in mind that this also applies to the OFF mode.

To turn off messages on the DIC (except LOW OIL
PRESSURE, LOW BRAKE FLUID, PARK BRAKE
SET, STARTING DISABLED and the HOT...STOP
ENGINE warning), press the RESET button.

Pressing the SELECT right arrow button will allow 
you to access the following modes, DATE/ET, FUEL,
ECON, OIL and GAGE. While in any of these modes,
warning messages can interrupt and take over the
display until you acknowledge the message, or the
condition causing the problem goes away.

2-79

Date/Elapsed Time

Pressing the SELECT down arrow while in DATE/ET
mode will allow you to choose between the elapsed time
and date menus.

Date

To set the date, press and hold the RESET button for
two seconds while the date is being displayed on the
DIC. When the date set mode is entered the display 
will show the following:

YEAR?_____ MM/DD/00

The year will be flashing. To increase the item that is
flashing press SELECT right arrow. To decrease the
item that is flashing press SELECT down arrow.

When you reach the current year press the RESET
button. The DIC will ask for the month. The month 
will flash the same as the year. Use the SELECT 
buttons to reach the current month and press RESET.
The DIC will then ask for the day. The day will flash the
same as the year. Use the SELECT buttons to reach the
current day. Press the RESET button again and the set
display will stop flashing and go back to the normal
operation mode.

Elapsed Time (ET)

When the ignition is on, the DIC can be used as a
stopwatch. The display will show hours and minutes.
The elapsed time indicator will record up to 100 hours,
then it will reset to zero and continue counting. Press
SELECT down arrow while in the DATE/ET mode, 
and the display will show the amount of time that has
elapsed since the elapsed time indicator was last reset
(not including time the ignition is off), such as:

01:08 ELAPSED TIME

To start or stop the counting of time, press the RESET
button briefly. If the colon (:) in the time is flashing,
time is being counted. Time is displayed in hours and
minutes. Seconds are not displayed. Time will continue
to be counted as long as the ignition is on, even if
another display is being shown on the DIC.

To reset elapsed time to zero, press RESET button 
for three seconds while the elapsed time is displayed.

2-80

Fuel

Press SELECT down arrow while in the FUEL mode 
to see how much fuel has been used and the fuel 
range functions.

Fuel Used

While in the FUEL USED function the display will
show a reading such as:

FUEL USED: 10.4 GAL or FUEL USED: 39.4 L

To learn how much fuel will be used from a specific
starting point, first enter the FUEL USED mode to
display FUEL USED, then press and hold the 
RESET button for three seconds.

Don’t confuse fuel used with the amount of fuel in 
your tank.

Fuel Range

The FUEL RANGE mode calculates the remaining
distance you can drive without refueling. It’s based 
on fuel economy and the fuel remaining in the tank. 
The display will show a reading such as:

FUEL RANGE: 235 MI or FUEL RANGE: 378 KM

If the range is less than 50 miles (80 km), the display
will read LOW FUEL RANGE.

The fuel economy data used to determine fuel range is
an average of recent driving conditions. As your driving
conditions change, this data is gradually updated. 
Fuel range cannot be reset.

Fuel Economy

Pressing the SELECT down arrow while in the ECON
mode displays average fuel economy and instantaneous fuel
economy calculated for your specific driving conditions.

Average fuel economy will be shown in a reading such as:

25.2 AVG MI/GAL or 9.3 AVG L/100 KM

Instantaneous fuel economy will be shown in a reading
such as:

28 INST MI/GAL or 8.4 INST L/100 KM

The average fuel economy is viewed as a long

-

term

approximation of your overall driving conditions.

If you press and hold RESET for three seconds in 
this mode while you’re driving, the system will begin
figuring average fuel economy from that point in time.
Instantaneous fuel economy cannot be reset.

2-81

Oil Life

The GM Oil Life System

t is the only function

accessible in the OIL mode. Engine oil life is displayed
in a reading such as:

OIL LIFE 30%

This is an estimate of the oil’s remaining useful life. 
It will show 100% when the system is reset after an 
oil change. It will alert you to change your oil on a
schedule consistent with your driving conditions.

When the remaining oil life is low, the system will 
alert you with this message:

CHANGE OIL SOON

When the oil life is down to zero, you will receive 
this message:

CHANGE OIL NOW

Always reset the OIL LIFE reminder after an oil change.
To reset the Oil Life System, see “Oil Life System” in
the Index. Also, see “Engine Oil, When to Change” in
the Index.

Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE yourself 
after each oil change. It will not reset itself. Also, be
careful not to reset the OIL LIFE accidentally at any
time other than when the oil has just been changed. 
It can’t be reset accurately until the next oil change.

The DIC does not replace the need to maintain your
vehicle as recommended in the Maintenance Schedule 
in this manual. Also, the oil change reminder will not
detect dusty conditions or engine malfunctions that may
affect the oil. If you drive in dusty areas, change your 
oil after every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or three months,
whichever occurs first, unless the DIC instructs you to
do so sooner. Also, the oil change reminder does not
measure how much oil you have in your engine. So, 
be sure to check your oil level often. See “Engine Oil”
in the Index.

2-82

Gage

Pressing the SELECT down arrow while in GAGE
mode will allow you to access the battery volts, oil
pressure and tire pressure displays. Pressing and holding
the RESET button for three seconds while in average
speed and tire pressure displays will reset them. Pressing
the SELECT down arrow in GAGE mode will show 
the following displays:
D Battery voltage, such as:

VOLTS: 13.8

D Oil pressure, such as:

OIL PRESSURE 40 PSI or OIL 
PRESSURE 276 KPA

D Average speed, such as:

AVG SPEED 55 MPH or AVG SPEED 
90 KM/H

D Tire pressure status, such as:

TIRE PRESSURE NORMAL or LOW 
TIRE PRESSURE

TIRE PRESSURE NORMAL appears when the
Check Tire Pressure System believes your vehicle’s
tire pressures are normal. If a potential tire pressure
problem is detected, the display will show LOW
TIRE PRESSURE. If you see this message, you
should stop as you can and check all four tires for
damage. If a tire is flat, see “If a Tire Goes Flat ” 
in the Index. Also check the tire pressure in all four
tires as soon as you can. See “Tire Pressure” in 
the Index.

There are times when you will have to reset
(calibrate) the Check Tire Pressure System. 
See “Check Tire Pressure System” in the Index 
for more information.

2-83

DIC Personalization

The DIC can be used to program the following personal
choice features available with your vehicle:
D Automatic Door Locks
D Window Lockout
D Security Feedback
D Delayed Locking
D Perimeter Lighting
D Driver ID
D Memory Seats
D Parallel Park Assist Mirror (Tilt Mirror)
To access the personalization menu, the vehicle must be
in PARK (P) with the ignition in RUN and no warning
messages displayed on the DIC. You must then press
and hold both of the SELECT buttons for three seconds.
This will display the personalization menu.

The DIC display will show the following:

FEATURE PROGRAMMING

PRESS SELECT DOWN TO

SELECT MENU OPTIONS

PRESS SELECT RIGHT TO

CHANGE SETTINGS

The next item to be displayed is DRIVER 1 or 
DRIVER 2. To change the driver number, press the
SELECT right arrow. The driver number that you 
select should correspond with the number on the back 
of your remote lock control transmitter. Once the correct
driver number has been selected, press the SELECT
down arrow to enter your choice and move on to the
next selection.

2-84

The DIC is used to program the personal choices of 
two drivers. The drivers are recognized as DRIVER 1
and DRIVER 2. You will let the DIC and the vehicle
know which driver you are by using your remote lock
control transmitter or by pressing the appropriate
memory seat control button located on the driver’s door
or choosing the driver with the DIC. Each remote lock
control transmitter was pre

-

programmed to belong to

DRIVER 1 or DRIVER 2. The personalization features
may be programmed differently for each driver.

When you press the unlock symbol on the transmitter, 
the DIC will automatically change driver numbers and the   
vehicle will recall the personal choice settings that were 
last made to correspond to your transmitter, including
your radio and comfort control settings. See “Comfort
Controls, Personalization” in the Index.

If you unlock the vehicle using your door key instead 
of your transmitter, the personal choice settings will
correspond to the previous driver of the vehicle as
identified by a transmitter, a memory seat control or
through the DIC. If this happens and you were not 
the last driver of the vehicle, press your correct driver
number on the memory seat controls, press the 
unlock symbol on your transmitter or select the
personalization programming mode and choose the
correct driver number.

After you have the correct driver number on the display
use the SELECT down arrow button to scroll through
the following messages and feature options:
D DOORS LOCK IN GEAR 

-

 YES/NO

D DOORS UNLOCK 

-

 YES/NO

D ALL DOORS IN PARK 

-

 YES/NO

D ALL DOORS AT KEY OFF 

-

 YES/NO

D DRIVERS DOOR IN PARK 

-

 YES/NO

D DRIVERS DOOR KEY OFF 

-

 YES/NO

D PASS WINDOW LOCKOUT 

-

 YES/NO

D KEY FOB FLASH LIGHTS 

-

 YES/NO

D KEY FOB CHIRP HORN 

-

 YES/NO

D DELAY LOCK OF DOORS 

-

 YES/NO

D PERIMETER LIGHTS 

-

 YES/NO

D EXT LIGHT TIMEOUT 

-

 25

D DISPLAY DRIVER ID 

-

 YES/NO

D KEY FOB MEMORY SEAT 

-

 YES/NO

D DRIVING POSITION 

-

 YES

D EXIT POSITION 

-

 YES

D TILT MIRROR REVERSE 

-

 YES/NO