Oldsmobile Aurora (2001 year). Manual - part 13

4-14

D Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass

while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one thing,
following too closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you’re following a larger vehicle. 
Also, you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle
ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.

D When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,

start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and 
don’t get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.

D If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait

your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.

D Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and

start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)

D Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time 

on two

-

lane roads. Reconsider before passing the

next vehicle.

D Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.

Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, 
it may be slowing down or starting to turn.

D If you’re being passed, make it easy for the

following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps 
you can ease a little to the right.

4-15

Loss of Control

Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens
when the three control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver has asked.

In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger.

Skidding

In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive  
drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited
to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving” those
conditions. But skids are always possible.

The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip 
and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid,
too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.

A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot 
off the accelerator pedal.

Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid
only the acceleration skid.

If your traction control system is off, then an acceleration
skid is also best handled by easing your foot off the
accelerator pedal.

If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want 
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.

If you have Stabilitrak

R

, you may see the STABILITY

ACTIVE message on the Driver Information Center. 
See “Stability Active Message” in the Index.

Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.

While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to 
slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues 

--

 such as enough water, ice or packed snow on

the road to make a “mirrored surface” 

--

 and slow 

down when you have any doubt.

Remember: Any anti

-

lock brake system (ABS) helps

avoid only the braking skid.

4-16

Driving at Night

Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired 

--

 by

alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.

Here are some tips on night driving.
D Drive defensively.
D Don’t drink and drive.
D Since you can’t see as well, you may need to 

slow down and keep more space between you 
and other vehicles.

D Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your

headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.

D In remote areas, watch for animals.
D If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place 

and rest.

No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50

-

year

-

old

driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20

-

year

-

old.

What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes 
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.

4-17

You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t
lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed
headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring directly
into the approaching headlamps.

Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean 

--

 inside and out. Glare at night is made much

worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.

Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness 

--

 the inability to see in dim light 

--

 and 

aren’t even aware of it.

Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads

Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire

-

to

-

road traction isn’t as good as on dry roads.

And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get
even less traction. It’s always wise to go slower and be
cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The
surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.

4-18

The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can  make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement  markings, the edge of the road and even
people walking.

It’s wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment in
good shape and keep your windshield washer tank 
filled with washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper
inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing
areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start 
to separate from the inserts.

Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.

CAUTION:

Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work
as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to
one side. You could lose control of the vehicle.

After driving through a large puddle of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.

Hydroplaning

Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or no contact with the road.

4-19

Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on
the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.

Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. 
There just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.

Driving Through Deep Standing Water

NOTICE:

If you drive too quickly through deep puddles 
or standing water, water can come in through
your engine’s air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you
can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.

Driving Through Flowing Water

CAUTION:

Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces. 
If you try to drive through flowing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can 
be carried away. As little as six inches of flowing
water can carry away a smaller vehicle. If this
happens, you and other vehicle occupants could
drown. Don’t ignore police warning signs, and
otherwise be very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.

Some Other Rainy Weather Tips

D Besides slowing down, allow some extra following

distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.

D Have good tires with proper tread depth. See “Tires”

in the Index.

4-20

City Driving

One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out 
for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.

Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
D Know the best way to get to where you are 

going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross

-

country trip.

D Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross 

most large cities. You’ll save time and energy. 
See the next part, “Freeway Driving.”

D Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light

is there because the corner is busy enough to need it.
When a light turns green, and just before you start 
to move, check both ways for vehicles that have 
not cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.

4-21

Freeway Driving

Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.

The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too

-

fast or

too

-

slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the

left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.

At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to 
the freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as
you drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin 
to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close 
to the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal,
check your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as
often as necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the
traffic flow.

Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to 
the posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower.
Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass.

Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.

Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over 
your shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle 
in your “blind” spot.

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.

When you want to leave the freeway, move to the 
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, 
do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up.
Drive on to the next exit.

4-22

The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.

The exit speed is usually posted.

Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.

Before Leaving on a Long Trip

Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh 

--

 such as after a 

day’s work 

--

 don’t plan to make too many miles that

first part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and
shoes you can easily drive in.

Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Oldsmobile dealerships all across North America.
They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need it.

Here are some things you can check before a trip:
D Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? 

Are all windows clean inside and outside?

D Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
D Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked

all levels?

D Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
D Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,

trouble

-

free trip. Is the tread good enough for

long

-

distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to 

the recommended pressure?

D Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook

along your route? Should you delay your trip a 
short time to avoid a major storm system?

D Maps: Do you have up

-

to

-

date maps?

4-23

Highway Hypnosis

Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.

There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let 
it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a second, and you could crash and 
be injured.

What can you do about highway hypnosis? 
First, be aware that it can happen.

Then here are some tips:
D Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a

comfortably cool interior.

D Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and 

to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.

D If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service

or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, 
or both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway
as an emergency.

Hill and Mountain Roads

Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.

4-24

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can 
make your trips safer and more enjoyable.
D Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid

levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system 
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.

D Know how to go down hills. The most important

thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.

CAUTION:

If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get 
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine assist
your brakes on a steep downhill slope.

CAUTION:

Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to 
do all the work of slowing down. They could get 
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running 
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.

D Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest 

gear possible.

D Stay in your own lane when driving on two

-

lane

roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.

D As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be

something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.

D You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of  

special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no

-

passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding roads.

Be alert to these and take appropriate action.

4-25

Winter Driving

Here are some tips for winter driving:
D Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
D You may want to put winter emergency supplies in

your trunk.

Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.

4-26

Driving on Snow or Ice

Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.

However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and the 
road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll have a  
lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be very careful.

What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or
ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even 
more trouble because it may offer the least traction of all.

You can get wet ice when it’s about freezing (32

_F; 0_C)

and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on
wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.

Whatever the condition 

--

 smooth ice, packed, blowing

or loose snow 

--

 drive with caution.

Keep your traction control system on. It improves your
ability to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even   
though your vehicle has a traction control system, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to the road
conditions. See “Traction Control System” in the Index.

Your anti

-

lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability

when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti

-

lock braking system, you’ll

want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti

-

Lock” in the Index.

D Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
D Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until

you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise
clear road, ice patches may appear in shaded areas
where the sun can’t reach: around clumps of trees,
behind buildings or under bridges. Sometimes the
surface of a curve or an overpass may remain icy
when the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a
patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it.
Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and
avoid sudden steering maneuvers.

4-27

If You’re Caught in a Blizzard

If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and 
your passengers safe:
D Turn on your hazard flashers.

D Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that

you’ve been stopped by the snow.

D Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.

If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats 

--

 anything you can wrap around yourself or

tuck under your clothing to keep warm.

You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.

4-28

CAUTION:

Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.

Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. 

This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it 
keeps the battery charged. You will need a well

-

charged

battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling
later on with your headlamps. Let the heater run for 
a while.

Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.

Recreational Vehicle Towing

Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
see “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.

NOTICE:

Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground will damage drivetrain components.

4-29

Loading Your Vehicle

Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire

-

Loading Information label,

found on the rear edge of the driver’s door, tells you 
the proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressure for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle Capacity Weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory

-

installed options.

The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver’s door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or 
rear axle.

And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread 
it out. Don’t carry more than 176 lbs. (80 kg) in 
your trunk.