1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Owner's Manuals

Using a match near a batteq
can cause battery gas to
explode. People have been hurt
doing this, and some have been
blinded. Use a flashlight if you need
more light.
Be sure the battery has enough
water.
You don’t need to add water to the
Delco Freedoms battery installed in
every new
GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the
right amount
of fluid is there. If it is
low, add water to take care of that
first. If you don’t, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can
burn you. Don’t get it
on you. If
you accidentally get it in your eyes
or
on your skin, flush the place
with water and get medical help
immediately.
I
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t
have loose or missing insulation.
If
they do, you could get a shock. The
vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some things you should
know. Positive
(+) will go to positive (+) and negative
(-) will go to negative (-) or a metal
engine part. Don’t connect
(+) to (-) or
you’ll get
a short that would damage the
battery and maybe other parts, too.
I I
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to
the positive
(+) terminal of the
vehicle with the dead battery.
Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
191

Problems on the Road
192
Jump Starting (CONT.)
7. Don’t let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive
(+)
terminal of the good battery.
Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black negative
(-) cable to the good battery’s
negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything
until the next step. The other end of the
negative cable
doesn’t go to the dead
battery. It goes to a heavy unpainted
metal part on the engine
of the vehicle
with the dead battery.
9. Attach the cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move.
The electrical connection is just as
good there, but the chance
of sparks
getting back to the battery is much
less.
IO. Now start the vehicle with the good
battery and run the engine for a
while.
11. Try to start the vehicle with the
dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
12. Remove the cables in reverse order
to prevent electrical shorting. Take
care that they don’t touch each
other or
any metal.

A
Towing Your Oldsmobile
Try to have a GM dealer or a
professional towing service tow your
Oldsmobile. The
usual towing
equipment
is:
(A) Sling-type tow truck
(B) Wheel-lift tow truck
(C) Car carrier
If your vehicle .has been changed or
modified since it was factory-new by
adding aftermarket items like fog lamps,
aero skirting, or special tires and
wheels, these instructions and
illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the
hazard warning flashers. When
you
call, tell the towing service:
That if you have the 4-door “I” series,
or a 2-door Oldsmobile, your vehicle
cannot be towed
from the fiont with
sling-type equipment.
drive.
vehicle. lever.
damaged.
That your vehicle has front-wheel
The make, model, and year of your
Whether you can still move the shift
If there was an accident, what was
When the towing service arrives, let the
tow operator know that this manual
contains detailed towing instructions
and illustrations. The operator may
want to see them.
To help avoid injury to you
or others:
Never let passengers ride in a
vehicle that is being towed.
Never tow faster than safe or
posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts
not fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after
it has been lifted by the tow
truck.
Always use separate safety chains
on each side when towing a
vehicle.
Never use “J” hooks. Use T-
I hnnks instead.
193

Problems on the Road
194
Towing Your Oldsmobile (CONTJ
When your vehicle is being towed, have
the ignition key
off. The steering wheel
should be clamped in
a straight-ahead
position, with
a clamping device
designed for towing service. Do not use
the vehicle’s steering column lock for
this. The transaxle should be in
N (Neutral), and the parking brake
released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the
front wheels, unless you must. If the
vehicle must be towed on the front
wheels, don’t go more than
35 mph
(56 km/h) or farther than 50 miles
(80 lun) or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limits must be
exceeded, then the front wheels have to
be supported on a dolly. A vehicle can fall from a
car
secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle
damage. The vehicle should be
tightly secured with chains or steel
cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes,
leather straps, canvas webbing,
etc.) that can be cut by sharp edges
underneath the towed vehicle.
/A carrier if it isn’t properly
Towing from the Front-
Vehicle Hook-up
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be
sure
to read all the information on
Towing
Your Oldsmobile earlier in this
section.
All Models
1. Attach T-hook chains into the side
slots in the cradle in front of the
wheels, on both sides.

4=Door, except I-Series
2. Position a 4x4 wood beam across
sling chains against
the bottom of the
cradle horns.
2-Doors and I-Series, 4-DOOr
Jse wheel-lift or car carrier uipment. Additional ramping
be required for car carrier
195

Probkms on the Road
196
IEg” X6019
Towing hm the Front-
’ Vehicle ~ook-up (CONT.)
AUModels
3. Attach a separate safety chain around
the outboard end
of each lower
control
arm.
Towing from the Rear-
Vehicle Hook-up
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be
sure
to read all the information on
Towing Your Oldsmobile earlier in this
section.
1. Attach T-hook chains on both sides in the slotted holes
in the bottom of
the floor pan support rails iust ahead
of the rear wheels.
2. Position the lower sling crossbar just
Dual Exhausts
If your vehicle is equipped with dual
exhausts, center the sling between
exhaust pipes.
ahead
of the
rear bumper.

3. Attach a separate safety chain around
the outboard end of each lower
control
arm.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature
gage or the warning light about a hot
engine
on your Oldsmobile’s instrument
panel.
You also have a low coolant
warning light on your instrument panel.
See the
Index under Coolant
Temperature Gage for the gage cluster.
r
If Steam is Coming from Your Engine:
CAUTION
A
Steam from an overheated
engine can burn you badly,
even if you just open the hood. Stay
away
from the engine if you see or
hear steam coming
from it. Just
turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait until there is no sign of steam
or coolant before opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your
engine is overheated, the liquids in
it can catch fire.
You or others
could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if it overheats, and get out of
the vehicle until the engine is cool.
197

Probkms on the Road
Engine Overheating (CONTJ
If No Steam is Coming from Your
Engine:
If you get the overheat warning but see
or hear no steam, the problem may not
be too serious. Sometimes the engine
can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
198
If you get the overheat warning with no
sign of steam, try this for a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the
highest fan speed and open the
window as necessary.
3. Try to keep your engine under load
(in
a drive gear where the engine
runs slower).
If you no longer have the overheat
warning, you can drive. Just to be safe,
drive slower for ab& ten minutes. If
the warning doesn't come back on, you
can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over,
stop, and, park your vehicle right away.
f there's still no sign of steam, you can
dle the engine for two or three minutes
vhile you're parked, to see if the
varning stops.
3ut then,
if you still have the warning,
KJRJNOFFTHEENGINEANDGET
WERYONE OUT OF THE VEHICLE
Inti1 it cools
down.
(ou may decide not to lift the hood but
o get service help right away.