1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme flat tire

How to Use this Manual
MANY PEOPLE READ THEIR OWNER’S Part 1: Seats & Safety Belts
manual from beginning to end when This part tells you how to use your
they first receive their new vehicle. seats and safety belts properly.
This will help you learn about the
features and controls for your vehicle.
Part 2: Features & Controls
In this manual, you’ll find that This part explains how to start and
pictures and words work together operate your Oldsmobile.
to explain thhgs quickly.
There are nine
parts with color-
tabbed pages
in this manual.
Each part begins with
a brief list of
contents,
so you can usually tell at a
glance if that part contains the
information you want.
Part 4: Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information
and tips about the road and how to
Part 3: Comfort Controls & Audio Systems drive under different conditio%
This part tells you how to adjust the
ventflation and comfort controls
and
how to operate your audio system.
Part 5: Problems on the Road
This part tells you what to do if you
have
a problem while driving, such as
a flat tire or engine overheating.
You can bend the manual slightly to
reveal the color tabs that help you
find a part.
6

Your Driving and the Road
Driving a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are
made on freeways, there are still many
made on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and
regular highways is the same
in some
ways. The trip has to be planned and
the vehicle prepared, you drive at
higher-than-city speeds, and there
are
longer turns behind the wheel. You’ll
enjoy your trip more if you and your
vehicle are in good shape. Here are
some tips for a successful long trip.
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:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir
full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape? Have you checked
all levels?
the lenses clean?
safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving?
Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
weather outlook along your route?
Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Lights: Are they all working? Are
Tires: They are vitally important to a

Your Driving and the Road
1 70
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is
different from driving in flat or rolling
terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep
country, or if you’re planning to visit
there, here are some tips that can make
brakes, tires, cooling system and
transaxle. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most
important thing to laow is this: let
your engine
do some of the slowing
down. Don’t make your brakes do it
all. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill. That way,
you will slow down without excessive
your
trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape.
Check all fluid levels and also the
I
Coasting downhill in N
(Neutral) 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 could
crash. Always have your engine
running and your vehicle in gear
when you go downhill.
use of your brakes.
I --
Know how to go uphill. You may
want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the
hill better.
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. That way, you won’t be
surprised by a vehicle coming toward
It takes longer to pass another vehicle
when you’re going uphill. You’ll want
to leave extra room to pass.
If a
I you in the same lane.
vehicle is passing you and doesn’t
have enough room, slow down to
make it easier for the other vehicle to
get by.

Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle. The capacity
weight includes the curb weight of the
vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it,
and the people who
will be riding in
the vehicle. And
if you will tow a
trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load
from your vehicle’s capacity
weight because your vehicle
will be
carrying that -weight, too. See the
Index under Loading Your Vehicle for
more information about your vehicle’s
maximum load capacity. The
trailer tongue
(A) should weigh
10% of the total loaded trailer weight
(B) . After you’ve loaded your trailer,
weigh the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see
if the weights are
proper.
If they aren’t, you may be able
to get them right simply by moving
some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s
Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated
to the limit for cold tires.
You will find
these numbers
on the Certification
label at the rear edge of the driver’s
door or on the inside
of the trunk lid.
See the
Index under Tire L0adin.g.
Then be sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit for your vehicle.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few
reasons why you’ll need the right hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
Will you have to make any holes in
the body of your vehicle when
you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, then
be sure to seal the holes later when
you remove the hitch.
If you don’t
seal them, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO)
from your exhaust can get into
your vehicle. (See the
Index under
Carbon Monoxide in Exhaust. Dirt
and water can, too.
179

Here you’ll find what to do about
some problems that can occur on the
road
.
Part 5
Problems on the Road
Hazard Warning Flashers ........................................................................\
............... 188
Jump Starting
........................................................................\
.................................. 189
Towing Your Oldsmobile
........................................................................\
............... 193
Engine Overheating
........................................................................\
........................ 197
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................................................\
........................... 204
Changing a Flat Tire
........................................................................\
....................... 205
Compact Spare Tire ........................................................................\
........................ 211
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ......................................................... 212
187

204
Problems on the Road
Engine Overheating (cow.)
IO. Then replace the pressure cap. Be
sure the
arrows on the pressure cap
line up like this.
1 1. Check the coolant recovery tank.
The coolant level should be at
HOT
when the engine is hot and at
COLD when the engine is cold.
Ifa Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to (‘blow out’’
while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to
leak out slowly. But
if you should ever
have a “blowout,” here are a few tips
about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will
create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and
grip the steering
wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane
position, then gently brake to a stop
well out of the trafEic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve,
acts much like a skid and may require
the same correction you’d use in a skid.
In any rear blowout, remove your foot
from the accelerator pedal. Get the
vehicle under control by steering the
way you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well
off the road if possible.
If your tire goes flat, the
next section
shows how to use your jacking
equipment to change a flat tire safely.

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage by driving slowly to a level
place. Turn on
your hazard warning flashers.
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in P (Park).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move, you can put chocks at the
front and rear of the tire farthest away
from the one being changed. That would
! the tire on the other side of the vehicle. at the omosite end.
c& ..:
The following steps will tell you how to
use the jack and change a tire.
The equipment you'll need is
in the
trunk.
1. Pull the carpeting from the Boor of
the trunk.
2. Turn the center retainer bolt on the
compact spare tire housing
countercloclwise to remove it, then
lift
the^ tire cover.
205

Problems on the Road
206
Changing a Flat Tire ~CONT.)
3. Twn the wheel wrench retainer nut
located under the tire cover
counterclockwise to remove the
wheel
wrench.
4. Remove the wing nut securing the
compact spare tire
and spacer by
turning
it counterclockwise. Then lift
off the spacer and remove the spare
tire.
5. Remove the bolt securing the jack by
turning
it counterclockwise, Then
remove the jack.