~
~~ Your Driving and the Road
158
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 Oldsmobile’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 and an acceleration
skid are best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your
vehicle starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered road),
ease your foot
off the accelerator
pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle
start to slide. Quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go.
If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle
will straighten out.
As it does,
straighten the front wheels.
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
1
traction, try your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration, or braldng (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could
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
Service & Appearance Care
246
To Replace a Headlight (CONT.)
To check the aim, the vehicle should be
properly prepared as follows:
The vehicle must have all four tires on
a perfectly level surface.
The vehicle should not have any
snow, ice or mud attached to it.
There should not be any cargo or
loading of vehicle, except it should
have a full tank
of gas and one person
or
160 pounds (75 kg) on the driver's
seat.
Tires should be properly inflated.
The horizontal indicator should read
0 (zero). If
your vehicle is damaged in
an
accident and the headlight aim seems to
be affected, see your Oldsmobile dealer.
Headlights on damaged vehicles may
require recalibration of the horizontal
aim by your Oldsmobile dealer.
Headlight Replacement
(4-DOOR MODELS)
See the Index under Replacement
Bulbs to check the type of bulb to use.
To Replace a Bulb:
1. Turn the L-shaped bulb assembly
counterclockwise
*I6 turn until the
flanges align with the slots in the
retainer ring. You may need to twist
it back and forth slightly to loosen it.
Sewice & Appearance Care
Windshield Wper Blade
Replacement
Replacement blades come in different
types and are removed
in different
ways. Here’s how to remove the type
with a release clip:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away
2. Lift the release clip with a
from the windshield.
screwdriver and
pull the blade
assembly
off the wiper arm.
the wiper m.
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on
Loading Your Vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how
much weight it may properly carry. The
Tire-Loading Information label found on the inside
of the trunlc lid tells you
the proper size, speed rating and
recommended inflation pressures 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,
on the rear edge
of the driver’s door. It
tells you the gross weight capacity
of
your vehicle, ded the GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating). 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 cany
more
than 167 lbs, (75 kg) in your trunk.
Inflation-Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label
which is on the inside of the trunk lid
shows the correct inflation pressures for
your tires, when they’re cold. “Cold”
means your vehicle has been sitting for
at least three hours or driven no more
than a mile. When to Check
Check your tires once a month or
more.
Don’t forget your compact spare
tire. It should be
at 60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check:
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to
check tire pressure. Simply looking at
the tires will not tell you the pressure,
especially
if you have radial tires-
which may look properly inflated even
if
they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to
put them back on. They help prevent
leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
c
253
Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately
or
in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Those grades are molded on the
sidewalls of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or
optional equipment on General Motors
vehicles may vary with respect to these
grades, all such tires meet General
Motors performance standards and
have been approved for use on General
Motors vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform to
Federal safety requirements in addition
to these grades.
Wheel Alignment and
Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were
aligned and balanced carefully at the
factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases, you will not need to have
your wheels aligned again. However, if
you notice unusual tire wear
or your
vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset.
If you
notice your vehicle vibrating when
driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked
or badly rusted. If wheel nuts keep
coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts,
and wheel nuts should be replaced. If
the wheel leaks air out, replace it
(except some aluminum wheels, which
can sometimes be repaired). See your
Oldsmobile dealer if any of these
conditions exist. Your dealer will know
the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have
the same
load carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset, and be mounted the same way as
the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel nuts,
replace them only with new GM
original equipment parts. This way, you
will be sure to have the right wheel,
wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for your
Oldsmobile model.
257
Service & Appearance Care
I
I
260
Cleaning the Inside of Your
Oldsmobile
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of
dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl with a
clean, damp cloth.
Your Oldsmobile dealer has two
GM
cleaners-a solvent-type spot lifter and
a foam-type powdered cleaner. They
will clean normal spots and stains very
well.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the
Clean up stains as soon as you can-
cleaner label.
before they set.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and
change to a clean area often. A
soft
brush may be used if stains are
stubborn.
Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-
ventilated area only. If you use them,
don’t saturate the stained area.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning,
clean the entire area immediately
or it
will set.
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on
Fabric
Vacuum and brush the area to remove
Always clean a whole trim panel or
any
loose dirt.
section. Mask surrounding trim along
stitch
or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner
following the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean
sponge.
- ...... I . ~~
332
.
Safety Defects. Reporting ................. 314
Scheduled Maintenance Services
.... 290
Seat Belts (see
Safety Belts)
Seat Controls ..................................... 12
Adjustable Supports
........................ 14
Head Restraint
................................ 15
Manual Front Seat .......................... 12
Power Seat, Six-Way
...................... 13
Seatback Latches
............................ 16
Seat, Rear Split Fold-Down
............. 16
Service Engine Soon Light
............... 100
Service Information
......................... 218
Service Parts Identification Label
... 269
Service Publications
... ..................... 3 16
Service Publications Order
Form .............................................. 319
Service Station Information
............. 336
Setting the Clock
............................. 118
Setting the Trip Odometer ........... 92, 93
Shifting Into
P (Park)
Column Shift
................................... 64
Console Shift
................................... 65
Shifting the Automatic Transaxle
..... 58
Manual Reclining Seatback
............ 14
Reclining Seatback
........................... 14 Signaling
Turns
......................... 69. 143
Signs. Road
...................................... 140
Six-Way Power Seat
........................... 13
Skidding
........................................... 158
Snowstorm.
If You’re
Caught in a
.................................... 175
Sound Equipment. Adding .............. 118
Sound Systems (see Audio Systems)
Spark Plugs ....................................... 283
Specifications and
Speed Control (see
Cruise Control)
Speedometer ................................ 92, 93
Stains, Removing
.............................. 261
Starting the Engine
............................ 55
Starting Your Vehicle
if the Battew
Steering Spare Tire. Compact
......................... 21 1
Capacities ...................................... 276
is Dead (see
Jump Starting)
In Emergencies .............................. 155
Steering Wheel, Tilt.
........................... 68
Off-Road Recovery
........................ 156
Tips
................................................. 154
Steering Wheel Touch Controls Audio System
................................. 132 Climate Control
.............................. 116
Stereo Sound Systems
(see
Audio Systems)
Storage Cassette Tape Holders
.................... 83
Fold-Down Storage Compartment .. 83
Rear Seat Console ............................ 84
Storing Your Vehicle
....................... 240
Stuck, If
You Are .............................. 212
Sunroof
............................................... 86
Sun Visors
........................................... 82
T achometer ...................................... 94
Tape Player (see Audio Systems)
Technical Facts & Specifications
Bulbs
.............................................. 280
Electrical Equipment, Add-on
.... -269
Engine Specifications
..................... 282
Fluid Capacities
87 Types ............. 278
Fuses
& Circuit Breakers ............. 270
Replacement Parts
......................... 283
Service Parts Identification
269
Label
...........................................
.