with the electronics in your
vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change
the
way the fuel injection system
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don't, your engine might not
perform properly.
If you ever have to have your
manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle.
See the Index under Towing Your
Oldsmbile.
vehicle towed, see the part of this
Driving Through Deep Standing
Water
engine's air intake and badly
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Engine Block Heater (oprlofv)
In very cold weather, 0" F (-18°C) or
colder, the engine block heater can help.
You'll get easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
To Use the Block Heater:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded
110-volt outlet.
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Features & Controls
’ 106
Oil Pressure Indicator
(3.1L V6 ENGINE)
Your vehicle is equipped with an oil
pressure indicator rather than an oil
pressure gage. Your oil pressure
indicator lets you know when you may
have a problem with your engine
oil
pressure.
When the engine is running, readings
within the white graduation band
indicate the normal operating range.
Readings in or below the red area
indicate that the engine’s
oil level may
be dangerously low, or there may be
another problem causing low
oil
pressure.
Driving your vehicle with low oil
pressure can cause extensive engine damage. Have your vehicle serviced
immediately. ndt
keep driving if the
oil
- r-- ssure 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
serviced.
I as possible and have your vehicle
I
Damage to your engine from
neglected oil problems can be
costly and is not covered by your
Oil Pressure Gage
(3800 V6 ENGINE)
Your oil pressure gage shows the oil
pressure in psi (pounds per square inch)
when the engine
is running. Canadian
vehicles indicate pressure in
kPa
(kilopascals). Oil pressure may vary
with engine speed, outside temperature
and
oil viscosity. In fact, while the
engine is warming up, the
oil pressure
will be higher than at the normal
operating temperature. Readings above
the red warning zone indicate the
normal operating range.
If the gage reads in the red warning
zone, your engine’s
oil level may be
dangerously low or there may be
another problem causing low
oil
pressure.
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Driving your vehicle with low oil
pressure can cause extensive engine
damage. Have your vehicle serviced
immediately.
CAUTION
Don't keep driving if the oil
I. 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.
I Voltmeter
Your charging system gage will show the
rate
of charge when the engine is
warning zones indicate the normal
operating range. Readings in either red
zone indicate a possible problem with
your charging system. Have your
Oldsmobile serviced immediately.
When
the engine is not running but the
ignition is on (in the
Run position), the
display measures the voltage output
of
your battery.
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Features & Controls
SLIDIP
GAT1
SERVICE
ENGINE SOON
120 U2165
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
A computer monitors operation of your
fuel, ignition and emission controls
systems. This light should come
on
when the ignition is on but the engine is
not running, as a check to show you it is
working.
If it does not come on at all,
have it fixed right away.
If it stays on, or
it comes
on while you are driving, the
computer is indicating that
you have a
problem.
You should take your vehicle
in for service
soon.
If you keep driving your vehicle
with this light
on, after awhile the
emission controls won’t work
as
well, your fuel economy won’t be
as good and your engine may not
run as smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs not covered by you1
warranty.
Lifigate Ajar Warning light
The GATE AJAR light on your
instrument panel will come on if your
liftgate is not completely closed.
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Driving a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
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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. 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?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Have you checked all levels?
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
lenses clean?
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?
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?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
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On the Road
Unless you are the only driver, it is
good to share the driving task with
others. Limit turns behind the wheel to
about 100 miles
(160 km) or two hours
at a sitting. Then, either change drivers
or stop for some refreshment like coffee,
tea or
soft drinks and some limbering
up. But do stop and move around. Eat
lightly along the way. Heavier meals
tend to make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided
multilane highways that do not have
controlled access, you’ll want to watch
for some situations not usually found on
freeways. Examples are: stop signs and
signals, shopping centers with direct
access to the highway, no passing zones
and school zones, vehicles turning left
and right
off the road, pedestrians,
cyclists, parked vehicles, and even animals.
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:
Make sure your vehicle is well
ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road
ahead and to the sides. Check your
rearview mirrors frequently and your
instruments from time
to time. This
can help
you avoid a fixed stare.
Wear good sunglasses in bright light.
Glare can cause drowsiness. But don’t
wear sunglasses at night. They will
drastically reduce
your overall vision
at the very time you need all the
seeing power you have.
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.
As in any driving situation, keep pace
with traffic and allow adequate following distances.
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Hi// 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
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
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.
Know how to go down hills. The most
important thing to
know 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
use
of your brakes.
GAU I IUN
If you don’t shift down, your
brakes could get
so hot that I
they wouldn’t work well. You
1 would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
1 could crash. Shift down to let your
engine assist your brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
Coasting downhill in
N
C L (Neutral) or with the ignition
OII 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.
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 you in the
same lane.
It takes longer to pass another vehicle
when you’re going uphill. You’ll want
to leave extra room to pass. If a
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If You’re Caught in a Blimrd
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:
Turn on your hazard flashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert
police that you’ve been stopped by the
snow.
U3023
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.
but be careful.
You can run the engine to keep warm, Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This ca
Lituse deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside.
CC
could overcome you and kill yo1
You can’t see
it or smell it, so v(
might not know it was in you
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.
.. -.~~-G~~:~.-~:::j~ . ., , -.> i2-j /: ,-.;-z$ Open a window just a little on-the
side
of the vehicle that’s away from
+% wind. This will help keep CO
vu t .
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