
The oil  light  could  also flash  on in three 
other  situations: 
. When  the ignition  is on  (in  the Run 
position)  but  the engine is not 
running,  the light  will  come on  as a 
test  to show  you it is working,  but  the 
light  will 
go out  when  you turn  the 
ignition  to 
Start. If it doesn't  come on 
with  the ignition  on, you  may  have  a 
problem  with the fuse. Have it  fixed 
right  away. 
Sometimes  when  the engine is  idling 
at  a stop,  the  light  may  flash  on  and 
off.  This is normal. 
If you  make a hard  stop,  the light  may 
come  on for  a moment.  This  is  normal. 
0- 
A \ 
Voltmeter (ELEcmoNIc  CLUSTER) 
Your  charging  system  gage  will  show 
the  rate  of charge  when  the  engine is 
running. When  the engine 
is not 
running but  the ignition  is  on  (in the 
Run position),  the  display measures  the 
voltage  output 
of your battery, and  will 
flash  until you turn  the  ignition to 
Start. 
The reading  will change  as the  rate  of 
charge  changes  (with engine  speed, 
etc.),  but readings  between  the warning 
zones indicate  the normal  operating 
range.  Readings  in  either warning zone 
indicate a  possible  problem  with your 
charging  system.  Have your  Oldsmobile 
serviced  immediately.  You 
also  have  a warning light. 
A box 
around  the battery  symbol  will  flash 
when  the charging  system  needs 
service. 
If it comes  on while you are  driving,  you 
may  have  a loose  belt  or  other problem 
with  the electrical  charging  system. 
Have it  checked  right away.  Driving 
while  this light  is  on could  drain your 
battery. 
If 
you must  drive a short distance with 
the  light  on, be certain  to  turn  off all 
your  accessories, such  as  the radio and 
air conditioner. 
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Anti-Lock  Brake  System  Warning Light 
With anti-lock, this  light  will go on 
when  you start  your  engine and  may 
stay on for  several seconds.  That’s 
normal.  If the  light  doesn’t come  on, 
have  it fixed 
so it will  be  ready  to warn 
you  if there  is 
a problem. 
If  the  light  stays 
on, or  comes  on when 
you’re 
driving, your  Oldsmobile  needs 
service. 
If the  regular  brake  system 
warning  light  isn’t 
on, you  still  have 
brakes,  but you  don’t  have  anti-lock 
brakes.  If the  regular  brake  system 
warning  light  is 
also on,  you  don’t  have 
anti-lock  brakes  and there’s  a  problem 
with  your  regular  brakes.  See 
Brake 
System Warning  Light earlier  in this part 
Malfunction  Indicator  Lamp 
(Service  Engine  Soon  Light) 
A computer monitors operation  of your 
fuel, ignition  and emission control 
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. 
NOTICE: 
If you keep driving your vehicle 
with  this light  on, after  a while  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 
your  warranty. 
L 1 
89 
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Features & Controls 
90 
CHECK 
OAGES 
Battery Light (STANDARD CLUSTER) 
The battery light  will  come  on briefly 
when  you turn  on  the  ignition as a 
check  to show  you it is  working.  It 
should  go  out once the engine 
is 
running.  If it  stays  on, or comes  on 
while  you  are driving,  you  may  have  a 
loose  belt  or other  problem  with the 
electrical  charging  system.  Have it 
checked  right away.  Driving  while  this 
light  is  on could  drain your battery. 
If 
you must  drive a short distance with 
the  light 
on, be certain  to  turn off all 
your  accessories, such  as  the radio and 
air conditioner. 
I 
CHECK 
GAGES 
Check Gages Ljght 
(STANDARD  CLUSTER) 
This  light  will  come on briefly  when you 
are starting  the engine.  If the  light 
comes  on and  stays on while  you  are 
driving,  check  your  various  gages  to see 
if they  are in  the warning zones. 
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Driving In Water 
Light  rain causes  no special  off-road 
driving  problems.  But heavy  rain  can 
mean  flash  flooding,  and flood  waters 
demand  extreme  caution. 
Find 
out how deep  the water  is  before 
you  drive  through  it.  If it’s deep enough 
to  cover  your wheel  hubs, axles, or 
exhaust  pipe, don’t 
try it - you 
probably  won’t get through. 
Also, water 
that  deep  can damage  your  axle  and 
other  vehicle  parts. 
If  the  water  isn’t  too  deep, then drive 
through  it  slowly.  At fast speeds,  water 
splashes  on your  ignition  system and 
your  vehicle  can stall. Stalling can also 
occur 
if you  get  your  tailpipe under 
water. 
And, as  long  as your tailpipe  is 
under  water,  you’ll  never  be  able to 
start  your  engine. When  you  go through 
water,  remember  that  when your brakes 
get  wet,  it  may take  you  longer  to stop. 
After OtY-Road Driving 
Remove  any  brush or debris  that has 
collected  on  the underbody, chassis or 
under  the hood. These accumulations 
can  be a fire  hazard. 
After  operation 
in mud  or  sand, have 
the  brake  linings  cleaned  and checked. 
These  substances  can cause  glazing  and 
uneven  braking.  Check the body 
structure,  steering, suspension, wheels, 
tires,  and  exhaust  system  for  damage. 
Also,  check  the fuel  lines  and cooling 
system  for  any  leakage. 
Your  vehicle 
will require more frequent 
service  due  to off-road  use. Refer  to  the 
Maintenance Schedule  for additional 
information. 
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Your Driving und the Road 
128 
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. 
I Before  Leaving on a  Long 
Tip 
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? 
you  checked  all  levels? 
Wiper  Blades: Are  they  in  good 
Fuel,  Engine Oil, Other  Fluids: Have 
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  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? 
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 
mirrors and  your instruments 
frequently. 
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. 
ProCarManuals.com 

Your Driving and the Road 
Turn  Signals  When  Towing a 
Trailer 
When  you tow a trailer,  your  vehicle  has 
to  have  a  different  turn signal  flasher 
and extra  wiring. The green  arrows on 
your  instrument  panel  will  flash 
whenever  you  signal  a  turn or lane 
change.  Properly  hooked up, the trailer 
lights  will  also  flash, telling  other 
drivers  you’re  about to  turn,  change 
lanes  or stop. 
When  towing  a  trailer, the green  arrows 
on  your  instrument  panel  will  flash  for 
turns  even if the  bulbs  on  the  trailer are 
burned out. Thus,  you  may think 
drivers  behind  you are seeing  your 
signal  when they are not,  It’s important 
to  check  occasionally  to be  sure  the 
trailer  bulbs are still  working. 
Driving  On Grades 
Reduce  speed  and shift  to a  lower  gear 
before you  start  down  a  long  or  steep 
downgrade.  If you  don’t  shift 
down, you 
might  have  to use  your  brakes 
so much 
that  they  would  get hot and  no longer 
work  well.  On 
a  long  uphill  grade, shift down and 
reduce  your  speed 
to around 45 mph 
(70 km/h)  to  reduce the possibility  of 
engine  and transmission  overheating. 
If you are towing  a  trailer  that weighs 
more  than 
3,000 pounds (1 350 kg), it’s 
best  to drive  in 
D instead  of Overdrive 
(or,  as  you  need  to, a  lower  gear). This 
will  minimize  heat build-up  and extend 
the  life of your  transmission. 
Parking  on Hills 
You  really  should  not park your  vehicle, 
with  a  trailer  attached,  on a  hill. 
If 
something  goes  wrong,  your  rig  could 
start  to move.  People  can be injured, 
and both  your  vehicle  and the trailer 
can be  damaged. 
But  if you  ever  have  to park  your  rig  on 
a  hill,  here’s  how to do  it: 
1. Apply  your  regular  brakes, but don’t 
shift  into 
P (Park)  yet. 
2. Have someone  place  chocks under 
the  trailer  wheels. 
3. When the wheel  chocks  are in place, 
release  the regular  brakes until  the 
chocks absorb  the load. 
4. Reapply  the regular  brakes. Then 
apply  your  parking  brake and then 
shift  to 
P (Park). 
5. Release  the regular  brakes. 
When You Are  Ready to Leave 
After  Parking  on 
a Hill 
1. Apply  your  regular  brakes and hold 
the  pedal  down  while  you: 
Start your engine; 
Shift  into a  gear;  and 
Release  the parking  brake. 
2. Let up on  the  brake pedal. 
3. Drive  slowly  until the trailer is  clear 
4. Stop and  have someone  pick up and 
of 
the  chocks. 
store  the chocks. 
Maintenance  When  Trailer  Towing 
Your  vehicle  will  need  service  more 
often  when  you’re  pulling  a  trailer. See 
the  Maintenance  Schedule  for more on 
this.  Things  that are especially 
important  in trailer  operation are 
automatic transmission  fluid (don’t 
overfill),  engine  oil,  axle  lubricant, belt, 
cooling  system,  and brake adjustment. 
Each  of these is  covered  in this manual, 
ProCarManuals.com 

Let the warning lights  and gages  work 
What to Use 
Use a mixture  of  one-half clean  water 
(preferably  distilled) and one-half 
antifreeze  that meets 
“GM Specification 
6038-M,” which won’t damage 
aluminum  parts. If you  use this  mixture, 
you  don’t  need 
to add anything  else. 
as 
they should. 
NOTICE: 
If you  use an improper coolant  mix, 
your  engine  could  overheat and be 
badly  damaged.  The repair cost 
wouldn’t  be  covered  by your 
warranty.  Too much  water  in  the 
mix  can freeze  and crack  the 
engine,  radiator,  heater  core and 
other  parts. 
Some  conditions,  such  as  air  trapped  in 
the  cooling  system,  can affect  the 
coolant  level in  the  radiator.  Check the 
coolant  level when  the  engine  is  cold 
and  follow  the  steps  under 
Adding 
Coolant for the  proper  way to  add 
coolant. 
If  you  have  to add coolant more  than 
four  times  a year,  have your  dealer 
check  your  cooling  system. 
NOTICE: 
If you  use the proper coolant,  you 
don’t  have to add  extra  inhibitors 
or additives which  claim to improve 
the  system.  These can  be harmful. 
~~ 
Adding Coolant 
To Check  Coolant 
When  your  engine  is  cold,  the coolant 
level  should  be at 
ADD, or a  little 
higher. When  your  engine  is  warm, the 
level  should be up  to 
FULL HOT, or a 
little  higher. 
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Sewice & Appearance  Care 
Payload 
The Payload  Capacity  is  shown on  the 
Certificationflire  label. This is the 
maximum  load  capacity  that your 
vehicle  can carry.  Be sure  to include  the 
weight  of the  people  inside  as part  of 
your  load.  If you  added any  accessories 
or equipment  after  your  vehicle  left  the 
factory,  remember  to subtract  the  weight 
of these things from  the payload. 
Your  dealer  can help  you with this. 
Trailering Package 
If your  vehicle  comes  with the trailering 
package,  there is  also  a load  rating 
which  includes  the weight  of the  vehicle 
and the  trailer  it tows.  This  rating is 
called  the Gross  Combination  Weight 
Rating  (GCWR) 
. 
When  you  weigh  your  trailer,  be  sure  to 
include  the weight  of everything  you put 
in it. And,  remember  to figure  the weight 
of  the  people  inside  as  part 
of your  load. 
Your  dealer  can help  you  determine 
your  GCWR. 
Add-on Equipment 
When  you  carry  removable  items, you 
may  need  to put  a limit  on how  many 
people  you  carry  inside  your  vehicle.  Be 
sure  to weigh  your  vehicle  before  you 
buy  and  install  the new equipment. 
NOTICE: 
Your  warranty doesn’t  cover parts 
or components  that fail  because  of 
overloading. 
I Single Belt Accessory  Drive 
Your  new vehicle  uses  a serpentine  belt 
that  is lighter,  more  durable  and fuel 
efficient  than systems  with several  belts. 
The  belt runs  over  or  around  the pulleys 
on  the  engine. 
A tensioner  is  used to 
keep  the belt  tight  at all  times.  The 
tensioner also makes  replacing the belt 
easier. 
If you  need  to replace  the belt,  be 
sure  to get  the  correct  replacement  belt. 
Your  dealership  or  parts supplier  can 
help  you  with this. The  Accessory  Drive 
Belt  Routing  label  on your  vehicle  will 
show  you how  to route  the belt  your 
vehicle  uses. 
I Air Conditioning 
Every  now and  then have  your 
dealership  check  your  air conditioning 
system  to be  sure  it has not  lost  any 
cooling  ability.  If you  think  the system 
is  not  working  properly,  have  your 
dealership  check  it  out  as soon as 
possible. 
The air  conditioning  will not work when 
the  temperature  is  below 
40°F (4°C). 
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