
Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine
cooling fan. When the clutch is engaged,
the fan spins faster to provide more air
to cool the engine. In most everyday
driving conditions the clutch is not
engaged. This improves fuel economy
and reduces fan noise. Under heavy
vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or
high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases when the clutch engages.
So
you may hear an increase in fan noise.
This is normal and should not be
mistaken as the transmission slipping or
making extra shifts. It is merely the
cooling system functioning properly.
The fan will slow down when additional
cooling is not required and the clutch
disengages. You may also hear this fan
noise when you start the engine. It will
go away
as the fan clutch disengages.
I 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 traffic 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 a tire goes
flat, the next section shows
how to use your jacking equipment to
change a flat tire safely.
I 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.
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Sewice & Appearance Care
I
164
recommends that you use gasolines
with these blending materials, such as
MTBE and ethanol. By doing
so, you
can help clean the air, especially in
those parts of the country that have
high carbon monoxide levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are
now producing reformulated gasolines.
These gasolines are specially designed
to reduce vehicle emissions. General
Motors recommends that you use
reformulated gasoline. By doing
so, you
can help clean the air, especially in
those parts of the country that have
high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station
operators if their gasolines contain
deposit control additives and
oxygenates, and if they have been
reformulated to reduce vehicle
emissions.
Fuels in Forei’ Countries
If you plan on driving in another
country outside the
U.S. or Canada,
unleaded fuel may be hard to find.
Do
not use leaded gasoline. If you use even
one tankful, your emission controls
won’t work well or at all. With
continuous use, spark plugs can get
fouled, the exhaust system can corrode,
and your engine oil can deteriorate
quickly. Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor
will be damaged. All of that means
costly repairs that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an
auto club, or contact a major oil
company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can
also write us at the following
address for advice. Just tell us where
you’re going and give your Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN)
.
General Motors Overseas Distribution
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Corporation
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Service &Appearance Care
4. Remove the air cleaner filter from the
5. Install a new air cleaner filter and
housing.
reverse steps
1-3.
Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
4 good time to check your automatic
transmission fluid level is when the
:ngine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine
when to change your fluid. See
Scheduled Maintenance Services in
the
Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little
difficult, you may choose to have this
done at an Oldsmobile dealership
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow
all the instructions here, or you could
get a false reading on the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can
damage your transmission.
Too
much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot
engine parts or exhaust system,
starting a fire. Be sure to get an
accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
Wait at least
30 minutes before
checking the transmission fluid level if
you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are abovc
At high speed for quite a while.
90°F (32°C).
In
heavy traffic - especially in hot
weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid
should be at normal operating
temperature, which is
180°F to 200°F
(82°C to 93°C).
To Check Transmission Fluid Hot:
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving
about
15 miles (24 km) when outside
temperatures are above
50°F (10°C). If
it's colder than
50°F ( 10°C), drive the
vehicle in
D (3rd Gear) until the engine
temperature gage moves and then
remains steady for ten minutes. Then
follow the hot check procedures.
To Check Transmission Fluid Cold:
A cold check is made after the vehicle
has been sitting for eight hours or more
with the engine off and is used only as a
reference. Let the engine run at idle for
five minutes if outside temperatures are
50°F (10°C) or more. If it's colder than
50°F (lO"C), you may have to idle the
engine longer. Should the fluid level be
low during a cold check, you
must
perform a hot check before adding fluid.
This will give you a more accurate
reading of the fluid level.
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To Check the Fluid Hot or Cold:
Park your vehicle on a level place.
With the parking brake applied, place
With your foot on the brake pedal,
the
shift lever in
P (Park).
move the shift lever through each gear
range, pausing for about three
seconds in each range. Then, position
the shift lever in
P (Park).
minutes or more.
Let the engine run at idle for three Then, Without Shutting off the
Engine, Follow These Steps:
1. Flip the handle up and then pull out
the dipstick and wipe it with a clean
rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three
seconds and then pull it back
out
again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and
read the lower level. The fluid level
must be in the
COLD area for a cold
check or in the
HOT area or cross-
hatched area for a hot check.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable
range, push the dipstick back in all
the way; then flip the handle down to
lock the dipstick in place.
How to Add FIuid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to
determine what kind
of transmission
fluid to use. See
Recommended Fluids
G Lubricants in the index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough
of the proper fluid to bring the level up
to the COLD area for a cold check or
the HOT area for a hot check. It doesn’t
take much fluid, generally less than a
pint
(OSL) . Don’t overfill. We
recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRONB-I11 or DEXRONB-IIE,
because fluids with that label are made
especially for your automatic
transmission. Damage caused by fluid
other than DEXRONB-I11 or
DEXRONB-IIE is not covered by your
new vehicle warranty.
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Service & Appearance Care
186
Inflation-Tire Pressure
The Certification/Tire label which is
on the rear edge
of the driver’s door
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. Also see
Capacities G Specifications in the
Index.
NOTICE:
Don’t let anyone tell you that
underinflation
or overinflation is all
right. It’s not. If your tires don’t
have enough air (underinflation)
you can get:
Too much flexing
Too much heat
Tire overloading
Bad wear
Bad handling
Bad fuel economy.
If your tires have too much air
(overinflation)
) you can get:
Unusual wear
Bad handling
Rough ride
Needless damage from road
hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the tire pressure
of the
spare tire.
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.
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temperature can cause the material of
the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure. The grade
C
corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
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.
These 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, 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.
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Section E: Maintenance Record
After the scheduled services are performed, record the date, odometer reading and who performed the service in the columns
indicated. When completing the Maintenance Performed column, insert the numbers from the Schedule
I or Schedule I1
maintenance charts which correspond to the maintenance performed. Also, you should retain all maintenance receipts. Your
owner information portfolio is a convenient place
to store them.
DATE ODOMETER
READING SERVICED BY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED
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Customer Assistance Informtion
222
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure
Your satisfaction and goodwill are
mportant to your dealer and
3ldsmobile. Normally, any concern
with the sales transaction or the
3peration of your vehicle will be
resolved by your dealer’s Sales or
Service Departments. Sometimes,
however, despite the best intentions of
dl concerned, misunderstandings can
3ccur. If your concern has not been
resolved to your satisfaction, the
€allowing steps should be taken:
STEP ONE - Discuss your concern
with a member of dealership
management. Complaints can often be
quickly resolved at that level. If the matter has
already been reviewed with
the Sales, Service, or Parts Manager,
contact the owner of the dealership or
the General Manager.
STEP TWO - If after contacting a
member of dealership management, it
appears your concern cannot be
resolved by the dealership without
further help, contact the Oldsmobile
Customer Assistance Network by
calling 1-800-442-6537. In Canada,
contact GM of Canada Customer
Assistance Center in Oshawa by calling
1-800-263-3777 (English) or
1-800-263-7854 (French).
In Mexico, call (525) 254-3777. In
Puerto Rico or
U.S. Virgin Islands, call
1-809-763-1315. In all other overseas
locations, contact GM North American
Export Sales in Canada by calling
For prompt assistance, please have the
following information available to give
the Customer Assistance Representative:
Your name, address, telephone number
Vehicle Identification Number (This
1-416-644-4112.
is available from the vehicle
registration or title, or the plate
at the left
top of the instrument panel and
visible through the windshield.)
Dealership name and location
Vehicle delivery date and present
9 Nature of concern
We encourage you to call the toll free
number listed previously in order to
give your inquiry prompt attention.
However, if you wish to write
Oldsmobile, write to
United States
Customer Assistance Representative
Oldsmobile Central Office
920 Townsend St.
P.O. Box 30095
Lansing, MI 48909
Canada
Customer Assistance Center
General Motors of Canada Limited
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H
8P7
When contacting Oldsmobile, please
remember that your concern will likely
be resolved in the dealership, using the
dealership’s facilities, equipment and
personnel. That is why we suggest
you
follow Step One first if you have a concern.
mileage
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