1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme brakes

How to Use this Manual
These symbols are on some of your
controls:
Windshield Wipers
Windshield Washer
Windshield Defroster
Rear Window Defogger
Ventilating Fan
Power Window
w
3f
1+1
These symbols are used on warning
and indicator lights:
Engine Coolant
Temperature
Battery Charging
System
Fuel Engine Oil Pressure
Anti-Lock Brakes
Here are some other symbols you
may see:
Fuse
Trunk
or Liftgate Release e
I
n Lighter
Horn
Speaker
Hood Release
#
10

Features & Controls
NOTICE:
Don’t drive in 2 (Second Gear) for
more than
5 miles (8 km) , or at
speeds over
55 mph (88 kwh), or
you can damage your transaxle.
Use
D or 3 as much as possible.
Don’t
shift into 2 unless you are
going slower than
65 mph (105
krn/h), or you can damage your
engine.
1 (First Gear): This position gives you
even more power (but lower fuel
economy) than
2. You can use it on
very steep hills, or in deep snow
or
mud. If the shift lever is put in 1, the
transaxle won’t shift into first gear until
the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can’t rotate,
don’t
try to drive. This might
happen if you were stuck in very
deep sand or mud or were up
against a solid object. You could
damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill,
don’t hold your vehicle there with
only the accelerator pedal. This
could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes or shift
into
P (Park) to hold. your vehicle.
in position on a hill.
Parking Brake
The parking brake uses the brakes on
.the rear wheels.
To Set the Parking Brake:
Hold thexegular brake pedal down with
your right .foot. Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. If the
ignition is
on, the brake system warning
light will come on.

74
Cruise Control (OPTION)
Nith cruise control, you can maintain a
;peed of about
25 mph (40 ltm/h) or
nore without keeping your foot on the
kccelerator. This can really help on long
rips.
hise control does not work at speeds
)elow about
25 mph (40 ltm/h),
Vhen you apply your brakes, the cruise
:ontrol shuts off.
To Sef Cruise Control
I. Move the cruise control switch to
ON.
3. Push in the SET button at the end of
4. Take your foot off the accelerator
the
lever and release it.
pedal.
2. Get up to the speed you want.

If the anti-lock brake system warning
light stays on longer than normal after
you’ve started your engine, turn the
ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on
and stays on when you’re driving, stop
as soon as possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the,engine again to reset
the system. If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving,
your Oldsmobile needs service. If the
light
is on but not flashing and the
regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you don’t
have anti-lock brakes.
SERVICE
ENGINE SOON
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.
97

Here you’ll find information about driving on different kinds of roads
and
in varying weather conditions .
We’ve also . included many other
useful tips on driving
.
Part 4
Your Driving and the Road
Defensive Driving ........................................................................\
............................ 126
Drunken Driving
........................................................................\
............................ 126
Control of a Vehicle
Braking
........................................................................\
......................................... 128
Anti-Lock Brakes
........................................................................\
......................... 129
Steering Tips
........................................................................\
................................ 130
Steering in Emergencies
........................................................................\
.............. 131
Passing ........................................................................\
......................................... 132
Driving
at Night ........................................................................\
............................... 134
Driving in the Rain ........................................................................\
.......................... 135
City Driving 137
Freeway Driving ........................................................................\
............................. 137
Hill and Mountain Roads
........................................................................\
............... 139
Winter Driving
........................................................................\
................................ 140
Towing a Trailer
........................................................................\
............................... 143
.. ........................................................................\
......................................
125

Your Driving and the Road
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when
you need to. With anti-lock, you can
steer and brake at the same time. In
many emergencies, steering can help
you more than even the very best
braking.
130
You can steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change
the time you need to get your foot up to
the brake pedal.
If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you won’t
have time to apply your brakes
if that
vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to stop,
even though you have anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down and let anti-lock
work for you.
You may feel the system
working, or you may notice some noise,
but this
is normal.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist
because the engine stops or the system
is not functioning, you can steer but it
will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control”
accidents mentioned on the news
happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of
us is subject to the same laws of physics
when driving on curves. The traction of
the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its
path when you turn the front wheels. If
there’s
no traction, inertia will keep the
vehicle going in the same direction. If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on
wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve
depends on the condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which
the curve is banked, and your speed.
While you’re in a curve, speed is the one
factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a
sharp curve. Then you suddenly
accelerate. Both control systems
-
steering and acceleration - have to do
their work where the tires meet the
road. Adding the sudden acceleration
can demand too much of those places.
You can lose control.
What should you do
if this ever
happens? Ease
up on the accelerator
pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that
you should adjust your speed. Of
course, the posted speeds are based on
good weather and road conditions.

Your Oldsmobile can perform very well:
in emergencies like these.
First apply
your brakes. It is better to remove as
much speed as you can from a possible
collision.
Then steer around the
131

I Your Driving and the Road
136
Driving too fast through large water
puddles or even going through some car
washes can cause problems, too. The
water may affect your brakes. Try to
avoid puddles.
But if you can’t, try to
slow down before you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much
water can build up under your tires that
they can actually ride
on the water. This
can happen if the road is wet enough
and you’re going fast enough. When
your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little
or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often.
But it can
if your tires haven’t much
tread or
if the pressure in one or more is
low. It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see
reflections from trees, telephone poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops
“dimple” the water’s surface, there
could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher
speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast
rule about hydroplaning; The best
advice is to slow down when it is
raining.
Some .Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlights -
not just your parlcing lights - to help
make you more visible to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some
extra following distance. And be
especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more
clear room ahead, and be prepared to
have your view restricted by road
spray.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. (See
Tires in the Index.)