Page 95 of 276

Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you about how
much fuel you have left, when the
ignition is on. When the indicator nears
E (Empty), you still have a little fuel left,
but yonshould get more soon.
Here arethree things that some owners
ask about. None of these show a
problem
with your fuel gage:
At the gas station, with your ignition
on, the gas pump shuts
off before the
gage reads
F (Full).
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill
up than the gage indicated. For
example, the gage may have indicated
the tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than half the
tank’s capacity to fill the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn
a corner or speed up.
For your fuel tank capacity, see
Service
Station Information
on the last page of
this manual.
qBAG
1..
PES \/
Engine Coolant Temperafure
Gage
You have a gage that shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the gage pointer
moves into the red area, your engine is
too hot!
That reading means the same thing as
the warning light. It means that your
engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under
normal driving conditions you should
pull
off the road, stop your vehicle and
turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU
BADLY!
In
Problems on the Road,. this manual
shows what to
do. See the Index under
Engine Overheating.
93
Page 96 of 276

94
P
,w 0I.L LOW
EVEL COOLANT I
I
Low Coolant Wa-mjng Light
If this light comes on, your system is
low on coolant and the engine may
overheat.
See .the
Index. under Engine Coolant.
and have your vehicle serviced as.soon
as you can
...
LOW 'OIL .
LEV-E L; COOLA
Low Engine Oil- Level Warning
Light
(omorv)
Your engine may be equipped with an
oil level monitoring system. When. the
ignition key is turned on, the
LOW OIL
LEVEL light will briefly flash. If the
light stays
on, stop the vehicle on a level
surface and turn the engine off. Check
the oil level using the engine oil
dipstick. (See the
Index under Engine
Oil.) If the light does not flash, have the
low oil level sensor system repaired
so it
will be ready to warn you if there's a
problem.
NOTIC E:
The oil.leve1 monitoring system
only checks oil level during the
brief period between key on and
engine crank. It does not monitor
engine oil level when the engine is
running. Additionally, an oil level
check is only performed if the
engine has been turned off for a
considerable peri.od of time
allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the
oil pan.
Page 97 of 276
." -2
hn \ rnn c
Oil Pressure lndicafor
This indicator tells you if there could be
a problem with your engine oil pressure.
The pointer should be above the red
zone when the engine
is running.
Readings in the red area tell you that
the engine is low on oil, or that you
might have some other oil problem. See
the
Index under Engine Oil.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from
neglected oil problems can be costly
and is not covered by your
warranty.
Volfmefer
When the engine is running, the gage
shows the condition of the charging
system. Readings between the red
warning zones indicate the normal
operating range.
Readings in either red warning zone
indicate a possible problem in the
electrical system.
Have your vehicle
serviced immediately.
When your engine is not running, but
the ignition is on (in the
Run position),
the gage shows your battery's state
of
charge.
95
Page 98 of 276
Features & Controh
96
s
BRAKE (a)(@)
1
closer to the floor. It may take lang-er-to
stop. Ifthe light
is 'still -on, or-if.the anti-
lock brake system warning light is
flashing, have the vehicle towed .far
service. (See Anti-Lock Brake System
WarningLight
.and Towilzg .Your
Vehicle inthe Index.)
Page 99 of 276

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
Page 110 of 276

Comfort Controls &Audio Systems
108
Use the following controls when the
system is not set on
AUTO:
8: Press.the top of the switch to raise
the fan speed, the bottom of the switch
to lower the fan speed. The fan symbol
and bar graph will be displayed on the
digital screen.
When the
AUTO switch is pressed, the
fan symbol will go out and the fan will
return to automatic operation.
If the Fahrenheit (F") or Celsius (C")
symbol begins to flash, or flashes when
you turn on the ignition, it indicates an
electrical problem with your air
conditioning system. The flashing will
continue for about two minutes. It
means you should have your system
serviced.
Directional Controls
When the following buttons are pressed,
an indicator light will glow above the
button.
BI-LEV (Bi-Level): Use on cool, but
sunny days. This setting brings in the
outside air, but directs it in
two ways.
The cool air is directed to the upper
portion of your body through the instrument
panel outlets, but most
warmed air is directed through the
heater ducts and a little to the defrost
and side window vents. At times this
temperature difference may be more
apparent than others.
You may notice a delay of three or four
minutes before the blower comes on.
UPPER: Press to direct air flow
through the instrument panel outlets
only.
LOWER Press to direct 90% of the air
flow through the heater ducts, and
10%
of the air flow through the windshield
defroster vents.
DEFOG: Press to direct half the air to
the windshield, and the other half
through the heater ducts.
DEF (Defrost): Press to direct 90% of
the air to the windshield and side
window vents, and
10% to the floor.
The fan will automatically go to high.
For a lower fan speed, press the fan
switch.
OFF: Press to turn off the system.
Some air will still come from the outlets
at the floor.
I
Page 140 of 276

Your Driving and the Road
The exit sp leed is usu.alll J 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.
4 Before Leaving on a Long
Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested.
If you must start when you’re
not
fr&- 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:
a
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
shape?
you checked all levels?
lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally impartant to a
safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough far 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
I 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.
Page 141 of 276

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 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.
Hill 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 lmow is this: let
your engine do some
of the slowing
down. Shift to
a lower gear when you
go down a steep or long hill.
Ihow how to go uphill. You may
want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears kelp cool
your engine
139