1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme warning light

I. Warning Lights, Gages .and
l..icdors
This section describes the warning
lights and gages that may be on your
vehicle. The pictures will kelp you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that
something is wrong before it .becomes
serious enough to cause an expensive
repair or replacement. Paying attention
to your warning lights and- gages could
also save
you. or others,from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may
be or is
a problem with one of your
vehicle’s functions..
As you will see in
the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when
you turn the .ignition key just to let
you
know they’re worlting. If you are
familiar with this section, you should
not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be
or is a problem with one of your
vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights .work together to let you
know when there’s a problem with your
vehicle. When
one of the warning lights comes
on and stays on when you are driving,
or when one of the gages shows there
may be a problem, check -the section
that tells you what to
do about it. Please
follow the manual’s advice. Waiting to
do repairs can be costly
- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know. your
-warning lights and gages. They’re a big
help. MPH km/h 7
Your speedometer lets you see your
speed.in.both miles p,er hour (mph) and
kilometers per hour (lun/h)
.
91

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

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.

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.)

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

Your Driving and the Road
134
steering, acceleration, or braking
(including engine bralting by shifting to
a lower gear). Any sudden changes
could cause the tires to slide. You may
not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to
recognize warning clues
- such as
enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface”
- and slow down when you have any
doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking system (ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than
day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely to be impaired
- by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to
reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may
need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
speed roads. Your headlights can light
Slow down, especially on higher up
only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the
daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at
night as
a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also
affect your night vision. For example,
if
you spend the day in bright sunshine
you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to
night. But if you’re driving, don’t wear
sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare from headlights, but they also
make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by
approaching lights. It can take a second
or two, or even several seconds, for
your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from
a driver who doesn’t lower the high
beams, or a vehicle with misaimed
i

City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city
streets is the amount of traffic on them.
You'll want
to watch out for what the
other drivers are doing and pay
attention to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in
city driving:
IOnow the best way to get to where
you are going. Get a city map and
plan your trip into an unknown part
of the city just as you would for a
'cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and
cris.scross most large cities. You'll
save time and energy. (See the next
section,
Freeway Driving.)
Treat a green light as a warning
signal.
A traffic light is there because
the corner is busy enough to need it.
When
a light turns green, and just
before you start to move, check both
ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be
running the red light.
..
4 Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called
thruways,~ parkways, expressways,
turnpikes, or superhighways) are the
safest of all roads. But they have their
own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway
driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep
to the right. Drive at the same speed
most of the other drivers are dtiving.
roo-fast
or too-slow dri,ving breaks a
smooth traffic flow. Treat the left lane
on akeeway as a passing lane. -
At the entrance there is usually a ramp
that leads to the freeway.
If you have a
clear view of the freeway as you drive
along the entrance ramp, you should
begin to check traffic.
Try to determine
where you expect to blend with the
L

' Your Driving and the Road
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.
As you go over the top of a hill, be
alert. There could be something in
your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
You may see highway signs on
mountains that warn of special
problems. Examples are long grades,
passing
or no-passing zones, a falling
rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert
to these and take appropriate action.
I Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Oldsmobile in good shape
for winter. Be sure your engine
coolant mix- is correct.
You may want to put winter
emergency supplies in your trunk.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or
broom, a supply
of windshield washer
fluid, a rag, some winter outer clothing,
a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth,
and a couple
of reflective warning
triangles. And,
if you will be driving
under severe conditions, include a
small
bag of sand, a piece of old carpet or a
couple
of burlap bags to help provide
traction. Be sure
you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.