
Seats  &Restraint  Systems 
24 
I 
AIRBAO 
I 
I CHECK 
9ir  Bag Readiness  Light 
rhere is an  air  bag  readiness  light on 
;he instrument  panel,  which  shows 
AIR 
BAG. The system  checks  for  electrical 
nalfunctions,  and  the light  tells  you 
if 
;here is a  problem. 
fou  will  see  this light  flash  for  a  few 
;econds  when you turn  your  ignition  to 
Run or Start. Then the light  should go 
)ut, which  means  the system  is  ready. 
Xemember, 
if the  air bag  readiness  light 
ioesn’t  come on when  you start  your 
rehicle,  or  stays  on, or comes  on when 
~OU are  driving,  your  air bag  system 
nay  not work  properly.  Have  your 
rehicle  serviced  right  away. 
How The  Air  Bag  System Works 
Where  is the air  bag? 
The driver’s  air bag  is  in the  middle of 
the  steering wheel. 
When is an air bag  expected to 
inflate? 
The air  bag  is  designed  to inflate  in 
moderate  to severe  frontal  or near- 
frontal crashes. The air  bag  will  only 
inflate  if the  velocity 
of the impact  is 
above  the designed  threshold  level. 
When  impacting straight into  a  wall that 
does  not move  or  deform,  the threshold 
level  for most 
GM vehicles  is between 9 
and 15 mph (14 and 23 ltrn/h). 
However,  this velocity  threshold 
depends on  the vehicle  design  and may 
be  several  miles-per-hour  faster or  

Remote Trunk  Release (OPTION) 
Press the yellow  trunk release  button 
located  under  the  instrument  panel 
on 
the driver's  side. 
Your automatic  transaxle  must be  in 
P (Park). 
Refiember  that  your trunk  can  be 
opened  at any time  using the lock 
release.  Be sure  to lock  your  doors. 
Convenience  Net (OPTION) 
Your  vehicle  may have  a convenience 
net.  You'll  see it just inside  the back 
wall  of the  trunk. 
Put 
small loads,  like  grocery  bags, 
behind  the  net.  It  can help  keep them 
from  fdling.over  during sharp  turns  or 
quick  starts  and  stops. 
The  net  isn't for  larger,  heavier  loads. 
Store  them in the  trunk 
as far  forward 
as 
you can. 
You can  unhook  the  net so that it will 
lie  flat  when  you're  not  using it. 
57  

8. Start the engine and  let it run  until 
you  can feel the upper radiator hose 
getting  hot. Watch  out for the  engine 
fans. 
9. By  this  time  the coolant  level inside 
the  radiator  filler neck  may  be  lower. 
If  the  level  is lower, add more  of the 
proper  mix through  the filler  neck 
until  the level  reaches  the base  of the 
filler  neck. 
10. Then  replace  the pressure cap. At 
any time during this procedure  if 
coolant  begins to flow  out of the 
filler  neck, reinstall  the pressure 
cap.  Be sure  the arrows  on  the 
pressure  cap.line  up  like this. 
11. Check  the coolant  in the  recovery 
tank.  The  level in the  coolant 
recovery  tanlc  should be at  the 
HOT 
mark when  the engine  is  hot or at 
the 
COLD mark when  the engine  is 
cold. 
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 slid  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. 
165  

Problems on the Road 
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.  The 
following  steps will tell-you  how to 
use  the jack  and change  a  tire. 
The  equipment  you’ll  need  is in the 
trunk. 
1. Pull  the carpeting  from the floor of 
the trunk. 
2. Turn  the center retainer bolt on  the 
compact  spare tire  housing 
countercloclmise  to remove  it, then 
lift the  tire  cover.  

14. Lower the vehicle  by rotating  the 
jack  handle counterclockwise. 
Lower  the jack  completely. 15. Tighten  the wheel  nuts firmly  in a 
cr&cross  sequence as shown. Don’t 
try  to  put  the  wheel  cover on your 
compact spare tire. It won’t fit.  Store  the wheel  cover  in the  trunk 
until  you  have  the flat  tire repaired 
or replaced. 
NOTICE: 
Wheel  covers  won’t fit on your 
compact spare. If you  try to put a 
wheel  cover  on your compact  spare, 
you  could  damage  the cover  or the 
spare. 
16. Store  the flat  tire as far  forward  in 
the  trunk  as  possible. Store the jack 
and  the wheel  wrench in their 
compartment in  the  trunk. 
171  

Inflation - Tire  Pressure 
The Tire-Loading  Information label 
which is  on  the inside of the  trunk  lid 
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. 
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. 
Don’t  forget  your  compact  spare tire. It 
should be  at 
60 psi (420 1tPa). 
207  

Passing ........................................... 132 
Winter  Driving 
............................... 140 
With  a  Trailer 
................................ 146 
Drunken  Driving 
.............................. 126 
Electric  Outside Mirror Control 
..... 82 
Electrical  Center, Underhood 
.......... 220 
Electrical  Equipment. 
Adding 
............................. 60. 111. 220 
Electronic  Climate Control 
.............. 107 
Emergencies  on  the Road 
................. 149 
Emergency  Starting 
.......................... 150 
Emergency  Towing .......................... 154 
Engine  Block  Heater 
.......................... 61 
Engine  Coolant 
................................ 190 
Checking  &Adding 
.............. 160,  161 
Heater 
...................................... 61,  186 
Low Coolant Warning  Light ........... 94 
Proper Mixture  to Use 
.................. 161 
Safety  Warnings  About 
.................. 159,  160, 181, 190 
Temperature  Gage 
........................... 93 
Engine  Exhaust 
.................................. 69 
Engine  Identification 
....................... 219 
Engine  Oil 
........................................ 184 
Additives 
........................................ 186 
1 Capacity ......................................... 227 
Through Deep Standing Water 
....... 60 
Emergencies.  Braking  in 
.................. 130 
Emergencies.  Steering in 
................. 131 
Checking & Adding ....................... 184 
Disposing  of Used  Oil 
................... 187 
Energy  Conserving 
........................ 186 
Filter 
.............................................. 186 
Pressure  Gage .................................. 95 
Starburst 
........................................ 185 
Warning  Light 
.................................. 94 
When  to Change 
............................ 186 
Engine  Overheating ......................... 158 
Engine  Specifications 
....................... 232 
Engine  Starting 
.................................. 59 
Ethanol  in Gasoline 
......................... 177 
Exhaust  Dangerous Gas  in 
............. 57.  69. 142 
Parking with  the Engine 
Running 
.................................. 68.  70 
Expectant Mothers.  Use 
of Safety 
Belts 
................................................. 27 
Expressway  Driving 
......................... 137 
Extender.  Safety  Belt 
......................... 46 
Exterior Appearance (see 
Appearance 
Fabric  Cleaning  (see Appearance Care) 
Fan Warnings ........................... 152. 181 
Filling  the Fuel Tank ........................ 179 
Filter  Air 
.................................................. 187 
Fuel 
................................................ 233 
Oil 
.......................................... 186. 233 
Care) 
Finish Care ....................................... 217 
Finish  Damage 
................................. 217 
Flash-to-Pass 
...................................... 79 
Flashers. Hazard  Warning 
............... 150 
Flat Tire ............................................ 165 
Flooded  Engine 
.................................. 60 
Fluid  Automatic Transaxle 
..................... 188 
Bralte .............................................. 194 
Capacities 
...................................... 227 
Power  Steering 
.............................. 192 
Windshield  Washer 
....................... 193 
Fluids 
& Lubricants ................. 229. 248 
Fog  Lights 
.................................. 80. 204 
Fold-Down  Storage Compartment 
.... 83 
Foreign  Material ................................ 217 
Freeway  Driving 
............................... 137 
French  Language  Manual 
.................... 2 
Fuel ................................................... 177 
Alcohol  in Fuel 
.............................. 177 
Capacity 
................................. 179. 272 
Exhaust  Warnings 
................... 57. 142 
Filling  Your  Tank 
.......................... 179 
Fuels  with Alcohol 
........................ 177 
Gage 
................................................. 93 
In  Foreign  Countries 
..................... 178 
Low  Fuel  Warning  Light 
................. 98 
Requirements 
................................ 177 
Fuses 
& Circuit  Breakers ................ 220 
L 
265  

Sound Equipment. Adding .............. 11 1 
Sound Systems  (see Audio Systems) 
Spare Tire.  Compact ........................ 172 
Spark  Plugs 
.............................. 220. 233 
Specifications 
& Capacities ............. 227 
Speed  Control (see 
Cruise Control) 
Speedometer ...................................... 91 
SRS  (Supplemental Restraint 
System) 
............................................ 23 
Stains;  Removing 
.............................. 212 
Starting  Your  Engine 
......................... 59 
Starting. Jump 
.................................. 150 
Steering  In  Emergencies 
.............................. 131 
Off-Road  Recovery ........................ 132 
Tips 
................................................ 130 
Steering  Wheel.  Tilt 
........................... 71 
Steering  Wheel Touch Controls 
Audio  System 
................................ 122 
Climate  Control 
............................. 109 
Stereo  Systems  (see 
Audio Systems) 
Stoplight. Inside Center 
Storage High 
Mounted 
........................ 2 15. 2 16 
Cassette Tape Holders 
.................... 83 
Convenience  Net ................................ 57 
Fold-Down  Storage  Compartment 
... 83 
Rear  Seat Console ........................... 84 
Storing  Your  Vehicle 
....................... 196 
Stuck. 
If You  Are ............................. 173  Sunroof 
............................................... 86 
Sun 
Visors .......................................... 83 
T achometer ...................................... 92 
Tape  Player  (see 
Audio Systems ) 
Technical  Facts & Specifications 
Bulbs 
.............................................. 230 
Electrical  Equipment. 
Add-on 
................................. 60. 111 
Engine  Specifications .................... 232 
Fluid  Capacities 
& Types ...... 227, 229 
Fuses 
& Circuit Breakers .............. 220 
Replacement  Parts 
......................... 233 
Service  Parts Identification 
Vehicle  Identification Number 
Label 
............................................ 219 
(VIN) 
.......................................... 219 
Temperature Warning  Light 
.............. 98 
Theft 
................................................... 54 
Thermostat ....................................... 192 
Tilt  Steering  Wheel 
............................ 71 
Time.  Setting  the 
.............................. 111 
Tires .................................................. 206 
Buying  New 
................................... 209 
Chains 
.................................... 173. 212 
Inflation 
......................................... 207 
Loading 
.......................................... 207 
Pressure 
......................................... 207 
Flat.  Changing 
............................... 166 
Inspection 
& Rotation .................. 208  Quality 
Grading 
............................. 209 
Spare. Compact 
............................. 172 
Wear  Indicators 
............................. 209 
Wheel  Alignment 
& Tire  Balance ... 210 
Wheel  Replacement 
....................... 210 
When  to Replace  Wheels 
............... 210 
Winter  Driving.  and 
Tires 
............................ 140. 141.  212' 
Top  Strap 
............................................ 36 
Torque  Lock ....................................... 69 
Towing  a  Trailer 
............................... 143 
Towing  Your  Oldsmobile 
................ 154 
Trailer  Towing 
.................................. 143 
Driving  with 
a Trailer .................... 146 
Maintenance 
................................... 148 
Parking  on Hills 
............................ 147 
Trailer  Brakes 
................................ 146 
Turn  Signals 
.................................. 146 
Transaxle) 
Automatic Transaxle) 
Transaxle. Automatic  (see Automatic 
Transmission. Automatic  (see 
Trip Odometer 
................................... 92 
Trunk 
Access  Panel 
..................................... 84 
Lock 
.................................................. 56 
Remote  Release 
............................... 57 
Turn  Signal  Indicator. 
........................ 73 
Turn  SignaVMultifunction  Lever 
...... 72 
Cruise Control 
................................. 74 269