
NOTICE:
Loading cargo that weighs more
than
125 pounds (56 kg) on the
luggage carrier may damage your
vehicle. When you carry cargo
on
the luggage carrier of a proper size
and weight, put it
on the slats, as
far forward as
you can. Then slide
the crossrail up against the rear of
the load, to help keep it from
moving. You can then tie it down. Don’t
exceed the maximum vehicle
sapacity when loading your Oldsmobile.
For more information
on vehicle
capacity and loading, see the
Index
under Loading Your Vehicle.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as
you’re driving, check now and then to
make sure the luggage carrier and cargo
are still securely fastened.
Your luggage carrier has release hobs
set in the ends of each crossrail. Turn
the release hobs counterclockwise,
then slide the crossrails forward or
back, as needed, to accommodate loads
of varying size.
After repositioning the crossrails, be
sure to tighten the release hobs by
turning them clockwise, locking the
crossrails in place.
93
ProCarManuals.com

Features & Controls
94
Use the adjustable tiedown loops in the
side rails
to help secure large loads.
Reposition the tiedowns by turning
them counterclockwise, then slide them
along the side rail. Turn the tiedowns
cloclnvise
to tighten them in place.
Tiedowns may be removed and used in
the adjustable tapped plates in the
crossrails.
You may also use these
tapped plates to secure bicycle or ski
racks.
Electronic Level Control (OPTION)
With this option, the rear of the vehicle
automatically adjusts to changes in load
weight. (See the
Index under Loading
Your Vehicle.)
You may hear the compressor operating
when you load or unload your vehicle,
and periodically
as the system self-
adjusts. This is normal. The compressor
should operate for brief
periods of time. If the sound continues
for an extended period
of time, your
vehicle needs service. To keep your
battery from being drained, you may
want to pull the 20-amp
ELC fuse in the
fuse control panel until you can get
your vehicle serviced (see the
Index
under Fuses G Circuit Breakers).
ProCarManuals.com

Comfort Conboh &Audio Systems
126
COMP (Compression): Press this
button to make soft and loud passages
more equal in volume. Press again to
resume normal play.
When Finished with the Compact
Disc Player:
If you press POWER or turn off the
ignition, the disc will stay in the player
and start again when you turn on the
ignition or power switch. The disc will
begin playing at the point where it had
been stopped.
ST/PL (Stop/Play): Press to stop the
disc player; the radio will play. Press
again to play the disc (the player will
start playing the disc where it was
stopped earlier).
EJCT (Eject): Press to eject the disc;
the radio will play.
CD Player Anti-Theft Feature
Delco LOC 110 is a security feature for
the compact disc player. It can be used
or ignored. If ignored, the system plays
normally. If it is used, your player won’t
be usable if it is ever stolen, because it will go
to LOC mode any time battery
power is removed. Until an
unLOC
code is entered, it will not turn on.
The instructions below tell you how to
enter
a secret code into the system. If
your vehicle loses battery power for any
reason, you must unlock the system
with the secret code before the radio
will turn on.
To Set the Anti-Theft System:
1. Write down any six-digit number and
2. Turn the ignition to the Accessory or
3. Press the POWER button to turn the
4. Press the PREV and FF buttons
keep
it in a safe place.
Run position.
radio off.
together. Hold them down until
“- - -”
shows on the display (at least five
seconds).
You are ready to enter your
secret code.
NOTE: If you allow more than
15
seconds to elapse between any steps,
the radio automatically reverts to time
and you must start the procedure over
at step
4.
5. Press SET and 000 will appear on
6. Press and hold SEEK until the first
7. Press and hold SCAN until the
the
display.
digit
of your code appears.
second and third digits of your code
appear.
8. Press AM/FM and 000 will appear
again. Now you are ready to enter the
last three digits of your code.
9. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the last three
digits of your code.
IO. Press AM/FM and rEP will appear.
11. Repeat steps 6 through 10. This
time
SEC will appear, indicating
that the radio is secure. If
“- - -”
appears, the steps were not
successful and you must repeat the
entire procedure.
To Unlock the System After a Power
Loss:
When battery power is reapplied to a
secured radio, the radio won’t turn on
and
LOC will appear on the display.
Enter your secret code as follows; pause
no more than
15 seconds between
steps.
ProCarManuals.com

1. Turn the ignition on. (Radio off.)
2. Press the SET button. The display
will show 000.
3. Enter the six digits of the code
following steps
6-9 above. The
display will show the numbers as
entered.
4. Press the AM/FM button and the
time appears, indicating that the
disabling sequence was successful. If
the display indicates
SEC, the
numbers did not match and the unit
is still secured.
Disabling the Anti-Theft System:
1. Press PREV and FF together for five
seconds with the ignition on and
radio power
off. The display will
show
SEC, indicating the unit is in
the secure mode. (If
"- - -" appears on
the display, the anti-theft system has
already been disabled.)
2. Press the SET button. The display
will show
000.
3. Enter the first three digits of the code
following steps
6 and 7 of the
preceding paragraphs. The display will
show the numbers
as entered.
4. Press AM/FM. The radio will display
000.
5. Repeat steps 6 and 7 to enter the
second three digits of the code. The
display will show the numbers as
entered.
6. Press AM/FM. If "- - -" then the time
appears, the disabling sequence was
successful (the numbers matched the
secret code) and the unit
is in the
UNSECURED mode. If the display
shows
SEC, the disabling sequence
was unsuccessful (the numbers did
not match) and the unit will remain
in the
SECURED mode.
Steering Wheel Touch Controls
(OPTION)
Some audio system functions can be
operated with these controls.
ASEEKV: Press A to seek and stop
on the next station higher on the radio
band; press
V to seek and stop on the
next station lower on the radio band.
If you are listening to a cassette tape or
compact disc, press
A to skip to the
next selection; press
V to return to the
previous selection.
ATUNEV: Press A to tune in radio
stations higher on the
AM or FM band;
press
V to tune in stations lower on the
band.
127
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
148
Ihow how to go uphill. You may
want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine
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.
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 vehicle.
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.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where
your tires meet the road probably have
good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice
between your tires and the road, you
can have a very slippery situation.
You’ll have a lot less traction
or “grip”
and will need to be very careful.
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet
ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be slick
and hard to drive
on. But wet ice can be
even more trouble because it may offer
the least traction of all. You can get
“wet ice” when it’s about freezing
(32°F; O’C) and freezing rain begins to
fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until
salt and sand crews can get there.
ProCarManuals.com

During your trip, check occasionally to
be sure that the load is secure, and that
the lights and
any trailer brakes are still
working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden
turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond
the passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move that hand to
the left.
To move the trailer to the right,
move your hand to the right. Always back up
slowly and, if possible, have
someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal. Do this
so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher
and extra wiring. The green arrows on
your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lights will
also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change
lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think
drivers behind you are seeing your signal
when they are not.
It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the
trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t
shift down, you
might have to use your brakes
so much
that they would get hot and
no longer
work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around
45 mph
(70 lwh) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs
more than
1,000 pounds (454 kg), and
you have an automatic transaxle with
Overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
D
instead of Overdrive (or, as you need to,
a lower gear). This will minimize heat
build-up and extend the life of your
transaxle.
n
ProCarManuals.com

3100 V6: Replacing Air Cleaner Filter
2. Remove the air cleaner filter.
3. Be sure to install the air cleaner filter,
replace the cover and tighten the
wing nut securely.
3800 V6 Checking Air Cleaner Filter
To Check or Replace: .
1. Loosen the four wing nuts.
3800 V6: Replacing Air Cleaner Filter
2. Pull the top of the air cleaner toward
the front of the vehicle and remove
the air cleaner filter.
3. Be sure to install the air cleaner filter,
replace the cover and tighten the
wing nuts securely.
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic
transaxle fluid level is when the engine
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 transaxle.
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
transaxle fluid.
Wait at least
30 minutes before
checking the transaxle fluid level
if you
have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic-especially in hot
While pulling a trailer.
90°F (32°C).
weather.
195
ProCarManuals.com

4. Pull off the entire taillight housing.
5. Pinch the lever and twist the bulb
assembly
M turn countercloclwise to
remove.
~ 6. Remove the bulb by pressing in and
1 turning % turn counterclockwise.
7. Line up the small retainer bumps on
the replacement bulb
so that the
1 lower bump slides into the deepest
' slot in the housing. Press in and twist
the bulb
!4 turn clockwise. Reposition
the bulb assembly in the taillight
housing. Turn the assembly
M turn
clockwise to lock in place.
' 8. Replace the entire taillight housing
and screws.
9. Attach the spring clips to the
taillight housing and secure them.
liftgate.
signals and taillights.
IO. Close the rear side windows and
11. Test the bulbs by using your turn
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
Replacement blades for your vehicle are
24 inches in length. They come in
different types and are removed in
different ways. Here's how to remove
the type with a release clip:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away
from the windshield.
2. Lift the release clip with a
screwdriver and pull the blade
assembly off the wiper arm.
the wiper arm.
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on
205
ProCarManuals.com