
74 
Features & Controls 
To slow down  in very  small  amounts, 
push  the  button  for less  than  half 
a 
second.  Each time you do  this,  you'll 
go 
1 mph (1.6 ltm/h)  slower. 
Passing  Another  Vehicle  While 
Using  Cruise  Control 
Use  the accelerator pedal  to increase 
your  speed.  When  you  take your foot  off 
the  pedal,  your  vehicle  will  slow  down 
to  the  cruise control speed  you set 
earlier. 
Using  Cruise  Control  on Hills 
How  well  your  cruise control  will work 
on  hills  depends  upon your speed, load, 
and  the  steepness  of the  hills.  When 
going  up steep  hills,  you  may  have  to 
step  on  the  accelerator pedal  to 
maintain your speed. When  going 
downhill, 
you may  have  to brake or 
shift  to a lower  gear  to keep your speed 
down.  Of course,  applying  the brake 
takes 
you out  of cruise control.  Many 
drivers  find this to be  too  much trouble 
and  don't  use cruise control  on steep 
hills. 
To Get  Out of Cruise  Control 
There  are two  ways  to  turn off the 
cruise control: 
Step  lightly  on  the  brake pedal; OR 
Move the cruise switch  to OFF. 
If your  vehicle has the optional traction 
control  system 
(TCS), the cruise 
control  will shut 
off when TCS is 
actively  controlling  wheel spin. See the 
Index under Traction  Control  System. 
To Erase  Cruise  Speed  Memory 
When you turn off the  cruise control  or 
the  ignition, your cruise control set 
speed  memory  is  erased. If you  have  the 
3800 V6 engine, cruise control  memory 
will  also be erased when  you  place the 
transaxle  in 
P (Park). 
Headlights 
Push the p$ switch  to  turn  on: 
Parking Lights 
Side Marker  Lights 
Taillights 
Instrument Panel  Lights 
Pull  the switch  to  turn 
off the lights. 
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Speedometer  and  Odometer 
Your speedometer  lets  you see your 
speed  in  both  miles per hour  (mph)  and 
kilometers per  hour  (ltm/h). Your 
odometer  shows how far your vehicle 
has  been  driven,  in either  miles (used in 
the 
U.S.) or kilometers  (used  in 
Canada). 
Tamper  Resistant  Odometer 
Your Oldsmobile  has  a  tamper  resistant 
odometer. 
If you  see silver  lines 
between  the numbers,  you’ll know that 
someone  has probably tried  to  turn it 
back, 
so the  numbers  may not  be  true. 
You may wonder  what  happens if your 
vehicle  needs  a  new odometer  installed. 
If the new  one  can  be set  to  the  mileage 
total  of the  old odometer,  then  it  must 
be.  But  if it  can’t,  then  it’s set at zero 
and  a  label must  be put  on  the  driver’s 
door  to show  the old  mileage  reading 
when  the new  odometer  was installed. 
\‘ 4 
4 
Tachometer 
The tachometer  displays the engine 
speed in  revolutions  per minute  (rpm). 
NOTICE: 
Do not  operate  the  engine with  the 
tachometer  in the  red  area,  or 
engine damage  may occur. 
[o I 2 0 531 
UNLEADED  FUEL ONLY 
Trip Odometer 
The trip  odometer  can  tell you how far 
your vehicle  has  been driven since 
you 
last  set it to  zero.  To set it to zero,  push 
the  reset  button  located above  the fuel 
gage. 
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ProCarManuals.com 

The gage  moves  a  little  when  you turn 
The  gage  doesn’t  go  back  to E when 
For  your  fuel tank  capacity,  see 
Service 
Station  Information 
on  the  last page of 
this  manual. a  corner,  brake  or 
speed 
up. 
you turn  off the  ignition. 
_____ 0 
‘F 
I 
00- 
- 1/2 
Low Fuel  Warning Light 
When  there is between 3 gallons (1 1 
liters)  and 0.5 gallon (1.8 liters)  of fuel 
left  in the  tank,  the  warning light next 
to the fuel symbol  will  go on. 
This light  will also  come  on when  you 
turn  on  the  ignition,  but  the  engine is 
not  running,  to show  you it is  working. 
If  it doesn’t  come on  as you start  your 
vehicle, have  it fixed  right away. 
d 
Oil  Pressure  lndicator 
(31 00 V6 ENGINE) 
Your vehicle  is equipped  with an oil 
pressure  indicator  rather  than  an oil 
pressure  gage.  Your  oil  pressure indicator 
lets 
you know when  you  may have a 
problem  with your engine  oil pressure. 
When  the engine  is running,  readings 
within  the  white  graduation  band 
indicate  the  normal  operating  range. 
Readings  in  or below  the red  area 
indicate  that  the engine’s  oil  level  may 
be  dangerously low,  or  there may be 
another  problem causing  low  oil 
pressure. 
Driving your vehicle  with low oil 
pressure  can  cause  extensive engine 
damage. Have your vehicle serviced 
immediately. 
101 
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Features & Controls 
102 
NOTICE: 
Damage to your engine from 
neglected  oil  problems can be  costly 
and 
is not  covered  by your 
warranty. 
I I 
3il Pressure Gage (3800 v6 ENGINE) 
four  oil pressure  gage shows  the oil 
x-essure 
in psi  (pounds  per square 
nch)  when  the engine  is running. 
Zanadian  vehicles  indicate pressure in 
vith engine  speed,  outside  temperature 
md  oil  viscosity. In  fact, while  the 
mgine  is  warming  up,  the oil pressure 
vi11  be higher  than  at  the  normal 
Iperating  temperature.  Readings above 
.he red warning  zone indicate  the 
lormal operating range. 
.f the  gage  reads  in the  red warning 
:one, your engine's  oil  level  may  be 
langerously  low or  there  may  be 
mother  problem causing  low  oil 
xessure.  Driving 
your vehicle  with low  oil 
pressure  can  cause  extensive engine 
damage. Have your  vehicle serviced 
immediately. 
NOTICE: 
Damage  to your engine  from 
neglected  oil problems can be costly 
and  is not  covered  by your 
warranty. 
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18 ‘I I 
Voltmeter 
Your charging system  gage  will show 
:he  rate 
of charge when  the engine  is 
running. 
The  reading  will change  as  the  rate of 
:barge changes  (with the engine  speed, 
?tc.),  but  readings between  the red 
warning  zones  indicate  the normal 
3perating range. Readings  in  either red 
zone  indicate  a  possible problem  with 
your  charging system. Have your 
Oldsmobile  serviced immediately. 
When  the engine  is not  running  but  the 
ignition 
is on  (in  the Run position),  the 
display  measures  the voltage  output of 
your  battery. 
 I’ 260 
1 
‘ 
1 
Engine  Coolant  Temperature 
Gage 
rhis  gage  shows  the engine  coolant 
Iemperature.  If the  gage  pointer moves 
.nto  the  red area,  your engine  is too  hot 
[t  means  that your engine coolant  has 
werheated.  If you  have been  operating 
{our vehicle  under  normal  driving 
:onditions,  you should  pull off the  road 
;top  your vehicle  and  turn off the 
mgine  as soon  as possible. 
HOT COOLANT  CAN  BURN  YOU 
BADLY! 
[n 
Problems on the Road,  this  manual 
shows  what to do.  See  the 
Index under 
Engine Overheating. 
LOW 
BAG 
E SOON 
Brake  System  Warning  Light 
Your Oldsmobile’s hydraulic  brake 
system  is divided  into  two  parts. 
If one 
part  isn’t  working,  the  other  part  can 
still  work  and  stop  you. For good 
braking,  though, you need  both  parts 
working  well. 
If  the  warning light comes  on,  there 
could  be  a brake problem. Have your 
brake  system inspected right away. 
This light  should come on  as you start 
the  vehicle.  If it doesn’t come  on then, 
have  it  fixed 
so it  will  be ready  to warn 
you  if there’s  a  problem. 
If the light comes  on while  you  are 
driving,  pull off the  road  and  stop 
carefully. 
You may  notice  that  the  pedal 
is  harder  to  push. 
Or, the  pedal  may go 
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Features & Controls 
104 
closer to the floor. It may  take  longer  to 
stop.  If the  light  is  still  on, have  the 
vehicle towed for service.  (See 
Towing 
Your Vehicle in  the Index.) 
The brake  system  warning  light  will  also 
come  on when 
you set your parking 
brake,  and  it will  stay  on if your parking 
brake  doesn’t release  fully. If it stays  on 
after  your parking brake  is  fully 
released,  it means  you have 
a brake 
problem. 
L Wb 
Anti-Lock Brake System  Warning 
Light 
With anti-lock,  this light  will  go  on 
when  you start  your engine  and  it will 
stay  on for  three  seconds.  That’s 
normal.  If the  light  doesn’t come  on, 
have  it  fixed 
so it  will  be ready  to warn 
you  if there  is a problem. 
If  the  light  flashes when you’re driving, 
you  don’t  have anti-lock brakes  and 
there’s  a  problem with your regular 
brakes.  Pull off the  road and  stop 
carefully. 
You may  notice  that  the  pedal 
is  harder  to push.  Or,  the  pedal may  go 
closer  to  the floor. It  may take  longer  to 
stop.  Have  the vehicle towed for 
service.  (See 
Towing Your Vehicle in 
the 
Index.) 
I 
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 
i 
and stays  on when you’re driving,  stop ! 
as soon  as possible  and  turn  the  ignition 
off.  Then  start  the  engine again to reset 
! I 
the  system.  If the  light  still stays  on, or j 
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. 
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(J LOW 
TRACTION -'I 
AIR BAG 
SERVICE 
ENGINE 
SOON 
Low Traction Light (OPTION) 
: If  your vehicle  has the  traction  control 
~ i system,  there will be  a LOW 
TRACTION light  on  the  instrument 
panel.  When your anti-lock system  is 
adjusting  brake  pressure  to help avoid  a 
braking  skid,  or when your  traction 
control  system is limiting wheel  spin, 
the 
LOW TRACTION light  will  come 
on.  Slippery road  conditions may exist 
if this light comes  on, so adjust your 
driving accordingly.  The light  will  come 
on  and  stay on for  four  seconds  when 
your  anti-lock  system adjusts  brake  pressure 
for less than  four  seconds  or 
when your  traction  control  system 
limits wheel  spin for less  than  four 
seconds.  Otherwise,  the light  will  go  out 
as  soon  as  the  anti-lock system  stops 
adjusting  brake pressure  or  the  traction 
control  system stops limiting wheel 
spin.  The 
LOW TRACTION light also 
comes  on briefly, 
as a bulb  check,  when 
the  engine  is  started. 
P* - 
40 ~m 
rn 
60 
100 
81) 
ZO 1 
1fin 
Traction Control System Warning 
Light (OPTION: 3800 V6 ENGINE) 
The TCS (Traction  Control System) 
warning  light may come  on if your 
brakes  overheat.  When this warning 
light  is on,  the  system will not limit 
wheel  spin.  Adjust  your driving 
accordingly. This means  that your 
traction  control  system has temporarily 
shut  down  to allow  the brakes  to cool. 
(The  traction  control  system will not 
shut  down  while it is  actively 
controlling wheel  spin.) When  the 
brakes have cooled  down, the 
TCS 
warning  light will  go  off. 
If the TCS warning light comes  on  and 
stays  on for  an extended  period of time, 
your vehicle needs service. 
105 
ProCarManuals.com 

I 
Features & Controls 
- 
NOTICE: 
Spinning your wheels  when the 
TCS warning  light is  on  can 
destroy  parts  of your  vehicle  as well 
as  the  tires. 
If you spin  your wheels 
too  fast  while shifting your 
transaxle  back and  forth,  you can 
destroy your  transaxle. When 
you're  stuck,  spin  the  wheels as 
little  as  possible. 
106 
LOW 
TRACTION 
AIR BAO 
SERVICE 
ENGINE  SOON 
c 
Malfunction  Indicator Lamp 
(Service  Engine  Soon  Light) 
A computer  monitors  operation of your 
fuel,  ignition  and  emission controls 
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  tale your  vehicle 
in  for  service  soon. 
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