
Here you will  find  information  about 
the  care  of 
your Oldsmobile . This 
part  begins  with  service  and fuel 
information.  and  then  it  shows how 
to check  important  fluid  and 
lubricant  levels 
. There is  also 
technical  information  about 
your 
vehicle.  and  a section devoted to its 
appearance  care 
. 
Part 6 
Service & Appearance  Care 
Service ........................................................................\
............................................. 182 
Fuel 
........................................................................\
.................................................. 183 
Hood  Release ........................................................................\
................................... 186 
Engine Oil ........................................................................\
........................................ 190 
Air  Cleaner 
........................................................................\
...................................... 194 
Transaxle  Fluid 
........................................................................\
................................ 195 
Engine Coolant 
........................................................................\
................................ 197 
Power  Steering  Fluid 
........................................................................\
....................... 199 
Windshield Washer  Fluid 
........................................................................\
................ 200 
Brakes 
........................................................................\
.............................................. 201 
Battery 
........................................................................\
............................................. 203 
Bulb Replacement 
........................................................................\
........................... 203 
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement 
................................................................... 205 
Loading  Your Vehicle 
........................................................................\
..................... 206 
Tires 
........................................................................\
................................................. 207 
Appearance  Care ........................................................................\
............................. 212 
Vehicle Identification Number  (VIN) 
.................................................................... 218 
Add-on  Electrical Equipment 
........................................................................\
........ 219 
Fuses & Circuit Breakers ........................................................................\
................ 219 
Capacities  and Specifications 
........................................................................\
......... 224 
Normal  Maintenance  Replacement Parts 
............................................................... 226 
Fluids 
& Lubricants ........................................................................\
........................ 227 
Replacement 
Bulbs ........................................................................\
.......................... 228 
181 
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Service &Appearance  Care 
3100 V6 Engine 
1. Engine  Coolant  Reservoir 
2. Power  Steering  Fluid  Reservoir 
3. Air  Cleaner 
4. Brake Fluid Reservoir 
5. Windshield  Washer  Fluid  Reservoi 
6. Battery  r 
7. Automatic 
Transaxle  Fluid  Dipstick 
8. Engine  Oil  Dipstick 
9. Engine  Oil  Fill Cap 
10. Radiator Cap 
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P 
3800 V6 Engine 
1. Engine Coolant Reservoir 
2. Power Steering  Fluid Reservoir 
3. Automatic  Transaxle  Fluid Dipstick 
4. Brake  Fluid  Reservoir 
5. Windshield Washer  Fluid Reservoir 
6. Battery 
7. Air Cleaner 
8. Engine Oil Dipstick 
9. Engine  Oil  Fill Cap 
10. Radiator Cap 
189 
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Service &Appearance Care 
196 
To get the  right reading,  the fluid 
should  be at normal  operating 
temperature,  which is 
180°F to 200°F 
(82°C to 93°C). 
Get the vehicle  warmed  up by driving 
about 
15 miles  (24 ltm) when  outside 
temperatures  are  above 
50°F (10°C). If 
it's colder  than 50°F ( 10°C), you may 
have  to drive longer. 
To  Check  the  Fluid  Level 
Park  your vehicle  on a level  place. 
With  the parking  brake applied,  place 
With your foot  on  the brake pedal, 
the 
shift  lever  in 
P (Park). 
move  the shift  lever  through  each gear 
range,  pausing for  about  three 
seconds  in each  range.  Then, position 
the  shift  lever  in 
P (Park). 
Let the engine  run at idle for  three  to 
five  minutes. 
Then,  Without  Shutting Off the 
Engine,  Follow  these  Steps: 
1. Pull  out  the  dipstick  and wipe  it with 
a  clean  rag or paper towel. 
2. Push  it back  in  all  the way,  wait three 
seconds  and  then  pull  it back out 
again. 
3. Check  both sides of the dipstick,  and 
read  the lower  level.  The fluid  level 
must  be in the  cross-hatched  area. 
4. If the  fluid  level  is  in  the acceptable 
range,  push  the  dipstick back in  all 
the  way. 
3100 V6: Checking  Automatic 
rransaxle  Fluid 
3800 V6: Checking  Automatic 
rransaxle  Fluid 
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NOTICE: 
When using concentrated  washer 
fluid,  follow  the  manufacturer’s 
instructions  for adding  water. 
Don’t  mix water  with  ready-to- 
use  washer  fluid. Water  can  cause 
the  solution  to freeze  and damage 
your  washer  fluid tank  and  other 
parts  of the  washer  system. Also, 
water  doesn’t  clean as well  as 
washer  fluid. 
Fill your  washer  fluid tank only % 
full when  it’s very  cold. This 
allows  for  expansion,  which  could 
damage  the  tank 
if it  is 
completely  full. 
Don’t  use  radiator  antifreeze in 
your  windshield  washer.  It  can 
damage your  washer system and 
paint. 
I 
Brakes 
Brake  Master Cylinder 
Your  brake  master  cylinder  is here.  It is 
filled  with DOT-3  brake fluid. 
There  are  only 
two reasons why the 
brake  fluid  level  in your  master  cylinder 
might  go down.  The  first is that  the 
brake  fluid  goes  down to  an acceptable 
level  during  normal  brake  lining wear. 
When  new linings  are  put  in,  the fluid 
level  goes  back up. 
The  other  reason  is that  fluid  is  leaking 
out  of the  brake  system.  If it  is,  you 
should  have your  brake  system fixed, 
since  a  leak  means  that  sooner  or  later 
your  brakes  won’t  work  well,  or won’t 
work  at all. 
So, it  isn’t  a  good idea to 
“top off’’ your brake  fluid. Adding brake  fluid 
won’t  correct  a  leak. If you  add 
fluid  when  your linings  are  worn,  then 
you’ll  have too much  fluid when  you  get 
new  brake  linings.  You  should  add  (or 
remove)  brake fluid, as  necessary,  only 
when  work is done  on  the  brake 
hydraulic system. 
When  your brake  fluid  falls  to a low 
level,  your  brake  warning  light  will 
come  on. See 
Brake System  Warning 
Light 
in  the Index. 
What to Add 
When  you do  need  brake  fluid, use only 
DOT-3  brake fluid 
- such  as  Delco 
Supreme 
ll@ (GM Part No.1052535). 
Use  new  brake fluid from  a sealed 
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Service & Appearance  Care 
202 
container only, and always  clean the 
brake  fluid reservoir  cap before 
removing  it. 
NOTICE: 
DOT-5 silicone brake fluid can 
Don’t  let someone  put in the 
damage 
your vehicle.  Don’t use it. 
wrong kind  of fluid. For example, 
just  a  few drops  of mineral-based 
oil,  such 
as engine  oil, in your 
brake system  can damage brake 
system  parts 
so badly that they’ll 
have  to be replaced. 
Brake  fluid can damage  paint, so 
be careful  not  to spill brake  fluid 
on  your vehicle.  If you  do, wash  it 
off  immediately.  See 
Appearance 
Care 
in  the Index. 
Brake  Wear 
Your  Oldsmobile  has  front disc brakes 
and  rear drum brakes. 
Disc  brake  pads have built-in wear 
indicators  that make 
a high-pitched 
warning  sound when the brake pads  are worn 
and new  pads  are  needed.  The 
sound  may  come  and go or be  heard  all 
the  time your  vehicle  is  moving  (except 
when  you  are pushing on  the brake 
pedal  firmly). 
NOTICE: 
Continuing  to  drive with worn-out 
brake pads could result in  costly 
brake  repair. 
Some  driving  conditions  or  climates 
may  cause 
a brake squeal when  the 
brakes  are first applied  or lightly 
applied.  This does not  mean something 
is  wrong with your brakes.  Your 
rear drum brakes  don’t have wear 
indicators,  but  if you  ever hear  a rear 
brake rubbing noise, have  the  rear brake 
linings  inspected.  Also, the rear  brake 
drums  should  be  removed  and 
inspected each time  the  tires  are 
removed  for  rotation  or changing. When 
you  have  the  front  brakes replaced, 
have  the rear brakes  inspected,  too. 
Brake linings should  always be replaced 
as  complete axle  sets. 
Brake  Pedal  Travel 
See your dealer  if the  brake pedal does 
not  return  to  normal height,  or if there 
is  a rapid increase in  pedal travel. This 
could be  a sign  of brake  trouble. 
Brake  Adjustment 
Every  time you apply the brakes 
moderately, with or  without  the vehicle 
moving,  your brakes  adjust for wear. 
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Replacing  Brake  System  Parts 
The braking system on a modern 
vehicle  is complex.  Its many  parts have 
to  be  of top  quality  and work  well 
together 
if the  vehicle  is to  have  really 
good  braking. Vehicles  we design  and 
test  have top-quality 
GM brake  parts  in 
them,  as your Oldsmobile does when  it 
is new. When  you  replace parts of your 
braking system 
- for example, when 
your  brake  linings wear  down  and you 
have  to have  new ones  put  in 
- be sure 
you  get new  genuine 
GM replacement 
parts.  If you  don’t,  your brakes  may no 
longer work properly. For  example, if 
someone  puts in brake  linings  that  are 
wrong  for your vehicle,  the balance 
between your  front  and rear brakes  can 
change, 
for the  worse. The braking 
performance  you’ve  come to expect  can 
change  in  many  other ways if someone 
puts  in the  wrong replacement  brake 
parts. 
I Battery 
Every  new  Oldsmobile  has  a Delco 
Freedom@  battery. 
You never have  to 
add  water  to one  of these.  When  it’s 
time for  a new  battery,  we recommend  a 
Delco Freedom@  battery.  Get  one that 
has  the  catalog number  shown  on  the 
original battery‘s label. 
Vehicle  Storage 
If you’re  not going  to drive your vehicle 
for 
25 days  or more,  take off the  black, 
negative 
(-) cable  from the battery.  This 
will  help keep your battery from 
running 
down. 
Contact  your dealer  to learn  how to 
prepare  your vehicle  for longer storage 
periods. 
I Halogen  Bulbs 
203 
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have been approved for  use on General 
~ Motors  vehicles.  All passenger type 
(P Metric)  tires  must  conform to 
Federal safety  requirements  in  addition 
to  these  grades. 
Wheel  Alignment  and  Tire 
Balance 
The  wheels  on your  vehicle  were 
aligned  and balanced  carefully at  the 
factory  to give  you  the longest  tire  life 
and  best  overall performance. 
In  most  cases,  you  will  not need  to have 
your wheels aligned  again. However, 
if 
you notice  unusual  tire  wear  or  your 
vehicle  pulling one way  or the  other,  the 
alignment  may need  to be  reset.  If you 
notice  your vehicle  vibrating  when 
driving  on a smooth  road,  your wheels 
may  need 
to be rebalanced. 
Wheel  Replacement 
Replace  any wheel  that is bent, cracked 
or  badly  rusted.  If wheel  nuts keep 
coming  loose, the wheel, wheel  bolts, 
and  wheel  nuts should  be  replaced. 
If 
the wheel  leala  air,  replace  it  (except 
some  aluminum  wheels, which  can 
sometimes  be  repaired).  See your  Oldsmobile dealer 
if any  of these 
conditions  exist. 
Your dealer  will know  the kind  of wheel 
you  need. 
Each new wheel  should have the same 
load carrying  capacity,  diameter,  width, 
offset,  and be mounted  the same  way as 
the  one  it  replaces. 
If you need  to replace  any of your 
wheels,  wheel bolts, or wheel  nuts, 
replace  them only with  new GM 
original  equipment  parts.  This  way, you 
will  be sure  to  have the right  wheel, 
wheel  bolts,  and  wheel nuts  for  your 
Oldsmobile  model. 
NOTICE: 
The wrong  wheel can also  cause 
problems  with bearing  life, brake 
cooling,  speedometer/odometer 
calibration,  headlight aim,  bumper 
height,  vehicle ground  clearance, 
and  tire  or tire  chain  clearance  to 
the  body  and  chassis. 
Used Replacement Wheels 
21 1 
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