
How to Use this Manual 
These  symbols  are on some of your 
controls: 
Windshield  Wipers 
Windshield  Washer 
w 
Windshield  Defroster 
Rear  Window  Defogger 
Rear  Window  Wiper 
Rear  Window  Washer  Ventilating  Fan 
Power  Window 
10 
3f 
These  symbols  are  used on warning 
and indicator  lights: 
Engine  Coolant  Temperature 
Battery  Charging 
System 
Fuel 
Engine 
Oil Pressure 
Brake 
AntXock  Brakes 
p3 
Here  are  some  other symbols you 
may  see: 
Fuse 
Lighter 
Horn 
Speaker 
Hood  Release 
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Here  you  can  learn  about  the  many standard  and  optional  features  on 
your  Oldsmobile.  and  information  on 
starting.  shifting  and  braking 
. Also 
explained  are  the  instrument  panel 
and  the  warning  systems  that  tell you 
if everything  is working  properly - 
and  what to do  if you have  a 
problem 
. 
Part 2 
Features & Controls 
Keys ........................................................................\
................................................... 44 
Front  Doors 
........................................................................\
....................................... 45 
Remote  Lock  Control 
........................................................................\
........................ 48 
Liftgate 
........................................................................\
............................................... 56 
Starting  Your  Engine 
........................................................................\
........................ 58 
Engine Coolant  Heater ........................................................................\
...................... 61 
Loclts 
........................................................................\
.................................................. 45 
Sliding Door 
........................................................................\
...................................... 51 
Ignition ........................................................................\
.............................................. 58 
Shifting  the Transaxle 
........................................................................\
....................... 62 
Parking  Brake 
........................................................................\
.................................... 65 
Shifting  into Park 
........................................................................\
.............................. 66 
Horn ........................................................................\
................................................... 69 
Tilt  Steering  Wheel 
........................................................................\
............................ 69 
Windows 
........................................................................\
............................................ 69 
Turn  Signal  and  Lane  Change Indicator 
.................................................................. 71 
Cruise  Control ........................................................................\
................................... 72 
Headlights 
........................................................................\
.......................................... 74 
Interior  Lights 
........................................................................\
................................... 76 
Windshield Wipers 
........................................................................\
............................ 77 
Windshield  Washer 
........................................................................\
........................... 78 
Mirrors 
........................................................................\
............................................... 86 
Glove 
Box and  Storage  Compartments .................................................................... 88 
Luggage  Carrier ........................................................................\
................................. 92 
Instrument  Panel 
........................................................................\
............................... 96 
Warning  Lights, Gages  and  Indicators 
................................................................... 100 43 
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Raising the Liftgate 
Open  the liftgate using  the handle 
above  the license  plate.  Then,  step  back 
and  the  liftgate will rise by itself. Lights 
in  the  liftgate  will come  on, illuminating 
the  rear  cargo  area  (see  the 
Index under 
Rear  Interior  Lights). 
NOTICE: 
Be sure  there  are  no  overhead 
obstructions,  such  as a garage  door, 
before  you open  the liftgate.  You 
could  slam the liftgate  into 
something  and  break  the glass. 
To  close  the liftgate,  pull down  on  the 
strap,  then  firmly shut  the  liftgate. 
Don’t  drive with  the  liftgate open, even 
slightly  (see the 
Index under Exhaust). 
A light  on your  instrument  panel will 
warn  you 
if the liftgate  is  not completely 
closed  (see the 
Index under Warning 
Lights,  Liftgate  Ajar). 
New Vehicle “Break-In” 
NOTICE: 
Your modern  Oldsmobile  doesn’t 
need  an  elaborate  “break-in.”  But it 
will  perform  better  in  the  long run 
if  you  follow  these guidelines: 
Don’t  drive at any  one  speed - 
fast  or  slow - for the  first 500 
miles (804 km) . Don’t  make full- 
throttle  starts. 
Avoid  making  hard  stops  for the 
first 
200 miles (322 km)  or so. 
During  this  time  your new brake 
linings  aren’t yet broken  in.  Hard 
stops  with  new linings  can mean 
premature  wear and earlier 
replacement.  Follow this 
“breaking-in”  guideline every 
time  you  get  new  brake linings. 
57 
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Features & Controls 
64 
R NoD2l 
Forward Gears 
(Automatic Overdrive): 
If your  automatic  transaxle  has 
automatic  overdrive,  this position  is  for 
normal driving.  If you need more power 
for passing,  and you’re: 
Going less  than  about 35 mph (56 
km/h),  push  your accelerator pedal 
about  halfway  down. 
Going about 35 mph (56 Itm/h)  or 
more,  push the accelerator  all the  way 
down. 
You’ll  shift down 
to the next  gear and 
have more power. 
NOTICE: 
This  NOTICE  applies only if you 
have  the 
3800 V6 engine  and the 
automatic  Overdrive transaxle. If 
your vehicle 
is so equipped,  and  if it 
seems  to  start  up  rather  slowly, or if 
it  seems  not  to  shift  gears as you  go 
faster,  something  may 
be wrong 
with  a  transaxle  system sensor.  If 
you  drive  very far that  way,  your 
vehicle  can be damaged. 
So, if this 
happens,  have your vehicle serviced 
right away. Until  then, you can use 
2 (Second  Gear) when you are 
drivin  less  than 
35 mph (56 ltm/h) 
and 
d D (Overdrive) for higher 
speeds. 
D (Third  Gear): If your  automatic 
transaxle  does not have Overdrive,  this 
position  is for normal driving,  at all 
speeds,  in most  street  and  highway 
situations. 
If your  automatic  transaxle  has 
Overdrive, 
D is  like m, but  you  never 
go  into  Overdrive.  Here  are some times 
you  might choose 
D instead  of m: 
When driving  on hilly,  winding roads. 
When  towing  a  trailer, so there is less 
When  going  down  a  steep hill. 
2 (Second  Gear): This position  gives 
you  more power  but lower  fuel 
economy.  You can use 
2 on hills. It can 
help  control  your speed  as you  go down 
steep  mountain  roads,  but  then  you 
would also want  to use your brakes 
off 
and on. 
shifting between gears. 
NOTICE: 
Don’t drive in 2 (Second  Gear) for 
more  than 
5 miles (8 ltm),  or  at 
speeds over 
55 mph (88 ltm/h),  or 
you  can damage your  transaxle. 
Use 
D (m or D if your vehicle  has 
Overdrive)  as much  as possible. 
Don’t  shift into 
2 unless  you are 
going  slower  than 
65 mph (105 
ltm/h),  or  you can damage your 
engine. 
1 (First Gear): This position  gives  you 
even  more power  (but lower  fuel 
economy)  than 
2. You can use  it on 
very  steep  hills, or  in deep snow  or 
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ud. If the  selector  lever is  put  in 1, thc 
ansaxle  won’t shift into first gear  unti 
le  vehicle  is  going  slowly  enough. 
NOTICE: 
If your  front  wheels  can’t  rotate, 
don’t  try to drive. 
This might 
happen 
if you  were  stuck  in  very 
deep  sand or mud  or  were  up 
against  a  solid object. 
You could 
damage your  transaxle. Also, 
if you 
stop  when  going uphill,  don’t hold 
your  vehicle  there  with  only the 
accelerator  pedal. This could 
overheat  and  damage the transaxle. 
Use  your  brakes  or  shift into 
P 
(Park)  to hold your vehicle  in 
position  on a hill. 
Parking Brake 
To Set the  Parking  Brake: 
Hold  the regular  brake pedal down  with 
your right foot.  Push down  the  parking 
brake  pedal with  your  left foot.  If the 
ignition  is on,  the  brake  system warning 
light  will  come 
on. See  the Index under 
Brake System Warning Light. 
To Release the  Parking Brake: 
Hold  the regular  brake pedal down with 
your  right foot while  you push  down  on 
the  parking  brake  pedal with your  left 
foot.  (To  release  the  tension  on  the 
parking  brake  cable, you  will  need to 
apply  about  the  same  amount  of 
pressure  to  the parking  brake  pedal as 
you  did  when you set the  parking 
brake.)  When  you  remove  your  foot from 
the parking  brake  pedal, it will  pop 
up  to  the  release  position. 
NOTICE: 
Driving  with  the  parking  brake  on 
can  cause  your rear  brakes  to 
overheat. 
You may  have  to replace 
them,  and  you could also damage 
other  parts  of your  vehicle. 
If You are Towing a Trailer  and  are 
Parking  on 
Any Hill: 
See the Index under Towing a Trailer. 
That  section  shows what  to  do  first to 
keep  the trailer from  moving. 
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Features & Controls 
66 
I Sh@ing Into P (Park) 
1. Hold the brake pedal  down with your 
right 
foot and  set  the  parking brake. 
2. Move the shift  lever  into P (Park) 
position  like this: 
Pull  the lever  toward you. 
Move  the lever up as far as it  will I I 
go. 
3. Move  the ignition  key to Lock. 
4. Remove  the key  and  take  it  with you. 
If you  can walk  away from your 
vehicle with  the ignition  key in your 
hand,  your vehicle  is in 
P (Park). 
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Leaving Your Vehicle  With the 
Engine  Running 
If  you  have  to leave your vehicle  with 
the  engine  running,  be  sure  your vehicle 
is  in 
P (Park)  and  your parking  brake  is 
firmly  set before  you  leave  it. After 
you’ve  moved  the shift  lever  into  the 
P 
(Park)  position,  hold the regular  brake 
pedal  down.  Then,  see  if you  can move 
the  shift lever away  from 
P (Park) 
without  first pulling  it  toward you. 
If  you  can,  it  means  that  the  shift lever 
wasn’t  fully locked  into 
P (Park). 
Torque  Lock 
If you  are parking  on a hill and  you 
don’t  shift your  transaxle into 
P (Park) 
properly,  the weight 
of the  vehicle  may 
put  too  much force  on  the parking  pawl 
in  the  transaxle.  You  may find it 
difficult  to pull  the shift  lever  out of 
P 
(Park).  This is  called  “torque  lock.” To 
prevent torque lock, set the  parking 
brake  and  then  shift into 
P (Park) 
properly before  you  leave the driver’s 
seat.  To  find out how,  see 
Shifting Into 
P (Park) in the Index. 
When  you  are ready  to drive,  move the 
shift  lever  out of 
P (Park)  BEFORE  you 
release  the parking  brake. 
If  “torque  lock’’ does  occur, you  may 
need  to have  another  vehicle push yours 
a  little  uphill to  take  some 
of the 
pressure  from the transaxle, 
so you  can 
pull  the shift  lever  out of 
P (Park). 
Parking Over nings That 
Burn 
67 
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Features & Controls 
72 
I Cruise Control (OPTION) 
With cruise  control, you can  maintain  a 
speed  of about 
25 mph (40 lun/h)  or 
more  without  keeping your foot  on the 
accelerator. 
This can  really  help on long 
trips. 
Cruise  control  does not work  at speeds 
below  about 
25 rnph (40 ltm/h). 
When  you  apply your  brakes,  the  cruise 
control  shuts 
off. 
To Sef Cruise  Control 
1. Move the cruise control switch  to ON. 
2. Get up to the speed you want. 
3. Push  in the SET button  at  the  end  of 
4. Take your foot off the  accelerator 
the 
lever  and release  it. 
pedal. 
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