Page 159 of 276

Here you’ll find  what to do about 
some  problems  that  can  occur 
on the 
road 
. 
Part 5 
Problems on the Road 
Hazard  Warning Flashers ..................... .. ................................................................ 158 . 
Jump Starting ........................................................................\
.................................. 158 
Towing Your  Vehicle 
........................................................................\
....................... 162 
Engine  Overheating 
........................................................................\
......................... 165 
If  a Tire Goes  Flat 
........................................................................\
........................... 172 
Changing a Flat Tire 
........................................................................\
........................ 172 
Compact  Spare Tire ........................................................................\
........................ 178 
If You’re  Stuck: In Sand,  Mud, Ice or  Snow ......................................................... 179 
157 
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Problems on the Road 
I 74 
4. The compact spare tire is located 
under  the  vehicle, behind  the rear 
bumper.  Insert  the  narrow  end of the 
shaft  into  the  hole above  the rear 
bumper. Then  attach  the folding 
wrench  to the  shaft. 
counterclockwise  to lower  the 
compact spare  tire until 
it can be 
pulled  from under  the  vehicle. 
5. Rotate the folding wrench 
I 
6. Slide  the cable  retainer  through  the 
center  of the  spare,  then  place the 
compact spare tire near  the flat  tire. 
I 
7. Each  wheel  nut is covered  with  a 
nylon  cap. Use the folding wrench  to 
remove  the nylon  caps from  the 
wheel  nuts before 
you loosen  the 
nuts. 
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        Page 177 of 276
8. Loosen the wheel  nuts-but  do  not 
remove  them-using  the folding 
wrench. 
I 
3. Attach  the folding  wrench  to  the 
jack,  and  rotate  the wrench  cloclwisc 
to  raise  the jack  head  a  few inches. 10. Near  each wheel,  there is a  notch  in 
the  vehicle’s  frame. Position  the 
jack  and  raise  the jack  head  until it 
fits  firmly  into  the  notch  in  the 
vehicle’s  frame  nearest  the flat  tire. 
Do not  raise  the vehicle  yet. Put  the 
compact  spare  tire  near  you. 
1 75 
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Problems on the Road 
1 76 
NOTICE: 
Raising your vehicle with  the jack 
improperly positioned  will damage 
the  vehicle  or may  allow  the vehicle 
to  fall off  the jack.  Be sure  to  fit the 
jack  lift head  into  the  proper 
location before raising your vehicle. 
11. Raise  the vehicle  by rotating  the 
folding wrench  clockwise in the 
jack.  Raise  the vehicle far enough 
off  the  ground 
so there is enough 
room for the  spare  tire to fit. 
12. Remove  all  the wheel  nuts  and  take 
off  the 
flat tire. 
3. Remove  any corrosion  or  dirt from 
the  wheel bolts, mounting surfaces 
or  spare  wheel. Place  the  spare  on 
the  wheel  mounting  surface. 
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        Page 180 of 276

Problems on the Road 
1 78 
17. Lay the flat  tire  near  the  rear  of the 
vehicle with  the valve  stem down. 
Slide  the cable  retainer  through  the 
center  of the  wheel  and raise  the flat 
tire  until  you hear  the hoist 
mechanism  click twice. This means 
the  wheel  is  firmly  stored against 
the  underside  of the  vehicle.  When 
storing  the  spare  tire,  be certain to 
turn  the  spare 
so the  valve  stem is 
near  the  rear of the  vehicle. This 
will  help  you to check  and maintain 
tire  pressure in  the  spare. 
Push against  the  tire  to be certain  it 
is stored firmly. 
18. Replace  all  jacking  tools  as they  were 
stored  in the  storage  compartment  and 
replace  the  compartment  cover. Be 
sure  to  also store  the  nylon nut caps. 
When 
you replace  the compact  spare 
tire  with  a  full-size tire, replace  the 
nylon  nut caps  over the wheel  nuts. 
Tighten them  “hand  tight” using the 
folding  wrench  (see  step 
7). 
Compact Spare Tire 
Although  the compact  spare was fr .Ill! 
inflatedwhen  you; vehiile  was new, : 
can lose air  after  a time. Check  the 
jr 
it 
inflation pressure  regularly. It should be 
60 psi (420 1tPa). After installing  the 
compact  spare on your vehicle,  you 
should  stop  as  soon as possible  and 
make  sure your spare tire  is correctly 
inflated.  The compact  spare is  made  to 
perform  well  at posted speed limits for 
distances  up to 
3,000 miles (5 000 ltm). 
The  compact  spare 
is made to go  up  to 
3,000 miles (5 000 ltm), so you  can 
finish your  trip  and have your full-size 
tire repaired 
or replaced where  you 
want.  Of course,  it’s best  to replace 
your  spare  with 
a full-size  tire as soon 
as you  can.  Your  spare  will last longer 
and  be in  good  shape  in case  you need  it 
again. 
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        Page 181 of 276

I NOTICE: 
Don’t take your compact  spare 
through  an automatic  car wash 
with  guide  rails. The compact  spare 
can  get caught  on  the rails. That 
can  damage  the  tire  and  wheel, and 
maybe  other  parts  of your  vehicle. 
~ 
Don’t  use  your compact  spare on some 
other  vehicle. 
And  don‘t  mix your compact  spare  or 
wheel with  other wheels  or  tires.  They 
won’t  fit.  Keep your spare  and  its whec 
together. 
NOTICE: 
Tire  chains  won’t  fit your compact 
spare.  Using them will damage your 
vehicle  and destroy  the chains  too. 
Don’t  use tire  chains  on your 
compact  spare. 
IfYou%e Stuck: In Sand, 
Mud, Ice or Snow 
What you don’t want to  do  when your 
vehicle  is stuck  is to  spin  your wheels. 
The  method known  as  “rocking” can 
help 
you get  out  when  you’re  stuck,  but 
you  must  use  caution. 
I NOTICE: 
Spinning your wheels can destroy 
parts 
of your vehicle  as well  as the 
tires.  If you  spin  the wheels  too fast 
while shifting your  transaxle back 
and  forth,  you can destroy your 
transaxle. 
Rocking Yowr Vehicle  to  Get  it  Out: 
First,  turn your steering wheel  left and 
right.  That will clear  the area  around 
your  front  wheels. 
If you have  the 
optional  traction  control  system, you 
should  turn it  off.  (See 
Traction CorztroZ 
System in the Index.) Then  shift back 
and  forth between 
R (Reverse) and a 
forward  gear,  spinning  the  wheels as 
little  as possible.  Release the accelerator 
pedal  while  you  shift, and press  lightly 
on  the  accelerator pedal when  the 
transaxle  is in  gear.  If that  doesn’t  get 
you  out after  a few  tries,  you  may  need 
to  be towed  out. If you  do need  to be 
towed  out, see 
Towing Your Vehicle in 
the 
Index. 
1 79 
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        Page 209 of 276
4 Tires 
We don’t  make  tires. Your new  vehicle 
comes  with high quality  tires  made by 
leading  tire  manufacturer.  These  tires  are  warranted 
by the  tire  manufacture^ 
and  their  warranties  are  delivered witk 
every new Oldsmobile.  If your  spare ti 
is a different  brand than your  road  tire 
you  will  have a tire  warranty  folder 
fro 
each of these  manufacturers. 
a 
TS 
1 
re 
S’ 
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        Page 210 of 276

Sewice & Appearunce  Care 
208 
Inflation-Tire  Pressure 
The  CertificatiodTire label which  is on 
the  rear edge  of the  driver’s  door 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). 
How to Check 
Use a good  quality pocket-type  gage to 
check tire  pressure. Simply  loolting  at 
the  tires  will not tell  you  the  pressure, 
especially 
if you  have radial tires - 
which  may  look  properly inflated  even if 
they’re underinflated. 
If  your tires have  valve caps, be sure  to 
put  them  back on. They  help prevent 
leaks  by keeping  out  dirt  and  moisture. 
- 
 f 
x 
Tire  Inspection  and  Rotation 
To make  your tires last longer,  have 
them  inspected  and  rotated at  the 
mileages  recommended  in the 
Maintenance  Schedule. See 
Scheduled 
Maintenance  Services 
in the Index. 
Use  this  rotation  pattern. 
After  the tires have been  rotated,  adjust 
the  front  and  rear inflation pressure  as 
shown  on  the CertificationlTire label. 
Make  certain  that  all wheel  nuts  are 
properly tightened.  See 
Wheel Nut 
Toque in the Index. 
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