Page 121 of 340
Low Coolant  Level  Warning  Light 
LOW 
WASH 
FLUID 
 LOW 
COOLANT 
1 
If this  light  comes  on and 
stays  on,  the  vehicle  should 
promptly  be  pulled  off the 
road  and the  coolant  level 
checked. 
See  “Engine  Coolant” 
in the Index.  If there  are  visible 
signs  of steam,  see  “Engine  Overheating”  in  the  Index 
before  opening  the hood.  Have  your  vehicle  serviced  as 
soon  as you  can. 
Malfunction  Indicator  Lamp 
(Service  Engine  Soon 
Light) 
I 
LY 
SERVICE 
ENOINE 
SOON 
A computer  monitors 
operation  of your  fuel, 
ignition  and  emission 
control  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  take your  vehicle  in for  service 
soon. 
2-65  
     
        
        Page 122 of 340

NOTICE: 
If  you  keep  driving  your  vehicle  with  this  light 
on,  after  a  while  the  emission  controls  won’t 
work  as  well,  your  fuel  economy  won’t  be  as  good 
and  your  engine  may  not  run as smoothly.  This 
could  lead  to  costly  repairs  not  covered  by  your 
warranty. 
Check  Gages  Light  (Gage  Cluster) 
9 ANTI- 
 CHECK 
Q 
 OAOES 
UI 
E 4 
This  light will  come 
on  briefly  when  you 
are  starting the engine. 
If  it stays  on,  or  if 
it 
comes  on and stays on 
while you  are driving, 
check  your various 
gages  to  see  if they are 
in the warning zones. 
Oil Pressure  Gage  (Gage  Cluster) 
UP 
SHIFT 
CHECK 
OIL 
The  oil  pressure  gage  shows  the engine  oil pressure in 
psi (pounds  per square  inch) when the  engine is running. 
Canadian vehicles indicate pressure  in kPa.  Oil pressure 
may  vary  with engine  speed, outside  temperature  and  oil 
viscosity, but readings  above the red warning zone 
indicate  the normal operating range. 
A reading in the red zone  may  be caused by a 
dangerously low oil level  or other  problem causing low 
oil  pressure. Have your  vehicle serviced immediately. 
2-66  
     
        
        Page 123 of 340
I NOTICE: 
Damage to your  engine  from  neglected oil 
problems  can  be  costly  and is not  covered  by  your 
warranty. 
Oil  Warning  Light (Standard Cluster) 
If you  have a low 
engine 
oil pressure 
problem, 
this light will 
stay on  after you start 
your  engine,  or  come  on  when  you  are  driving. 
This indicates  that  your 
engine  is not  receiving 
enough 
oil. The  engine 
could be low on oil, or 
could  have  some  other 
oil problem.  Have  it 
fixed immediately. 
The  oil light  could  also  come  on  in two  other  situations: 
0 
0 When  the  ignition  is on  but  the  engine  is  not  running, 
the  light  will  come  on as a  test  to  show  you  it is 
working,  but  the  light  will  go  out  when  you 
turn the 
ignition  to  START. 
If it doesn’t  come  on  with  the 
ignition  on,  you  may  have  a  problem  with  the  fuse or 
bulb.  Have  it fixed  right  away. 
If you  make  a  hard  stop,  the  light  may  come  on  for a 
moment.  This  is  normal. 
2-67  
     
        
        Page 124 of 340
Check Oil Light 
80 
Your engine  is 
equipped  with 
an oil 
level monitoring 
system. When  the 
ignition key is turned 
on, the CHECK 
OIL 
light  will briefly  flash. 
If the light  stays on,  stop the vehicle on a level  surface 
and  turn  the  engine 
off. Check  the  oil  level using the 
engine  oil dipstick.  (See  “Engine  Oil”  in the Index.) 
If 
the light  does  not flash,  have  the  low oil level sensor 
system repaired 
so it  will be ready to warn you if  there’s 
a problem. 
I NOTICE: 
The  oil  level  monitoring  system only checks  oil 
level  during  the  brief period  between  key  on and 
engine  crank. 
It does not  monitor  engine oil  level 
when  the engine  is running.  Additionally,  an oil 
level  check  is  only  performed  if the  engine  has 
been  turned 
off for a considerable  period of time 
allowing  the oil normally  in  circulation  to  drain 
back  into  the  oil pan. 
2-68  
     
        
        Page 125 of 340
Tachometer  (Gage Cluster) Fuel  Gage 
The  tachometer  shows  your  engine  speed in revolutions 
per  minute 
(rpm). 
NOTICE: 
Do not  run  your  engine at speeds  in  the  red  area, 
or engine  damage  may  occur. 
Your  fuel gage  tells you about  how much  fuel you have 
left, when the ignition is 
on. When  the indicator nears 
E  (EMPTY),  you still have  a little fuel left, but  you 
should get more 
soon.  
     
        
        Page 126 of 340
Here  are  four things that some owners ask about. None 
of these show a problem with  your fuel gage: 
0 At the service  station,  the  gas  pump  shuts off before 
It takes a little more  or less  fuel  to fill up than the 
the 
gage  reads 
F (FULL). 
gage  indicated. For  example, the gage  may have 
indicated the tank was half  full, but it actually took  a 
little  more  or  less  than  half the tank’s capacity  to  fill 
the tank. 
0 The  gage  moves  a  little when you turn  a  corner  or 
speed 
up. 
The  gage  doesn’t go  back  to E (EMPTY) when you 
turn 
off the  ignition. 
Low Washer Fluid Warning  Light 
1 CHAROE I 
I3 
LOW 
WASH 
 LEVEL 
COOLANT 
The LOW WASH 
FLUID  light  will come 
on when  you turn on 
the ignition,  and the 
fluid  container  is less 
than one-third  full. 
Driving without washer  fluid  can be dangerous. 
A bad 
mud  splash  can block your vision.  You could hit  another 
vehicle  or 
go off the road. Check  your washer fluid  level 
often.  
     
        
        Page 127 of 340
Section 3 Comfort  Controls and Audio  Systems 
In this section you’ll find out how to  operate  the comfort 
control  systems  and audio  systems  offered with your 
Oldsmobile.  Be sure  to read  about 
the particular  system 
supplied with your vehicle. 
I 
Climate  Control  System 
With  this system,  you can  control  the ventilation and 
heating  in your vehicle. 
Your  vehicle  also  has  the  flow-through  ventilation 
system  described  later in this  section. 
FAN: The  left  control knob  sets  the fan  speed. To select 
the  force  of air  you  want, turn the  knob.  The  fan 
is 
always running unless  the mode control is moved to 
OFF. 
TEMPERATURE CONTROL: The  center  control 
knob  rkgulates 
the temperature  of the  air  coming 
through the  system.  
     
        
        Page 128 of 340

MODE CONTROL: The right control knob changes 
the functions 
of your  system. 
VENT: Use when  outside temperatures are mild,  and 
little heating or cooling  is needed.  Air flow  is through 
the instrument panel outlets. 
Set the center control knob 
to the temperature desired. 
BI-LEV: Use  on cool, but sunny days. This setting 
brings in the outside  air, but directs it  in two ways.  The 
cool air is directed to the upper portion  of your  body 
through the instrument panel outlets,  but slightly 
warmer  air  is directed through  the heater ducts and 
defroster  vents.  At times this temperature difference 
may  be  more apparent than others. 
HEAT This setting brings heated  air through the heater 
ducts,  and some through the windshield defroster  vents. 
If you have the optional engine coolant heater (engine 
block  heater)  and 
use it during cold  weather, 0°F 
(- 1 8’ C) or lower, your heating system  will  more quickly 
provide heat because the  engine coolant  is already 
warmed.  See “Engine Coolant Heater (Engine Block 
Heater)”  in the Index. 
DEFOG: This setting divides  air flow equally between 
the heater ducts and the windshield defroster vents. 
DEF: This setting directs air through the 
windshield defroster vents located on top 
of the 
instrument panel. 
Defogging  Windows 
To defog the windshield, turn all three control knobs  to 
the far right. 
3-2