Page 207 of 340
- 12. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly in a criss-cross
sequence, as shown. Don’t
try to put a wheel cover on your compact spare
tire.
It won’t fit. Store the wheel cover and wheel nut
caps in the trunk until you have the flat tire repaired
or
replaced.
FNOTICE:
Wheel covers won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare,
you could damage the cover or the spare.
5-25
Page 208 of 340
13. Store the flat tire in the compact spare tire
compartment, and
secure with the wing bolt and
extension. Store the jack and wheel wrench back in
the foam tray provided.
5-26
Page 209 of 340

Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time.
Check the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420 kPa). 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 km), 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.
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
wheel 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.
Page 244 of 340

Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information 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 TI-< 01 &iv_eu~o 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
0 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
0 Bad handling
Rough ride
0 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 Wa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. Simply looking 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.
6-34
Page 246 of 340

When rotating your tires;. always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire
in your tire
rotation.
After the tires
have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Infc~-mation label.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are.
properly tightened. See
“Wheel Nut Torque” in the
Index.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it
is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after
a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident.
When you change a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle, In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use
a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
I
When it’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires
is to
check the treadwear
indicators,
which will
appear when your tires have
only I /16 inch (I .6 mm) or
less
of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough
to show cord or fabric.
Page 248 of 340

Treadwear Temperature - A, B, C
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on
a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due
to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B,
and C. They represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based
on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction. The
temperature grades are
A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the
ninimum required by law.
Warning:
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
6-38
Page 269 of 340
1 Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
I
IMPORTANT:
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
LEVEL AND CHANGE AS
RECOMMENDED
I
This section covers the maintenance required for your
Oldsmobile. Your vehicle needs these services to retain
its
safety, dependability and emission control performance.
I Plan I
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance or the
removal
of important components can significantly
affect
the quality of the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or even the wrong tire inflation can increase the
level of emissions from your vehicle.
To help protect our
environment, and
to help keep your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
7-1
Page 304 of 340

Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed below are owner checks and services which
should be performed at the intervals specified to help
ensure the safety, dependability and emission control
performance
of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in
Part D.
At Each Fuel Fill
Engine Oil Level
Check the engine oil level and add t,he proper oil if
necessary. See “Engine Oil” in the Index for further
details.
Engine Coolant Level
Check the engine coolant level and add the proper
coolant mix if necessary. See “Coolant” in the Index for
further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level
Check the windshield washer tluid level in the
windshield washer tank and add the proper tluid if
necessary. See “Windshield Washer Fluid”
in the Index
for further details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation
Check tire inflation. Make sure tires are inflated to the
pressures specified
on the Tire-Loading Information
label located
on the rear edge of the driver’s door. See
“Tires”
in the Index for further details.
Cassette Deck
Clean cassette deck. Cleaning should be done every
50 hours of tape play. See “Audio Systems” in the
Index for further details.
7-36