1995 Oldsmobile Achieva key

3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way
to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key
in
START for about three seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. If the vehicle starts briefly
but then stops again, do the same thing, but this time
keep the pedal about one-quarter
of the way down
for five
or six seconds.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the fuel injection system operates. Before adding
electrical equipment, check with your retailer.
If
you don’t, your engine might not perform
properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle’’ in the Index. To
start your
3.1 Liter engine:
I. Without pushing t.he accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to
START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
2. If your engine won’t start (or starts but then stops), it
could be flooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding
it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine.
2-16
-

Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine. Your Oldsmobile has a
brake-transaxle shift interlock. You have to
apply your
regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in the RUN position. If you
cannot shift out of
PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift
lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into PARK (P) --
as you maintain brake application. Then move the shift
lever into the gear you wish. (Press the shift lever button
before moving the shift lever.) See “Shifting Out of
PARK (P)” later in this section.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE
(R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“If
You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re already
moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use NEUTRAL
(N) when your vehicle is being towed.
I NOTICE: I
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
2-20

3.
4.
Move the key to LOCK.
Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
walk away
from your vehicle with the key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK
(P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running (Automatic ’Ramaxle Models Only)
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in
PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly
set before you leave it. After you’ve moved
the shift lever
into the PARK (P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if
you can move the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without first pushing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift lever wasn’t fully
locked into
PARK (P).
Torque Lock (Automatic Transaxle)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into
PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in
the transaxle. You may find it diffkult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK
(P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you
are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)
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
PARK (P).
2-28

Shifting Out of PARK (P)
(Automatic Transaxle)
Your Oldsmobile has a brake-transaxle shift interlock.
You have to apply your regular brakes before you can
shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is in the
RUN
position. See “Automatic Transaxle” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P)
-- as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift into the gear you wish. (Press the shift
lever button before moving the shift lever.)
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear you
want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking Your Vehicle (Manual Transaxle)
Before you get out of your vehicle, put your manual
transaxle in REVERSE (R) and firmly apply the parking
brake.
If your vehicle is equipped to tow a trailer,
see “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF, not LOCK.
2. Apply and hold the regular brake until the end of
step
4.
2-29

Warning Lights, Gages and
Indicators
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you
will see
in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the engine just to let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Warning Light
When the key is
turned to
RUN or
START a chime will
come on for about
eight seconds to
remind people to fasten their safety
belts, unless the
driver’s safety belt
is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will also come on and stay on for
about
20 seconds, then it will flash for about 55 seconds.
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
2-59

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

Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It’s the number one contributor to the
highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every
year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive
a
vehicle:
Judgment
0 Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness
Police records show that almost half
of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol.
In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving.
In recent years, some 18,000 annual motor
vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under 2 1, it’s
against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws.
The obvious way to solve this highway safety problem
is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But
what if people do? How much
is “too much” if the
driver plans to drive? It’s
a lot less than many might
think. Although it depends
on each person and situation,
here is some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
How much alcohol consumed
The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
0 The length of time it’s taken the drinker to consume
the alcohol
According
to the American Medical Association, a
180-pound (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC
by drinking three 4-ounce (120 nll) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
4-2

Towing Your Vehicle from the Front
(Automatic Transaxle) Follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
NOTICE:
Do not tow your Oldsmobile with the front
wheels in contact with the ground, or the
automatic transaxle could be damaged.
2. Set the parking brake.
3. Turn the ignition key to OFF to unlock the steering
wheel. See “Ignition” in the Index.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position, with a clamping device designed
for
towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
4-27