
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells
you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors and module, the
wiring and the diagnostic module. For more information
on the air bag system, see “Air Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
You will see this light
flash for a few
seconds when you
turn your ignition to
RUN or START.
Then the light should
go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
Charging System Light
WASH
I FLUID
The CHARGE light
will come on when
you turn on the
ignition, but the
engine is not running,
as a check to show
you it is working.
Then it should go out. If it stays on, or
co !s on while
you are driving, you may have a problem with the
electrical charging system. It could indicate that you
have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical
problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this
light
is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive
a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such
as the radio
and air conditioner.
2-60

Engine Coolant Temperature Warning
Light (Standard Cluster) Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
(Gage Cluster)
This light tells you that
your engine coolant
has overheated or your
radiator cooling fan
is I
not working.
-
i you have been operating your vehicle under normal
~ driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and
turn off the engine as soon as possible.
HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In Problems on the Road, this manual shows what to do.
1 See“Engine Overheating” in the Index.
TEMP
BRAKE WASH
FLUID
HN
LOW
COOLANT
LEVEL AIR
BAG
280
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the red area, your engine is too
hot! It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and
turn off the engine as soon as possible.
HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In
Problems on the Road, this manual shows what to do.
See“Engine Overheating” in the Index.

Air Conditioning System (Option)
The air conditioner and heater work best if you keep
your windows closed while using them. Your vehicle
also has the flow-through ventilation system described
later in this section.
Air Conditioning
Your system has three air conditioner settings in
addition to the standard climate control system. Before using
your air conditioner
on very hot days, open the
windows long enough to let hot inside air escape. This
reduces the amount of work your air conditioner's
compressor will have
to do, which should help fuel
economy.
MAX: Use for maximum cooling. This setting
recirculates much of the air inside your vehicle
so it
maximizes your air conditioner's performance and your
vehicle's fuel economy.
NORM: Use for normal cooling on hot days. This
setting cools outside air and directs it through the
instrument panel outlets.
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.
The air conditioner compressor is enabled in all three air
conditioning positions.
3-3

NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too
hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while driving --
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (03) or DRIVE (D) for
automatic transaxles.
If you
no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about ten minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-13

These grades are molded on the sidewalls of passenger
car tires.
While the tires available
as standard or optional
equipment
on General Motors vehicles may vary with
respect to these grades, all such tires meet General
Motors performance standards and have been approved
for use
on General Motors vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric) tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements
in addition to these grades.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases,
you will not need to have your wheels
aligned again. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear
or your vehicle pulling one way
or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset.
If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on
a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts, and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
Oldsmobile retailer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your retailer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have
the same load carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset, and be mounted the
same way
as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts,
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment parts. This way,
you will be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel nuts for your
Oldsmobile model.
6-39
-

Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to
the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your retailer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of
finish damage can be corrected
in your retailer’s body
and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect
on the underbody. If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on
the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and
exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your retailer or an underbody vehicle washing system
can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect
in the paint job causes this,
Oldsmobile will repair, at no charge
to the owner, the
surfaces of new vehicles damaged by this fallout
condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km)
of purchase, whichever comes first.
6-48

-L- El
F/P IN.1 e,
iNST LPS GAUGES
I I
H3LP CIRCUIT BREAKER
~ CIRCUIT PWR WDO
BREAKER
PWA ACC
BREAKEI? - CIRCUIT
Fuse Usage
PRNDL
F/P INJ
STOP HAZ
AIR BAG
INST. LPS Circuitry
Electronic PRNDL display (automatic transaxle)
Fuel
Pump, Fuel Injectors
Hazard/Stop Lamps
Power Door Locks, Power Mirrors, Cigar Lighter
Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
Interior Lamps Dimming
Fuse
GAUGES
HORN
ALARM
HTR-A/C
RDO
TURN DR
LK
TAIL LPS
WDO
WIPER
ERLS DR UNLK
FTP
ACC
AIR BAG PCM CRUISE
HDLP Circuitry
Rear Window Defogger,
Gauges, Warning
Lights
Horn, Fog Lamps
Chime, Interior Lamps, Automatic Door
Locks, Remote Lock Control
Heater, Air Conditioning, Anti-Lock Brakes
(ABS), Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
(Canada)
Radio
Turn Signals
Automatic Door Locks
Fog Lamps, Tail Lamps, Marker Lamps,
License Lamp
Power Windows, Sunroof (Circuit Breaker)
Windshield Wipersmashers
Engine Controls, Back-up Lamps
Automatic Door Unlock (Remove
to Disable)
Flash-to-Pass
(U.S.)
Rear Window Antenna, Power Seats, Rear
Window Defogger, Power Sunroof (Circuit
Breaker)
Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
Powertrain Control Module, Ignition System
Cruise Control
Headlamps (Circuit Breaker)
6-52

Capacities & Specifications
Engine Crankcase (All Models) ................................ .4.5 quarts
Pan Removal and Replacement
................................ .4.0 quarts
After Complete Overhaul
..................................... 7.0 quarts
Automatic Transaxle, 3-Speed
When draining or replacing torque con.wrteu; Inore jluid may be merlecl.
Automatic Transaxle, 4-Speed
Pan Removal and Replacement ................................. 6.0 quarts
After Complete Overhaul
.................................... .8.0 quarts
When draining or replacing torque convertel; more JZuid ma): he needed.
ManuaI Transaxle, 5-Speed
Cooling System
Complete Drain and Refill .................................... 2.0 quarts
2.3L Quad 4 ................................................ 10.4 quarts 9.8 L
3.1L V6 ................................................... 13.1 quarts 12.4 L
Not all air conditioning refrigerants are the SLIMZ~. If the air conditioning syrtetn in your vehicle needs
refrigerant, be sure the proper refrigerant is ~lsed. If you ’re not sure, ask yo~u Olchnohile retailet: For
additional information, see your “Wnrranty and Owner Assistance Information ’’ hooklet.
Refrigerant (R-l34a), Air Conditioning ...................... See refrigerant charge label underhood. 4.3
L
3.8 L
6.6 L
5.7 L
7.6 L
1.9 L
6-54