Page 7 of 340
Vehicle Symbols 
These  are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. 
For  example, 
these  symbols 
are  used  on  an 
original  battery: 
POSSIBLE A 
CAUTION 
INJURY 
PROTECT  EYES  BY 
SHIELDING 
CAUSTIC 
ACID  COULD  BATTERY 
CAUSE 
BURNS 
AVOID 
SPARKS 
OR 
FLAMES 
SPARK 
OR ,\I/, 
COULD  FLAME 
EXPLODE  BATTERY 
These  symbols 
are  important 
for  you  and 
your  passengers 
whenever  your 
vehicle 
is 
driven: 
DOOR  LOCK 
UNLOCK 
FASTEN  SEAT 
BELTS 
POWER 
WINDOW 
These  symbols 
have  to  do with 
your  lights: 
SIGNALS e e 
TURN 
FOG  LAMPS 
$0 
These  symbols 
are  on some  of 
your  controls: 
WINDSHIELD 
WIPER 
WINDSHIELD  DEFROSTER 
WINDOW 
DEFOGGER 
VENTILATING  FAN 
These  symbols are  used  on 
warning  and 
indicator  lights: 
COOLANT F- 
TEMP -- 
ENGINE 
CHARGING 
I-1 
BATTERY  SYSTEM 
BRAKE 
(a) 
FUEL 
ENGINE  OIL 
PRESSURE 
Wd 
TEMP  OIL 9b 
ANTI-LOCK (@) 
BRAKE 
Here  are  some 
other  symbols 
you  may  see: 
FUSE -%- 
RELEASE 
RADIO 
VOLUME 
CONDITIONING 
A'R 43 
RELEASE TRUNK e 
LIGHTER n 
HORN )tr 
SPEAKER 
b 
V  
     
        
        Page 73 of 340

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. 
Driving  Through  Deep Standing 
Water 
NOTICE: 
If you  drive  too quickly  through  deep puddles or 
standing  water, water can come  in through  your 
engine’s  air  intake  and  badly damage your 
engine. 
If you  can’t  avoid  deep puddles or 
standing  water, drive  through  them very slowly. 
Engine  Coolant  Heater (Option) 
In very  cold weather, 0” F (- 18 O C) or colder,  the  engine 
coolant  heater  can  help.  You’ll get  easier  starting  and 
better  fuel  economy  during  engine  warm-up.  Usually, 
the  coolant  heater  should be plugged  in a 
minimum of 
four hours prior to starting  your vehicle. 
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        Page 74 of 340
To use  the  coolant  heater: 
1. Turn off the  engine. 
2. Open  the  hood  and  unwrap  the  electrical  cord. 
3. Plug it into  a  normal,  grounded  1  10-volt  outlet. 
r 
NOTICE: 
After  you’ve  used  the  coolant  heater,  be  sure  to 
store  the  cord  as it  was  before  to  keep  it  away 
from  moving  engine  parts. 
If you  don’t,  it could 
be  damaged. 
How  long  should  you  keep  the  coolant  heater  plugged 
in?  The  answer  depends 
on the  weather,  the  kind of oil 
you  have,  and  some  other  things.  Instead 
of trying  to  list 
everything  here,  we 
ask that  you  contact  your 
Oldsmobile  retailer  in  the  area  where  you’ll  be  parking 
your  vehicle.  The  retailer 
can give  you  the best  advice 
for  that  particular  area. 
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        Page 120 of 340

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.  
     
        
        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. 
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        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 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. 
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        Page 166 of 340
Winter  Driving 
0 
0 
0 0 
Know  how  to go  uphill. Drive in the highest  gear 
possible. 
Stay 
in your own  lane when  driving  on two-lane 
roads 
in hills  or mountains. Don’t swing wide  or cut 
across  the center 
of the road. Drive at  speeds that let 
you  stay 
in your  own lane. 
As you go  over  the top of a hill, be alert.  There  could 
be  something 
in your  lane,  like  a  stalled car  or an 
accident. 
You  may  see highway signs  on mountains that warn 
of  special problems. Examples  are long grades, 
passing  or no-passing  zones,  a falling rocks  area, 
or 
winding roads.  Be alert to these  and take appropriate 
action.  Here 
are some tips for winter driving: 
Have your Oldsmobile in good  shape for  winter. Be 
sure your  engine coolant 
mix is correct. 
You  may  want  to  put  winter emergency supplies  in 
your trunk. 
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