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.  
     
        
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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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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.  
     
        
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2. Attach  a  separate  chain 
to each  side of the  axle 
inboard  of the  spring. 
Engine  Overheating 
You will  find a coolant  temperature  gage  on  your 
Oldsmobile's  instrument  panel.  See  "Coolant 
Temperature  Gage"  in  the  Index. 
You will also  find  a 
low  coolant  level  warning  light  on 
your Oldsmobile's 
instrument  panel. 
If Steam Is Coming  From Your Engine  
     
        
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The coolant  level  should  be  at  or  above FULL COLD.  If 
it isn’t,  you may  have  a leak  in the  radiator 
hoses, heater 
hoses,  radiator,  water  pump  or somewhere  else  in  the 
cooling  system. 
r 
NOTICE: 
Engine  damage  from  running  your  engine 
without  coolant  isn’t  covered  by  your  warranty. 
If there  seems  to  be  no  leak,  with the  engine  on  check  to 
see if the  electric  engine  fan  is running. If the  engine  is 
overheating,  the  fan  should  be  running. If it isn’t,  your 
vehicle  needs  service. 
How to Add Coolant  to  the  Coolant  Surge 
Tank 
If you haven’t  found a problem  yet,  but  the  coolant  level 
isn’t  at 
FULL COLD, add  a 50/50 mixture  of clean 
water (preferably  distilled)  and a  proper  antifreeze at the 
coolant  surge  tank, but be sure  the cooling  system, 
including  the  coolant  surge  tank  pressure  cap, 
is cool 
before  you do it. 
(See “Engine  Coolant”  in the  Index  for 
more  information  about  the proper  coolant  mix.) 
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4. With  the  coolant  surge  tank  pressure  cap off, start the 
engine  and  let  it run  until 
you can feel  the  upper 
radiator  hose  getting  hot.  Watch  out for the engine 
fan. 
By 
this time,  the coolant  level  inside  the coolant 
surge  tank  may  be  lower. 
If the  level  is lower,  add 
more  of the  proper 
mix to  the  coolant  surge  tank 
until  the  level reaches 
FULL COLD, or just  above 
the  small  cylinder  at  the  base 
of the  opening. 
5. Then  replace  the  pressure  cap.  Be  sure  the  pressure 
cap  is tight. 
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Hydraulic  Clutch 
The hydraulic  clutch  linkage  in your  vehicle  is 
self-adjusting.  The clutch  master  cylinder  reservoir 
is 
filled  with  hydraulic  clutch  fluid. 
It isn’t  a  good  idea to “top  off’ your  clutch  fluid.  Adding 
fluid  won’t  correct 
a leak. 
A  fluid  loss  in  this  system  could  indicate a problem. 
Have  the  system  inspected and  repaired. 
When to Check  and  What to Use 
Refer to the Maintenance 
Schedule  to determine  how 
often  you should  check the 
fluid  level  in  your clutch 
master  cylinder  reservoir 
and  for the  proper  fluid.  See 
“Owner  Checks  and 
Services”  and 
“Recommended  Fluids  and 
Lubricants”  in the  Index. 
How to Check 
If  you can see fluid  in  the reservoir, the level is 
acceptable. 
Engine Coolant 
The  following  explains  your  cooling  system and how to 
add  coolant  when it is  low. 
If you  have a problem  with 
engine  overheating,  see  “Engine  Overheating” 
in the 
Index. 
The  proper  coolant  for  your  Oldsmobile will: 
0 Give  freezing protection  down to -34°F (-37°C). 
Give  boiling protection up to 262°F ( 128 O C). 
0 Protect  against  rust and  corrosion. 
0 Help  keep  the  proper  engine  temperature. 
0 Let  the  warning lights work as they should. 
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To Check  Coolant 
When your engine is cold,  the  coolant  level  should be at 
the FULL COLD mark, 
LOW 
COOLANT 
LOW 
WASH 
FLUID 
LEVEL 
10 
If this  light  comes on, 
it means you’re  low on 
engine  coolant. 
To Add Coolant 
If you need  more  coolant,  add the  proper  mix at the 
surge tank, but only when the  engine is cool. 
When  replacing  the pressure cap,  make  sure  it  is  tight. 
Surge Tank Pressure Cap 
NOTICE: 
Your  pressure  cap is  an 18 psi (124 kPa) 
pressure-type  cap  and  must  be  tightly  installed  to 
prevent  coolant  loss  and  possible  engine  damage 
from  overheating. 
%%en  you  replace your surge tank pressure  cap, a GM 
cap is recommended. 
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