Page 108 of 340
To clean  the  rear  ashtray,  pull  rearward  and  then  press 
down  on the  snuffer. 
NOTICE: 
Don’t  put  papers  and  other  things that  burn  into 
your ashtrays. 
If you  do,  cigarettes  or other 
smoking  materials  could set them  on fire,  causing 
damage. 
To use  the lighter,  just push  it in all the  way  and  let go. 
When it’s ready,  it will  pop  back  by  itself. 
NOTICE: 
Don’t  hold  a cigarette lighter  in with  your  hand 
while 
it is heating. If you  do,  it won’t  be able to 
back  away  from the heating  element  when 
it’s 
ready. That can make it overheat,  damaging  the 
lighter  and the heating  element.  
     
        
        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. 
2-65  
     
        
        Page 127 of 340
Section 3 Comfort  Controls and Audio  Systems 
In this section you’ll find out how to  operate  the comfort 
control  systems  and audio  systems  offered with your 
Oldsmobile.  Be sure  to read  about 
the particular  system 
supplied with your vehicle. 
I 
Climate  Control  System 
With  this system,  you can  control  the ventilation and 
heating  in your vehicle. 
Your  vehicle  also  has  the  flow-through  ventilation 
system  described  later in this  section. 
FAN: The  left  control knob  sets  the fan  speed. To select 
the  force  of air  you  want, turn the  knob.  The  fan 
is 
always running unless  the mode control is moved to 
OFF. 
TEMPERATURE CONTROL: The  center  control 
knob  rkgulates 
the temperature  of the  air  coming 
through the  system.  
     
        
        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. 
3-2  
     
        
        Page 181 of 340

Driving On Grades 
Reduce speed and  shift to a  lower  gear before you  start 
down  a  long 
or steep  downgrade.  If  you don’t shift 
down,  you might  have  to  use  your brakes 
so much that 
they would get 
hot and  no  longer  work well. 
On  a  long  uphill grade,  use  the  highest  gear  possible. 
If 
you cannot  maintain  posted  speeds,  driving  at  a  lower 
speed may  help avoid  overheating  your engine  and 
transaxle. 
If  you  have  a  manual  transaxle  with fifth gear, 
it’s better 
not  to  use  fifth  gear. Just  drive  in fourth  gear  (or, as 
you 
need to, a  lower  gear). 
Parking  on Hills 
You  really  should  not park  your vehicle, with  a trailer 
attached, 
on a  hill.  If something  goes  wrong, your rig 
could  start  to  move. People  can be injured,  and both 
your  vehicle and the trailer  can be damaged. 
But  if 
you ever  have  to park  your rig  on  a hill, here’s 
how 
to do it: 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
Apply  your  regular  brakes, but don’t  shift  into 
PARK 
(P) yet,  or into  gear  for  a  manual transaxle. 
Have  someone  place  chocks  under the  trailer  wheels. 
When  the wheel  chocks  are 
in place, release the 
regular  brakes until 
the chocks  absorb  the  load. 
Reapply the regular brakes.  Then apply your parking 
brake, and then  shift  to PARK 
(P), or  REVERSE  (R) 
for  a  manual  transaxle. 
Release  the  regular brakes. 
4-37  
     
        
        Page 194 of 340
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  
     
        
        Page 197 of 340
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.) 
5-15