Page 3 of 340

I The 1995 Oldsrnobile  Achieva Owner’s Manual 
~~ ... How to Use  this  Manual .............................................................. .111 
This section  tells  you  how  to  use  your  manual  and  includes  safety  \
and  vehicle  damage  warnings 
and  symbols. 
This  section  tells  you  how  to  use  your 
seats and  safety  belts  properly.  It also explains  the ”SRS” system. 
This  section  explains  how  to  start  and  operate  your  Oldsmobile.\
  This  section  tells 
you how  to  adjust  the  ventilation  and  comfort  controls  and  how  to \
 operate  your 
audio  system. 
Here  you’ll  find  information  and  tips  about  the  road  and  ho\
w  to  drive  under  different  conditions. 
This  section  tells  you  what  to  do 
if you  have  a  problem  while  driving,  such  as a flat  tire  or 
overheated  engine,  etc. 
Service  and  Appearance  Care ......................................................... 6-1 
Here the manual  tells  you  how  to  keep  your  Oldsmobile  running  properly  \
and  looking  good. 
Maintenanceschedule ............................................................... 7-1 
This  section  tells  you when to  perform  vehicle  maintenance  and  what  fluids  and  lubricants  t\
o  use. 
Customer  Assistance  Information ..................................................... 8-1 
This  section  tells you how  to  contact  Oldsmobile  for  assistance  and  how  to  get  servic\
e  publications. 
It also gives  you  information  on  “Reporting  Safety  Defects”  on page 8-4. 
Index ........................................................................\
..... 9-1 
Here’s  an  alphabetical  listing of almost  every  subject in this  manual. You can  use it to  quickly  find 
something  you  want  to  read. 
Seats  and  Restraint  Systems .......................................................... 1-1 
Features  and  Controls 
............................................................... 2-1 
Comfort  Controls  and  Audio  Systems .................................................. 3-1 
YourDrivingandtheRoad 
........................................................... 4-1 
ProblemsontheRoad ............................................................... 5-1 
i  
     
        
        Page 5 of 340

How to  Use  this  Manual 
Many  people  read  their owner’s manual from  beginning 
to  end  when they  first  receive  their  new vehicle.  This 
will help you  learn  about  the  features  and controls  for 
your vehicle.  In  this manual,  you’ll  find  that  pictures 
and  words  work together  to  explain  things  quickly. 
Index 
A good place  to  look  for  what you need is  the  Index  in 
the  back 
of the  manual.  It’s an alphabetical  list of all 
that’s  in  the  manual,  and the  page  number where  you’ll 
find  it. 
Safety  Warnings  and  Symbols 
You  will  find  a  number of safety  cautions  in this  book. 
We  use  a box with gray background  and the  word 
CAUTION  to  tell  you about  things  that  could hurt you  if 
you were to ignore  the  warning. 
In the gray  caution  area, we tell you what  the hazard  is. 
Then  we tell  you  what  to do  to help avoid  or  reduce  the 
hazard.  Please read these  cautions.  If  you don’t, you  or 
others  could be  hurt. 
You will  also  find  a  circle 
with  a slash  through  it  in 
this  book.  This  safety 
symbol means 
“Don”,”“Don’t  do  this,” or 
“Don’t  let  this happen.’’ 
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        Page 6 of 340
Vehicle  Damage  Warnings 
Also in this book you will find  these  notices:  In 
the  notice  area, we tell 
you about something that can 
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would 
not be covered  by your warranty, and  it  could be costly. 
damage.  But the  notice will tell 
you what to  do to help avoid the 
NOTICE: 
When  you  read other  manuals,  you might see 
I CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in  different  colors  or 
These  mean  there  is  something  that in different words. 
could  damage your vehicle. You’ll  also  see  warning  labels on your vehicle. They  use 
yellow  for  cautions,  blue 
for notices and the words 
CAUTION 
or NOTICE. 
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        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 15 of 340
Safety  Belts:  They’re  for  Everyone 
This part of the  manual tells you how  to use safety belts 
properly.  It  also tells  you some things you should not  do 
with safety belts. 
And  it explains  the Supplemental Restraint  System,  or 
“air bag”  system. 
Your vehicle has  a 
light that comes  on 
as 
a reminder to buckle 
up. (See “Safety Belt 
Warning Light”  in the 
Index.) 
In many states and Canadian provinces, the law says  to 
wear safety belts. Here’s why: 
They work. 
You  never know  if you’ll  be in  a  crash.  If  you  do  have  a 
crash, you don’t 
know if  it will  be a bad one. 
A  few  crashes  are  mild,  and  some  crashes  can  be 
so 
serious  that  even  buckled  up a person  wouldn’t  survive. 
But  most  crashes  are  in  between. 
In many  of  them,  people 
who  buckle  up  can  survive  and  sometimes  walk  away. 
Without  belts  they  could  have  been  badly  hurt  or  killed. 
After  more than 
25 years of safety belts in vehicles, the 
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling 
up does matter 
... a  lot! 
1-7  
     
        
        Page 55 of 340

Safety  Belt  Extender 
If the  vehicle’s safety belt  will fasten around you, you 
should use  it.  The  front  seat lap-shoulder  belts have 
plenty  of extra  length built  in, 
so they will fit almost all 
people. 
But  if a safety belt isn’t long enough  to fasten, your 
retailer will  order you an extender.  It’s free.  When  you 
go  in to  order  it, take  the heaviest  coat  you will  wear, 
so 
the extender will be  long enough  for you.  The extender 
will  be just  for you, and  just  for the seat in your vehicle 
that you  choose. Don’t let someone  else use it, and  use  it 
only  for the seat  it  is made to  fit. To wear  it, just  attach it 
to  the regular  safety belt. 
Checking  Your  Restraint  Systems 
Now  and then, make sure all your belts, buckles, latch 
plates, retractors, anchorages and warning systems are  working properly. 
Look for  any other loose  or damaged 
restraint  system parts.  If you  see anything  that might 
keep  a restraint  system  from doing its  job, have 
it 
repaired. 
Torn  or frayed belts  may not protect you  in 
a crash. 
They  can rip apart under impact forces.  If a belt  is torn 
or  frayed,  get a new  one right away. 
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        Page 57 of 340
Section 2 Features  and  Controls 
Here you can learn  about the many  standard and 
optional  features 
on your Oldsmobile,  and information 
on  starting,  shifting and  braking. Also explained  are the 
instrument  panel and the warning systems that tell  you 
if 
everything is working properly -- and what to do if you 
have a problem. 
Keys 
2-1  
     
        
        Page 69 of 340

Ignition  Switch 
A E 
With the key  in the ignition  switch, you can turn the 
switch  to  five  positions: 
ACCESSORY (A): This is an “on”  position in which 
you  can operate some 
of your  electrical power 
accessories. Press  in the ignition switch  as you 
turn the 
top 
of it  toward  you. 
LOCK (B): This  is the only position in which you can 
remove the  key. This  locks  your steering  wheel,  ignition 
and  transaxle  (on automatic  models). 
OFF (C): This position  unlocks  the  steering wheel, 
ignition,  and transaxle  (on automatic  models), but  does 
not send electrical power  to any  accessories. Use this 
position 
if your  vehicle  must be pushed  or  towed,  but 
never  try to push-start  your vehicle. 
A warning  chime 
will  sound  if 
you open the driver’s door when the 
ignition  is 
off and the key is in the ignition. 
RUN (D): This is an “on” position  to which the switch 
returns  after  you start your  engine and release  the 
switch.  The  switch  stays 
in the RUN position when  the 
engine  is  running.  But even when the  engine 
is not 
running, you can use 
RUN to operate  your electrical 
power accessories, and  to display some instrument panel 
warning  lights. 
START (E): Use this for  starting  the  engine.  When the 
engine  starts,  release the key. 
The ignition switch will 
return to 
RUN for  normal  driving. 
Note  that  even 
if the  engine  is not running,  the  positions 
ACCESSORY and RUN are “on” positions  that  allow you 
to  operate  your  electrical  accessories,  such  as  the  radio. 
2-13