1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Owner's Manuals

Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are
a
few reasons why you’ll need’the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
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Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a:trader hitch?
If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide”
in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental lvtches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frsune-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the.hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation
for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to‘the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into
your vehicle’s brake system.
If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at all.

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I
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Driving with a Trailer Following Distance
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount
of experience. Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle .ahead as- you - .
Before setting out for the open road, you'll want to get would when driving your veh\
icle without a trailer. This$,
to know your rig. AcquQint yourself with the feel of can help you avoid situations that require heavy br-it
and sudden turns.
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that ,the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer
and not nearly as . Passing
responsive as your vehicle is by itself. You'll need more passing distance up ahead when
Before you start, check the.trailer hitch and platform you're' towing a trailer. And, because you're a good deal
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector, longer, \
you'll need to go much farther beyond the
lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has passed vehicle before you can return to your \
lane.
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
the brakes are working. This lets you check ,your Hold the bottom
of the steering wheel with one hand.
electrical connection at the same time. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
During your
trip, check occasionally to' be sure that the to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
load is secure, and that the lights and any trailer brakes hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
are still working. possible. have someone guide you.
.. . ~.
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure Backing Up
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Making ’hrns When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
.~ ~~~ ~ ~~ ~ instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned oat. Thus, you may think drivers
c e.. NOTICE: behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
, important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
Making very sharp turns while trailering could bulbs ‘be still w’orking.
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could
be damaged. Avoid Driving On Grades
I- making very sharp turns while trailering. I
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road
signs, trees, or other objects.
Avoid,jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
lhrn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps
will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or,stop. 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, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 kdh) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer, you may prefer to drive in
THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D) (or, as you need to, a
lower gear).
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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 darnaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
.I. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
.. !PARK (P) yet.
2. ‘Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK
(P).
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking o,n a
Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
8’. .
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is dear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for,more
.on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t oyerfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system, .and brake adjustment.
Each of these
is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea
to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
4-34,

I Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that Your
hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
can occur on the road.
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and
off.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Press the switch to make your front and rear turn si,gnal
lamps flash on and
off. Your hazard warning flashers
work no matter what position your key is in, and even if
the key isn’t in.
To turn
off the flashers, press the switch again. When
the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn signals
I ’won’t work.
5-1 /

2. Get the vehicles close enougn so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your Oldsmobile, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put
an
automatic transaxle in PARK (P) or a manual
transaxle in
NEUTRAL (N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed, and radios.
This will avoid
sparks and help Save both batteries. And it could
save your radio!
“NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals
on each battery. Your Oldsmobile has a remote
positive
(+) jump starting terminal. The terminal is
on the same side
of the engine compartment as your
battery. You should always use the remote
positive
(+) terminal instead of the positive (+)
terminal on your battery. To uncover the remote .
positive (+) termihal, lift the red plastic cap.
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5-3

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6. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get
a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here
are some basic
things you should know. Positive
(+) will .go to
positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to negative (-)
or a metal engine part. Don’t connect (+) to (-), or
you’ll get a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other
parts, too.