
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
3.
For example,
these sym%ols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR
FLAME ,I#$,
COULD
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your vehicle is
driven:
POWER
WINDOW n-
These symbols
have to do with your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
pA;:z
pf
WARNING A
HAZARD
FLASHER
HIGH
LAMPSoR BEAM = =o
FOG LAMPS 3 0 '
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
'r' -4
WINDSHIELD 6$
WASHER I
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
REAR
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
b
. FAN
These symbols are used
on
warning and
indicator lights:
CHARGING ,I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
RADIATOR COOLANT
a
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE Wh
. TEMP OIL
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKE
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
RADIO
k
VOLUME a
CONDITIONING AIR 43
LIGHTER k
SPEAKER
b
V

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LOCK: Before you put the key into the ignition switch,
the switch' is in LOCK. It's
also the only position in
which you can remove your
key. This position locks
your ignition, steering wheel and transaxle.
It's a
theft-deterrent feature.
OFF (B): This position lets you turn off the engine but "
still turn the steering wheel. It doesn't lock the steering
wheel like LOCK. Use
OFF if you must have your
vehicle pushed or towed.
RUN (C): This position is where the key returns after
you start your vehicle. With the engine
off,. you can use
RUN to display some of your warning and indicator
lights. 1
i ' START (D): T~S position starts your engine.
A wafning chime will sound if you open the driver's
door when the ignition is in OFF, LOCK or ACC and
the key is
in the ignition.
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Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and,gages that
may be
on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something
is
wrong before it becomFs serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning.lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they’re working.
If you are
‘familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one-of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one
of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that
tells you
what to do about
it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even dangerous.
So please
get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re
a big help.
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel
YOU
have left when the ignition
is on. When the indicator
nears
EMPTY (E), you still
have
a little fuel left, but
you should get more soon.
UNLEADED FUEL ONLY I
I
Here are some things owners ask about. All these
situations are normal and do not show a problem with
your fuel gage:
0 At the service station, the pump shuts off before the
gage reads
FULL (F).
0 . It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the 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 it.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.
2-45

Head-Up ,Display (Option)
If you have the Head-Up Display (HUD), you can see
the speedometer reading, in English or metric units,
displayed “through” the windshield.
The HUD
also shows these lights when they are lit on
the instrument panel:
0 Turn Signal Indicators
0 High-Beam Indicator Symbol
Low Fuel Symbol
Oil Warning Symbol
0 Coolant Temperature.Symbo1
Charging System Symbol
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When you sit straight in your seat, the HUD image will
appear slightly to the right.
When the ignition key is turned to RUN, all possible
HUD images will come on. Then the Head-Up Display
will operate normally.
NOTICE: 1.
Although the HXJD image appears to be near the
front of the vehicle, do not use it as a parking aid. The
.HUD was not designed for that purpose. If
you try to use it that way,-such as in,a parking
lot, you may misjudge distance and run into
something.
J
2-55
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Check your mirrors, glance over your shoklder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far’enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right$ lane ,change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be,farther away from
you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a tihe on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lights are not flashing, it.may
be slowing down or starting tu turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
cmease a,little to the right.
.. : ‘ . .. ~
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what ’
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet .the road
to do what ‘the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an es-c-gpe route or area
.~f less
danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always
possibk.
The three types of skids correspondjo your
Oldsmobile’s three control systems. In the braking skid
your wheels aren’t rolling.
In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering in
a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid too much throttle causes the driving wheels to,spin.
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4-12

Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
. glare from headlamps behind you.
,e Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you .and other
. .. : vehicles.
Slow down, especially
on higher speed roads. Your
beadlpps can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and
Night, Vision
No :one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at. least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do
in the daytime can also affect your night
vision.
For example, if you spend the day in bright .
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night.
Bat if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible. rest.
You
can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It
can take a second or two, or even several seconds, for
your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you are faced
with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t lower
the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into the
approaching lights.
Keep your windshield and all
the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glee at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils
of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of
a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, ips easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be checked regularly for proper aim,
SO should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
3- the inability to see in dim light -- and aren’t
even aware of it.
4-14 .. .. .

!
Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or no contact with the road. Hydroplaning doesn’t .happen often. But
it can if your
tires haven’t much tread or
if the pressure in one or
more
is low. It can happen if a lot, of water is standing on
the road. If you can see reflections froin trees, telephone
poles,
or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast
rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice
is to slow down when it is iaining.
Some Other Rainy weather Tips
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,Turn on your low-beam headlights -- not just your
parking lights
-- to help make you ,more visible to
others.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be especially carefbl when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and, be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)

3 Once you are m,oving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance.
If you-miss your exit do not, under
any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the
next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually. posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower’than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long- Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must
start when you’re not fresh -- such as after a day’s
work
.-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in. Is your vehicle ready
for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go.
If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Oldsmobile retailers all across North America. They’ll
be ready and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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,Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other FZuids: Have you checked
all levels?
,
Lights: Are .they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread gaod enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time‘to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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