1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Owner's Manuals

Yneine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather,
0°F (- 18 O C) or colder,
the engine coolant heater
can help. You’ll get
I
easier starting and better
fuel economy during
engine warm-up.
A CAUTION:
Plugging the
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire.
You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To Use the Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
4. After you’ve used the coolant heater, be sure to
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts.. If you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying
to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Oldsmobile retailer in the area where you’ll be
parking your vehicle. The retailer can give you the best
advice for that particular area.

Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your automatic transaxle
may have a shift lever on
the steering column
or
on the console between
the seats.
Maximum engine speed is limited on automatic
transaxle vehicles, when you’re in PARK
(P) or
NEUTRAL
(N), to protect driveline components from
improper operation.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your front wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
A CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can
roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK
(P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer’’ in
the Index.
Make sure the shift lever is fully into PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your Oldsmobile has a
brakeLtransaxle shift interlock.
You must fully apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P)
when the ignition is in the RUN position. If you cannot
shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever
by
pushing it all the way into PARK (P) while keeping the
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brake pedal pushed down. Release the shift lever button if you have a console shift. Then move the shift lever
out of PARK
(P), being sure to press the shift lever
button if you have a console shift. See “Shifting Out of
PARK (P)” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine
doesn’t connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL
(N) when your vehicle is being towed.
I A CAUTION:
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).while
your engine
is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot
is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of PARK
(P) or
NEUTRAL
(N) while your engine is racing.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL
(N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
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AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0): This position is for
normal driving. It is the ovetdrive position. If you need
more power for passing, and you’re:
- Going less than 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator ppdal about halfway down.
- Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have
more power.
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NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly,
or
if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with
a transaxle system
sensor.
If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged.
So, if this happens, have
your vehicle serviced right away. Until then, you
can use SECOND
(2) when you are driving less
than
35 mph (56 km/h) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE
(a) for higher speeds.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, but it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(0).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0)):
- When driving on hilly, winding roads.
- When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
- When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND
(2) on hills.
It can help control your speed
as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.
between gears.
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NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (41 km) at speeds over 55 mph
(88 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(@) or
THIRD
(3) as much as possible.
Don’t shift into SECOND
(2) unless you are going
slower than
65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage your engine.
FIRST
(1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or
mud. If the
shift lever is put in
FIRST (l), the transaxle won’t shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against.
a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes or shift into.PARK (P)
to hold your vehicle in position on
a hill.
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Parking Brake
- To set the parking brake,
hold the regular brake pedal down with your right foot.
Push down the parking
NOTICE:
~~~
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what to
do first to keep the trailer from moving.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. When you lift your left
foot, the parking brake pedal will follow
it to the
released position.
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Shifting Into PARK (P)
~~ ~
A CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake. firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you’re pulling a trailer, see
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
Column Shift
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
I I
2.. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position
like this:
0 Pull the lever toward you.
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4
Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Move the ignition key to the LOCK position.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle
is in PARK (P).
Console Shift
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position
set the parking brake.
like this: Hold in the button
on the
lever, and push the lever all
the way toward the front of
your vehicle.
3. Move the ignition key to the LOCK position.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK
(P).
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