Page 74 of 356

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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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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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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Leaving Your  Vehicle  With  the 
Engine  Runr  ‘ng 
A CAUTION: 
It  can  be  dangerous  to leave  your  vehicle  with  the 
engine  running.  Your vehicle  could  move 
suddenly  if  the  shift  lever  is not  fully  in 
PARK (P) 
with  the  parking  brake  firmly  set.  And, if you 
leave  the  vehicle  with  the  engine  .running,  it  could 
overheat  and  even  catch  fire.  You or  others  could 
be  injured.  Don’t  leave  your  vehicle  with  the  engine  running  unless  you  have  to. 
If  you  have to leave  your vehicle  with the engine 
running, be sure  your vehicle 
is in PARK  (P)  and  your 
parking  brake is firmly set before  you leave  it. After 
you”ve  moved the shift lever  into  the PARK (P) 
position, hold  the regular  brake pedal down. Then,  see 
if  you  can move  the shift lever  away from PARK  (P) 
without  first pulling it  toward  you  (or,  if  you  have a 
console  shift lever,  without  first pushing  the  button). If 
you  can,  it means  that the shift lever  wasn’t fully locked 
into  PARK  (P). 
Torque  Lock 
If you are parking  on  a hill and  you  don’t  shift your 
transaxle into  PARK 
(P) properly, the weight  of the 
vehicle  may  put  too much  force on the  parking  pawl 
in 
the transaxle.  You may  find it difficult to pull the shift 
lever  out of  PARK  (P). This is called “torque  lock.” To 
prevent  torque lock, set  the parking  brake  and  then  shift 
into  PARK  (P)  properly  before you leave  the driver’s 
seat.  To find  out  how,  see “Shifting  Into  PARK (P)” in 
the Index. 
.When  you  are  ready  to  drive, move the shift  lever 
out of 
PARK  (P) 
before you  release  the  parking  brake. 
If  torque lock  does  occur,  you  may  need  to  have another 
vehicle  push yours a little uphill  to  take  some of the 
pressure from the transaxle, 
so you  can  pull  the shift 
lever out  of  PARK  (P). 
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Shifting  Out of PARK (P) 
Your Oldsmobile  has  a  brake-transaxle  shift  interlock. 
You 
.must fully  apply  your  regular  brakes  before  you  can 
shift 
from PARK  (P)  when  the  ignition  is  in  the‘RUN 
position.  See “Automatic  Transaxle  Operation”  in 
the  Index. 
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  brake  pedal  pushed  down.  Release  the 
shift 
leyer 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. 
If  you  ever  hold  the  brake  pedal  down  but  still can’t, 
shift  out of  PARK 
(P), try this: 
1. Turn  the  key  to  the OFF position. 
2. Apply  and  hold  the  brake  until  the  end  of  Step 4. 
3. Shift  to  NEUTRAL (N). 
4.  Start  the  engine  and  shift to the  drive  gear you  want. 
5. Have  the  vehicle  fixed  as soon as you  can. 
Parking  Over  Things  That  Burn 
Things  that  can  burn  could  touch  hot  exhaust 
parts  under  your  vehicle  and  ignite.  Don’t  park 
over  papers,  leaves,  dry  grass 
or other  things  that 
can  burn. 
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Engine  Exhaust 
Engine exhaust  can kill.  It contains  the gas 
carbon  monoxide 
(CO), which  you  can’t  see  or 
smell.  It can  cause  unconsciousness  and death. 
You  might  have exhaust  coming in if: 
Your  exhaust  system sounds  strange 
Your  vehicle  gets  rusty underneath. 
Your  vehicle  was  damaged in a collision. 
Your  vehicle Was damaged  when  driving  over 
high  points  on  the  road  or over  road  debris. 
Repairs  weren’t done correctly. 
Your  vehicle  or exhaust  system had been 
If you ever  suspect  exhaust is coming  into 
your  vehicle: 
Drive it only  with  all the  windows  down  to 
Have your vehicle  fixed  immediately. 
or 
different. 
modified  improperly.  blow  out any CO;  and 
Running Your Engine While 
You’re  Parked 
It’s better  not to park  with  the engine  running.  But if you 
ever have to, here 
are some  things  to know. 
Idling  the engine  with  the air system control 
off could  allow  dangerous exhaust into 
your  vehicle  (see  the  earlier Caution under 
“Engine  Exhaust”). 
Also,  idling  in 
a closed-in  place  can let  deadly 
carbon  monoxide  (CO)  into your vehicle  even  if 
the  fan  switch 
is at the highest  setting.  One place 
this  can happen 
is a garage.  Exhaust -- with 
CO 
-- can  come in easily.  NEVER  park in  a 
garage  with the engine  running. 
Another  closed-in  place  can  be 
a blizzard. 
(See  “Blizzard”  in the  Index.) 
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Power Windows 
It can be dangerous to get out  of your  vehkle  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  wlqen the.engi.ne 
is , ’ 
running  unless  you  have to. If you’ve  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). 
Follow the proper  steps to be sure  your  vehicle  won’t , 
move. See “Shifting  Into PARK (P)” in the  Index,. 
If you  are parking  on a hill and  if  you’re  pulling  a 
trailer, 
also see. “Towing  a Trailer” in the  Index. . 
! 
Switches  on  the driver’s  door armrest  control each of the 
windows  when  the ignition 
is on. In addition,  each 
passenger  door  has  a’switch  for  its own  window. 
rhe  driver’s  window  switch  has an auto-down  feature. 
This switch is labeled AUTO. Tap the rear of the  switch, 
and  the’driver’s  window will open 
a small amount.  If the 
rear 
of the  switch  is pressed  all the  way  down,  the 
window  will 
go all the  way  down.