
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine
is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause
the light
to turn on.
If you experience
this condition, change the fuel brand
you use.
It will require at least one full tank of the
proper fuel to turn the light
off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your retailer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Warning Light c
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after you start your
engine, or come on when
you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine could
be low on oil or could have some other oil problem.
Have it fixed right away.
2-53

Low Fuel Light
0 ’ FUEL
E@
UNLEADED FUEL ONLY
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.
Here
are some things owners ask about. All these
situations are normal and do not show a problem with
your fuel gage:
At the service station, the pump shuts off before the
0 ,It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage
reads FULL
(F).
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.
0 The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up,.
LOW
FUEL
If your fuel is low, a light
will come on and stay on
until you add fuel. It will
also come on for a few seconds when you first turn
on the ignition as a check
to
show you it’s working. If it
doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed.
2-56

Air Conditioning
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to’let
hot, inside air escape. This reduces the time the
compressor has to run, which should help fuel economy.
For quick cool-down on very hot days, use
MAX with
the temperature knob all
the way in the blue area. If this
setting is used for long periods of time, the air in your
vehicle may become too
dry.
For normal cooling on hot days, use VENT with the
temperature knob in the blue area and the A/C button
pushed in. The system will bring in outside air and
cool it.
On cool but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
You can use BI-LEVEL with the temperature knob set
for comfort and the A/C button pushed in. The system
will bring in outside air and direct it to your upper body,
while sending slightly warmed air
to your lower body.
You may notice this temperature difference more at
some times than others.
Heating
On cold days, use FLOOR with the temperature knob all
the way in the red area. The system will bring in outside
air, heat it and send it to the floor ducts.
If your vehicle has an engine coolant heater, you can use
it to help your system provide warm air faster when it’s
cold outside (0°F (-18°C) or lower). An engine coolant
heater warms the coolant your engine and heating
system use to provide heat. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in the Index.
Ventilation
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use VENT to direct outside air
through your vehicle. Your vehicle also has the
flow-through ventilation system described later in
this section.
Defogging and Defrosting
Your system has two settings for clearing the front and
side windows. To defrost the windows quickly, use
DEFROST with the temperature knob all the way in the
red area. To warm passengers while keeping the
windows clean, use DEFOG.
3-3

Manual Control
If you prefer to manually control the heating, cooling and ventilation in your vehicle, set the system to the
temperature and fan speed you want. Next, push the
desired airflow direction pushbutton. The system will
try to maintain the temperature you set using the mode
you select. The following suggestions will help the
system run more efficiently in manual mode.
Air Conditioning
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to
let hot, inside air escape. This reduces the time the
compressor has to run, which should help fuel economy.
For quick cool-down on very hot. days, use RECIRC.
If this setting is used for long periods of time, the air
in
your vehicle may become too dry.
For normal cooling on hot days, use UPPER with the
A/C button pushed in. The system will bring in outside
air and cool
it.
Heating
On cold days, use LOWER. The system will bring in
outside air, heat it and send it to the floor ducts.
If your vehicle has an engine coolant heater, you can use
it to help your system provide warm air faster when it’s
cold outside
(0°F (-18°C) or lower). An engine coolant
heater warms the coolant your engine and heating
system use to provide heat. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in the Index.
Ventilation
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use UPPER to direct outside air
through your vehicle. Your vehicle also has the
.
flow-through ventilation system, described later in
this section.
Defogging and Defrosting
Your system has two settings for clearing the front and
side windows.
To defrost the windows quickly, use DEF.
To warm passengers while keeping the windows clean,
use DEFOG.
On
cool but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
You can use
BI-LEV with the A/C button pushed in.
I The system will bring in outside air and direct it to your
upper body, while sending slightly warmed air
to your
3-6

Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving 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.
I !
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 retail facilities 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:
0 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 Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
0 Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
0 Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving?
Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
0 Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-20

Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide)
gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it,
so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that
is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time
to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just
a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away
from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel
as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
s_o until help comes.
-

. Loading ' Your' Vehicle
Tm OCCUPANTS VEHICLE .CAP. WT,
TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
FRT. CTR. RR. TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CA.PAClTY WEIG'HT
XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE
SIZE SPEED PRESSURE.
RTG
PSI/KPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA.
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PSV28KPa.
SEE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
i
A
Two labels on your vehicle show how much wei.ght it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label is inside the
trunk lid. The label tells you the proper size,
speed rating and recommended inflation pressures'for
the tiies on your vehicle. It also gives you important
.
information about the number of people that can be in
your vehicle and the total weight you, can carry. This
includes, the weight 'of all occupants, ,cargo and all
nonfactory-installed options.
r I
mi
I.
MFD'BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP
DATE GVW8 GAWR FRT
. GAWR RR
'THIS VEHICLE C-ONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CABLE U.S. FEDERAL
MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY, BUMPER, AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS
IN EF,FECT ON THE DATE Of
MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
L 1
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge
of the driver's door. It tells .you the gross
weight aqacity of your vehicle, called the GVWR
(Gross\Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes
the weight
of the vehicle, all occupantS, fuel and cargo.
Never: exceed the
GVWR for your vehicie or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either, the front or
'rear axle.
If you do have a heavy bad, spread it out. Don't carry
more than 167 lbs. (75 kg) in your trunk:

Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps
in this section. Ask your Oldsmobile retailer
for advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and. result in-costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Oldsmobile
retailer for important information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears ‘later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability, and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
4-29