Page 108 of 356

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and it will stay
on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be
a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull
off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Vehicle” in the Index.)
, Have the .vehicle towed for service. (See.“Towing Your
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly
if the anti-lock brake system warning
light is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock brake system warning light flashing can lead to an
accident. After you’ve pulled
off the road and
stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition
off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Oldsmobile needs service. If
the light is on but not flashing and the regular brake
system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but
you don’t have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
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Page 110 of 356
'- .
You have a gage that
(shows the engine coolant
temperqture. If 'the gage
pointer'moves into the red
. - .
area, your engine is too hot!
.. , _.
That reading means the sanie thing as the warning iight.
It nieans that your engine coolant. has Overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle
under normal driving
conditions,
you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle kd
turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In "Problems on the Road," this manual sh0w.s what to
do.-See "Engine Overheating" in the Index.
, ',
Page 113 of 356

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.
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Page 154 of 356

~ ~~~~
~ ~~~ ~ Avoid needless heavy braking.
Some people drive
in spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot
of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down.
If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
_. ~~~~ ~ ~~
~ ~~
Anti-Lock Brakes
Your
vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on or
flash. See “Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
Page 161 of 356

A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
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Page 171 of 356
You,may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long gmdes, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your Oldsmobile in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk.
Include an ice scraper,
a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
4-23
Page 185 of 356
11111 Section 5 Problems on the Road
1111
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that
can occur on the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Press the switch to make your front and rear turn signal
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.
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Page 186 of 356

~~
~~~ ~
~~~~~ ~ ~~
~~~~ ~ To turn off the flashers, press the switch again. When
the hazard warning flashers
are on, your turn signals
won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at the sid\
e
of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use another
vehicle and some jumper cables to
start your Oldsmobile.
But please follow the steps below to do
it safely.
*- ~-
A CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
0 They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
burn
you.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Trying to start your Oldsmobile by
pushing or pulling it won’t work, and
it could
damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with
a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
~~ ~
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
5-2