1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Owner's Manuals

Brake Pedal Travel Battery
See your retailer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign
of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality GM brake
parts in them, as your Oldsmobile does when it is new.
When you replace parts of your braking system
-- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put in
-- be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicie, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways
if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts. Every new
Oldsmobile has a Delco Freedom@ battery.
You never have to add water to one of these. When it’s
time for a new battery, -we recommend a Delco Freedom
battery. Get one that has the replacement number shown
on the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or more,
take
off the black, negative (-) cable from the battery. This
will help keep your battery from running down.
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index for tips on working around a battery without getting hurt.
Contact your retailer to learn how to prepare your
vehicle for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature” in the Index.
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Bulb Replacement Headlamps (2-Door Models)
In this section you’ll find directions for changing the
bulbs in some of the lamps on your Oldsmobile. See
“Replacement Bulbs” in the Index
to find the type of
bulb you should use.
. Halogen Bulbs
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured.
Be sure to read and
follow the instructions
on the bulb package. I
’ 1
1. Pry up the plastic pins and remove the
headlamp cover.
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c 1 A
2. Remove the Tom@
screws at the eqd of the
aiming ring. The aiming
ring will swing open like
a gate.
3. Remove the aiming ring.
4. Lift the plastic locking
tabs on the electrikal
connector and pull the
connector from the
headlamp socket.
Note which way the socket is pointing before you
disconnect it. You'll need to install the new headlamp
so the socket points in the same direction.
5. Remove the headlamp.
6. Check that the number on the new headlamp
matches the number on the headlamp being replaced.
The letter on the headlamp
(U or L) must also match.

7. Plug the electrical connector into the headlamp socket. Headlamps (4-Door Models)
Make sure the locking: tabs snap onto the socket. v L
8. Put the new headlamp in position.
0 Make sure the socket points in the same direction
as it did with the old headlamp.
9. Insert the tabs on the
aiming ring into
the slots in the
headlamp assembly.
WI 1. Turn the socket counterclockwise one-sixth of a turn
until the tabs on the bulb socket align with the slots
in the housing.
10. Holding the aiming ring closed, insert the screws at the 2. pull out the bulb socket.
end of the ring. Tighten the screws until the aiming ring
touches the plastic nuts on both the top and bottom.
0 Do not overtighten.
Do not damage the vertical aiming bubble.
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I

3. Lift the plastic locking
tab on the electrical
.connector and pull the connector from the
bulb socket.
4.
5.
Snap the electrical connector into a new bulb socket.
Replace the bulb socket into the housing and
turn clockwise.
Headlamp Aiming
This section only -applies to two-door Oldsmobiles. If
you have a four-door Oldsmobile, see your retailer when
your headlamp aim needs to be checked or adjusted.
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I
Your vehicle has the 55 x 135 mini-quad headlamp
system. These headlamps have horizontal and vertical
aim indicators. The aim has been pre-set at the factory
and should need no further adjustment.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident and the
headlamp aim seems to be affected, see your
Oldsmobile retailer. Headlamps on damaged vehicles
may require recalibration of the horizontal aim by your
Oldsmobile retailer.
To check the aim, the vehicle should be properly
prepared as follows:
0 The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface.
0 The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
0 There should not be any cargo or loading of the
vehicle, except it should have a full tank of gas and
one person or 160 lbs.
(75 kg) on the driver’s seat.
0 Tires should be properly inflated.
I 0 The horizontal
indicator should
read
“0.”
I NOTICE: .
To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before
beginning. Failure to Eollow these instructions
could cause damage to headlamp parts.
State inspection stations will allow a vertical reading of
plus 0.76 degrees or minus
0.76 degrees from the center
of the bubble.
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It is recommended that the upper limit not exceed plus
0.4 degrees from the center of the bubble. Other drivers
may flash their high beams at you if your adjustment is
much above plus
0.4 degrees.
If you find that the headlamp aiming needs adjustment,
follow these steps:
Start with the horizontal aim. Don’t try to adjust the
vertical aim first.
1. Check the horizontal aim indicator. The pointer
should be lined up with
0 (zero).
I 2. If the pointer isn’t at
0 (zero), turn the
horizontal aiming screw to adjust the aim.
3. Check the vertical aim indicator. The bubble should
be centered on
0 (zero).
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4. If the bubble isn't on
0 (zero), turn the
vertical aiming screw
to adjust the aim.
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
(2-Door Models)
1. Remove two screws and the cover.
2. Unclip the bulb carrier and pull it out.
0 To remove the stoplamp lens to clean the
window, remove the two nuts on either side
of
the housing.