1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Owner's Manuals

Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
0 Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You
may have to do it more than once.
0 Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain
if you don’t get them
off quickly. Use a clean
cloth and a GM Vinymeather Cleaner or an
equivalent product.
Cleaning Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or
saddle soap.
0 .For stubborn stains, use a GM Vinymeather Cleaner
or an equivalent product.
0 Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
cleaners, furniture polish or shoe polish on leather.
0 Soiled leather should be cleaned immediately. If dirt is
allowed to work into the finish, it can harm the leather.
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones or
waxes may cause annoying reflections in the windshield
and even make it difficult to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
I A CAUTION:
Do not bleach or dye safety belts. If you do, it
may severely weaken them. In a crash, they
might not be able to provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with-mild soap and
lukewarm water.
6-53

Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part
No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco smoke and dust films.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may
cause scratches. Avoid placing decals on the inside rear
window, since they may have to be scraped off later.
If abrasive cleaners
are used on the inside of the rear
window, an electric defogger element may be damaged.
Any temporary license should not be attached across the defogger grid.
Cleaning the Outside of the
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if
the wiper blade chatter? when running, wax
‘or other material may be on the blade or windshield.
6-54
~
~
Clean the outside of the windshield with GM
Windshield Cleaner, Bon-Ami Powder@ (GM Part
No. 105001 1). The windshield is clean if beads do not
form when you rinse it with water.
Clean the blade by wiping vigorously with a cloth
soaked in full-strength windshield washer solvent. Then
rinse the blade with water.
Wiper blades should be checked
on a regular basis and
replaced when worn.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply silicone
grease with a clean cloth at least every six months. During
very cold, damp weather more frequent application may be
required. (See “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in
the Index.)

Cleaning the Outside of Your
Oldsmobile
The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep \
it
clean by washing it
often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Don’t use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use
. liquid hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soaps.
Don’t use cleaning agents that
are petroleum based, or
that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents
should be flushed promptly and not allowed to dry on
the surface, or they could stain.
Dry the finish with a
soft, dean chamois or a 100% cotton towel to avoid
surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your
Oldsmobile by hand may- be necessary to remove
residue from the paint finish.
You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your retailer. (See “Appearance
Care and Materials” in the Index.)
Your Oldsmobile has a “basecoatklearcoat” paint finish. The\

clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored basecoat.
Always use waxes and polishes that are non-abrasive and
made for
a basecoatklearcoat paint finish.
NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on a basecoat/clearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish
or leave swirl marks.
Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other salts,
ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage your vehicle’s finish
if they remain on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible. If
necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that
are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces
are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years. You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new
by keeping your Oldsmobile garaged or covered
whenever possible.

Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly,
dry with a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps, chemicals,
abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners or abrasive cleaning
brushes on them because you could damage the surface.
Don’t take your vehicle through an automatic car wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface
of these wheels.
Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe
off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces on the body or wheels
of the vehicle.
Petroleum-based products may damage the
paint finish.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
6-56

Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your retailer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your retailer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect
on the underbody. If these are
not removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur
on the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame,
floor pan and exhaust system even though they have
corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in ,closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your retailer or an underbody car washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this,
Oldsmobile will repair, at no charge to the owner,
the surfaces of new vehicles damaged by this fallout
condition within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20
000 km)
of purchase, whichever occurs first.
6-57

Appearance Care Materials Chart
PART NUMBER SIZE DESCRIPTION USAGE
1050004 2.75
sq. ft. Chamois Shines vehicle without scratching
1052929 16
oz. (0.473
L) Wheel Cleaner
Spray on wheel cleaner
1052930
8 oz. (0.237 L) Capture Dry Spot Remover Attracts and absorbs soils
12345002** 16
oz. (0.473 L) Armor All Cleaner Cleans vinyl, leather and rubber
12345725 12
oz. (0.354 L) Silicone Tire Shine Shines tires
See your General Motors
Parts Department for these products. , I I See “Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
* Not recommended for pigskin suede leather.
**Not recommended for use on instrument panel vinyl.

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label on your spare tire cover. It’s very
helpful if you ever need to order parts.
On this label is:
your VIN,
the model designation,
0 paint information, and
a list of all production options and
This is the legal identifier for your Oldsmobile. It
appears on a plate in the front corner of the instrument
panel, on the driver’s side. You can see
it if you look
through the windshield from outside your vehicle.
The VIN also appears on the Vehicle Certification
and Service Parts labels and the certificates of title
and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in your VIN is the engine code.
This code will help you identify your engine,
specifications and replacement parts. special equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
6-59

Electrical System Headlamp Wiring
Add-on Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
~~
~
Don’t add anything electrical t6 ydur Oldsmobile
unless you check with your retailer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting
to add anything electrical to your Oldsmobile, see
“Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Oldsmobile” in
the Index. The
headlamp wiring is protected by a circuit breaker
in
the underhood electrical center. An electrical overload
will cause the lamps to go on and off, or in some cases
to remain
off. If this happens, have your headlamp
system checked right away.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor cools. If
the overload
is caused by some electrical problem, have
it fixed. I