
The 1996 Oldsmobile  Cutlass  Supreme  Owner’s  Manual 
Seats  and  Restraint  Systems ............................................................. 
This section tells you  how  to  use  your seats and  safety  belts  properly.  It also explains  the  “SRS”  system. 
This  section  explains  how to 
start and  operate  your  Oldsmobile. 
This  section  tells  you  how to  adjust  the  ventilation  and  comfort  controls  and  how to operate  your 
audio  system. 
Here  you’ll  find  information  and  tips  about  the  road  and  how to drive  under  different  conditions. 
This  section  tells  you  what  to  do 
if you  have  a  problem  while  driving,  such  as  a  flat  tire  or 
overheated  engine,  etc. 
ServiceandAppearanceCare ............................................................ 
Here  the  manual  tells  you  how  to keep  your  Oldsmobile  running  properly  and  looking  good. 
Maintenance  Schedule .................................................................. 
This  section  tells  you  when to perform  vehicle  maintenance  and  what  fluids  and  lubricants to use. 
Customer  Assistance  Information ........................................................ 
This section  tells  you  how  to  contact  Oldsmobile  for  assistance  and \
 how to get  service  and owner publications. 
It also gives  you  information.on  “Reporting  Safety  Defects”  on  page\
 8-7. 
Index ........................................................................\
.......... 
Here’s  an  alphabetical  listing  of almost  every  subject  in  this  manual.  You can  use  it to quickly  find 
something  you  want  to read. 
FeaturesandControls .................................................................. 
Comfort  Controls  and  Audio  Systems .................. ’. .................................. 
YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. 
ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. 
1-1 
2-1 
3-1 
4-1 
5-1 
6- 1 
7-1 
8-1 
9-1 
i  

- GM I 
GENERAL  MOTORS,  GM,  the  GM  Emblem, 
OLDSMOBILE,  the  OLDSMOBILE  Rocket  Emblem 
and  the  name  CUTLASS  SUPREME  are registered 
trademarks  of General  Motors  Corporation. 
This  manual  includes  the latest information  at  the time  it 
was  printed.  We reserve the  right to make  changes  in the 
product  after.  that  time  without  further notice. 
For 
vehicles  first sold in Canada, substitute the  name 
“General  Motors  of Canada  Limited”  for Oldsmobile 
Division  whenever  it appears in  this  manual. 
Please  keep  this  manual  in your  Oldsmobile, 
so it will 
you  sell the  vehicle,  please leave  this  manual in it 
so the 
new  owner  can  use  it. 
’ 
I be there if you  ever  need  it when  you’re  on.  the road.  If 
Litho  in U.S.A. 
Part No.  22639052 B First  Edition 
d 
. 
t 
1 
I I 
WE  SUPPORT 
VOLUNTARY  TECHNICIAN 
CERTIFICATION  THROUGH 
National Institute  for 
AUTOMOTIVE  SERVICE 
EXCELLENCE 
I 
We  support  voluntary 
1 technician  certification. 
For  Canadian  Owners  Who  Prefer  a 
French  Language  Manual: 
Aux propribtaires  canadiens: Vous  pouvez  vous 
procurer  un  exemplaire  de ce guide  en  franGais  chez 
votre  concessionaire  ou  au: 
DGN  Marketing  Services Ltd. 
1500  Bonhill  Rd. 
Mississauga, Ontario  L5T 1C7 
@Copyright General  Motors  Corporation  1995 
All  Rights  Reserved 
ii  

How  does  an  air  bag  restrain? 
In moderate  to  severe  frontal  or  near-frontal  collisions, 
even  belted  occupants  can  contact  the  steering  wheel  or  the 
instrument  panel.  The 
air bag  supplements  the  protection 
provided  by  safety  belts. 
Air bags  distribute  the  force  of 
the  impact  more  evenly  over  the  occupant’s  upper  body,  stopping  the  occupant  more  gradually.  But 
air bags  would 
not  help  you  in  many  types  of  collisions,  including 
rollovers,  rear  impacts  and  side  impacts,  primarily  because 
an  occupant’s  motion  is not  toward  the 
air bag. Air bags 
should  never  be  regarded  as  anydung  more  than  a 
supplement  to  safety  belts,  and  then  only  in  moderate  to  severe  frontal  or  near-frontal  collisions. 
What  will  you  see  after  an  air  bag  inflates? 
After  the air bag  inflates,  it quickly deflates.  This occurs 
so quickly that some people  may  not even realize the air 
bag  inflated.  Some components  of the  air bag  module  in 
the steering  wheel hub for  the  driver’s air bag,  or the 
instrument panel  for  the right front  passenger’s bag, will 
be hot  for a short  time. The part  of the  bag  that comes 
into contact  with  you  may  be  warm,  but it will never be 
too  hot 
to touch.  There will be some smoke  and dust 
coming from vents  in  the deflated air bags.  Air  bag 
inflation will not  prevent the driver from seeing or from 
being  able  to steer the vehicle, nor will  it stop  people. 
from  leaving the vehicle. 
When  an  air  bag  inflates,  there  is  dust  in  the  air. 
This  dust  could  cause  breathing  problems  for 
people  with  a  history  of  asthma  or  other 
breathing  trouble. 
To avoid  this,  everyone  in  the 
vehicle  should  get  out  as  soon  as  it  is  safe  to  do 
so. 
If  you  have  breathing  problems  but  can’t  get  out 
of  the  vehicle  after  an  air  bag  inflates,  then  get 
fresh  air  by  opening  a  window  or  door. 
In  many  crashes severe enough to inflate  an air bag, 
windshields  are broken  by vehicle  deformation. 
Additional  windshield  breakage may  also  occur  from the 
right  front  passenger’s air bag. 
The air bags are  designed to inflate only once.  After 
they  inflate, you’ll  need  some  new  parts for your  air 
bag  system.  If  you don’t get them,  the air  bag  system 
won’t  be there to  help protect 
you in another crash. 
A  new  system will include  air  bag  modules  and 
possibly  other parts.  The service  manual  for your 
vehicle covers  the  need  to replace other  parts. 
1-23  

Your vehicle  is equipped  with a crash  sensing  and 
diagnostic  module,  which  records  information 
about  the  air bag  system.  The module  records 
information  about  the  readiness  of the  system, 
when  the  sensors  are activated  and  driver’s safety 
belt  usage  at  deployment. 
Let  only  qualified  technicians  work  on  your  air bag 
system.  Improper  service can  mean  that  your  air  bag 
system  won’t  work  properly.  See your  retailer 
for service. 
I NOTICE: 
If you  damage  the  cover  for  the  driver’s or  the 
right  front  passenger’s  air bag,  they  may  not 
work  properly.  You may  have  to  replace  the  air 
bag  module  in  the  steering  wheel  or both  the  air 
bag  module  and  the  instrument  panel  for  the 
right  front  passenger’s 
air bag. Do not open  or 
break  the 
air bag  covers. 
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped 
Oldsmobile 
Air bags affect how  your  Oldsmobile  should  be  serviced. 
There  are  parts  of  the 
air bag  system in several  places 
around  your  vehcle. 
You don’t  want  the  system  to  inflate 
while  someone  is  working  on  your  vehicle.  Your 
Oldsmobile  retailer  and  the  Cutlass  Supreme  Service 
Manual  have  information  about  servicing  your  vehicle  and 
the air bag  system. To purchase a service  manual,  see 
“Service  and  Owner  Publications” 
in the  Index. 
For  up  to 
10 seconds  after  the  ignition key is 
turned 
off and  the  battery  is  disconnected,  an air 
bag  can  still  inflate  during  improper  service. You 
can  be  injured  if you  are close  to  an  air  bag  when 
it inflates.  Avoid wires wrapped  with  yellow tape 
or  yellow  connectors.  They  are probably  part of 
the 
air bag  system.  Be sure  to  follow proper 
service  procedures,  and  make  sure  the  person 
performing  work  for  you 
is qualified to  do so. 
The air  bag  system  does  not  need  regular  maintenance. 
I 1-24 
!  

Automatic  Door  Locks 
Just close your  doors  and  turn  on  the  ignition. All of the 
doors  will  lock  when  you  move  your  shift lever out of 
PARK  (P) or NEUTRAL  (N).  All  doors will  unlock 
automatically  when  the ignition is turned 
off. 
If  someone  needs  to  get  out  while the vehicle  is 
running, have  that  person  use  the manual  or power  lock. 
When  the door  is closed again, it  will  lock  automatically 
as  long  as the  shift  lever  is  out of  PARK  (P)  or 
NEUTRAL  (N)  and  the ignition is  on.  Note that the 
door  must  be  opened, then closed, 
or the  door  will  not 
automatically  relock. 
If  you  don’t  want  the doors to  unlock  automatically 
when  you 
turn the  ignition off, you  can  remove  the Lock 
Control fuse  in the  instrument panel  fuse block.  See 
“Fuses  and  Circuit  Breakers” in the Index. 
Leaving  Your  Vehicle 
If you  are  leaving the vehicle, take  your keys,  open  your 
door  and  set the  locks  from  inside. Then  get  out  and 
close the  door. 
Remote Lock Control  (Option) 
If your Oldsmobile  has  this option, you can lock  and 
unlock  your  doors  or unlock  your’trunk  from  up to 
30 feet (9 m) away  using  the key  chain  transmitter 
supplied  with  your  vehicle. 
Your  Remote  Lock  Control  transmitter  operates  on  a 
radio  frequency  subject  to  Federal Communications 
Commission  (FCC)  Rules. 
This device  complies  with  Part 15 of  the  FCC  Rules. 
Operation  is  subject  to  the  following  two  conditions: 
(1) This deVice  may  not  cause  harmful  interference,  and 
(2) This device  must  accept  any  interference  received, 
including  interference  that  may  cause  undesired  operation. 
Should  interference  to  this  system  occur, 
try this: 
0 Check  to  determine  if  battery  replacement  is  necessary. 
See the  instructions  on  battery  replacement. 
Check the distance.  You  may  be  too far from  your 
Check the location.  Other  vehicles  or objects may be 
See  your  Oldsmobile  retailer or a qualified 
vehicle. 
This product  has  a maximum  range. 
blocking  the signal. 
technician  for service. 
Changes  or modifications  to 
this system  by other  than  an 
authorized  service facility  could  void  authorization  to 
use 
this equipment. 
2-4  

PASS-Key I1 uses  a resistor pellet  in the  ignition  key 
that  matches  a decoder  in  your vehicle. 
When  the PASS-Key  I1  system senses that  someone  is 
using  the wrong  key,  it shuts down  the  vehicle’s  starter 
and  fuel  systems.  For about three minutes, the starter 
won’t  work  and  fuel won’t  go to the engine.  If someone 
tries  to start  your  vehicle  again or uses  another  key 
during this time, the vehicle  will  not start. This 
discourages someone  from randomly  trying  different 
keys  with different resistor pellets  in an  attempt to 
make  a match. 
The  ignition  key  must  be clean and  dry before  it’s 
inserted  in the ignition or the engine  may  not start. If the 
engine does  not start and  the SECURITY  light is on, the 
key  may  be dirty  or wet.  Turn  the ignition 
off. 
Clean  and  dry  the key.  Wait  about three  minutes  and try 
again.  The SECURITY  light may remain  on during  this 
time.  If the  starter still  won’t  work,  and  the  key  appears 
to  be  clean and 
dry, wait about three  minutes  and  try 
another ignition  key. At this time,  you  may also want  to 
check the fuses (see “Fuses  and Circuit Breakers”  in  the Index). 
If the  starter  won’t  work  with  the other  key,  your 
vehicle  needs  service. If your  vehicle  does start,  the first 
ignition  key  may  be faulty.  See your  Oldsmobile retailer 
or a locksmith  who can service the  PASS-Key 11. 
If  you accidentally  use a key that has a  damaged or 
missing  resistor pellet, the starter won’t  work  and  the 
SECURITY  light will come  on..But  you  don’t  have to 
wait  three  minutes  before trying another ignition  key. 
See  your  Oldsmobile retailer or a  locksmith  who  can 
service  the PASS-Key 
I1 to have a  new  key  made. 
If  you’re ever  driving and the SECURITY  light 
comes  on, you  will  be able  to restart  your engine 
if 
you  turn  it off. Your  PASS-Key  I1  system, however,  is 
not  working  properly  and  must  be serviced by  your 
Oldsmobile  retailer. Your vehicle is  not  protected  by 
the  PASS-Key  I1  system. 
If  you  lose or damage a  PASS-Key  I1 ignition key,  see 
your  Oldsmobile retailer or 
a locksmith  who  can service 
PASS-Key 
11 to  have a  new  key  made. 
2-9  

LOCK (B): Before  you  put  the  key into the  ignition 
switch,  the switch  is  in the 
LOCK position.  It’s  also  the 
only  position  in  which  you  can remove  your  key.  This 
position  locks  your  ignition,  steering  wheel  and 
transaxle.  It’s  a  theft-deterrent  feature. 
OFF (C): This  position  lets you  turn off the engine  but 
still  turn  the  steering  wheel.  It doesn’t  lock  the  steering 
wheel  like 
LOCK. Use OFF if  you  must  have  your 
vehicle  pushed  or towed. 
RUN (D): This  position  is where  the key  returns  after 
you  start  your  vehicle.  With  the  engine off,  you  can 
use 
RUN to  display  some of  your  warning  and 
indicator  lights. 
START (E): This position  starts  your  engine. 
A  warning  chime  will  sound  if  you  open  the  driver’s 
door  when  the  ignition  is in  the 
OFF, LOCK or ACC 
position  and  the key  is in  the  ignition. 
NOTICE: 
If your  key  seems  stuck in LOCK and you  can’t , 
turn  it, be  sure it is  all  the  way  in. If it is,  then 
turn  the steering  wheel  left and right  while  you 
turn  the key  hard. 
But turn  the key  only  with 
your hand.  Using  a  tool  to force  it could  break 
the  key  or the  ignition  switch. 
If none of this 
works,  then your  vehicle  needs  service.  

AUTOMATIC  OVERDRIVE (0): This  position is for 
normal  driving.  It is  the  ovetdrive  position.  If  you  need 
more  power  for passing,  and  you’re: 
- Going  less  than 35 mph (56 km/h), push  your 
accelerator  ppdal  about  halfway  down. 
- Going  about 35 mph (56 km/h) or  more,  push  the 
accelerator  pedal  all  the  way  down. 
You’ll  shift  down  to  the next  gear  and  have 
more  power. 
i 
NOTICE: 
If  your  vehicle  seems  to start  up  rather  slowly, 
or 
if it  seems  not  to shift gears as you  go  faster, 
something  may  be  wrong  with 
a transaxle  system 
sensor. 
If you  drive  very far  that  way, your 
vehicle  can be  damaged. 
So, if this  happens,  have 
your  vehicle  serviced  right away.  Until then, you 
can  use  SECOND 
(2) when  you  are driving  less 
than 
35 mph (56 km/h) and  AUTOMATIC 
OVERDRIVE 
(a) for  higher  speeds. 
THIRD (3): This  position  is also  used  for normal 
driving,  but  it offers  more  power  and  lower  fuel 
economy  than  AUTOMATIC  OVERDRIVE 
(0). 
Here are some  times  you  might  choose  THIRD (3) 
instead of AUTOMATIC  OVERDRIVE (0)): 
- When  driving  on  hilly,  winding  roads. 
- When  towing  a  trailer, so there  is less  shifting 
- When  going  down  a  steep  hill. 
SECOND (2): This position  gives  you  more  power  but 
lower  fuel economy.  You can  use  SECOND 
(2) on  hills. 
It  can  help  control  your  speed 
as you  go  down  steep 
mountain  roads,  but  then  you  would  also  want  to  use 
your  brakes  off  and  on. 
between  gears. 
6