Page 7 of 356
J 
Vehicle Symbols 
These are some of the symbols you may find on  your vehicle. 
For example, these symbols 
are  used on an 
original battery: 
POSSIBLE A 
CAUTION 
INJURY 
PROTECT  EYES  BY 
SHIELDING 
Q 
CAUSTIC 
BURNS AVOID 
SPARKS 
OR 
FLAMES 
SPARK 
OR ,\I/, 
COULD  FLAME 
EXPLODE  BAllERY 
These symbols are important 
for  you  and 
your passengers 
whenever your 
vehicle  is 
driven: 
UNLOCK w. 
FASTEN 
SEAT 
BELTS 
POWER 
WINDOW 
These symbols 
have to  do with 
your lights: 
SIGNALS e e3 
TURN 
RUNNING 
* 0 
DAYTIME 
LAMPS 
FOG  LAMPS 
# 0 
These symbols 
are on some 
of 
your  controls: 
WINDSHIELD 
WIPER 
WINDOW 
DEFOGGER 
These symbols  are  used  on 
warning and 
indicator lights: 
COOLANT 
TEMP 
- 
CHARGING I-1 
BAllERY 
SYSTEM 
BRAKE 
(a) 
COOLANT a 
ENGINE OIL w, 
PRESSURE 
ANTI-LOCK 
(@) 
BRAKES 
Here are some 
other symbols 
you  may  see: 
FUSE 
LIGHTER 
m 
HORN )tr 
SPEAKER 
I@ 
FUEL la  
     
        
        Page 31 of 356

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  
     
        
        Page 35 of 356
Rear  Seat  Passengers 
It’s  very important  for rear seat passengers  to  buckle  up! 
Accident  statistics show that unbelted  people in the rear 
seat are hurt  more  often in crashes  than those  who are 
wearing  safety belts. 
Rear passengers  who aren’t safety  belted can be  thrown 
out  of the vehicle  in 
a crash. And  they  can strike others 
in  the  vehicle  who are wearing  safety  belts. 
Rear  Seat  Outside-Passenger  Positions 
(2-Door 
Models) 
If  you  have a four-door  model, see “Rear Seat Outside 
Passenger  Positions (4-DOOr Models).”  later in 
this  section. 
i 
Lap-Shoulder  Belt  (2-Door  Models) 
The  positions  next to the windows  have lap-shoulder 
belts.  Here’s  how  to wear  one properly. 
1. Pick  up  the  latch plate  and  pull  the  belt  across you. 
Don’t  let it  get  twisted. 
2. Push the latch plate into the  buckle  until  it clicks. 
__ 1-27  
     
        
        Page 39 of 356
Lap-Shoulder  Belt  (4-Door  Models) 
The positions  next  to  the windows  have lap-shoulder 
belts.  Here’s  how 
tn wear nne prnndy. 
2. Push  the  latch  plate  into the  buckle  until  it clicks. 
“ Pull  up  on the  latch  plate  to.make sure it is  secure. 
When  the shoulder  belt  is pulled  out all  the  way,  it 
will  lock. 
If it  does, let  it go  back  all  the  way  and 
start  again. 
If  the  belt  is not  long  enough,  see  “Safety  Belt 
 Extender”  at the  end  of  this  section. 
Make  sure  the  release  button  on the  buckle  is 
positioned 
so you  would  be  able to  unbuckle  the 
, safety  belt  quickly  if  you ever had  to. 
1. Pick  up  the  latch  plate  and  pull  the belt  across  you. 
Don’t  let it get  twisted. 
The  shoulder  belt  may  lock if  you  pull  the belt  across 
you  very  quickly.  If  this  happens,  let  the  belt 
go back 
slightly  to unlock  it. Then  pull  the  belt  across  you 
more  slowly. 
1-31  
     
        
        Page 56 of 356
1 7 
7. To tighten  the  belt,  feed  the  shoulder  belt  back 
into 
the retractor  while  you  push  down  on the 
child  restraint. 
8. Push  and  pull  the  child  restraint  in  different  directions  to  be  sure  it is  secure. 
I 
Larger  Children 
Children  who  have  outgrown  child  restraints  should 
wear  the  vehicle’s  safety  belts. 
If you  have  the  choice,  a  chi.ld  should  sit  next  to  a 
To remove  the  child  restraint,  just unbuckle  the  vehicle’s 
safety  belt  and  let  it go  back  all  the  way.  The safety  belt 
will  move  freely  again  and  be  ready  to  work  for an  adult 
or  larger  child  passenger.  window so the  child  can  wear  a  lap-shoulder  belt  and 
get  the  additional  restraint  a  shoulder  belt  can  provide. 
1 
1-48  
     
        
        Page 61 of 356
Section 2 Features  and  Controls 
Here you can learn  about the many  standard  and 
optional  features  on  your  Oldsmobile,  and  information 
on  starting,  shifting  and  braking.  Also  explained 
are the 
instrument  panel and the warning  systems  'that tell  you  if 
everything  is working  properly 
-- and  what  to do  if  you 
have  a  problem. 
Keys 
A CAUTION: 
Leaving  young  children  in  a  vehicle  with  the 
ignition  key  is dangerous  for  many  reasons. 
A child  or  others  could  be  badly  injured  or 
even  killed. 
They  could  operate  power  windows  or  other 
controls  or  even  make  the  vehicle  move.  Don't 
leave  the  keys  in  a  vehicle  with  young  children. 
(I 
2-1  
     
        
        Page 66 of 356

To replace  your  batteries: 
1. . Insert a flat  object  like  a dime  into  the  slot  on  the  back 
of the  transmitter.  Gently pry apart  the  front  and  back. 
2. Gently  pry  the  batteries out of the transmitter. 
3. Put the  new batteries into the  transmitter as shown 
on  the  transmitter. 
Use Duracell@ batteries,  type 
DL20 16, or equivalent. 
4. Put the two  halves  back  together. Make sure  the 
halves  are  together  tightly 
so water  won’t  get  in. 
5. Test the transmitter. 
Trunk 
It can  be dangerous to drive  with the trunk  open 
because  carbon monoxide  (CO)  gas 
can come into 
your  vehicle.  You can’t  see  or smell  CO. 
It can 
cause  unconsciousness  and even  death. 
If you must  drive  with the trunk  open or if 
electrical  wiring or other  cable  connections 
must  pass through the  seal  between  the body 
and  the trunk: 
Make  sure all  windows  are shut. 
Turn the  fan on your heating  or cooling 
system  to its highest  speed  with  the setting 
on 
UPPER. That  will  force  outside air into 
your  vehicle.  See  “Comfort Controls”  in 
the  Index. 
instrument  panel,  open  them  all the  way. 
If you  have air outlets  on,or under  the 
See  “Engine Exhaust”  in the  Index.  
     
        
        Page 68 of 356

I 
Theft 
Vehicle  theft is big  business,  especially  in  some  cities. 
Although  your  Oldsmobile  has  a  number  of 
theft-deterrent  features,  we  know  that  nothing  we put  on 
it can  make  it impossible  to steal.  However,  there are 
~ . ways  you  can  help. 
Key  in  the  Ignition 
If  you  leave  your  vehicle  with the keys  inside,  it’s  an 
easy  target  for  joy riders  or professional  thieves 
-- so 
don’t  do it. 
When  you  park  your  Oldsmobile  and  open  the  driver’s 
door,  you’ll  hear  a  chime reminding  you  to  remove  your 
key  from  the  ignition  and  take it with  you.  Always  do 
this.  Your  steering  wheel  will  be  locked,  and 
so will 
your  ignition  and  transaxle.  And  remember  to  lock 
the doors. 
Parking  at  Night 
Park  in  a  lighted  spot,  close all  windows  and  lock  your 
vehicle.  Remember 
to keep  your  valuables  out of  sight. 
Put  them  in  a  storage  area,  or take  them  with  you. 
’Parking  Lots 
If  you  park  in  a  lot  where  someone  will  be watching 
your  vehicle,  it’s  best  to  lock it up  and  take  your  keys. 
But  what  if  you  have  to  leave  your  ignition  key? What  if 
you  have  to  leave  something  valuable  in  your  vehicle? 
Put  your  valuables  in  a  storage  area,  like  your trunk 
0 Lock  the  glove  box. 
Lock  all  the  doors  except  the  driver’s. 
Then  take  the  door  key  with  you.  or 
glove  box. 
PASS-Key@ I1 
Your  vehicle  is  equipped 
with  the  PASS-Key 
I1 
(Personalized  Automotive 
Security  System) 
theft-deterrent  system. 
PASS-Key 
I1 is  a  passive 
theft-deterrent  system. 
It works  when  you  insert 
or  remove  the  key  from 
the  ignition. 
2-8