1997 Oldsmobile Achieva overheating

Enhanced Traction System Active Light
(If Equipped)
LOW
TRAC
When your Enhanced
Traction System is limiting
wheel spin, this light will
come on. Slippery road
conditions may exist
if the
Enhanced Traction System active light comes on,
so
adjust your driving
accordingly.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
W
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the
gage pointer moves into
the red area, your engine
is too hot! It means that
your engine coolant
has overheated.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the
Enhanced Traction System stops limiting wheel spin.
The Enhanced Traction System active light also comes 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
there to tell you when the system is active. If
you have been operating
your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
2-65

Low Coolant Warning Light
--I If this light comes on and
LOW
COOLANT
stays on, the vehicle should
promptly be pulled off
the road and the coolant
level checked.
See “Engine Coolant’’ in the Index. If there are visible
signs
of steam, see “Engine Overheating” in the Index
before opening the hood. Have your vehicle serviced as
soon as you can.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine
Light)
CHECK
ENGINE
Your Oldsmobile is
equipped with a computer
which monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition and
emission control systems.
This system
is called OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
(In Canada, OBD I1 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The CHECK ENGINE light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by
the
system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
2-64

Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to
come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The green arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to
use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, use the highest gear possible.
If you
cannot maintain posted speeds, driving at a lower speed may
help avoid overheating your engine and transaxle.
If you have a manual transaxle with
FIFTH (5) gear,
it’s better not
to use FIFTH (5) gear. Just drive in
FOURTH
(4) gear (or, as you need to, a lower gear).
4-40

Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2 5-3
5-3 5-8
5-13 Hazard Warning Flashers
Other
Warning Devices
Jump Starting Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating 5-21
5-22
5-32
5-33
If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
Compact
Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
5-1

Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Oldsmobile’s instrument panel. See “Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage” in the Index.
You will also find a
LOW COOLANT level warning light on your
Oldsmobile’s instrument panel. See “Low Coolant
Warning Light” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
/r CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even
if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before
you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
I i
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.

If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until
it cools down.
Lne coolant level should be at or above
FULL COLD.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump
or somewhere else in
the cooling system.
J AUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be
very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is
a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see
if the electric engine fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the
fan should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
5-16

When to Check and What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance
Schedule to determine how
often you should check the
fluid level
in your clutch
master cylinder reservoir
and for the proper fluid.
See “Owner Checks
and Services” and
“Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index.
How to Check
If you can see fluid in the reservoir, the level is acceptable.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
new DEX-COOL@engine coolant. This coolant is
designed to remain in your vehicle for
5 years or
150,000 miles (240
000 km), whichever occurs first,
if you add only DEX-COOL@ extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how
to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating’’ in
the Index.
A 50150 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your Oldsmobile will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 “F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.

Surge Tank Pressure Cap
NOTICE: ~
Your pressure cap is an 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed to
prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage
from overheating.
When y'6u &place your surge tank pressure cap,
a
GM cap is recommended.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine coolant system. The thermostat stops the
flow of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, an
AC' thermostat
is recommended.
Power Steering Fluid
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there
is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise.
A fluid loss in this system
could indicate
a problem. Have the system.inspected
and repaired.