1997 Oldsmobile Achieva Owner's Manuals

2. Set the parking brake.
3. Open the fuse panel on the driver’s side of the
instrument panel. Remove the fuse labeled
PRNDL. This will keep your battery from
draining while towing.
4. Turn the ignition key to OFF to unlock the steering
wheel. See “Ignition Positions” in the Index.
5. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position, with a clamping device designed
for towing.
6. Release the parking brake.
When you are finished towing, make sure you replace
the PRNDL fuse in the instrument panel fuse block.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Front
(Manual Transaxle)
P
m
nA
Tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground.
Follow these steps:
1. Set the parking brake.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
Open the fuse panel on the driver’s side of the instrument
panel. Remove the fuse labeled
PRNDL. This will keep
your battery
from draining while towing.
Turn the ignition key to
OFF to unlock the steering
wheel and prevent the automatic door locks
from locking.
Shift your manual transaxle to NEUTRAL
(N).
Release the parking brake.
When you are finished towing, make sure you replace
the
PRNDL fuse in the instrument panel fuse block.
I NOTICE:
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
55 mph (90 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Rear
m 8
I NOTICE:
Do not tow your vehicle from the rear. Your
vehicle could be badly damaged and the repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
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Loading Your Vehicle
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TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
OCCUPANTS VEHICLE CAP. WT.
FRT. CTR.
RR. TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY WEIGHT
XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE
SIZE SPEED PRESSURE
RTG PSVKPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA.
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PS1/28KPa
SEE OWNER’S MANUAL
FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver’s door tells
you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you
important information about the number
of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight
is called the Vehicle Capacity Weight
and includes the weight of all occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory-installed options.
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CABLE
U.S. FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY, BUMPER, AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS
IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF
MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
MFD
BY GENERAL
MOTORS CORP
DATE GVWR GAWR FRT GAWR RR
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver’s door. It tells
you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating).
The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the
front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread
it out. Don’t carry more than
132 lbs. (60 kg) in
your trunk.
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Do not load your vehicle a heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR.
If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, or it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose control.
Also, overloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because of overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle
-- like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else -- they will go as fast
as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly,
or if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.
A CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in
a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
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Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a
trunk, put them as far forward as you can.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When
you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Don’t leave
a seat folded down unless you
need
to.

Towing a Trailer
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you
pull a
trailer. For example,
if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your Oldsmobile retailer
for advice and information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Oldsmobile
~ retailer for important information about towing
' a trailer with your vehicle.
Do not tow a trailer if your vehicle is equipped with a
2.4L (Code T) engine.
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Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with a
3 100 (Code M) engine and proper trailer towing
equipment.
To identify what the vehicle trailering
capacity
is for your vehicle, you should read the
information in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears
later in this section. But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes
in handling, durability and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In
it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control.
You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow
a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow
a trailer, don’t drive over SO mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
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Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
the weight of the trailer tongue
and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs.
(450 kg).
But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your retailer for our trailering information
or advice,
or you can write us at:
Oldsmobile Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 30095
Lansing, MI 48909
In Canada, write to:
General Motors
of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L 1 H
8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle. The capacity weight includes the
curb weight
of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in
it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
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A B
If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you have a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper.
If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
Certification label at the rear edge of the driver’s door or
see “Loading Your Vehicle’’ in the Index. Then be sure
you don’t go over the GVW limit for your vehicle,
including the weight
of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches. Do
not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only
a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install
a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
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