1997 Oldsmobile Achieva steering wheel

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

I /A CAUTION:
r
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it
is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut
by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components. When your
vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key off. The steering wheel should be clamped
in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed
on the drive wheels,
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels (see speed and distance restrictions later in
this section) or your transaxle will be damaged. If these
limits must be exceeded, then the drive wheels have to
be supported on a dolly.

5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure
cap is tight.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly.
If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely
to leak out slowly.
But if
you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what
to do:
If
a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well
out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require
the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle
to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
5-21

If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution. is
If you
let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 kdh) as shown
on the speedometer.
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle
as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels.
If your vehicle
has the Enhanced Traction System, you should turn
the system off. (See “Enhanced Traction System”
in the Index.) Then
shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear (or with a manual
transaxle, between F’IRST
(1) or SECOND (2) and
REVERSE (R)), spinning the wheels as little as
possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you shift,
and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the
transaxle is in gear. If that doesn’t get you out after
a
few tries, you may need to be towed out. If you do
need to be towed out, see “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.

Guide en FranGais 11
GVWR ....................................... 4-33
.. .................................
Halogen Bulbs ................................ 6-35
Hazard Warning Flashers
.......................... 5-2
Head Restraints
................................. 1-5
Headlamps
.................................... 2-44
Bulb Replacement
............................ 6-35
HighLow Beam Changer
...................... 2-37
OnReminder
................................ 2-44
Wiring
..................................... 6-57
Hearing Impaired. Customer Assistance
.............. 8-4
Heating
........................................ 3-4
High-Beam Headlamps
.......................... 2-37
Highway Hypnosis
.............................. 4-24
Hill and Mountain Roads
......................... 4-24
Hitches. Trailer
................................. 4-38
Hood Checking Things Under
......................... 6-8
Release
...................................... 6-9
Horn ......................................... 2-34
Hydraulic Clutch
............................... 6-23
Hydraulic Clutch Fluid
........................... 6-23
Hydraulic Clutch System Check
................... 7-42
Hydroplaning
.................................. 4-20
If a Tire Goes Flat .............................. 5-21
Ignition Positions
............................... 2- 14
Illuminated EntryExit System
..................... 2-46
Inflation. Tire
.................................. 6-41
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
................. 2-49 Inspections
Brakesystem
................................ 7-46
Caliper/Knuckle Maintenance
................... 7-46
Exhaust Systems
............................. 7-45
Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Boot
.................. 7-45
Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Seal
................... 7-45
Radiator and Heater Hose
...................... 7-45
Steering
.................................... 7-45
Suspension
.................................. 7-45
Throttle Linkage
.............................. 7-45
Instrumentpanel
............................... 2-56
Brightness Control
............................ 2-46
Cleaning
.................................... 6-50
Cluster
..................................... 2-58
FuseBlock
.................................. 6-58
Interior Lamps
................................. 2-46
Jack. Tire
.................................... 5-24
Jump Starting
................................... 5-3
Key Lock Cylinders Service
..................... 7-42
Key Release Button
............................. 2-16
Keys
.......................................... 2-2
Labels Certification
................................. 4-33
Service Parts Identification
..................... 6-56
Tire-Loading Information
...................... 4-33
Vehicle Identification Number
................... 6-56
Lamps
........................................ 2-43
Interior
..................................... 2-46
OnReminder
................................ 2-44
Exterior
.................................... 2-43
Fog
........................................ 2-45
9-5
.

Seats EasyEntry
................................... 1-6
Folding the Rear
............................... 1-7
Four-Way Manual
............................. 1-3
ManualFront
................................. 1-2
Manual Lumbar Support
........................ 1-3
Power
....................................... 1-4
Rear
........................................ 1-7
Restraint Systems
.............................. 1 . 1
Seat Controls ................................. 1-2
Securing
a Child Restraint ...................... 1-37
Second Gear. Automatic Transaxle
................. 2-23
Second Gear. Manual Transaxle
................... 2-26
Service
........................................ 6-2
Bulletins. Ordering
............................ 8- 10
Manuals. Ordering ............................ 8- 10
Parts Identification Label ....................... 6-56
Publications. Ordering
......................... 8- 10
Work. Doing Your Own
......................... 6-2
Service and Appearance Care
...................... 6- 1
Service and Owner Publications ................... 8- 10
Service Publications
............................. 8- 10
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Oldsmobile
........ 1-26
Sheet Metal Damage
............................ 6-54
Shift Lever. Automatic Transaxle
.................. 2-21
Shift Light
.................................... 2-27
Shiftspeeds
................................... 2-27
Shifting Automatic Transaxle
.......................... 2-22
Into Park
(P) ................................. 2-29
Manual Transaxle
............................. 2-25
Out of
Park .................................. 2-31
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
..................... 1 - 15
Signaling Turns
................................ 2-36 Skidding
...................................... 4-15
Sound Equipment, Adding
........................ 3-21
Spare Tire, Compact
............................. 5-32
Specifications and Capacities
...................... 6-62
Specifications. Engine
........................... 6-62
Speedometer
................................... 2-59
SRS ......................................... 1-21
Stains, Cleaning
................................ 6-50
Starter Switch Check
............................ 7-43
Starting Your Engine
.................. 2- 16.2-17, 2- 18
Steam
........................................ 5-13
Steering
...................................... 4-11
Column Lock Check
.......................... 7-44
In Emergencies
............................... 4-12
Power
...................................... 4-11
Tips
........................................ 4-11
Wheel. Tilt
.................................. 2-35
Speech Impaired, Customer Assistance
............... 8-4
Storage Compartments
........................... 2-51
Storage, Vehicle
................................ 6-35
Stuck:
In Sand, Mud. Ice or Snow .................. 5-33
Sunvisors
.................................... 2-54
Sunglasses Storage
.............................. 2-52
Sunroof
....................................... 2-55
Supplemental Restraint System
.................... 1-21
Surge Tank, Coolant
............................. 5-16
Surge Tank Pressure Cap
......................... 6-28
Symbols, Vehicle
.................................. v
Tachometer .................................. 2-60
Taillamp Bulb Replacement
....................... 6-38
Tape Player Care
............................... 3-22
Theft
......................................... 2-12
...
. 0-9

Theft-Deterrent Feature. CD Player ................ 3- 19
Thermostat
.................................... 6-28
Third Gear. Automatic Transaxle
................... 2-23
Third Gear. Manual Transaxle
..................... 2-26
Tilt Steering Wheel
............................. 2-35
Time. Setting the
................................ 3-6
Tire Chains
.................................... 6-47
Tire Loading
................................... 4-33
Tire-Loading Information Label
................... 4-33
Tires
......................................... 6-40
Alignment and Balance
........................ 6-45
BuyingNew
................................. 6-44
Chains
..................................... 6-47
ChangingaFlat
.............................. 5-22
Cleaning
.................................... 6-53
Compact Spare
............................... 5-32
Inflation
.................................... 6-41
Inflation Check
............................... 7-41
Inspection and Rotation
........................ 6-42
Loading
.................................... 4-33
Pressure
.................................... 6-41
Temperature
................................. 6-46
Traction
.................................... 6-45
Treadwear
................................... 6-45
Uniform Quality Grading
....................... 6-45
Used Replacement Wheel
...................... 6-47
Wear Indicators
.............................. 6-43
Wheel Replacement
........................... 6-46
When It’s Time for New
....................... 6-43
THEFTLOCK
TM ................................ 3- 19
TopStrap
..................................... 1-37
TorqueLock
................................... 2-30
Torque. Wheel
Nut ......................... 5-29. 6-62 Towing
FromtheFront
............................... 4-30
From the Rear
............................... 4-31
Recreational Vehicle
.......................... 4-32
Towing
a Trailer ................................ 4-35
Towing Your Vehicle
............................. 5-8
Towing Your Vehicle From the Front
Automatic Transaxle
.......................... 4-30
Manual Transaxle
............................. 4-31
Towing Your Vehicle From the Rear
................ 4-32
Trailer BaclungUp
................................. 4-40
Brakes
..................................... 4-39
Driving on Grades
............................ 4-40
Driving
with ................................. 4-39
Following Distance When Driving a
.............. 4-39
Hitches
..................................... 4-38
Maintenance When Towing
..................... 4-41
Making Turns with a
.......................... 4-40
ParlungonHills
.............................. 4-41
Passing with
a ............................... 4-39
Safety Chains
................................ 4-39
Tongueweight
............................... 4-37
Total Weight on Tires
.......................... 4-38
Towing
..................................... 4-35
Turnsignals
................................. 4-40
Weight
..................................... 4-37
Automatic
............... 2- 16. 2-2 1. 6. 19.7.42. 7.44
Manual
...................... 2- 16.2.25.6.22. 7.42
Transmitters. Remote Lock Control
.................. 2-7
Transportation. Courtesy
.......................... 8-6
TTYUsers
..................................... 8-4
Transaxle
9-10