1997 Oldsmobile Achieva Owner's Manuals

Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
I
PL CAUTION:
Do not bleach or dye safety belts. If you do, it
may severely weaken them. In a crash, they
might not be able to provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild soap and
lukewarm water.
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass Cleaner (GM
Part No. 1050427) or a liquid household glass cleaner
will remove normal tobacco smoke and dust films.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass, because they may cause
scratches. Avoid placing decals on the inside rear window,
since they may have to be scraped
off later. If abrasive
cleaners are used on the inside of the rear window, an electric
defogger element may be damaged. Any temporary license
should not be attached across the defogger grid.
Cleaning the Outside of the
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or if the wiper blade chatters when running, wax,
sap or other material may be on the blade or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with
GM Windshield
Cleaner, Bon
A.mi@ Powder (non-scratching glass cleaning
powder), GM
Part No. 105001 1.
The windshield is clean if beads do not form when you
rinse if with water.
Grime from the windshield will stick to the wiper blades
and affect their performance. Clean the blade by wiping
vigorously with a cloth soaked in full-strength windshield
washer solvent. Then rinse the blade with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary;
replace worn blades.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth at least every
six months. During very cold, damp weather
more frequent application may be required.
(See
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants’’ in the Index.)
6-f’

Cleaning the Outside of
Your Oldsmobile
The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s f~sh is to keep it
clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun. Don’t
use strong soaps or chemical detergents.
Use liquid hand,
dish or car washing (mild detergent) soaps. Don’t use
cleaning agents that are petroleum based, or that contain acid
or abrasives. All cleaning agents should be flushed promptly
and not allowed to
dry on the surface, or they could stain.
Dry the finish with a soft, clean chamois or an all-cotton
towel to avoid surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure
car washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.
Cleaning Exterior LampsLenses
Use lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a liquid
hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soap to clean
exterior lamps and lenses. Follow instructions under
“Washing Your Vehicle.”
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your
Oldsmobile by hand may be necessary to remove
residue from the paint finish.
You can get GM-approved
cleaning products from your retailer. (See “Appearance
Care and Materials” in the Index.)
Your Oldsmobile has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint finish. The
clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the colored basecoat.
Always use waxes and polishes that are non-abrasive and
made for a basecoatklearcoat paint finish.
NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on
a basecoatklearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish
or leave swirl marks.
6-52

Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle as soon as possible.
If
necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years. You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your Oldsmobile garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
(If Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel.
A wax
may then be applied. The
surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because you could
damage the surface.
Don’t take your vehicle through
an automatic car wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels.
Cleaning Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
I NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces on the body
or wheels of the vehicle.
Petroleum-based products may damage the
paint finish.
6-53

Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your retailer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your retailer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust control
can collect
on the underbody. If these are not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the underbody
parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan and exhaust
system even though they have corrosion protection. At
least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean
any areas where mud
and other debris can collect.
Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your retailer or an underbody car washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle.
This damage can
take two
forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped discolorations, and
small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this,
Oldsmobile will repair, at no charge to the owner,
the surfaces
of new vehicles damaged by this fallout
condition within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20
000 km)
of purchase, whichever occurs first.
6-54

Appearance Care Materials Chart
PART NUMBER USAGE DESCRIPTION SIZE
994954 Exterior Polish
Polishing Cloth - Wax Treated
23 in. x
25 in.
1050004
Spot and stain removal
Vinyl Cleaner
32
oz. (0.946 L) 1050214 Exterior
cleaner and polish
Magic Mirror Cleaner Polish
1 gal. (3.785 L) 1050200 Removes
soil
and black marks White Sidewall Tire Cleaner
16 oz. (0.473
L)
1050174 Removes
rust and corrosion
Chrome Cleaner and Polish 16
oz. (0.473 L)
1050173 Also removes old waxes and polishes
Tar and Road Oil Remover
16
oz. (0.473 L) 1050 172 Shines vehicle without
scratching Chamois
2.75
sq. ft.
I I I
1050427 I 23 oz. (0.680 L) 1 Glass Cleaner Cleans grease, grime and smoke film
1052870 16 oz. (0.473 L) Wash and Wax Concentrate Exterior wash
1052918**
8 oz. (0.237 L) Armor All n4 Protector
Protects vinyl, leather and rubber
1052925 16
oz. (0.473 L) Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner Cleans vinyl, cloth, tires and mats
1052929 16
oz. (0.473 L) Wheel Cleaner
Spray on wheel cleaner
1052930
8 oz. (0.237 L) Capture Dry Spot Remover Attracts and absorbs
soils
12345002** 16
oz. (0.473 L) Armor All TM Cleaner
Cleans vinyl, leather and rubber
12345725 12
oz. (0.354 L) Silicone
Tire Shine Shines tires
12377964 16
oz. (0.473 L) Cleaning Wax Protects finish and removes fine scratches I I - I
12377966 I 16 oz. (0.473 L) I Finish Enhancer I Spot cleans paint and gives high luster
See your General Motors Parts Department for these products.
** Not recommended for use on instrument panel vinyl.
I See “Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
6-55

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
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i
bl SAMPLE4UXVM072675 kd I1
This is the legal identifier for your Oldsmobile. It
appears on a plate in the front corner of the instrument
panel, on the driver’s side.
You can see it if you look
through the windshield from outside your vehicle.
The VIN also appears
on the Vehicle Certification
and Service Parts labels and the certificates
of title
and registration.
Engine Identification
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specifications
and replacement parts.
Service Parts T -entification Label
You’ll find this label on the bottom of your spare. tire
cover. It’s very helpful
if you ever need to order parts.
On this label
is:
0 your VIN,
0 the model designation,
0 paint information and
a list of all production options and
special equipment.
Be sure that this label
is not removed from the vehicle.
Electrical System
Add-on Electrical Equipment
NOTICE: --
Don’t add anything electrical to your Oldsmobile
unless you check with your retailer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical
to your Oldsmobile, see “Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Oldsmobile”
in the Index.

Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by a circuit breaker in
the fuse block. An electrical overload will cause the
lamps to
go on and off, or in some cases to remain off.
If this happens, have your headlamp wiring checked
right away.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected by an internal
circuit breaker and a fuse.
If the motor overheats due to
heavy snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor
cools. If the overload
is caused by some electrical
problem and not snow, etc., be sure to get it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the fuse panel protect the power
windows and other power accessories. When the current
load is
too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the problem is fixed or
goes away.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by
a combination of fuses, circuit breakers
and fusible thermal links in the wiring itself. This
greatly reduces the chance
of fires caused by
electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with
a new one of the identical size
and rating.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don’t have
a spare fuse, you can “borrow” one that has the same
amperage. Just pick a feature of your vehicle that you
can get along without
-- like the radio or cigarette
lighter
-- and use its fuse, if it is the correct amperage.
Replace
it as soon as you can.
There are two fuse blocks in your vehicle: the
instrument panel fuse block
and the engine compartment
fuse block.

Instrument Panel Fuse Block
I
The main fuse panel is located on the left side of the
instrument panel.
To access the fuses, open the fuse
panel door. Fuse Usage
PWR WDO Power Window (Circuit Breaker)
TURN Turn Signal Lamps INT LPS Alarm Module (Illuminated Entry, Warning Chimes, Overhead Lamps,
MapReading Lamps, Glove
Box
Lamp, Trunk Lamp, Radio,
Power Mirrors), Anti-Lock Brakes,
Variable Effort Steering