1997 Oldsmobile Achieva light

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.
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NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This
could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0
0 Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected
on your vehicle.
Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do
so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the
engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle
to your
retailer or qualified service center
for service.
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--

If the Lipht Is On Steady
YOU may be ame to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine
if the fuel
cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light
off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off. Have
you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index).
Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change
the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to
turn the light off.
If none of
the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your retailer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
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Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light tells you if there
could be a problem with
your engine oil pressure.
This light can come on briefly, which is normal and
doesn’t show a problem:
0 As a bulb check, the light comes on when you turn
your key
to RUN and goes off when the engine is
started. If it doesn’t, be sure to have it fixed so it will
be there
to warn you.
For the four cylinder engine, when idling at a stop
sign, the light may blink on and then off. In addition,
if you make
a hard stop, the light may come on for
a moment.
But, when this light comes on and stays on, it means oil
isn’t going through your engine properly.
You could be
low on oil, or you might have some other oil problem.
Don’t keep driving
if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire.
You or others could be burned.
Check your oil
as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and
is not covered by
your warranty.

Check Oil Light (If Equipped) Passlock Warning Light
CHECK
OIL
If you have a 3 100 engine,
this light should come on
briefly when you start the
engine.
If the light doesn’t
come on, have it repaired.
If the light comes on and
stays on after starting your
vehicle, your engine oil
level should be checked. SECURITY
This light will come on
briefly when you turn the
key toward the START
position. The light will stay
on until the engine starts.
Prior to checking the oil level, be sure your vehicle has
been shut off for several minutes and is on a level
surface. Check the oil level on your dipstick and bring it
to the proper level. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
NOTE:
A false CHECK OIL light may be generated
when parking on steep grades.
The
oil level monitoring system only checks oil level
during the brief period between key on and engine
crank. It does not monitor engine oil level when the
engine is running. Additionally, an oil level check is
only performed if the engine has been turned off for a
considerable period of time allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the oil pan.
If the light flashes, the Passlock system has entered a
tamper mode,
If the vehicle fails to start, see “Passlock”
in the Index.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
system. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock,
and you should see your retailer.
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Cruise Light
The CRUISE light comes
on whenever you set your
cruise control.
CRUISE
Up Shift Light (Manual Transaxle)
This light comes on when
you need to shift to the next
higher gear. See “Manual
Transaxle” in the Index.
Low Washer Light
LOW
WASH
Check Gages Light
CHECK
GAGES
The LOW WASH FLUID
light will come on when
you turn on the ignition, and
the fluid container is less
than one-third full.
This light will come on
briefly when you are
starting the engine.
If it
stays on, or if it comes on
and stays
on while you are
driving, check your various
gages to see
if they are in
the warning zones.

BI-LEV: Use on cool, but sunny days. This setting
brings in the outside air, but directs
it in two ways. The
cool air is directed to the upper portion of your body
through the instrument panel outlets, but slightly
warmer air is directed through the heater ducts and
defroster vents. At times this temperature difference
may be more apparent than others.
The air conditioner compressor
is enabled in all three air
conditioning positions.
VENT Use when outside temperatures are mild, and
little heating or cooling is needed. Airflow comes
through the instrument panel outlets. Set the center
control knob to the temperature desired.
HEAT This setting brings heated air through the heater
ducts, and some through the windshield defroster vents.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater (engine
block heater) and use it during cold weather,
0°F
(- 18 O C) or lower, your heating system will more quickly
provide heat because the engine coolant is already
warmed. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in the Index.
DEFOG: This setting divides airflow equally between
the heater ducts and the windshield defroster vents.
DEF: This setting directs air through the
windshield defroster vents located on top
of the
instrument panel.
Air Conditioning
The air conditioner and heater work best if you keep
your windows closed while using them. Your vehicle
also has the flow-through ventilation system described
later in this section.
Your system has three air conditioner settings in
addition to the standard climate control system. Before
using your air conditioner on very hot days, open the
windows long enough
to let hot inside air escape. This
reduces the amount
of work your air conditioner’s
compressor will have to do, which should help
fuel economy.

Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger
uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the
rear window.
Press the defogger switch. The indicator light will glow.
If your vehicle is traveling under
45 mph (70 km/h), the
rear window defogger will turn off automatically after
about
10 minutes of use. If your vehicle is traveling
over
45 mph (70 km/h), the defogger will operate
continuously. You can turn the defogger
off by turning
off the ignition
or pressing the switch again.
Do not attach a temporary vehicle license across the
defogger grid
on the rear window.
NOTICE:
Don’t use a razor blade or something else sharp
on the inside
of the rear window. If you do, you
could cut or damage the warming grid, and the
repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
Ventilation System
Your Oldsmobile’s flow-through ventilation system
supplies outside air into the vehicle when it is moving.
Outside air will also enter the vehicle when the fan
is running.