Page 153 of 358

0 Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of
the hill.
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible
to approaching traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill to
let opposing traffic know you’re there.
0 Use your headlamps even during the day. They make
you more visible to oncoming traffic.
Driving to the top (crest)
of a hill at full speed can
cause an accident. There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even another vehicle. You
could be seriously injured or killed.
As you near
the top
of a hill, slow down and stay alert. What should
I do
if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and
I can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here’s what you
sI~ouZc1 do:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle ‘and keep it
from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake.
0 If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE
(R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the
hill in REVERSE (R).
If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK
(P) and restart the engine. Then, shift to
REVERSE
(R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the
hill as straight as possible in
REVERSE (R).
4-2 1
ProCarManuals.com
Page 160 of 358
Driving at Night Here are some tips on night driving.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely
to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drbgs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
4-28
ProCarManuals.com
Page 161 of 358

Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do
in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example,
if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night.
But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down
on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps.
It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes
to readjust to the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn’t lower
the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly
into the approaching headlamps. Keep your windshield and
all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils
of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light
up far less of a
roadway when you are
in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren’t even aware of
it.
29
~.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 173 of 358

Know can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it,
so you might not
know it
is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little
on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you
run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less
fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged.
You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold.
But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
4-41
ProCarManuals.com
Page 250 of 358
Bulb Replacement
Before you replace any bulbs, be sure that all the lamps
are
off and the engine isn’t running. See “Replacement
Bulbs”
in the Index for the proper type of bulb to use.
Halogen Bulbs
A CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You
or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
Composite Headlamps
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the black
protective
caps from the
removal pins at
the top
of the radiator support.
Use
a hex socket to
unscrew the pins.
3. Pull the headlamp lens
assembly out.
4. Unplug the electrical connector.
6-30
ProCarManuals.com
Page 251 of 358
5. Turn the bulb
counterclockwise to
remove it.
6. Put the new bulb into the headlarnp lens assembly
and turn
it clockwise until it is tight.
7. Plug in the electrical connector.
8. Put the headlamp lens assembly back into the
vehicle. Install and tighten the screws.
Front Turn Signal Lamps
1. Remove the headlamp assembly.
2. Reach down and behind the turn signal
lamp assembly.
3. Turn the socket counterclockwise and pull it out.
4. Holding the base of the bulb, pull the bulb straight
out
of the socket.
5. Push the new bulb into the socket until it clicks.
6. Put the socket back into the turn signal lamp assembly
and
turn it clockwise until it locks into place.
6-31
ProCarManuals.com
Page 262 of 358

Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory
to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be met.
If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving
on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
Oldsmobile retailer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your retailer
will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one
it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts or
wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the right
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your Oldsmobile.
I
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
It could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have
a collision in which
you
or others could be injured. Always use the
correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for replacement.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clearance and tire
clearance to the body and chassis.
See "Changing a Flat Tire"
in the Index for
more information.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 274 of 358

Electrical System
Add-on Electrical Equipment
I 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.
Headlamps
The headlamp wiring is protected by an internal circuit
breaker.
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 a 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, be
sure
to get it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers 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.
6-54
ProCarManuals.com