Page 7 of 358
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For exumple,
thesc bymbols
aIe used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD
BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY DOOR
LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
&
BELTS SEAT
WINDOW
f j
POWER '* __ I
SIGNALS 6 @
TURN
RUNNING
* 0 DAYTIME . .
LAMPS *'*
FOG LAMPS # 0
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
**
These sylnbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
Wb
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other synbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER
HORN
)tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL I&
V
ProCarManuals.com
Page 55 of 358

a Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Oldsnwbile, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you
if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2-2
2 -4
2-5
2-6
2-7
2-
IO
2-1 1
2- 12
2-13
2-
14
2-15
2-18
2-22
2-34 Important Information
About Keys
Door Locks
Operation of Child Security Locks
Remote Keyless Entry
Battery Replacement for RKE
Preventing
Theft of Your Vehicle
New Vehicle "Break-In"
Ignition Positions
Tips
on Starting Your Engine
Using the Engine Coolant Heater
Automatic Transmission Operation
Parking Brake Guidelines
Important Information
on Engine Exhaust
Operation of Your Windows 2-2s
2-25
2-26
2-27
2-28
2-3
1
2-32
2-33
2-34
2-35
2-48 2-52
Adjusting the Tilt Steering Wheel
Functions
of the Multifunction Lever
How
to Use the HighLow Beam
Headlamp Changer
Windshield Wipers and Fluid
Using Cruise Control
Exterior Lamps Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Rearview Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Instrument Panel Overview
All About Your Warning Lights and Gages
Interior
Lamps
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Page 65 of 358

Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out
of sight.
Put them
in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it’s best to lock
it up and take your keys.
But
what if you have to leave your ignition key? What if
you have to leave something valuable
in your vehicle?
Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
glove
box.
0 Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
New Vehicle “Break-In”
-
NOTICE:
-
Your modern Oldsmobile doesn’t need an
elaborate “break-in.’’ But it will perform better
in the long run if you follow these guidelines:
0
0
0
0
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 kmk) or
less for the first
500 miles (805 km).
Don’t drive at any one speed
-- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts. Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in. See
“Towing a Trailer” in the Index for
more information.
2-11
ProCarManuals.com
Page 72 of 358

You can also use SECOND (2) for starting your vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You can
use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is
put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is
moving forward, the transmission won’t shift into
FIRST
(1) until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand
or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This
could overheat and damage the
transmission. Use your brakes or shift into
PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in position
on a hill.
Locking Rear Axle
Your rear axle can give you additional traction on snow,
mud, ice,
sand or gravel. It works like a standard axle
most of the time, but when one of the rear wheels has no
traction and the other does, the locking feature will
allow the wheel
with traction to move the vehicle.
All-Wheel Drive
Your engine’s driving power is sent to all four wheels
for extra traction. All-wheel drive is like four-wheel
drive, but there
is no lever or switch to engage or
disengage the front axle. It is
fully automatic and adjusts
itself as needed
for road conditions.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking brake
pedal
with your left foot. If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light
will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal
down.
2-18
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Page 85 of 358

Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed,
load and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may want to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may have to brake
or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down.
Of course, applying the brake
takes
you out of cruise control. Many drivers find this to
be too much trouble and don’t use cruise control on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory
is erased.
Lamps
The switches are on the left side of your instrument panel.
Press the top switch with the parking lamps symbol on
it
to turn on:
Parking Lamps
Sidernarker Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
2-3 1
ProCarManuals.com
Page 86 of 358

Press the bottom switch with the master lamps symbol on
it to turn on all the lamps listed as well as the headlamps.
Press the side of the switch marked
OFF to turn off
your lamps.
Lamps On Reminder
A reminder tone will sound when your headlamps or
parking lamps are turned on and your ignition is
in OFF,
LOCK or ACCESSORY. To turn the tone off, press the
OFF switch.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system
will make your headlamps come on at
reduced brightness when:
the ignition is on,
the headlalnp switch is off and
0 the parking brake is released. When
the DRL are
on, only your headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won’t be
on.
The instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
When
it begins to get dark, your DRL indicator light
is a reminder to turn your headlamp switch on. The
other lamps that come
on with your headlamps will also
come on.
When you
turn the headlamp switch off, the regular
lamps will go off. and your headlamps
will change to
the reduced brightness of DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake. The DRL
will stay off until you release the
parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need
it.
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Page 103 of 358
A. Air Vents
B. Instrument Cluster
C. Comfort Controls
D. Glove Box
E. Ashtray
E Cigarette LightedPower Auxiliary Outlets
G. Storage Compartment
H. Audio System
I. Fog Lamps
J. Lamp Controls
K. Rear Endgate Release
L. Brake Release
M. Rear Window Washermiper
N. Rear Window Defogger
2-49
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Page 109 of 358

Brake System Warning Light
Your Oldsmobile’s hydraulic brake system is divided
into two parts.
If one part isn’t working, the other part
can still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have
your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on
briefly when you
turn the
ignition key to
RUN. If it
doesn’t come on then,
have
it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there’s
a problem.
A CAUTION:
-
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light
is still on after you’ve
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed
for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light
will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
If the light comes on
while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
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