1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS brakes

0
0
0
0
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to
turn.
If you’re being passed, make
following driver to get ahead
can ease a little to the right. it easy
for the
of you. Perhaps
you
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road
to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek
an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”\

those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types
of skids correspond to your
Oldsmobile’s three control systems. In the braking
skid,
your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering
in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
4-13
ProCarManuals.com

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long
hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down
a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on
a steep
downhill slope.
I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do
all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine Fanning
and your vehicle
in gear when you go downhill.
0
0 Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest
gear possible.
Stay in you own lane when driving on two-lane
roads
in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
0
0
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something in your lane, like a stalled car or
an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be
alert to these and take appropriate action.
ProCarManuals.com

Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
0 Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On
an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or
an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see
a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are
on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steerinp maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation.
You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here
are some
things to
do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers.
ProCarManuals.com

A CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in
a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
0 Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a
trunk, put them as
far forward as you can.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
0 Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
0 When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
0 Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
Towing a Trailer
-
~ ~ ~~~~ ~~~
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your Oldsmobile retailer
for advice and information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered
by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Oldsmobile
retailer
for important information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
4-32
ProCarManuals.com

Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes?
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly. And because you have anti-lock brakes,
do not try to tap into your vehicle’s brake system. If you
do, both systems won’t work well. or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
4-36
ProCarManuals.com

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Oldsmobile retailer. 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
I NOTICE:
Do not tow on steep continuous grades exceeding
6 miles (9.6 km). Extended, higher than normal
engine and transaxle temperatures may result
and damage your vehicle. Frequent stops are
very important to allow the engine and transaxle
to cool.
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, shift down and reduce your speed to around
45 mph (70 kmk) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transaxle overheating.
Pay attention to the engine coolant gage.
If the indicator
is in the red area,
turn off the air conditioning (if you
have
this option) to reduce engine load (see “Engine
Overheating” in the Index).
4-38
ProCarManuals.com

Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a
hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake and shift into PARK (P).
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a
Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that
are especially important in trailer
operation
are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
ProCarManuals.com

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid. There are only
two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to
an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason
is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake
system. fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at
all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct
a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are
worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when
you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on the
engine.
The fluid will burn if the engine is hot
enough.
You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only when work
is done on the brake hydraulic system.
6-22
ProCarManuals.com