1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS cooling

Trunk
To unlock the trunk from the outside, insert the key and
turn the
trunk lock cylinder.
It can be dangerous to drive with the trunk lid
open because carbon monoxide (CO) gas can
come into your vehicle.
You can’t see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the trunk lid open or if
electrical wiring or other cable connections must
pass through the seal between the body and the
trunk lid:
Make sure all windows are shut.
7h-n the fan on your heating or cooling system
to
its highest speed with the setting on VENT.
That will force outside air into your vehicle.
See “Comfort Controls’’ in the Index.
0 If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
Remote Trunk Release
2-10
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Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use
VENT to direct outside air
through your vehicle. Your vehicle also has the
flow-through ventilation system.
Your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside
air into the vehicle when it is moving. Outside
air will also enter the vehicle when the
air conditioning
fan is running.
Ventilation Tips
a
a
0
a
Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or
any other obstruction, such as leaves. The heater and
defroster will work far better, reducing the chance of
fogging the inside of your windows.
When you enter a vehicle in cold weather, adjust the
mode
knob to FLOOR and the fan to the highest
speed for a few moments before driving
off. This
helps clear the intake ducts of snow and moisture
and reduces the chance of fogging the inside
of
your windows.
Keep the air path under the front seats clear
of
objects. This helps air circulate throughout
your vehicle.
To prevent circulation of outside air, press the
recirculation button. This will close all outside vents.
3-6
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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.
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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.
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Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine
is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down.
3100 Engine
A. Coolant surge tank with pressure cap
B. Electric engine fans
5-14
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The coolant level should be at or above FULL COLD.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump
or somewhere else in
the cooling system. Heater and radiator
hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If
you do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
the engine,
it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see if the electric engine fans are running.
If the
engine
is overheating, both fans should be running. If
they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
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How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge
Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at FULL COLD, add a
50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL TM coolant
at the coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool
before you do it. (See “Engine Coolant’, in the Index
for more information.)
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the coolant
surge tank pressure cap
-- even a little -- they
can come out at high speed. Never turn the
cap when the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap,
is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and coolant surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
~
5-16
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I
Adding only plain water to your cooling system can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong
mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and DEX-COOL
TM coolant.
I NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
So
use the recommended coolant.
c
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
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