1998 Oldsmobile Achieva lock

Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If
you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags,
floor
mats -- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
TION:
Snow 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.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Set the parking brake.
Open the fuse panel
on the driver’s side of the
instrument panel. Remove the fuse labeled
PRNDL.
This will keep your battery from draining
while towing.
Turn the ignition key to
OFF to unlock the steering
wheel. See “Ignition Positions” in the Index.
Clamp the steering wheel in
a straight-ahead
position, with a clamping device designed
for towing.
Release the parking brake.
When you are finished towing, make sure you replace
the
PRNDL fuse in the instrument panel fuse block.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Rear
I NOTICE:
Do not tow your vehicle from the rear. Your
vehicle could be badly damaged and the repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
4-30

Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
Certification label at the rear edge of the driver’s door or
see “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index. Then be sure
you don’t
go over the GVW limit for your vehicle,
including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here
are
some rules to follow:
The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. Use only a frame-mounted
hitch that does not attach to the bumper.
0 Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
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 brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
4-36

!L CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key off. The steering wheel should be clamped
in a
straight-ahead position, with
a clamping device
designed for towing service. Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be
in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels,
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, see speed and distance restrictions later
in
this section or your transaxle will be damaged. If these
limits must be exceeded, then the drive wheels have to
be supported on a dolly.
5-10
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NOTICE:
Do not have your vehicle towed with the front
wheels in contact with the ground. This will
damage the transaxle. If the vehicle must be
towed on the front wheels, it cannot be towed
more than a total of
500 miles (800km) for the
lifetime of the vehicle.
NOTE: The ignition must be in the OFF position to keep
automatic door locks from locking during
tow.
Attach T-hook chains on
both sides in the slotted
holes in the bottom of the
frame rail just ahead of the
These slots are
to be used when loading and securing to
car-carrier equipment.
Attach
a separate safety
chain to each side
of the
axle inboard
of the spring.
5-14

Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place.
Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transaxle shift lever in
3. 'hrn off the engme.
PARK (P).
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
5-25

The cap is behind a hinged door on the right side of
your vehicle.
To open the fuel door, pull the fuel access handle on the
floor by the driver’s seat.
The remote fuel filler door release can help keep your
fuel tank from being siphoned. Always be sure the fuel
door
is closed and latched after refueling.
A
While refueling, hang the tethered cap inside the
fuel door.
To remove the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The cap has a spring in it; if you let
go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to the right.
6-6

A CAUTION:
If you get gasoline on yourself and then
something ignites it, you could be badly burned.
Gasoline can spray out on you if you open the
fuel filler cap too quickly. This spray can happen
if your tank is nearly full, and
is more likely in
hot weather. Open the fuel filler cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then unscrew
the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from
painted surfaces as
soon as possible. See “Cleaning the
Outside of Your Vehicle” in
the Index. When
you put the cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear
a clicking sound. Make
sure you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel cap has been left
off or
improperly installed. This would allow fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere. See “Malfunction
Indicator Lamp” in the Index.
NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your retailer can get one for you.
If you get
the wrong type, it may not
fit properly. This may
cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light
and your fuel tank and emissions system may be
damaged. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in
the Index.