
The recommended cleaning method  for your cassette 
tape  player  is the use 
of a scrubbing action, 
non-abrasive  cleaning cassette with pads which scrub 
the tape head as the hubs  of the cleaner cassette turn. 
The  recommended cleaning cassette 
is available through 
your retail facility 
(GM Part  No. 12344789). 
When  using a scrubbing action, non-abrasive  cleaning 
cassette,  it  is normal  for the cassette  to eject because 
your unit is equipped with a cut tape detection feature 
and a cleaning cassette may appear  as a broken tape.  If 
the cleaning cassette ejects, insert the cassette at least 
three times  to ensure thorough cleaning. 
You  may also choose a non-scrubbing  action, wet-type 
cleaner which  uses a cassette  with a fabric belt to clean 
the tape head. This  type of cleaning cassette will not 
eject  on its own.  A non-scrubbing  action cleaner  may 
not  clean  as thoroughly as the scrubbing type  cleaner. 
The  use of a non-scrubbing  action, dry-type cleaning 
cassette  is not recommended. 
After  you clean the  player, press and hold  EJECT  for 
five  seconds to reset the CLN indicator. The radio 
will  display 
--- to show the indicator was reset.  Cassettes are subject to wear and 
the sound quality 
may  degrade  over time. Always make sure the cassette 
tape  is  in good condition before  you have your tape 
player serviced. 
Care of Your  Compact  Discs 
Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases 
or  other protective cases and away  from direct sunlight 
and dust. 
If the surface  of a disc  is soiled, dampen a 
clean, soft cloth  in a mild, neutral detergent solution and 
clean  it, wiping from the center to the edge. 
Be  sure never to  touch the signal surface when handling 
discs. Pick  up discs  by grasping the outer edges  or the 
edge 
of the hole and the outer edge. 
Care of Your  Compact  Disc  Player 
The use of CD lens cleaner discs  is not  advised, due  to 
the risk  of contaminating the lens  of the  CD  optics with 
lubricants internal  to the CD mechanism. 
3-20  

The  exit speed is usually posted. 
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not 
to  your sense  of motion. After  driving  for any distance 
at  higher  speeds,  you  may  tend to think  you are going 
slower  than you actually  are. 
Before Leaving  on  a  Long Trip 
Make sure you’re ready.  Try to be  well rested.  If  you 
must start when you’re not fresh 
-- such as after  a day’s 
work 
-- don’t plan to make  too many miles that  first  part 
of  the journey.  Wear comfortable  clothing  and shoes  you 
can  easily  drive  in. 
Is your vehicle ready  for a long  trip? If  you keep it 
serviced and maintained,  it’s ready  to 
go. If it needs 
service,  have 
it done before  starting out. Of course, 
you’ll find experienced and  able  service  experts in 
Oldsmobile retail facilities all across North America. 
They’ll  be ready and willing  to help 
if you  need it.  Here 
are some  things  you can check  before  a trip: 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Windshield Washer  Fluid: Is the reservoir  full? Are 
all  windows clean inside and  outside? 
Wiper Blades:  Are they in good  shape? 
Fuel, Engine Oil, 
Other Fluids:  Have you checked 
all  levels? 
Lamps:  Are they all working? Are the lenses  clean? 
Tires:  They are vitally  important  to  a  safe, 
trouble-free  trip. Is the tread good enough  for 
long-distance  driving? Are the tires all inflated  to  the 
recommended pressure? 
Weather  Forecasts:  What’s the weather outlook 
along your route? Should  you delay your  trip  a short 
time 
to avoid  a major storm system? 
Maps: 
Do you  have up-to-date  maps? 
4-22  

A CAUTION: 
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  mixture  will.  Your  vehicle’s  coolant 
warning  system  is  set for  the proper  coolant 
mixture.  With  plain water or the  wrong  mixture, 
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 mixture  of clean  water and 
DEX-COOL@ coolant. 
I NOTICE: 
In cold  weather,  water can freeze and crack the 
engine,  radiator, heater core  and other parts. 
So 
use the recommended  coolant. 
A CAUTION: 
~ 
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. 
5-21  

Fuels  in  Foreign  Countries 
If you  plan on  driving in another country outside the 
United  States  or Canada,  the proper fuel  may be hard  to 
find.  Never use leaded gasoline or any other  fuel not 
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs 
caused by  use of improper  fuel  wouldn’t be covered by 
your  warranty. 
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club,  or 
contact a major oil company that does business in the  country where you’ll be driving. 
You can also write  us at the following  address  for 
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your 
Vehicle  Identification  Number  (VIN). 
General Motors  Overseas Distribution  Corporation 
1908 Colonel  Sam  Drive 
Oshawa, Ontario 
LlH 8P7 
Filling  Your  Tank 
Gasoline  vapor  is  highly  flammable.  It  burns 
violently,  and  that  can  cause  very  bad  injuries. 
Don’t  smoke  if  you’re  near  gasoline  or refueling 
your  vehicle.  Keep  sparks,  flames  and  smoking 
materials  away  from  gasoline. 
6-5  

What Kind of Engine Oil to Use 
Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identified 
by  looking  for  the “Starburst” symbol. This symbol 
indicates that the oil has been certified  by the American 
Petroleum Institute  (API). 
Do not use  any oil which 
does not carry  this Starburst symbol. 
If you change your  own 
oil, be sure you 
use oil 
that has the Starburst 
symbol  on the  front  of the 
oil  container.  If  you have 
your  oil changed  for you, 
be  sure  the oil put  into 
your engine  is American 
Petroleum Institute certified  for  gasoline engines. 
You  should also use the proper viscosity oil  for your 
vehicle,  as shown  in the following chart: 
RECOMMENDED  SAE  VISCOSITY GRADE ENGINE  OILS 
FOR BEST  FUEL  ECONOMY  AND  COLD  STARTING,  SELECT  THE  LOWEST 
SAE  VISCOSITY  GRADE  OIL 
FOR THE  EXPECTED  TEMPERATURE  RANGE. 
HOT 
WEATHER 
COLD 
WEATHER 
- SAE I 1OW-30 
LOOK #?34k 
FOR MIS 
SYMBOL 
DO NOT USE SAE 2OW-50 OR ANY  OTHER 
GRADE OIL NOT RECOMMENDED 
6-15  

As shown in the chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your 
vehicle.  However,  you can use 
SAE 1 OW-30 if it's  going 
to  be 
0" F (- 18 " C) or  above.  These  numbers on an oil 
container  show its viscosity,  or thickness. 
Do not  use 
other  viscosity  oils, such as 
SAE 20W-50. 
NOTICE: 
Use  only  engine  oil  with  the  American  Petroleum 
Institute  Certified  For  Gasoline  Engines 
"Starburst"  symbol.  Failure  to  use  the 
recommended  oil  can  result  in  engine  damage  not 
covered  by  your  warranty. 
GM  Goodwrench@  oil meets all the requirements  for 
your vehicle. 
If you  are in an area where  the temperature  falls 
below 
-20°F (-29"C), consider  using either  an 
SAE 5W-30 synthetic  oil  or an SAE OW-30 oil. Both 
will  provide  easier  cold  starting  and better protection 
for  your  engine  at extremely low temperatures. 
Engine  Oil  Additives 
Don't add anything  to your  oil. Your  retailer is ready  to 
advise  if  you think something should be  added. 
When  to  Change  Engine  Oil 
If any one of these  is true  for  you, use the short triplcity 
maintenance schedule: 
e 
0 
0 
e 
e 
Most  trips are less  than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km). 
This is particularly  important when outside 
temperatures  are below freezing. 
Most trips  include  extensive  idling  (such as frequent 
driving in stop-and-go  traffic). 
Most trips  are through  dusty areas. 
You  frequently tow a trailer 
or use a carrier  on top of 
your vehicle. 
The  vehicle 
is used  for delivery service, police,  taxi 
or  other commercial application. 
Driving under these  conditions  causes  engine  oil  to 
break down sooner.  If any  one  of these 
is true  for  your 
vehicle, then  you  need to change your  oil and  filter 
every 
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever 
occurs  first. 
6-16  

How to Add Fluid 
Refer  to  the  Maintenance  Schedule  to  determine what 
kind  of transaxle  fluid  to  use.  See  “Recommended 
Fluids  and Lubricants”  in  the Index. 
If the  fluid  level  is  low, add only  enough  of the  proper 
fluid  to  bring the  level  into  the  cross-hatched  area  on 
the  dipstick. 
1. Pull  out  the  dipstick. 
2.  Using  a  long-neck  hnnel, add enough  fluid  at the 
dipstick  hole  to  bring 
it to  the  proper  level. 
3. After  adding  fluid,  recheck  the  fluid  level  as 
described  under “How  to  Check.” 
4. When  the  correct  fluid  level  is  obtained, push 
the  dipstick  back  in  all the  way. 
Engine Coolant 
The  cooling s stem  in  your vehicle  is  filled  with 
DEX-COOL  engine  coolant. 
This coolant  is designed 
to  remain  in  your  vehicle  for  5  years or 
150,000 miles 
(240 000 km) whichever  occurs first, if you  add only 
DEX-COOL’  extended  life  coolant. 
B 
It  doesn’t  take  much  fluid,  generally  less  than The  following  explains  your cooling  system  and how 
one  pint 
(0.5 L). Don’t oveflZZ. to  add  coolant  when it is  low. If you  have  a  problem 
with  engine  overheating,  see  “Engine Overheating” in 
I 3 the  Index. 
NOTICE: A 50/50 mixture of water and  DEX-COOL@ 
coolant  will: 
We  recommend  you  use  only  fluid  labeled 
DEXRON@-III,  because  fluid  with  that  label  is 
made  especially  for  your  automatic  transaxle. 
is  not  covered  by  your  new  vehicle  warranty. 
Protect  against  rust  and corrosion. Damage  caused  by  fluid  other  than DEXRON-III 
a Give  boiling  protection  up  to 265 “F (129 “C). 
a Give  freezing  protection  down to -34°F (-37°C). 
Help keep the  proper  engine  temperature. z 
Let  the warning  lights and gages  work as 
they  should. 
6-21  

I M PORTANT: 
KEEP ENGINE  OIL 
AT  THE  PROPER 
LEVEL  AND  CHANGE  AS  RECOMMENDED 
Have  you purchased  the GM Protection Plan? The Plan 
supplements  your new vehicle  warranties.  See your 
Warranty  and  Owner Assistance  booklet,  or your 
Oldsmobile  retailer  for  details. 
Introduction 
Your Vehicle and the Environment 
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps  to keep  your 
vehicle in good  working condition,  but 
also helps the 
environment.  All recommended maintenance procedures 
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance  can even 
affect  the quality 
of the  air we  breathe.  Improper  fluid 
levels  or  the  wrong tire  inflation  can  increase  the  level 
of  emissions  from your vehicle. 
To help protect our 
environment,  and  to keep your  vehicle in good 
condition,  please  maintain your vehicle properly. 
7-2