
The 1998 Oldsmobile  Achieva  Owner’s  Manual 
1-1 
2-1 
3- 1 
4- 1 
5- 1 
6- 1 
Seats  and  Restraint  Systems 
This section tells you  how to use  your  seats and safety  belts  properly.  It  also explains the “SRS” system. 
Features  and  Controls 
This section explains  how to start and operate  your  vehicle. 
Comfort  Controls  and  Audio  Systems 
This section tells you  how to adjust the  ventilation  and  comfort controls and  how  to operate your audio system. 
Your  Driving  and  the  Road 
Here you’ll  find helpful information  and tips  about  the  road  and  how  to drive under different conditions. 
Problems  on the  Road 
This section tells  what to do  if  you  have a problem  while  driving, such  as a flat tire or overheated engine,  etc. 
Service  and  Appearance  Care 
Here the  manual  tells you how to keep your vehicle  running  properly  and  looking good. 
7- 1 Maintenance  Schedule 
This section tells you  when  to  perform  vehicle maintenance and  what fluids and lubricants to  use. 
8- 1 
9-1 
Customer  Assistance  Information 
This section tells  you  how  to contact Oldsmobile  for assistance  and  how to get  service  and owner publications. 
It  also gives  you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 
8-8. 
Index 
Here’s  an alphabetical listing  of almost  every  subject in this manual. You can  use  it to  quickly  find 
something  you  want to read. 
i  

To remove the child restraint,  just unbuckle the vehicle’s 
safety  belt.  It will 
be ready  to work  for an adult  or  larger 
child  passenger. 
Securing a Child Restraint  in  the Right 
Front Seat Position 
u 
Your vehicle  has a right  front  passenger  air  bag. Never 
put a rear-facing  child  restraint  in  this  seat.  Here’s why: 
A CAUT )N: 
0 
A child  in  a  rear-facing  child  restraint  can  be 
seriously  injured  if  the  right  front  passenger’s  air  bag  inflates.  This  is  because  the  back 
of a 
rearfacing  child  restraint  would  be  very  close 
to 
the  inflating  air  bag.  Always  secure  a  rear-facing 
child  restraint  in  the  rear  seat. 
You’ll be using the lap-shoulder  belt.  See the earlier  part 
about  the top  strap if the child restraint has  one. Be sure 
to  follow  the  instructions  that came  with the child 
restraint.  Secure the child in the child restraint when and 
as  the instructions  say. 
1. Because your vehicle has a right  front  passenger air 
bag,  always move the seat as  far back as  it will  go 
before securing a forward-facing  child restraint. 
(See  “Seats”  in the Index.) 
2. Put  the restraint on the  seat. 
3. Pick up the  latch plate, and  run the lap  and shoulder 
portions  of the vehicle’s safety belt through  or 
around the restraint. 
The child restraint instructions 
will  show  you  how. 
1-48  

Loading Your Vehicle 
OCCUPANTS VEHICLE  CAP. WT. 
. 
TIRE-LOADING  INFORMATION 
FRT, CTR. RR. TOTAL LBS. KG 
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE 
CAPACITY  WEIGHT 
XXX COLD TIRE 
TIRE  SIZE 
SPEED PRESSURE 
RTG 
PSI/KPa 
FRT. 
RR. 
SPA. 
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PSIi28KPa 
SEE OWNER’S  MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL 
, INFORMATION 
Two labels  on your  vehicle show how much weight it 
may properly carry.  The Tire-Loading  Information  label 
found  on  the  rear  edge  of the  driver’s door tells you the 
proper  size, speed rating and recommended  inflation 
pressures  for  the  tires on your vehicle.  It  also  gives you 
important  information  about  the  number of people  that 
can  be in your  vehicle  and the total weight  that you can 
carry.  This weight  is  called  the  Vehicle Capacity  Weight 
and  includes  the  weight 
of all  occupants,  cargo  and all 
nonfactory-installed  options. 
MFD  BY  GENERAL  MOTORS  CORP 
DATE  GVWR  GAWR  FRT GAWR 
RR 
THIS VEHICLE  CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI- 
CABLE 
U.S. FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE 
SAFETY,  BUMPER,  AND  THEFT  PREVENTION 
STANDARDS 
IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF 
MANUFACTURE  SHOWN  ABOVE. 
I 
The  other  label  is  the  Certification  label,  found on the 
rear  edge  of the  driver’s  door. It tells  you the  gross 
weight  capacity  of your  vehicle,  called  the  GVWR 
(Gross  Vehicle  Weight Rating).  The GVWR  includes  the 
weight  of the  vehicle, all  occupants,  fuel  and cargo. 
Never exceed the GVWR  for your vehicle,  or  the Gross 
Axle Weight  Rating (GAWR)  for  either  the  front  or 
rear  axle. 
And,  if 
you do have  a heavy load, you  should spread 
it out. Don’t carry more than 132 lbs. (60 kg) in 
your  trunk. 
4-31  

Center  High-Mounted  Stoplamp 
1. Use a flat screwdriver  to gently release the tabs on 
the trim cover. 
2. Using a  flat screwdriver, remove the  screws holding 
the  bulb  assembly. 
3. Use a flat screwdriver  to  release the tabs holding the 
4. Gently remove and  replace the bulbs. 
socket 
in place. 
5. Reverse this procedure  to  reassemble the lamp. 
Back-up  Lamps 
1. Open the trunk  lid and  locate  the back-up  lamps on 
2. Gently remove the bulbs  from the socket. 
3. Replace the bulb  in the socket. 
4. Close the trunk  lid. 
the 
inside 
of the  lid. 
TaiYStop/Turn  Signal  Lamps 
For the type of bulb  to use,  see “Replacement Bulbs” in 
the Index. 
6-34  

1. Pull back the trunk trim. 
2. Carefully pull tab A of the plastic  taillamp bracket 
away  from the center  of the  trunk, then  forward. 
When the  bracket  releases  from its mount, pull the 
taillamp assembly  forward. 
3. Wiggle the bulb out of the  socket. 
4. Replace  the bulb. 
5. Reverse  the steps to  reassemble  the  taillamp, 
stoplamp  or  rear turn signal  lamp. 
Dome Lamp 
To change your  dome  lamp bulb, grasp  the center  front 
and  center  rear  portion 
of the housing and squeeze 
firmly  but gently. 
The housing  should pop off. 
If this  doesn’t  work, you  may  need to use  a small 
flat-head  screwdriver  under the  side 
of the housing to 
help pry it off. 
6-35  

Engine .................................. 6.10.  6.11 
Coolant 
..................................... 6-21 
Coolant Heater 
............................... 2-  17 
Coolant  Level Check 
.......................... 7-30 
Coolant  Temperature  Gage 
..................... 2-54 
Exhaust 
..................................... 2-27 
FuseBlock 
.................................. 6-56 
Identification 
................................ 6-52 
OilLevelCheck 
.............................. 7-30 
Overheating 
................................. 5-15 
Running  While Parked 
......................... 2-27 
Specifications 
................................ 6-58 
Starting  Your 
...................... 2.14.2.15.  2.16 
Engine Coolant 
................................. 5 . 15 
Engineoil 
.................................... 6-12 
Adding 
..................................... 6-13 
Additives 
................................... 6-16 
Pressure  Warning Light 
........................ 2-57 
Used 
....................................... 6-17 
Whentochange 
.............................. 6-16 
Enhanced  Traction  System 
......................... 4-9 
Enhanced  Traction  System Active Light 
......... 2-54, 4-9 
Enhanced  Traction  System  Warning  Light 
....... 2-53,  4-9 
Exhaust, Engine 
................................ 2-27 
Checking 
................................... 6-13 
Fabric  Cleaning 
............................... 6-45 
Filling a Portable  Fuel Container 
.................... 6-8 
FillingYourTank 
................................ 6-5 
Filter.  Air 
..................................... 6-17 
Finish  Care 
.................................... 6-48  Finish  Damage 
................................. 6-50 
First  Gear.  Automatic  Transaxle 
................... 2-22 
Flashers.  Hazard  Warning 
......................... 5-3 
Flat  Tire.  Changing 
............................. 5-25 
Fluids  and Lubricants 
............................ 7-36 
Foreign  Countries.  Fuel 
........................... 6-5 
Four-Way  Manual  Seat 
........................... 1-3 
Fuel 
.......................................... 6-3 
Filling  Your  Tank 
.............................. 6-5 
In  Foreign  Countries 
........................... 6-5 
Fuses  and  Circuit Breakers 
....................... 6-53 
FrontTowing 
.................................. 5-11 
Gage 
....................................... 2-60 
Gages  Engine Coolant  Temperature 
.................... 2-54 
Fuel 
....................................... 2-60 
Speedometer 
................................. 2-49 
Tachometer 
.................................. 2-50 
GarmentHook 
................................. 2-45 
GAWR 
....................................... 4-31 
Gear  Positions.  Automatic  Transaxle 
................ 2-18 
GloveBox 
.................................... 2-43 
Gross  Axle  Weight  Rating 
........................ 4-31 
Gross  Vehicle  Weight  Rating 
...................... 4-31 
GVWR 
....................................... 4-31 
Halogen  Bulbs 
................................ 6-32 
Hazard  Warning  Flashers 
.......................... 5-2 
Head  Restraints 
................................. 1-5 
9-4  

Headlamps .................................... 2-37 
Bulb Replacement 
............................ 6-32 
High/Low  Beam  Changer 
...................... 2-31 
OnReminder 
................................ 2-38 
Wiring 
..................................... 6-53 
Heating 
........................................ 3-3 
Highway Hypnosis 
.............................. 4-23 
Hill  and  Mountain  Roads 
......................... 4-23 
Hitches.  Trailer 
................................. 4-36 
Hood  Checking Things Under 
......................... 6-8 
Release 
...................................... 6-9 
Hydroplaning 
.................................. 4-19 
Hearing Impaired. Customer Assistance 
.............. 8-4 
High-Beam  Headlamps 
.......................... 2-3 1 
Ho~ ......................................... 2-29 
If  a Tire  Goes Flat 
.............................. 5-24 
Ignition Positions 
............................... 2-  13 
Transaxle Lock Check 
......................... 7-33 
Illuminated  EntryExit System 
..................... 2-40 
Inflation.  Tire 
.................................. 6-37 
Inside  Daymight  Rearview Mirror 
................. 2-42 
Inspections  Brakesystem 
................................ 7-35 
Exhaust Systems 
............................. 7-34 
Front-Wheel-Drive  Axle  Boot 
.................. 7-34 
Front-Wheel-Drive  Axle Seal 
................... 7-34 
Radiator  and Heater Hose 
...................... 7-34 
Steering 
.................................... 7-34 
Caliper/Knuckle Maintenance 
................... 7-34  Suspension 
.................................. 7-34 
Throttle Linkage 
.............................. 7-34 
Instrument Panel 
............................... 2-46 
Brightness Control 
............................ 2-39 
Cleaning 
.................................... 6-46 
Cluster 
..................................... 2-48 
FuseBlock 
.................................. 6-54 
Interior Lamps 
................................. 2-39 
Jack.  Tire 
.................................... 5-26 
Jumpstarting 
................................... 5-3 
Key Lock Cylinders Service ..................... 7-31 
Keys 
.......................................... 2-2 
Labels  Certification 
................................. 4-31 
Service  Parts Identification 
..................... 6-52 
Tire-Loading Information 
...................... 4-31 
Vehicle  Identification  Number 
................... 6-52 
Lamps 
........................................ 2-37 
Exterior 
.................................... 2-37 
Interior 
..................................... 2-39 
OnReminder 
................................ 2-38 
Leaving  Your  Vehicle 
............................. 2-6 
Leaving  Your  Vehicle  with  the Engine Running 
....... 2-25 
Lighter 
....................................... 2-44 
Lights  Air Bag Readiness 
............................ 1-23 
Anti-Lock Brake System  Warning 
............ 2.53, 4.7 
9-5