Page 7 of 356
Vehicle Symbols 
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. 
For example, 
these symbols are  used  on  an 
original battery: 
POSSIBLE A 
CAUTION 
INJURY 
PROTECT  EYES  BY 
SHIELDING 
CAUSTIC 
BATTERY 
CAUSE 
BURNS 
ACID  COULD 
& 
AVOID 
SPARKS 
OR 
FLAMES 
SPARK 
OR ,\I/, 
COULD  FLAME 
EXPLODE  BATTERY 
These symbols are important 
for you  and 
your  passengers 
whenever  your 
vehicle is 
driven: 
DOOR  LOCK 
UNLOCK 
FASTEN  SEAT 
BELTS 
POWER 
WINDOW 
These symbols  have  to 
do with 
your  lamps: 
SIGNALS e 
TURN 
PAEJN& 
pf 
WARNING A 
HAZARD 
FLASHER 
RUNNING 
.‘:**o 
DAYTIME  LAMPS 
*** 
FOG  LAMPS # 0 
These symbols are.  on  some 
of 
your controls: 
WINDSHIELD 
WIPER 
WINDSHIELD  DEFROSTER 
WINDOW 
DEFOGGER 
VENTILATING  FAN 
These symbols are  used  on 
warning  and 
indicator lights: 
COOLANT F- 
TEMP - 
CHARGING  BAllERY 
SYSTEM 
BRAKE 
(a) 
COOLANT 
ENGINE  OIL 
PRESSURE 
Wb 
ANTI-LOCK (@) 
BRAKES 
Here  are some 
other symbols 
you  may  see: 
FUSE 
I 
LIGHTER 
HORN 
)b. 
SPEAKER 
b 
FUEL p3 
V  
     
        
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Section 2 2s and COI :- 11s 
Here you can learn  about  the  many standard  and optional  features  on your vehicle,  and information  on  starting, 
shifting  and braking.  Also explained 
are the  instrument  panel  and the warning systems that  tell  you  if everything  is 
working  properly 
-- and what  to  do  if you have a problem. 
2-2 
2-4 
2-6  2-10 
2-11 
2-  12 
2-13 
2-13 
2-  14 
2- 
17 
2-18 
2-23 
2-24  2-26  Keys 
Door  Locks 
Remote 
Lock  Control 
(If Equipped) 
Trunk 
Theft 
Passlock@ 
New  Vehicle  “Break-In” 
Ignition  Positions” 
Starting  Your Engine 
Engine  Coolant Heater  (If Equipped) 
Automatic  Transaxle  Operation 
Parking  Brake 
Shifting  Into  PARK (P) 
Shifting  Out  of  PARK (P)  2-26 
2-27 
2-27 
2-28 
2-29  2-29 
2-30 
2-37 
2-39 
2-42 
2-43  2-45 
2-46 
2-50  Parking  Over 
Things That 
Burn 
Engine Exhaust 
Running  Your Engine While  You’re Parked 
Windows 
Horn 
Tilt Wheel 
Turn  Signal/Multifunction  Lever 
Exterior  Lamps 
Interior  Lamps 
Mirrors  Storage  Compartments 
Accessory Power  Outlet 
Instrument  Panel 
Warning  Lights, Gages and  Indicators 
2-1  
     
        
        Page 78 of 356

L-OCK (B): Before you put the key  into  the ignition 
switch,  the switch 
is in LOCK.  It is also the only 
position in which  you can remove the  key. 
This locks 
your steering wheel, ignition and transaxle 
(on 
automatic transaxle models). 
OFF (C): This  position  unlocks the steering wheel and 
ignition, but does not send electrical power  to any 
accessories. Use this position  if your vehicle must be 
pushed  or towed, but never try  to push-start  your 
vehicle. A warning chime will sound  if you  open  the 
driver’s door when  the ignition  is off  and the key  is 
in  the  ignition. 
RUN (D):  This  position  is where the key returns after 
you start your  engine and release  the switch.  The switch 
stays  in  the  RUN position when the  engine  is running. 
But even when the  engine  is not running,  you can use 
RUN  to operate your electrical power accessories, and 
to  display some instrument panel warning lights. 
START (E): This  position starts the engine.  When the 
engine  starts,  release the key. The ignition switch will 
return  to 
RUN for normal  driving. 
Note that even 
if the  engine  is  not running, the positions 
ACCESSORY  and  RUN are on positions that allow  you 
to  operate your electrical accessories, such as the radio. 
NOTICE: 
If your  key seems  stuck  in LOCK and  you can’t 
turn  it,  be  sure  you are  using  the  correct  key; if 
so, is  it all the way in? If it is,  then  turn  the 
steering  wheel  left  and  right  while  you turn  the 
key  hard.  But,  turn  the  key only  with  your  hand. 
Using 
a tool  to  force it could  break  the  key or  the 
ignition  switch. 
If none  of this  works,  then  your 
vehicle  needs  service. 
Starting  Your  Engine 
Move your shift lever  to PARK (P) or  NEUTRAL  (N). 
Your  engine  won’t start in any  other position 
-- that’s  a 
safety  feature. 
To restart when you’re already moving, 
use  NEUTRAL  (N) only. 
NOTICE: 
Don’t  try  to  shift  to PARK (P) if your  Oldsmobile 
is moving.  If you  do, you  could  damage  the 
transaxle.  Shift  to 
PARK (P) only  when  your 
vehicle  is stopped. 
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        Page 87 of 356
Parking  Brake 
To set the  parking  brake, 
hold  the regular brake pedal 
down with your right 
foot. 
Push down the parking 
brake pedal with your  left 
foot.  If the  ignition  is on, 
the brake  system warning 
light  will come  on. 
To  release 
the parking 
brake,  hold the  regular 
brake pedal  down. Pull the 
BRAKE RELEASE lever. 
NOTICE: 
Driving  with  the  parking  brake  on  can  cause 
your  rear  brakes  to  overheat. 
You may  have  to 
replace  them,  and  you  could  also  damage  other 
parts 
of your  vehicle. 
If  you  are towing  a  trailer  and are parking on  a hill,  see 
“Towing  a Trailer”  in the  Index.  That section  shows 
what to  do first 
to keep the trailer from moving. 
2-23  
     
        
        Page 95 of 356
If the arrows don’t go on  at all when  you signal  a 
turn, check the  fuse  (see “Fuses and  Circuit  Breakers” 
in  the  Index)  or  contact  your Oldsmobile retailer 
service  department). 
Turn Signal On Chime 
A warning  chime  signal  will come  on  if you have left 
your turn  signal 
on for more than 3/4 mile (1 km). 
Headlamp HighLow Beam 
To change the headlamps 
from low beam  to high  or 
high  to low,  pull the turn 
signal  lever  all the way 
toward you. Then  release  it. 
When  the high beams  are  on,  a  light on the instrument 
panel  also will be  on. 
The  headlamp high/low beam  indicator may flash  if the 
Daytime Running Lamps 
(DRL) system is experiencing 
a  problem  or if a headlamp  is malfunctioning. 
Windshield  Wipers 
You control  the windshield wipers  by moving the 
stalk with the wiper symbol on  it up  or down, 
For  a  single  wiper cycle,  push the stalk down to 
MIST, then release it. For more cycles, hold the stalk 
down longer. 
2-31  
     
        
        Page 102 of 356

Rotate the turn  signal  lever  middle ring  up two  positions 
to turn on:  The 
DRL system 
will make your high-beam neadlamps 
come 
on at  a reduced brightness  when: 
0 Headlamps 
0 Parking Lamps 
0 Sidemarker Lamps 
0 Taillamps 
0 License  Plate Lamps 
0 Instrument Panel  Lights 
Rotate  the switch  to 
OFF to turn all of the lamps off. 
Lamps  On  Reminder 
If you open the driver’s door and turn  off the 
ignition while leaving the lamps  on, you  will hear 
a  warning  chime. 
Daytime  Running  Lamps 
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it  easier 
for  others  to  see the front 
of your vehicle during the 
day. DRL can be helpful  in many different driving 
conditions, but they can  be especially helpful  in the 
short periods after dawn  and before  sunset. 
0 The  engine  is running, 
0 The headlamp switch  is in  the OFF position, 
0 The  light  sensor  detects daytime  light, 
0 The parking brake is released  and 
0 The  shift  lever is not in  PARK (P). 
When the DRL system is on,  the taillamps, sidemarker, 
park lamps and instrument panel lights will not 
be  illuminated. 
The 
DRL and the ALC systems  will remain  off any 
time your vehicle  is in 
PARK (P) and the parking 
brake is  engaged. 
As with any vehicle,  you should turn on the regular 
headlamp system when  you  need it. 
2-38  
     
        
        Page 112 of 356
Instrument  Panel  Cluster 
Your vehicle  is equipped  with this cluster, which includes indicator warning lights and gages  that are explained on the 
following pages. Be sure to read them. 
United  States  version  shown,  Canada  similar  
     
        
        Page 114 of 356

Tachometer 
The tachometer shows your 
 Q 1 OQI engine  speed in revolutions 
9 5 6 7 c’o per  minute (rpm). d 8 \3 
RPM X 1000 
0 
I 
NOTICE: - - ~~~  ~ 
Do not  run  your  engine  at speeds  in  the  red  area, 
or  engine  damage  may 
occur. 
Warning  Lights,  Gages 
and  Indicators 
This  part  describes  the warning lights and gages 
that  may  be on your vehicle.  The pictures will help 
you  locate  them.  Warning 
lights and gages can  signal  that something 
is 
wrong before  it becomes  serious enough to cause an 
expensive  repair 
or replacement.  Paying attention  to 
your warning lights and gages  could  also  save you or 
others  from  injury. 
Warning lights come  on when there may  be  or 
is a 
problem with  one of your vehicle’s  functions. 
As 
you will  see in the  details on the next few pages, 
some warning  lights come 
on briefly when  you start 
the  engine  just  to 
let you  know they’re working. If 
you  are familiar  with this  section, you should  not  be 
alarmed when this happens. 
Gages can  indicate when there may be  or  is a problem 
with one  of your vehicle’s  functions. Often gages and 
warning  lights work together 
to let you know when 
there’s a problem with your vehicle. 
When one 
of the warning  lights comes on and stays 
on  when  you are driving,  or when  one 
of the gages 
shows there  may be a problem, check the section that 
tells  you what  to do  about  it. Please  follow  this manual’s 
advice. Waiting  to do  repairs can be costly 
-- and even 
dangerous. 
So please  get to know your warning  lights 
and gages. They’re a big help. 
2-50