1998 Oldsmobile Cutlass light

Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperab Ire gage on
vehicle’s instrument panel. see “Engine Coo
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
your
dant
Temperature Gage”
in the Index. You will also find a
low coolant level waming light on your vehicle’s
instrument panel. See
“LOW Coolant Warning Light”
in the Index.
5-12

The coalant level should be at or above FULL COLD
m-ark .or slightly higher.
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.
1 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 cooling fans are running.
If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running.
If
they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.

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 mark or slightly higher, add a
50/50 mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and
DEX-COOL’ 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 infomation.)
I
Steam and scaldmg 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.
5-17

I NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
~~
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains”
in the Index.
5-34

Engine Oil
CHECK
OIL
If the CHECK OIL light
on the instrument panel
comes on, it means you
need to check your engine
oil level right away.
For more information, see “Check Oil Light” in the
Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly;
this is an added reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine
oil every time you
get fuel.
In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground. The engine
yellow and
fi-ont
of the oil
dipstick is
located on the engine.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan.
If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.

1 I
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-III, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON-I11
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
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.
J
The following explains your cooling system and how
to add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating,
see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL@
coolant will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265 OF (1 29 O C).
0 Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you use
only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to the
system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the use
of coolant other than DEX-COOL@
is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
6-18

Checking Coolant
The surge tank is located on the passenger’s side of the
engine compartment.
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to
blow out and burn you badly.
Never turn the surge
tank pressure cap -- even a
little
-- when the engine and radiator are hot.
When you engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
the
FULL COLD mark or slightly higher.
If the light comes on, it
means you’re
low on
engine coolant.
6-20

BRAKE
When your bmke fluid fa
to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on.
See ‘‘Brake System Wm
Light’9 in the hdex.
NOTICE:
0
0