Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Oldsmobile retailer. The green arrows
on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps
will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure
the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you
start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t
shift down, you might have to use your brakes
so much
that they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 Mh) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating. If
you have overdrive, you may have to drive in
THIRD
(3) instead of DRIVE (D) (or , as you need
to a lower gear).
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift
to PARK (P).
Release the regular brakes.
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Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. See “Roadside Assistance’’
in the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed
or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting,
or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn
on the hazard
warning flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
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That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front
or rear with sling-type equipment.
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want
to
see them.
v--
I To help avoid injury to you or others:
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Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
being towed.
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never
tow with damaged parts not fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
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If a Tire Goes Flat
I --
10. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure if coolant begins to flow out
of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure the
arrows on the pressure cap line up like this.
1 1. Check the coolant in the recovery tank. The level
in the coolant recovery tank should be at the
HOT
mark when the engine is hot or at the COLD mark
when the engine
is cold. It’s
unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if
you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if
you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create
a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off
the accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake
to a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like
a skid and may require the same correction you’d use
in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
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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 the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
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.
i
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a
tire.
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5. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and spare wheel.
A CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which
it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after
a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change
a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle.
In an
emergency, you can use
a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if you need to, to get all the rust or
dirt off.
I
I A CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall
off, causing a serious accident.
6. Replace the wheel nuts with the rounded end of the
nuts
toward the wheel. Tighten each nut by hand
until the wheel is held against the hub.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate
your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment.
Also check for damaged tires or wheels.
See “When It’s Time for New Tires” and “Wheel
Replacement” later
in this section for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
I
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and rear
inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading Information label. Make certain that
all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in the Index.
A CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later,
if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
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Capacities and Specifications
Please refer to “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants”
in the Index for more information.
Automatic Transaxle
3800 (Code K)
Pan Removal and Replacement ... 8 quarts (7.5 L)
After Complete Overhaul ....... 10 quarts (9.5 L)
When drainingheplacing the converter; more fluid
may be needed.
Cooling System Including Reservoir
3800 (Code K) ............. 10.2 quarts (9.63 L)
Refrigerant (R-l34a),
Air Conditioning*
............ 1.9 lbs. (0.85 kg)
Engine Crankcase
Oil and Filter Change (3800) ... 4.5 quarts (4.3 L)
Fuel Tank ................ 17.75 gallons (67.2 L)
*See “Air Conditioning Refrigerants ”later in
this section.
NOTE: All capacities are approximate. When adding,
be sure to fill to the appropriate level, as recommended
in
this manual. Recheck fluid level after filling.
3800 (Code K) Engine Specifications
Type .................................... V6
Displacement
........................ 231 CID
Compression Ratio
....................... 9.4: 1
Firing Order ...................... 1-6-5-4-3-2
Thermostat Temperature
........... 195°F (91°C)
Horsepower
............................. 195
Vehicle Dimensions
Wheelbase ................. 109 inches (270 cm)
Front Tread Width
.......... .6 1.5 inches (1 56 cm)
Rear Tread Width
........... .6 1.5 inches (156 cm)
Overall Length
............. 195.9 inches (498 cm)
Overall Width
.............. .73.8 inches (1 87 cm)
Overall Height
.............. 56.4 inches (143 cm)
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Brake (Continued) Replacing System Parts
........................ 6-30
System Warning Light
......................... 2-56
Trailer
...................................... 4-34
Transaxle Shift Interlock
.................. 2-27, 7-15
Transaxle Shift Interlock Check
.................. 7-15
Brakes, Anti-Lock
............................... 4-7
Braking in Emergencies
.......................... 4- 10
Break-In, New Vehicle
.......................... 2-15
BTSI
.................................... 2-27, 7-15
Bulb Replacement
.............................. 6-3 1
Center High-Mounted ......................... 6-36
Front Parking and Turn Signal Lamp
.............. 6-36
Tail/Stop/Turn Signal Lamp
..................... 6-37
Bulbs, Replacement Numbers
..................... 6-62
Wear
....................................... 6-29
WhattoAdd
................................. 6-28
Braking
........................................ 4-6
BTSICheck
................................... 7-15
Headlamps
.................................. 6-31
Capacities and Specifications
.................... 6-63
Carbon Monoxide
............... 2.13.2.28.4.28. 4.34
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
.................. 3-27
Care of Your Compact Disc Player
................. 3-28
Care of Your Compact Discs
...................... 3-28
Cassette Deck Service
........................... 7-13
Cassette Tape Player
....................... 3.10. 3.14
CD Player
..................................... 3-14
CD Player Theft-Deterrent Feature
................. 3-23
Center Console
................................. 2-47
Center Passenger Position
........................ 1-32
CareofYourTapePlayer
......................... 3-27 Certification
Label
.............................. 4-30
Chains. Safety
................................. 4-34
Chains. Tire
................................... 6-46
Change Oil Light
............................... 2-64
Changing a Flat Tire
............................. 5-25
Charging System Light
.......................... 2-56
Checking Your Restraint Systems
.................. 1-51
Chemical Paint Spotting .......................... 6-53
Child Restraints
................................ 1-37
Securing in a Rear Outside Seat Position
........... 1-42
Securing
in the Center Rear Seat Position .......... 1-44
Securing in the Right Front Seat Position .......... 1-46
TopStrap
................................... 1-42
WheretoPut
..........,..................... l-41
Children ,,...........,........................ l-34
Cleaner. Air ................................... 6-16
Cleaning Circuit
Breakers and Fuses
....................... 6-56
Interior Plastic Components
..................... 6-49
Exterior Lamphnses
......................... 6-51
Glass
....................................... 6-50
Inside of
Your Vehicle ......................... 6-47
Instrument Panel
............................. 6-49
Outside
of Your Vehicle ........................ 6-50
Special Problems ............................. 6-48
Vinyl
....................................... 6-49
Windshield and Wiper Blades
................... 6-50
AluminumWheels
............................ 6-52
Fabric
...................................... 6-48
Leather
..................................... 6-49
Tires
....................................... 6-52
Wheels
..................................... 6-52
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