2-76 Oil Pressure Light
If you have a problem
with your oil, this light
may stay on after you start
your engine, or come on
when you are driving.
A warning chime and the DIC message LOW OIL
PRESSURE may also come on.
These indicate that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it cool. The engine could be low
on oil, or could have some other oil problem. Have it
fixed right away.
The oil light could also come on briefly when the
ignition is on but the engine is not running. The light
will come on as a test to show you it is working, but
the light will go out about five seconds after you turn
the ignition to START. If it doesn't come on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have it fixed right away.CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If you
do, your engine can become so hot that it catches
fire. You or others could be burned. Check your oil
as soon as possible and have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems
can be costly and is not covered by your warranty.
2-81 Oil Life
The GM Oil Life System is the only function
accessible in the OIL mode. Engine oil life is displayed
in a reading such as:
OIL LIFE 30%
This is an estimate of the oil's remaining useful life.
It will show 100% when the system is reset after an
oil change. It will alert you to change your oil on a
schedule consistent with your driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low, the system will
alert you with this message:
CHANGE OIL SOON
When the oil life is down to zero, you will receive
this message:
CHANGE OIL NOW
Always reset the OIL LIFE reminder after an oil change.
To reset the Oil Life System, see ªOil Life Systemº in
the Index. Also, see ªEngine Oil, When to Changeº in
the Index.Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE yourself
after each oil change. It will not reset itself. Also, be
careful not to reset the OIL LIFE accidentally at any
time other than when the oil has just been changed.
It can't be reset accurately until the next oil change.
The DIC does not replace the need to maintain your
vehicle as recommended in the Maintenance Schedule
in this manual. Also, the oil change reminder will not
detect dusty conditions or engine malfunctions that may
affect the oil. If you drive in dusty areas, change your
oil after every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or three months,
whichever occurs first, unless the DIC instructs you to
do so sooner. Also, the oil change reminder does not
measure how much oil you have in your engine. So,
be sure to check your oil level often. See ªEngine Oilº
in the Index.
2-90 DIC Warnings and Messages
Other messages or warnings may appear in the DIC
display. For Canadian drivers, in addition to the DIC
message your DIC will display EXP with a number after
it which reflects the following messages:
EXP (Export ID) Warning Message. . . . . . . . . . . .
1 AIR BAG PROBLEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 CHANGE OIL NOW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 CHANGE OIL SOON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4 CHECK CHARGE SYSTEM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5 CHECK OIL LEVEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6 TRANS HOT...IDLE ENG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7 CONFIRM TIME & DATE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8 DRIVERS DOOR AJAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9 ENGINE HOT...A/C OFF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10 HOT...REDUCE ENG RPM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11 HOT...STOP ENGINE *. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12 THEFT SYSTEM FAULT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13 LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14 LOW BRAKE FLUID *. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15 LOW ENGINE COOLANT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16 LOW FUEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 LOW OIL PRESSURE *. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
18 LOW TIRE PRESSURE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
19 LOW WASHER FLUID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20 PARK BRAKE SET *. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21 PASSENGER DOOR AJAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22 RIGHT REAR DOOR AJAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
23 SERVICE VEHICLE SOON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24 TURN SIGNAL ON?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25 THEFT ATTEMPTED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26 SERV STABILITY SYS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27 HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28 TRUNK AJAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29 BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
32 HOT...IDLE ENGINE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
33 STARTING DISABLED *. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36 CHECK GAS CAP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
42 STABILITY ACTIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The EXP codes are used to make translation from
English to other languages easier.
Pressing the RESET button will remove the above
messages or warnings from the DIC display, unless
noted by an asterisk (*).
2-91
CHECK OIL LEVEL - 5: If you ever see the
CHECK OIL LEVEL message, it indicates that the
engine oil level is 1 to 1 1/2 quarts (0.9 L to 1.4 L) low.
The message will appear only if the engine is running
and it has been at least eight minutes since the engine
was last running. If the message appears, check the oil
dipstick level. If it reads low, your oil level should be
brought up to the proper level (see ªEngine Oilº in
the Index). After bringing the oil to the proper level,
the ignition must be off for eight minutes to allow the
majority of oil to drain into the oil pan.
SERV STABILITY SYS
- 26 : If you ever see the
SERV STABILITY SYS message, it means there
may be a problem with your stability enhancement
system. If you see this message, try to reset the system
(stop; turn off the engine; then start the engine again).
If the SERV STABILITY SYS message still comes on,
it means there is a problem. You should see your dealer
for service. Reduce your speed and drive accordingly.STABILITY ACTIVE
- 42 : You may see the
STABILITY ACTIVE message on the Driver
Information Center. It means that an advanced,
computer
-controlled system has come on to help
your vehicle continue to go in the direction in which
you're steering. This stability enhancement system
activates when the computer senses that your vehicle is
just starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice
or other slippery spot on the road. When the system is
on, you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal.
When the STABILITY ACTIVE message is on,
you should continue to steer in the direction you want
to go. The system is designed to help you in bad
weather or other difficult driving situations by making
the most of whatever road conditions will permit. If the
STABILITY ACTIVE message comes on, you'll know
that something has caused your vehicle to start to spin,
so you should consider slowing down.
3-25 Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can cause
stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick up
noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km).
Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to come and go.
Cellular Phone Usage
Cellular phone usage may cause interference with your
vehicle's radio. This interference may occur when making
or receiving phone calls, charging the phone's battery or
simply having the phone ªonº. This interference is
described as an increased level of static while listening to
the radio. If you notice static while listening to the radio,
unplug the cellular phone and turn it off.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can beloud and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to it.
To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two
-way radio -- be sure you can
add what you want. If you can, it's very important
to do it properly. Added sound equipment may
interfere with the operation of your vehicle's
engine, Delphi Delco Electronics radio or other
systems, and even damage them. Your vehicle's
systems may interfere with the operation of sound
equipment that has been added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
4-7
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following
distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary
braking. That means better braking and longer
brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti
-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on, and you may even notice that your brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there's a problem with
the anti
-lock brake system,
this warning light will stay
on. See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº
in the Index.
4-22
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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 dealerships 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:
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?
4-23
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as ªhighway hypnosisº?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don't let
it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis?
First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise,
or both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway
as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.