User manual OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA 1998

The 1998 Oldsmobile Achieva Owner's Manual 1-1 2-1 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. 3- 1 4- 1 5- 1 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 howto 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. 6- 1 7- 1 Service and Appearance Care Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good. 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 r We support voluntary technician certification. GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, OLDSMOBILE, the OLDSMOBILE Rocket Emblem and the name ACHIEVA are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be there if you ever need it when you're on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it. WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION THROUGH National Institute for AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 22656198 A First Edition "Copyright General Motors Corporation 1997 All Rights Reserved How to Use this Manual CAI rION: Many people read their owner's manual from beginning to endwhen they first receive theirnew vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and These mean there something thatcould hurt is controls foryour vehicle. In this manual, you'll find you or other people. that picturesand words work together to explain things quickly. In the caution area, tell you what the hazard is. Then we Index we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions.If you don't, you or A good place to look for what you need is the Index in others could be hurt. back of the manual. It's an alphabetical list what's in of the manual,and the pagenumber where you'll find it. You will also find a circle with a slashthrough it in Safety Warnings and Symbols this book. This safety You will find anumber of safety cautionsin this book. symbol means "Don't,'' We use a box and the word CAUTION to tellyou "Don't do this" or "Don't about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore let thishappen." the warning. 'A iii Vehicle Damage Warnings Also in this book you will find these notices I NOTICE: In the notice area, we tell you about something that can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warningsin different colors or in different words. You'll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. I These mean thereis something that could damage your vehicle. Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. For example, these symbols are used on an original battery: CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING CAUSTIC BATTERY ACID COULD CAUSE BURNS AVOID SPARKS OR FLAMES SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BATTERY A & ,\I/, These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven: These symbols have to do with your lamps: These symbols are. on some of your controls: WINDSHIELD WIPER These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Here are some other symbols you may see: DOOR LOCK UNLOCK TURN SIGNALS e pf COOLANT TEMP BAllERY CHARGING SYSTEM WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER F- FUSE I LIGHTER HORN P EN AJ & FASTEN SEAT BELTS HAZARD WARNING FLASHER POWER WINDOW DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS * * * A .`:**o WINDOW DEFOGGER BRAKE (a) b ). b COOLANT SPEAKER b p3 V ENGINE OIL PRESSURE W FUEL FOG LAMPS #0 VENTILATING FAN ANTI-LOCK BRAKES (@) NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Here you'll find information about the seats in your Oldsmobile and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts. 1-2 1-6 1-11 1-12 1-12 1-20 1-21 1-21 1-28 Seats and Seat Controls Safety Belts: They're for Everyone Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts -- and the Answers How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Driver Position Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Right Front Passenger Position Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Rear Seat Passengers 1-32 1-34 1-36 1-39 1-50 1-53 1-53 1-53 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults Center Passenger Position Children Child Restraints Larger Children Safety Belt Extender Checking Your Restraint Systems Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash 1-1 Seats and Seat Controls This section tells you about the seats -- how to adjust them, and also about reclining seatbacks and head restraints. Manual Seats I You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver's seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you,or make you push a pedal whenyou don't want to. Adjust the driver's seat only when the vehicle is not moving. lvlove the lever under the front seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it. Then release the leverand try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the seat is locked in place. 1-2 4-Way Manual Seat Manual Lumbar Support(If Equipped) There are two levers the front of the seat. The left at lever adjuststhe seat forward and back. The right lever adjusts the angle of the frontof the seat. The lever near the outer side the seat unlocksthe seat of allowing it to slide forward and back. Then release the lever and try to move the seat tobe certain that it is locked in place. up The lever on the right allows you to tilt the seat and down. Turn the knob on the right of the driver's seat cushion to the right or tothe left to adjustsupport for the lower back. 1-3 Power Seat (If Equipped) Rear Control (C): Raise the rear of the seat by holding the switch up. Lower the rear of the seat by holding the switch down. Reclining Front Seatbacks To adjust the power seat: Front Control(A): Raise the front of the seat by holding the switch up. Lower the front of the seat by holding the switch down. Center Control(B): Move the seat forward or back by holding the control to the front or back. Move the seat higher by holding the control up. Lower the seat by holding the control down. To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outer side of the seat and move the seatback where you want it. Release the lever to lock the seatback. Pull up on the lever and the seat will go to an upright position. But don'thave a seatbackreclined if your vehicle is moving. Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Evenyou buckle if up, your safety belts can't their jobwhen do you're reclined like this. The shoulder belt can't its job because it do won't be against yourbody. Instead, it will bein front of you. In a crash you could gointo it, receiving neckor other injuries. The lap belt can'tdo its job either. In a crash the belt couldgo up over your abdomen.The belt forces would be there, not your pelvic bones. at This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protectionwhen the vehicleis in motion, havethe seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. Head Restraints Slide thehead restraint up or down so that the top the of restraint is closest to the topyour ears. This position of reduces the chance a neck injury in a crash. of Rear Seats Folding the Rear Seat Safety Belts: They're for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to usesafety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or airbag system. I A CAUTION: I To fold down the rear seat, pull forward on the seat tab. Push the seatback up to return it to its original position. To make sure the seatback is secure, push it into a fully upright position. A loose seatback can cause an injury in a sudden stop. Don't let anyone ride where he she can't wear or a safety belt properly. If are in a crash and you you're not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be muchworse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from You can be seriously it. injured orkilled. In the same crash, might you not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers' belts are fastened properly too. 1-6 /1\ CAUTIOl!. . In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here's why: They work. You never know if you'll be in a crash.If you do have a crash, you don't know if it will be a bad one. It is extremelydangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in theseareas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride inany area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts.Be sure everyone inyour vehicle isin a seat andusing a safety belt properly. A few crashes are mild,and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up a person wouldn't survive. But most crashes arein between. In many of them, people who buckle up can surviveand sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter ... a lot! - Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. (See"Safety Belt Reminder Light" in the Index.) 1-7 Why Safety BeltsWork When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. Put someone on it. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just aseat on wheels. 143 Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn't stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ... 1-9 or the instrument panel ... or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop overmore distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That'swhy safety belts make such good sense. 1-10 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts-- and the Answers A: Q.' Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I'm wearing a safety belt? If I'm a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why shouldI wear safety belts? You may be an excellent driver, but if you're in an accident -- even one that isn't your fault -- you and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn't protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 k ) m of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occurat speeds of less than 40 mph (65 kmh). Safety belts are for everyone. A: You could be -- whether you're wearing a safety belt or not.But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you're upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to wear safety belts? A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; they work with so safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag system ever offered for sale hasrequired the use of safety belts. Even if you're in a vehiclethat has air bags, you still have to buckle up to get themost protection. That's true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions. 1-11 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Adults This part is only forpeople of adult size. Be aware that thereare special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see the part of this manual called "Children." Follow those rules for everyone's protection. First, you'll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. We'll start with the driver position. Driver Position This part describes the driver's restraint system. Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here's how to wear it properly. 1. Close and lock the door. 2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see "Seats" in the Index) so you can sit up straight. 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don't let it get twisted. 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. 1-12