User manual OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY EIGHT 1997

The 1997 Oldsrnobile Eighty Eight Owner's Manual 1-1 Seats and Restraint Systems This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the system. "SRS" Features and Controls This section explains how to start and operate your Oldsmobile. 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 how to 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. Service and Appearance Care Here the manual tells you how to keep your Oldsmobile running properly and looking good. Maintenance Schedule This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. Customer Assistance Information This section tells you how to contact Oldsmobile for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. 8-8. It also gives you information on "Reporting Safety Defects" on page Index Here's an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You canituse quickly find to something you w'ant to read. 2-1 3-1 4-1 5-1 6-1 7-1 8-1 9-1 i I We support voluntary technician certification. b 1 I GENERAL MOTORS, GM, theGM Emblem, OLDSMOBILE, the OLDSMOBILE Rocket Emblem and the name EIGHTY EIGHT are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATIONTHROUGH National Institutefor AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE EXCELLENCE This manual includes latest information at the time the it was printed.We reserve the right to make changes the in product after that time without further notice. For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name 'General Motorsof Canada Limited"for Oldsmobile Division wheneverit appears in this manual. in Please keep this manual your Oldsmobile,so it will be there if you ever needit when you're on the road. I you sell the vehicle, please leave manual init so the this new owner can it. use For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a French Lahguage Manual: Aux propriCtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous procurer un exemplaire ce guide enfiangais chez de votre concessionaire au: ou DGN Marketing Services Ltd. 1500 Bonhill Rd. Mississauga, Ontario L5T IC7 Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 22652544 B First Edition ) Copyright General Motors Corporation 1996 All Rights Reserved How to Use this Manual Many people read their owner's manual beginning from end when they first receive their new vehicle. you If do this, it will help you learn about features and the controls for your vehicle.In this manual, you'll find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly. These mean thereis something that could hurt you or other people. In the caution area, we tell you whathazard is. Then the we tell you what to to help avoid or reduce do the hazard. Please read these cautions. you don't, you or If others could be hurt. You will also find a circle with a slash through in it this book. This safety symbol means "Don't," "Don't do this," or "Don't let this happen.'' Index A good place to look what you needis the Index in for the back of the manual. It's an alphabetical of all list that's in the manual, and the page number where you'll find it. Safety Warnings and Symbols You will find a number safety cautionsin this book. of We use a box and word CAUTION to tell you the about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. iii Vehicle Damage Warnings Also in this.bookyou find notices: be will these not covered your by warranty, and NOTICE: These mean there something that could is damage your vehicle. it could costly. be But the notice will tell whatto do to help avoid you the damage. In the area,you something notice we about tell that can damage your- vehicle. Many times, this damage would When you read other manuals, you might CAUTION see and NOTICE warnings i merent colors or in n Werent words. You'll also see warning labelson your vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. iv Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. For example, these symbols are usedon an original battery: CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING CAUSTIC FASTEN SEAT BELTS BURNS COOLANT WINDOW DEFOGGER SPEAKER A 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 These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Here are some other symbols you may see: Q COOLANT TEMP BAITERY CHARGING SYSTEM DOOR LOCK UNLOCK TURN SIGNALS e WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER I-1 FUSE LIGHTER t m )tr BRAKE (a) () @ HORN b SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BATTERY ,\I/, FOG LAMPS ENGINE OIL PRESSURE e , FUEL $0 l a V VENTILATING FAN ANTI-LOCK BRAKES NOTES 1-1 Seats and Seat Controls This section tells about the seats how to you -adjust them-- and also about reclining seatbacks and head restraints, Power .Seat Equipped) (If To adjust the power seat: Manual Front Seat You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver's seat while the vehicle is Raise the rear the seatby holding the rear the of of moving. The sudden movement could startle and of confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you switch up. Lower the rear the seatby holding the rear of the switch down. don't want to. Adjust the driver's seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Move the seat higher by holding the switch up. Lower the seatby holding the switch down. Move the seat forward holding the switch forward. by Pull up on the control bar under the of the seat to front Move the seat backby holding the switch back. unlock it.Slide the seat to where want it. Then you release the bar and to move the seat with your body, Seatback Control(B): Tilt the seatback forward try by to make sure the seat is locked place. into holding the switch forward. Tilt the seatback backward by holding the switch back. 4 - Seat Control(A): Raise the front of the seatby holding the front of the switch up. Lower the front the seat of by holding the front the of switch down. 1-2 Reclining Front Seatbacks To adjust the seatback, the lever on the outer sideof lift the seatand move the seatback to where you want it. Release the lever lock the seatback. to Pull up on the lever rind the seatwill go to an upright position. .. But don't have a seatback if your vehicle moving. rechid is Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle CAUTION: (Continued) 1-3 -AUTION: (C itinued) up, your safety belts can't do their jobwhen you're reclined like this. The shoulderbelt can't do its job because it won't be against yourbody. Instead, itwill be in front of you. In a crash you could go into it, receiving neck or otherinjuries. The lapbelt can't do itsjob either. In a crash the belt could go up over yourabdomen. The belt forces would bethere, notat your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. Safety Belts: They're for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. And it explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), or air bag system. Head Restraints Slide the head restraint up or down that the top.of the so restraint is closest tothe top of your ears. This position reduces the chance a neck injury in a crash. of On some models, the head restraints tilt forward and rearward also. Don't let anyone ride where or she can't wear he a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you're not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured orkilled. In thesame crash,you might not be if you are buckled up. Alwaysfasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers' belts are fastened properlytoo. In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here's why: They work. You never knowif you'll bein a crash. If you do have a It is extremely dangerousto ridein a cargo area, inside or outside a vehicle. In a collision, of people riding in these areas more likely to be are seriously injured orkilled. Do not allow people to ride in any area your vehicle that is not of equipped with seats and safety Be sure belts. everyone in your vehicle is in a seat andusing a safety beltproperly. crash, you don't know if it will be bad one. a A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled a person wouldn't survive. up But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. , After more than years of safety beltsin vehicles, 25 the facts are clear. most crashes buckling does In up matter ... a lot! Your vehicle hasa light that comes on as reminder to a buckle up. (See "Safety Belt Reminder Light" in the Index.) 1-5 Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anythmg, you go as fast as it goes. Put someoneon it. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's a seat on wheels. just 1-6 Get it up to speed. Thenstop the vehicle. The rider doesn't stop. by The person keeps going until stopped something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ... 1-7 -. . or the safety belts! With safety belts,you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. stop over more distance, You a your strongest bones take theforces. That's why d safety belts make such good sense. Here Are Questions Many People Ask Q.' If I'ma good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? About Safety Belts and the Answers -A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you're an in Won't I be trapped in the vehicle after an e.' A: accident if I'm wearing safety belt? 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 so being conscious during and after an accident, you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. fault accident -- even one that isn't your -- 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 miles (40 km) of 25 home. And the greatest number serious injuries of and deaths occur at speeds less than40 mph of (65 km/h). e.'If my safety belts?air bags, why should I have to vehicle has wear A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them inthe future. But they are so supplemental systems only; they work with safety belts-- not insteadof them. Every air bag system ever offered sale has required use of for the safety belts. Even you're in a vehicle that has air if bags, you still have to buckle up get the most to protection. That's true not only in frontal collisions, but especiallyin side and other collisions. Safety belts are everyone. for 1-9 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly Adults This part is only people of adult size. for Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. a child will be riding your If in Oldsmobile, see the part of manual called "Children." this 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 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don't letit get twisted. The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here's how to wear 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle untilclicks. it it properly. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. 1. Close and lock the door. If the belt isn't long enough, "Safety Belt see Extender" at the end this section. of 2. Adjust the seat (to see how, "Seats" in the Index) see so you can sit up straight. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be ableto unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 1-10 The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snugon the hips,just touching the thighs. a crash, this applies In force to the strong pelvic bones. And you'd be less likely to slide under the belt. If you slid under the lap it, belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even injuries. The shoulder belt fatal should go over the shoulder and across chest. the These partsof the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or crash 1-11 Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster Before you begin todrive, move the shoulder belt adjuster to the height that is rightyou. for To move it down, squeeze the release handle and move the height adjuster to the desired position. can move You the adjuster up by pushing up on the bottom of the just release handle. After you move the adjuster to where you want it, try to moveit down without squeezing the release handle to make sure locked into position. it has Adjust the height that the shoulder portion the so of belt is centered on your shoulder. belt should be The away from your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder. 1-12