Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1996 Owner's Manuals

Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon Light)
I
SERVICE
ENGINE SOON
Your Oldsmobile is
equipped with a computer
which monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition and
emission control systems.
This system is called OBD
I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions
are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. (In Canada,
OBD I1 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated
by the system before any problem is apparent, which
may prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
2-51

0 Reduce vehicle speed.
0 Avoid hard accelerations.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
I 0 If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the lightstops flashing and remains,on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If
the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine.
~ If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On
Steady” following. If the light is still flashing, follow
the
1 previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your retailer or
qualified service center for service.
1
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the.following:
Did you just put fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left
off or improperly installed. This will
allow fuel to .evap.orate into the atmosphere. A few
driving trips should turn the light
off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light
off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not
run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire.
The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine
is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause
the light
to turn on.
If you experience
this condition, change the fuel brand
you use.
It will require at least one full tank of the
proper fuel to turn the light
off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your retailer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Warning Light c
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.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine could
be low on oil or could have some other oil problem.
Have it fixed right away.
2-53

I
0
0
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 when 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.
If you make a hard
stop, the light may come on for a
moment. This is normal.
A <CAUTION:
The oil light could also come on in two other situations:
I
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.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.

-. In . .,>
Low'Oil Level Eight
LOW OIL
LEVEL
Your engine is equipped
with an oil, level monitoring
system. When the i,gnition
key is turned on, the
LOW
OIL LEVEL light will
briefly flash.
If the light .
.does not flash, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you if there's a problem.
.' only performed if the engine has been turned off for a '
, . considerable period of time, allowing the oil normally in .. circulation to drain back into-the oil pan.
,\' .. ,.
Security Light
SEC.URITY
1 i
I
This light will come on
when
you turn the key to i
START and st.ay on until the '. i
vehicle starts. .It will also I
come on and stay on if your i
key is too dirty or wet,.for
the PASS-Key
11 system to ~
I I
I I
read the resistor pellet.
I
If the resistor pellet is damaged or missing, the light
will 'flash.
If' you're driving and the security light comes on and
remains on; your PASS-Key
11 system is not working
properly. Your vehicle is not protected. by PASS-Key
11, ..
and you should see your retailer.
..

Low Fuel Light
0 ’ FUEL
E@
UNLEADED FUEL ONLY
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left when the ignition
is on. When the indicator
nears EMPTY (E), you still
have a little fuel left, but
you should get more soon.
Here
are some things owners ask about. All these
situations are normal and do not show a problem with
your fuel gage:
At the service station, the pump shuts off before the
0 ,It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage
reads FULL
(F).
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took
a little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to
fill
it.
0 The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up,.
LOW
FUEL
If your fuel is low, a light
will come on and stay on
until you add fuel. It will
also come on for a few seconds when you first turn
on the ignition as a check
to
show you it’s working. If it
doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed.
2-56

NOTES
2-57

NOTES
2-58

Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
F- -- -I
In this section you’ll find out how to operate the comfort
control and audio systems offered with your Oldsmobile.
Be sure to read about
the particular systems supplied with
your vehicle.
Comfort Controls
Air Conditioning with Electronic Controls
With this system, you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation in your vehicle. The system works best
if
you keep your windows closed while using it.
Fan Knob
The left knob selects the force of air you want. To turn
the fan off, turn the knob to OFF. The fan must be on to
run the air conditioning compressor.
Temperature Knob
The center knob changes the temperature of the air
coming through the system. Turn this knob toward red (clockwise) for warmer air. Turn it toward blue
(counterclockwise) for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob has several settings to control the
direction of airflow. For each setting, set the temperature
to a comfortable setting.
3-1

MAX: This setting recirculates much of the air inside
your vehicle and sends it through the instrument panel
outlets.
The air conditioning compressor will run
automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below
40°F (4.5 "C). (Even when the
compressor is running, you can control the temperature.)
,+ e
fl VENT This setting brings in outside air and
directs
it through the instrument panel outlets.
+fl BI-LEVEL: This setting brings in outside air and
directs it two ways. Half
of the air is directed through
the instrument panel outlets. Most of the remaining air is
directed through the floor ducts and a little to the defrost
and side window vents.
+H FLOOR: This setting sends most of the air
through the ducts near the floor. The rest comes
out of
the defroster and side window vents.
+e
e
w.
+' DEFOG: This setting allows half of the air to go
to the
floor ducts and half to the defrost and: side
window vents.
DEFROST This setting directs most of the air
through the defrost and side window vents. Some
of
the air goes to the floor ducts. The air conditioning
compressor will run automatically in
this setting unless
the outside temperature is below
40°F (4.5"C).
(Even when the compressor is running, you can control
the temperature.)
Air Conditioning Compressor Button
Press the A/C button to operate the air conditioning
compressor.
The indicator light above the button will
glow when the button
is pressed. You don't have to
press the button to run the compressor in
MAX
or DEFROST.