Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1996 Owner's Manuals

NOTICE:
When adding coolant it is important that you use
DEX-COOL (orange-colored, silicate-free)
coolant meeting
GM Specification 6277M.
If silicated coolant is added to the system,
premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs
first.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half DEX-COOL
TM (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets GM Specification
6277M, which won’t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM Part
No. 3634621) with any complete coolant change. If you
use
this mixture, you don’t need to add anything else.
1 CAUTION:
- -
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system
is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mix of clean
water and DEX-COOL (orange-colored,
,
silicate-free) antifreeze.
6-21

NOTICE:
If you use.an improper coolant mix, your engine-
could overheat and be badly damaged. The
.
repair cost wouldn't be covered by your
warranty.
Too much water in the mix can freeze
and crack' the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
..
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
,have your retailer check your cooling system.
' ,.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don't have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
.. , ,', . . , .,
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Chec'-'ng Coolant
When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
the
COLD mark or a little higher. When your engine. is
warm, the level should be up' to the HOT mark or, a
little higher.
/I .

this it conies on, it
means you're low
on
engine coolant.
A4&g Coolant
- ..
Jfy& more coolant, add the proper mix at the. I
coolant recovery tank. I.
If the coolant recovery tank is. completely empty, add
,- ,coolant -to the radiator.. (See ,:'Engine Overheating" in-
the Index.) I'
A CAUTION:
Turning the radiator pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and' scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. With the coolant recovery tank,-you
will
almost never have to add doolant at the radiator.
Never turn the radiatol' pressure cap
-- even a
little.-- when the engine and radiator
are. hot.
I Add coolant mix at the recovery tank, but be careful not
to
spill it.
I A CAUTION:
You can be burned if you,spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
and it
will burn if the engine parts are hot '
enough. Don't s,pill coolant on a hot engme.

How To Check Power Steering Fluid Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of fluid to use.
See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Index. Always use the proper fluid.
Failure to use the proper fluid can cause leaks and
damage hoses and seals.
6-25

Open the cap labeled WASHER FLUID ONLY. Add
washer fluid until the tank is full. Brakes
Brake Fluid
When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage your washer fluid tank and
other parts of the washer system.
Also,
water doesn’t clean as well as washer fluid.
Fill your washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it’s very cold. This
allows for expansion, which could damage
the tank
if it is completely full.
Don’t use radiator antifreeze in your
windshield washer.
It can damage your
washer system and paint.
Yo bur brake master cylinder resep
with DOT-3 brake fluid. fair is here. It is filled
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake
fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason is that fluid
is
leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you should have

your brake system fixed, since a leak means that sooner
or later your brakes won’t work well, or won’t work
at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system. When your brake
fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See “Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No.’ 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only, and always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap before removing
it.
A CAUTION:
-
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill
on the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine
is hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done
on the brake
hydraulic system.
I A CAUTIC’J:
With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work
at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
6-27

NOTICE:
0
0 Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
*-,,. -Em;.- ,‘ -,.. . , .-; .*,--. r... - .,. .. ,,.-4--, , ., ,. ..
Your Oldsmobile has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning.
sound when the brake pads are worn
and new pads
are needed. The sound may come and go or
be heard
all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are pushing
on the brake pedal firmly).
..
The brake wear warning sound means’that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly applied.
This does not mean something is wrong with your brakes.
Free movement
of brake calipers and properly torqued
wheel nuts are necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect brake calipers
for movement, brake pads for wear, and evenly torque
wheel nuts in the proper sequence to
GM specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced
as complete
axle sets.
6-28 . ’

Brake Pedal Travel Battery
See your retailer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign
of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality GM brake
parts in them, as your Oldsmobile does when it is new.
When you replace parts of your braking system
-- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put in
-- be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicie, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways
if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts. Every new
Oldsmobile has a Delco Freedom@ battery.
You never have to add water to one of these. When it’s
time for a new battery, -we recommend a Delco Freedom
battery. Get one that has the replacement number shown
on the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or more,
take
off the black, negative (-) cable from the battery. This
will help keep your battery from running down.
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index for tips on working around a battery without getting hurt.
Contact your retailer to learn how to prepare your
vehicle for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature” in the Index.
6-29

Bulb Replacement Headlamps (2-Door Models)
In this section you’ll find directions for changing the
bulbs in some of the lamps on your Oldsmobile. See
“Replacement Bulbs” in the Index
to find the type of
bulb you should use.
. Halogen Bulbs
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured.
Be sure to read and
follow the instructions
on the bulb package. I
’ 1
1. Pry up the plastic pins and remove the
headlamp cover.
6-30