service Oldsmobile Achieva 1995 s Owner's Guide

Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM retailer or a professional towing
service tow your Oldsmobile. The usual towing
equipment is:
(A) Sling-type tow truck
(B) Wheel-lift tow truck
(C) Car carrier If
your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn
on the hazard warning
flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
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That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
rear with sling-type equipment, as described later in
this section.
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year
of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the
shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
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When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service. Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed
on the front wheels,
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don’t go more than
35 mph (56 kmh) or
farther than
50 miles (80 km) or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported
on a dolly.

NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too
hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
0 Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. If you have an air conditioner, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while driving --
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (03) or DRIVE (D) for
automatic transaxles.
If you
no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about ten minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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The coolant level should be at or above FULL COLD. If
it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator
hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in the
cooling system.
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NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on check to
see if the electric engine fan is running. If the engine is
overheating, the fan should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge
Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
FULL COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and a proper antifreeze at the
coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure cap,
is cool
before you do it.
(See “Engine Coolant” in the Index for
more information about the proper coolant mix.)
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1 Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your
Oldsmobile. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical infomation about
your vehicle, and
a part devoted to its appearance care.
Service
Your Oldsmobile retailer knows your vehicle best and
wants you to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your
retailer for all your service needs.
You’ll get genuine GM
parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle
all GM.
Genuine
GM parts have one of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get
the proper Oldsmobile Service Manual. It
tells you much more about how to service your
Oldsmobile than this manual can. To order the proper
service Inanual, see “Service Publications” in the Index.
Your vehicle
has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Oldsmobile”
in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record”
in the Index.
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NOTICE:
If you try to do your own service work without
knowing enough about it, your vehicle could be
damaged.
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. It should meet specifications ASTM
D4814 in
the United States and CGSB 3.5-92 in Canada. These
fuels should have the proper additives,
so you should not
have to add anything to the fuel.
In the United States and Canada, it’s easy to be sure you \
get the right kind
of gasoline (unleaded). You’ll see
UNLEADED right on the pump. And only unleaded
nozzles will fit into your vehicle’s filler neck.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
87. If the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive.
If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating
or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid\

of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
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What about gasoline with blending materials that contain oxygen (oxygenates), such as MTBE or alcohol?
MTBE is “methyl tertiary-butyl ether.” Fuel that is no
more than
15% MTBE is fine for your vehicle.
Ethanol is ethyl or grain alcohol. Properly-blended fuel
that is no more than
10% ethanol is fine for your
vehicle.
Methanol is methyl or wood alcohol.
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I NOTICE:
Fuel that is more than 5% methanol is bad for
your vehicle. Don’t use it. It can corrode metal
parts in your fuel system and
also damage plastic
and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t be
covered under your warranty. And even at
5% or
less, there must be “cosolvents” and corrosion
preventers in this fuel to help avoid these
problems.
Gasolines for Cleaner Air
Your use of gasoline with deposit control additives will
help prevent deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel system. That helps keep your engine in tune and
your emission control system working properly. It’s
good for your vehicle, and you’ll be doing your part for
cleaner
air.
Many gasolines are now blended with oxygenates. General Motors recommends that you use gasolines with
these blending materials, such as MTBE and ethanol. By doing
so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high carbon monoxide
levels.
In addition, some gasoline suppliers are now producing
reformulated gasolines. These gasolines
are specially
designed to reduce vehicle emissions. General Motors
recommends that you use reformulated gasoline. By doing so, you can help clean the air, especially in those
parts of the country that have high ozone levels.
You should ask your service station operators
if their
gasolines contain deposit control additives and
oxygenates, and
if they have been reformulated to
reduce vehicle emissions.
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When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
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Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop and go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
If any one of these is true for your vehicle, then
you
need to change your oil and filter every 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever comes first.
If none of them is true, change
the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
comes first.
Engine Coolant Heater
An engine coolant heater can be a big help if you have
to park outside
in very cold weather, 0 OF (- 18 O C) or
colder. If your vehicle has this option, see “Engine
Coolant Heater” in the Index.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or
a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat
to the environment. If you
change your own
oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking
it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your retailer, a service station or
a local recycling
center for help.
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Air Cleaner
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
replace
the air filter. to determine when to
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
I NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which
will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
To Check or Replace the Air Filter
1. Unscrew the four Phillips-head screws, then pull the
cover back.
2. Remove the air cleaner filter.
3. Be sure to install the air cleaner filter and replace the
cover tightly.
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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level
is when the engine oil is changed. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule to determine when to change
your fluid. See “Scheduled Maintenance Services’’ in the
Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose
to have this done at your Oldsmobile retailer
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading on the
dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90 OF (32 O C).
At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
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