Section 8A Oldsmobile Achieva 1997 Owner's Manuals

The 1997 Oldsrnobile Achieva Owner’s Manual
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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 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 condition\
s.
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.
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.
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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.
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1-12 1-13 1-13
1-20
1-21
1-21 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) 1-27
1-32
1-34
1-36
1-44
1-47
1-47
1-47 Rear
Seat Passengers
Center Passenger Position
Children
Child Restraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash
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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 A CAUTION:
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 when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving. Move the lever under the front seat to unlock it. Slide
the seat to where you want
it. Then release the lever and
try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the
seat
is locked in place.

If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the
latch plate and keep pulling until
you can buckle
the belt.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it
is secure.
If the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” at the end of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if
you ever had to.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.
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The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When
a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more
likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as
for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt. See “Driver Position,”
earlier in this section.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
or air bag system.
Your Oldsmobile has two air bags
-- one air bag for the
driver and another air bag for the right front passenger.
Here are the most important things to
know about the
air bag system:
You can be severely injured or kill-- in a crash if
you aren’t wearing your safety belt -- even if you
have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during
a
crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things
inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air
bags are “supplemental restraints’’ to the safety
belts.
All air bags are designed to work with
safety belts, but don’t replace them. Air bags are
designed to work only in moderate to severe
crashes where the front of your vehicle hits
something. They aren’t designed to inflate
at all
in rollover, rear, side or low-speed frontal
crashes. Everyone
in your vehicle should wear a
safety belt properly -- whether or not there’s an
air bag for that person.

If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the
latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle it.
hll up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt
is not long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” at the end of this section. Make sure the
release button on the buckle is positioned
so you
would be able
to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if
you ever had to.
3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part.
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4. Buckle, position and release the safety belt as
described
in “Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions”
earlier
in this section. Make sure that the shoulder
belt crosses the shoulder.
To remove and store the comfort guides, squeeze the
belt edges together
so that you can take them out from
the guides. Pull the guide upward to expose its storage
clip, and then slide the guide onto the clip. Rotate
the
guide and clip inward and in between the seatback
and the interior body, leaving only the loop
of elastic
cord exposed.
Center Passenger Position
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Lap Belt
When you sit in the center seating position, you have a
lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the belt
longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along
the belt.
To make the belt shorter, pull its -free end as shown until
the belt
is snug.
Buckle, position and release it the same way
as the lap
part of a lap-shoulder belt.
If the belt isn’t long enough,
see “Safety Belt Extender” at the end of this section.
Make sure the release button on the buckle
is positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
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Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But
if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your
retailer will .order
you an extender. It’s free. When you
go in
to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so
the extender will be long enough for you. The extender
will be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle
that you choose. Don’t let someone else use it, and use it
only for the seat it is made to fit.
To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Yo--- Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts.
If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is
torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts?
After
a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But
if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you need new belts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean you will need
to have safety belt
or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts and repairs
may be necessary even if the belt wasn’t being used at
the time of the collision.
If your seat adjuster won’t work after a crash, the special
part
of the safety belt that goes through the seat to the
adjuster may need to be replaced.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier in
this section.
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Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Oldsmobile, and information on starting,
shifting and braking.
Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly -- and what to do if you have a problem.
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2-10
2-12 2-12
2-13 2-14
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2-19
2-2
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2-25 2-28 2-29
2-3
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Keys
Door Locks
Remote Lock Control (If Equipped)
Trunk
Theft Passlock
TM
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Manual Transaxle Operation
Parking Brake
Shifting Into PARK (P) (Automatic Transaxle
Models Only) Shifting Out
of PARK (P) (Automatic
Transaxle) 2-3
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2-32
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1, 2-35
2-35
2-43
2-46
2-49
2-50
2-54
2-55
2-56
2-60 Parking
Your Vehicle
(Manual Transaxle)
Parking Over Things That Burn
Engine Exhaust
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
(Automatic Transaxle)
Windows
Tilt Wheel
Turn SignalMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Accessory Power Outlet
Sunroof (If Equipped)
Instrument Panel
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators