jump start Oldsmobile Achieva 1998 Owner's Manuals

Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5- 17 Cooling System
5-3 Other Warning Devices
5-3 Jump Starting
5 -24 If a Tire Goes Flat
5-25 Changing a Flat Tire
5-8 Towing Your Vehicle
5-36 Compact Spare Tire
5-
15 Engine Overheating 5-37 If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow

Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle
and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. But please follow the steps here to do
it safely.
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
burn
you.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling
it won’t work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.

2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but
be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Set the parking brake
firmly on each vehicle. Put an automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) before setting the parking brake.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or the accessory power outlet.
Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed, as well
as radios. This will
avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. In
addition, it could save your radio.
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
5-4

Replacing E ake Svstem 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.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. 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 approved 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 vehicle, 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.
Battery
Every new Oldsmobile has an AC Delco Freedom@
battery. You never have to add water to one of these.
When it’s time for a new battery, we recommend an
AC
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, remove 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.
6-31

Section 9 Index
Accessory Power Outlet ......................... 2-45
AirBag
....................................... 1-21
Adding Equipment
............................ 6-52
How Does it Restrain
.......................... 1-25
How it Works
................................ 1-23
Location
.................................... 1-23
Readiness Light
......................... 1.23. 2.5 1
Servicing ................................... 1-27
What Makes it Inflate
.......................... 1-25
What Will You See After it Inflates
............... 1-25
When Should it Inflate ......................... 1-24
Aircleaner
.................................... 6-17
Air Conditioning
................................ 3-3
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
..................... 6-58
Alignment and Balance. Tire
...................... 6-42
Aluminum Wheels. Cleaning
...................... 6-49
Antifreeze
..................................... 6-2 1
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
................ 2.51. 4.7
Brakes
...................................... 4-7
Anti.Theft. Radio
.............................. 3- 16
Appearancecare
............................... 6- 44
Appearance Care Materials
....................... 6-5 1
Arbitration Program .............................. 8-7
Armrest. Storage
............................... 2-43 Ashtrays
...................................... 2-44
Audio Equipment. Adding
........................ 3-19
Audio Systems
.................................. 3-6
Auto-Down Window
............................ 2-29
Automatic Transaxle Check
....................... 7-31
Automatic Transaxle Park Mechanism Check
......... 7-33
Automatic Door Locks
............................ 2-5
Automatic Light Control
......................... 2-39
Automatic Overdrive
............................ 2-21
Automatic Transaxle
............................ 2-18
Shifting
..................................... 2-18
Starting Your Engine
.......................... 2-14
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
........................ 6-18
Automatic Transaxle Operation
.................... 2-18
Backing
up with a Trailer ....................... 4-37
Battery
....................................... 6-31
Charging System Indicator Light
................. 2-51
Jumpstarting
................................. 5-3
Replacement, Remote Lock Control
............... 2-8
Saver
...................................... 2-41
Warnings
.................................... 5-3
BBB Auto Line
................................. 8-7
Better Business Bureau Mediation
................... 8-7
Blizzard
...................................... 4-27
9-1

Headlamps .................................... 2-37
Bulb Replacement
............................ 6-32
High/Low Beam Changer
...................... 2-31
OnReminder
................................ 2-38
Wiring
..................................... 6-53
Heating
........................................ 3-3
Highway Hypnosis
.............................. 4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads
......................... 4-23
Hitches. Trailer
................................. 4-36
Hood Checking Things Under
......................... 6-8
Release
...................................... 6-9
Hydroplaning
.................................. 4-19
Hearing Impaired. Customer Assistance
.............. 8-4
High-Beam Headlamps
.......................... 2-3 1
Ho~ ......................................... 2-29
If a Tire Goes Flat
.............................. 5-24
Ignition Positions
............................... 2- 13
Transaxle Lock Check
......................... 7-33
Illuminated EntryExit System
..................... 2-40
Inflation. Tire
.................................. 6-37
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
................. 2-42
Inspections Brakesystem
................................ 7-35
Exhaust Systems
............................. 7-34
Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Boot
.................. 7-34
Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Seal
................... 7-34
Radiator and Heater Hose
...................... 7-34
Steering
.................................... 7-34
Caliper/Knuckle Maintenance
................... 7-34 Suspension
.................................. 7-34
Throttle Linkage
.............................. 7-34
Instrument Panel
............................... 2-46
Brightness Control
............................ 2-39
Cleaning
.................................... 6-46
Cluster
..................................... 2-48
FuseBlock
.................................. 6-54
Interior Lamps
................................. 2-39
Jack. Tire
.................................... 5-26
Jumpstarting
................................... 5-3
Key Lock Cylinders Service ..................... 7-31
Keys
.......................................... 2-2
Labels Certification
................................. 4-31
Service Parts Identification
..................... 6-52
Tire-Loading Information
...................... 4-31
Vehicle Identification Number
................... 6-52
Lamps
........................................ 2-37
Exterior
.................................... 2-37
Interior
..................................... 2-39
OnReminder
................................ 2-38
Leaving Your Vehicle
............................. 2-6
Leaving Your Vehicle with the Engine Running
....... 2-25
Lighter
....................................... 2-44
Lights Air Bag Readiness
............................ 1-23
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
............ 2.53, 4.7
9-5