brake fluid Oldsmobile Cutlass 1998 Owner's Manuals

If you drive regularly in steep count., or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard
on
mountain roads.
Know how to go downhills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long
hill.
I = ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down a
hiIl. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
0 Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in
hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay
in your own lane.
could be something in your lane, like a stalled car or
an accident.
0 As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passiag or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
4-23

Checking Things Under the Hood
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
Things that burn can get on
hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not
to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
The following sections tell you how to check fluids,
lubricants
and important parts under the hood.
To
open the hood, first pull
the
HOOD release handle
inside the vehicle.

A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank D.
Engine Oil Dipstick
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir E. Brake Fluid Reservoir
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap F.
Air Cleaner
G. Battery
H. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir
6-10

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
There
are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir rnight 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 fured, 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.
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.
6-24

BRAKE
When your bmke fluid fa
to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on.
See ‘‘Brake System Wm
Light’9 in the hdex.
NOTICE:
0
0

Part D: Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants
NOTE: Fluids and lubricants identified below by name,
part number or specification may be obtained from
your retailer.
USAGE
Engine Oil
Engine Coolant
Hydraulic Brake
System
FLUIDLUBRICANT
Engine Oil with the American
Petroleum Institute Certified For
Gasoline Engines “Starburst” symbol of the proper viscosity. To
determine the preferred viscosity
for your vehicle’s engine, see
“Engine Oil”
in the Index.
50/50 mixture of clean water
(preferably distilled) and use only
GM Goodwrench@ DEX-COOL@
or Havoline@ DEX-COOL@
Coolant. See “Engine Coolant” in
the Index.
Delco Supreme
11 ’ Brake Fluid
(GM Part No. 12377967
or
equivalent DOT-3 Brake Fluid).
USAGE
Power Steering
System
Automatic Transaxle
Key Lock
Cylinders
Windshield
Washer Solvent Hood Latch
Assembly, Secondary Latch,
Pivots, Spring
Anchor and
Release Pawl
Hood and Door
Hinges
Weatherstrip
Conditioning
FLUIDLUBRICANT
GM Power Steering Fluid (GM
Part No. 1052884
- 1 pint,
1050017
- 1 quart, or equivalent).
DEXR0N’-III Automatic
Transmission Fluid.
Multi-Pu ose Lubricant,
Superlube
% (GM Part
No. 12346241 or equivalent).
GM Optikleen’ Washer Solvent
(GM Part No. 1051515)
or equivalent.
Lubriplate’ Lubricant Aerosol (GM Part No. 12346293 or
equivalent) or lubricant meeting
requirements
of NLGI # 2,
.Category LB or GC-LB.
Multi-Pu ose Lubricant, Superlube
% (GM Part
No. 12346241 or equivalent).
Dielectric Silicone Grease (GM
Part No. 12345579 or equivalent).
7-31

Section 9 Index
Accessory Power outlets ........................ 2-44
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle ...... 6-3
Adjuster. Seat
.............................. 1.2. 1.52
AirBag
....................................... 1-20
How Does it Restrain .......................... 1-24
How it Works
................................ 1-22
Location
.................................... 1-22
Readiness Light
......................... 1.22. 2.52
Servicing
................................... 1-26
What Makes it Inflate
.......................... 1-24
What Will You See After it Inflates
............... 1-25
When Should it Inflate
......................... 1-24
Air Bag Readiness Light .................... 1.22. 2.52
Aircleaner
.................................... 6-16
Air Conditioning
................................. 3-3
Air Conditioning Refrigerants ..................... 6-60
Alignment and Balance. Tire
...................... 6-40
Aluminum Wheels. Cleaning
...................... 6-48
Antenna. Fixed
................................. 3-22
Antifreeze
..................................... 6-18
hti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
................ 2.53. 4.7
Brakes
................................. 2.53. 4.7
Anti.Theft. Radio
.............................. 3-18 Appearance Care
............................... 6-42
Appearance Care Materials
....................... 6-50
ArbitrationProg
ram .............................. 8-7
Audio Equipment, Adding
.............. 2-16,3-21, 6-52
Audio Systems
.................................. 3-6
Auto-Down Window
............................ 2-28
Automatic Light Control
......................... 2-37
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
....................................... 6-17
Operation
................................... 2-18
Park Mechanism Check ........................ 7-29
Shifting
..................................... 2-18
Backing up with
a Trailer ....................... 4-37
Battery
....................................... 6-27
Jump Starting
................................. 5-3
Replacement. Remote Lock Control
............... 2-9
Saver
...................................... 2-39
BBB Auto Line
................................. 8-7
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
.................... 4-21
Better Business Bureau Mediation
................... 8-7
Warnings .................................... 5-3
Blizzard ...................................... 4-26
9-1

Periodic Maintenance Inspections ................ 7-30
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
............. 7-3 1
Scheduled Maintenance Services .................. 7-4
Short Trip/City Definition
....................... 7-5
Short Trip/City Intervals
........................ 7-5
Maintenance. Underbody ......................... 6-49
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
................. 4-40
Making
Turns with a Trailer ...................... 4-37
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
...................... 2-55
Manual Front Seat
............................... 1-2
Manual Remote Control Mirror
.................... 2-40
Methanol
...................................... 6-4
Mirror Reading Lamps
........................... 2-39
Mirrors
....................................... 2-40
Convex Outside
.............................. 2-41
Inside Day/Night Rearview
..................... 2-40
Manual Remote Control
........................ 2-40
Outside
..................................... 2-40
Power Remote Control
......................... 2-41
Visor Vanity
................................. 2-44
MountainRoads
................................ 4-22
Multifunction Lever
............................. 2-29
Net. Convenience
.............................. 2-43
Neutral. Automatic Transaxle
..................... 2- 19
New Vehicle “Break-In”
......................... 2-13
Nightvision
................................... 4-15
Selecting the Right Schedule
..................... 7-4
Odometer
.................................... 2-49
Odometer. Trip
................................. 2-49
Off-RoadRecovery
............................. 4-11
Oil. Engine
.................................... 6-11
Oil Pressure Warning Light ....................... 2-57
Outside Mirror
................................. 2-40
Overheating Engine
............................. 5-12
Owner Checks and Services
....................... 7-26
Owner Publications. Ordering
..................... 8-10
Paint Spotting. Chemical ........................ 6-49
Park ShiftingInto
................................. 2-23
Shifting Out of
............................... 2-25
Park. Automatic Transaxle
........................ 2-18
Paxking
AtNight
.................................... 2-12
Brake
...................................... 2-12
Brake Mechanism Check
....................... 7-29
Lots
....................................... 2-12
Over Things That
Bum ........................ 2-26
WithaTrailer
................................ 4-39
Passenger Position
.............................. 1-20
Passing
....................................... 4-12
Passing with a Trailer
............................ 4-37
Passlock
...................................... 2-13
Passlock Warning Light
.......................... 2-59
Periodic Maintenance Inspections
.................. 7-30