check engine light Oldsmobile Cutlass 1998 Owner's Manuals

Tachometer
RPM
x 1000
The tachometer shows your engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
1 NOTICE:
Do not run your engine at speeds in the red area,
or engine damage may occur.
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement, Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you
or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to
let you know they’re working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you
are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about
it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
2-50

Waiting to do repairs can be costly -- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to ON or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows the air bag symbol. The system
checks the air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. The
system check includes the air bag sensor, the
air bag
modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and
diagnostic module. For more information on the
air bag
system, see
“Air Bag” in the Index.
I
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds,
then it will flash for about
55 seconds. This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This mans
the svstem is rea
, ..
If the driver’s belt is already buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on. If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes
on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The
air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when
you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
2-51

Low Coolant Warning Light
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop
your vehicle and
turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
m
This light comes on briefly
when you
turn your
ignition to
ON.
If this light comes on and stays on and you hear a chime,
the vehicle should promptly be pulled off the road and
the coolant level checked.
See “Engine Coolant” in the Index.
If there are visible
signs of steam, see “Engine Overheating” in the Index
before opening
the hood. Have your vehicle serviced as
soon as you can.

Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check Engine Light)
CHECK
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation
of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called
OBD 11 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The
CHECK ENGINE light comes on to
indicate that there is a problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before
any problem is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage to your vehicle.
This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing
any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after
a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust or fuel system of your vehicle or the
replacement of the original tires with other than
those
of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission controls
and may cause the light to come
on.
modifications to these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by your warranty. This
may also result
in a failure to pass a required
Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.

This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition
is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your vehicle. Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
0 Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
2-56

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index).
Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to
run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may
go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to
turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to
turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your retailer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Warning Light
If you have a low engine oil
pressure problem, this light
will stay on after you start
your engine,
or come on
and you will
hear a chime
when you are driving.
This indicates that your engine is not receiving enough
oil. The engine could be low
on oil, or could have some
other oil problem. Have it fixed immediately.
When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a test to
show you it is
working, but the light will
go out when the en-gine is
running. If it doesn’t come on with the ignition on,
you may have a problem with the fuse or bulb. Have
it fixed right away.
2-57

Check Oil Light
Don’t keep ariving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil
as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
your warranty.
1 problems can be costly and is not covered by
/ OIL
This light will come on
briefly when you start
your vehicle.
If the light comes on and you hear a chime or stays on
after starting your vehicle, your engine oil level should
be checked.
Prior to checking the oil level, be sure your vehicle has
been shut
off for several minutes and is on a level
surface. Check the oil level on your dipstick and bring
it
to the proper level. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
NOTE: A false CHECK OIL light may be generated
when parking on steep grades.
The oil level monitoring system only checks oil level
during the brief period between key on
and engine
crank.
It does not monitor engine oil level when the
engine is running. Additionally, an oil level check is
only performed if the engine has been turned
off for a
considerable period
of time allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the oil pan.

To help avoid hearing loss or darnage:
0 Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
0 Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two-way radio
-- be sure you can
add what you want.
If you can, it’s very
important to do
it properly. Added sound
equipment may interfere with the operation of
your vehicle’s engine, Delco Electronics radio
or
other systems, and even damage them. Your
vehicle’s systems may interfere with the
operation of sound equipment that has been
added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your retailer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored
in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat.
If they aren’t, they.may not operate
properly or may cause failure of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate
that you have used your tape player for
50 hours without
resetting the tape clean timer.
If this message appears on
the display, your cassette tape player needs to be
cleaned. It will
still play tapes, but you should clean it as
soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and
player.
If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a
known good cassette to see
if it is the tape or the tape
player at fault.
If this other cassette has no improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player.
The recommended cleaning method for your cassette
tape player is the use of a scrubbing action,
non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette
turn.
The recommended cleaning cassette is available through
your retail facility
(GM Part No. 12344789).
3-21

The coalant level should be at or above FULL COLD
m-ark .or slightly higher.
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.
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause
an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
1 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 cooling fans are running.
If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running.
If
they aren’t, your vehicle needs service.

Engine Oil
CHECK
OIL
If the CHECK OIL light
on the instrument panel
comes on, it means you
need to check your engine
oil level right away.
For more information, see “Check Oil Light” in the
Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly;
this is an added reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine
oil every time you
get fuel.
In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground. The engine
yellow and
fi-ont
of the oil
dipstick is
located on the engine.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan.
If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.