fuel Oldsmobile Cutlass 1998 Owner's Manuals

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYESBY
@
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BAllERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAM€S
SPARK OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your vehicle
is
driven:
UNLOCK Pa
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
.;/
AIR BAG p
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e
TURN
RUNNING
* 0
DAYTIME -
LAMPS .**
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
wm Q
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
VENTILATING
* 9
FAN 4
These symbols
are used on
warning and indicator lights:
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING I-1
BAlTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
V

Passlock@
Your vehicle is equipped with the passlock
theft-deterrent system.
Passlock
is a~passive theft-deterrent system. The system
is armed once the key is removed from the ignition.
Passlock enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is
turned with a valid key.
If a correct key is not used, fuel
is disabled.
During
normal operation, the THEFT SYSm light
will go
off after the engine is started.
If the THEFT SYSTEM light flashes, wait until the light
stops flashing before starting the engine.
If the THEFT SYSTEM light comes on while the engine
is running, a problem has been detected and the system
may need service. See your retailer
for service.
In an emergency, cal
Assistance Center at 1 the Oldsmobile Roadside
1-800-442-OLDS
(6537).
New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
‘70reak-in.” But
it will perform better in the long
run if you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow -- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
See
“Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index for
more information.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
0 Don’t tow a trailer during break-in.
2-13

2. If your engine won’t start (or starts but then stops), it
could be flooded with too much gasoline, Try
pushing your accelerator pedal all the way
to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for up to
15 seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your retailer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part
of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0°F (- 18 O C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting
and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
2-16

~ ~~~~~~
~~ ~~~~ ~ ~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is for
normal driving.
If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
Going less than 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down. You’ll shift down to
the next gear and have more power.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly, or
if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with
a transaxle system
sensor.
If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged.
So, if this happens, have
your vehicle serviced right away. Until then, you
can use SECOND
(2) when you are driving less
than
35 mph (56 kmh) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE
(D) for higher speeds.
~ .~ ~~
~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D). Here
are some times you might choose THIRD
(3) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND
(2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND
(2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you
go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes
off and on.
between gears.
2-20

NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for m,ore than
25 miles (41 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(88 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.
Use AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) ‘or
THIRD (3) as much as possible. Don’t shift into
SECOND (2) unless you are going slower than
65 mph (105 kmk) or you can damage
your engine.
SECOND (2) will select either first or second gear
depending on vehicle speed. If your vehicle is slowing,
the transaxle will downshift to first gear at
20 to
25 miles per hour (32 to 40 km/h) for engine braking.
You may notice some variation in shift speed in
SECOND
(2) when accelerating or braking.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy)
than SECOND (2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
If the selector lever is put in FIRST (1)’ the transaxle
won’t
shift into first gear until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If’ your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand
or mud or were up against a solid
object. You can damage your transaxle.
Also,
if‘ you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes or shift into PARK
(P)
to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.

Your instrument panel is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll k\
now how fast
you’re going, how much fuel you’re using, and many other things you’ll need to drive \
safely and economically.
The main components of your instrument panel
are:
A. Fog Lamp Switch
B. Instrument Panel Intensity Control
C. Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
D. Cruise Control Switches (If Equipped)
E. Horn
F. Instrument Panel Cluster
G. Windshield Wiper/Washer Lever
H. Ignition Switch
I. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
J. Fuse Panels
K. Climate Control System
L. Accessory Power Outlets
M. Gear Shift Lever
N. Audio System
0. Park Brake Pedal
P. Tilt Wheel Lever
Q. Hood Release Lever
R. Trunk Release Button
S. Instrument Panel Cupholder
2-47

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.

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

Door Ajar Light
When the ignition is on, this
light will stay on until all
doors are closed and
completely latched.
You will hear a brief chime if a door
is unlatched after
the engine is started and the vehicle is not
in PARK (P)
or NEUTRAL (N).
Fuel Gage
UN
0
E 0
0 FUELDOOR 83 D
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left, when the ignition
is on. When the indicator
nears empty, the light will come on and you will hear a
chime. You still have a little
fuel left, but you should get
more soon. Here are four things that
some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
0 It takes a little more or less fuel to
fill up than the
the gage reads full.
gage indicated.
For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a
little more
or less than half the tank’s capacity to fill
the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or, I
The gage goes back to empty when you turn off
speed up.
the ignition.

e
+’ FLOOR: In this position most of the airflow
comes through the floor outlet. The rest of the
air comes
through the windshield and side window vents. Set the
center control knob to the temperature desired.
+# DEFOG: This position divides the airflow
between the floor outlets and the windshield
defroster vent.
we
DEFROST This position directs most of the
airflow through the windshield defroster vent. Some of
the air goes to the floor outlets. The air conditioning
compressor will run automatically
in this position when
it is needed to help dry the air in the vehicle.
Air Conditioning Compressor Button
Press A/C to operate the air conditioner compressor.
The indicator light will glow when the button is pressed
to indicate that the
air conditioning system has been
turned on.
Recirculation Button
Press REClRCULATION to close all outside vents.
The indicator light on the button will glow when
it is
pressed. RECIRCULATION is available in
all modes,
except DEFOG and DEFROST. It
is not recommended to use
this button in the floor
mode with heat. It
is useful to quickly cool the vehicle
on hot days.
&b Outside Air
Press OUTSIDE AIR to allow the circulation of outside
air in the vehicle. The indicator light on the button
will
glow when pressed. OUTSIDE AIR is available in all
modes including
OFF and is automatically activated in
DEFOG and DEFROST.
Air Conditioning
The air conditioner and heater work best if you keep
your windows closed while using them. Your vehicle also has the flow-through ventilation system described
later in
this section.
On very hot days, open the windows
long enough to
let hot inside air escape. This reduces the time it takes
for your vehicle to cool down, which should help
fuel economy.
On cool, but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower
body may not be wm enough.
You can use
BI-LEVEL with the temperature knob in
the middle and the A/C button pushed in. The system
will bring in outside
air and direct slightly warmer air to
your lower body.
I