trailer Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1995 Owner's Manuals

New Vehicle “Break-In” Ignition Switch
NOTICE:
Your *modern Oldsmobile doesn’t need an
elaborate “break-in.” But it
will perform better
in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
0 Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow 0- for the first 500 miles (804 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
0 Avoid making hard stops for the fist
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.
0 Don’t tow a trailer during “break-in.” See
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index for more
information.
..
C
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn the switch to five positions:
ACC (A): This position lets you use things like the
radio and windshield wipers when the engine is off. To
use
ACC, push in the key and turn it toward you. Your
steering wheel will stay locked.
3-1 I

DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. It is the
Overdrive position. If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
- Going less than 35 mph (56 M), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
- Going about 35 mph (56 kmh) or more, push the
accelerator pedal all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more
power.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems tb 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 km/h) and DRIVE (D) for
higher speeds. THIRD
(3): THIRD (3) is like DRIVE (D),
but you
never
go into Overdrive.
Here are some times you might choose THIRD
(3)
instead of DRIVE (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
between gears.
lr
brakes off and on.
NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than
5 miles (8 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(88 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle. Use
DRIVE
@) or THIRD (3) as much aspossible.
Don’t
shift into SECOND (2) unless you are going
slower than
65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage your engine.

If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill, Column Shift
see “Towing a Trailer” in’ the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving. 1. Hold’the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
Shifting Into PARK (P) 2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position like
2-19
c

NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your vehicle and resalt
in costly repairs not covered by
jour warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Oldsmobile
retailer for important information about towing a trailer with your vehicle.

I
I
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
0 There are may different laws, including speec i limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
0 Consider using a sway control.
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls.
0
0
0
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1000 miles
(1
600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during
the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at, full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t
drive faster than the’maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than 55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts. Three important
considerations have to do with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 pounds
(450: kg).
But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig.
For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is, used to pull
a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your retailer for our trailering information
or advice, or
you can write us at Oldsmobile Network,.
P.O. Box 30095, Lansing, MI 48909.
In Canada, write to General Motors of Canada Limited,
Customer Assistance Center, 1908 Colonel
Sam Drive,
Oshawa, Ontario LlH
8P7.
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I

Weight of the Trailer Tongue -. <
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to’ measure because it affects the total capacity
weight
of your‘vehicle. The capaci,ty weight includes the
curb weight
of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in
it, and the people who will be riding
in the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the’ Index for .more information about
your vehicle% maximum load capacity.
A
I

Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are
a
few reasons why you’ll need’the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
0
0
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a:trader hitch?
If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide”
in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental lvtches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frsune-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the.hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation
for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to‘the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into
your vehicle’s brake system.
If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at all.

-
I
,'
Driving with a Trailer Following Distance
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount
of experience. Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle .ahead as- you - .
Before setting out for the open road, you'll want to get would when driving your veh\
icle without a trailer. This$,
to know your rig. AcquQint yourself with the feel of can help you avoid situations that require heavy br-it
and sudden turns.
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that ,the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer
and not nearly as . Passing
responsive as your vehicle is by itself. You'll need more passing distance up ahead when
Before you start, check the.trailer hitch and platform you're' towing a trailer. And, because you're a good deal
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector, longer, \
you'll need to go much farther beyond the
lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has passed vehicle before you can return to your \
lane.
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
the brakes are working. This lets you check ,your Hold the bottom
of the steering wheel with one hand.
electrical connection at the same time. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
During your
trip, check occasionally to' be sure that the to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
load is secure, and that the lights and any trailer brakes hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
are still working. possible. have someone guide you.
.. . ~.
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure Backing Up
?'

Making ’hrns When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
.~ ~~~ ~ ~~ ~ instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned oat. Thus, you may think drivers
c e.. NOTICE: behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
, important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
Making very sharp turns while trailering could bulbs ‘be still w’orking.
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could
be damaged. Avoid Driving On Grades
I- making very sharp turns while trailering. I
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road
signs, trees, or other objects.
Avoid,jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
lhrn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps
will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or,stop. Reduce
speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 kdh) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer, you may prefer to drive in
THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D) (or, as you need to, a
lower gear).
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Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached,
on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and
both^
your vehicle and the trailer can be darnaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
.I. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
.. !PARK (P) yet.
2. ‘Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK
(P).
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking o,n a
Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
8’. .
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is dear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for,more
.on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t oyerfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system, .and brake adjustment.
Each of these
is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea
to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
4-34,