Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1996 Owner's Manuals

Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re, towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back
up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come, in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this
‘so your trailer won’tstrike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
4-33

Thrn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Oldsmobile retailer. 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.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs
are still working.
Driving On Grades
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 krn/h) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transaxle overheating. If you
have overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
THIRD
(3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear).
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 damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
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).
5. Release the regular brakes. PARK
(P) yet.
4-34

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
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 clear 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 overfill),
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.
4-35

NOTES
4-36

11111 Section 5 Problems on the Road
1111
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that
can occur on the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Press the switch to make your front and rear turn signal
lamps flash on and
off. Your hazard warning flashers
work no matter what position your key is in, and even
if
the key isn't in.
5-1

~~
~~~ ~
~~~~~ ~ ~~
~~~~ ~ To turn off the flashers, press the switch again. When
the hazard warning flashers
are on, your turn signals
won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at the sid\
e
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 Oldsmobile.
But please follow the steps below to do
it safely.
*- ~-
A CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
0 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 Oldsmobile 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.
NOTICE:
~~ ~
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
5-2

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 Oldsmobile, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly
on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle in PARK
(P) or a manual
transaxle in NEUTRAL
(N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. And it could
save your radio!
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty. 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.
4. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals
on each battery. Your Oldsmobile has a remote
positive
(+) jump starting terminal. The terminal
is on the same side of the engine compartment
as
your battery. You should always use the remote
positive
(+) terminal instead of the positive (+)
terminal on your battery. To uncover the remote
positive
(+) terminal, lift the red plastic cap.
0
5-3

, Ck -ITION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use
a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there.
If it is low, add water to take
care
of that first. If you don’t, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
~~~ ~~ ~~ ~
~~ ~
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation.
If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to
positive
(+) and negative (-) will go to negative (-)
or a metal engine part. Don’t connect positive (+) to
negative (-), or you’ll get a short that would damage
the battery and maybe other parts, too.
once the engines are running.
5-4
r

7. Don’t let the other end
touch metal. Connect
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery., Use a
remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
U
it to the positive (+)
terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black
negative
(-) cable to
the good battery’s
negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end
touch anything until the
next step. The other end
of the negative
(-) cable
doesn’t go to the
dead battery.
It goes to
a heavy, unpainted, metal part on the engine of
the vehicle with the dead battery.
5-5

9. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just as good
there, but the chance of sparks getting back to the
battery is much less.
the engine for a while.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
11. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
~~
12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
L
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other
or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery