trailer Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1996 s User Guide

Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the
recommended pressure for cold tires. You’ll find these
numbers on the Tire-Loading Information label (found
inside the
trunk lid) or see “Loading Your Vehicle”
in the Index. Then be sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit for your vehicle, including the weight of
the trailer tongue.
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
a
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer 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 hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-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.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certaifi amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
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
responsive as your vehicle
is by itself.

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

If No Steam,Is Coming From Your Engine If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
If you get the overheat waning but
see or hear no
the engine can get a little too hot when you: drive. Just
to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can
~ steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes drive normally.
I Y Y
’ Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so: ,.
1. Turn off your air conditioner. If
the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign
of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
1
warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window
as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@)
or THIRD (3).
5-14

Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anytkng to your oil. Your Oldsmobile retailer is
ready ‘to advise if you
think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
0
0
0
0
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
,’
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first. If
none of them is true, change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil
to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
e€ements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don’t let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your ’skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer’s warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to
drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don’t ever dispose of oil
by putting
it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers,
or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your retailer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
6-15

I
Operating the.engine wi4.h the air cleaner oi’fcan
cause you or .others to be burned. The
air cleaner
not only cleans the
air, it stops flame if the engine
backfires. Hit isn’t there, and the engine
backfires, you could
be burned. Don’t drive with
it off, and be careful working on the engine with
the
air cleaner off.
NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfii can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into
your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the
air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
-1 -. .. ..
Automatk Transaxle’ Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automaticdransaxle fiui,d
level is when the engine
oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and. filter ,every
30,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the, vehicle is mainly ‘driven under one or
more of these conditions:
’
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90 OF (32 O C) or higher;.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in :taxi, polide or delivery service. ,.,
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter
.. do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
I

How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Oldsmobile retail
facility Service Department.:
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little'fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid. could come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting' a fire. Be sure to
get an accurate reading
if ,you check your
transaxle fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures, are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature,' which is
..I 80°F to 200°F 1
(82°C to 93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
. (24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10OC). If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may
have to drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
0
0
'0
0
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
With the pqking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
.
lever in PARK (P).
Let the. engine run at 'idle for three to five minutes.
6-18

.Maintenance Schedule
I Short Trip/City Definition I
Follow the Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule if any
one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
0 Most trips are through dusty areas.
0 You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
If the vehicle is used for delivery .service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule ifyou
operate your vehicle under any
of these conditions is that
these conditions cause engine oil to break down soonez
Short TriplCity Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Chassis Lubrication
(or
6 months, whichever occurs first).
At 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) -- Then Every
12,000 Miles
(20 000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection, if 'driving in dusty conditions.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every '50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
At 60,000 Miles (100 000 km) -- Then Every
15,000 Miles
(25 000 km): Camshaft Timing Belt
Inspection (3.4L Code
X engine only);
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
Spark.Plug Wire Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete rnainten.ance schedule on
the following pages.
7-4

Short TriplCity Maintenance Schedule -
50,000 Miles (83 000 km) I,
0 Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter
if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
I more of these conditions:
. - In heavy city traffic where.the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90 OF
.(32"C) or higher.
- Inhilly or mountainous terrain.
I - When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
. If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
'delivery service.
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
I 51,000 Miles (85 000 I km)
0 Chage engine oil 'md filter (or every
. . 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
,
DATE .ACTUAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY:
7-15 f'
DATE ' ACTUAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY:
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I I I