ESP Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1996 Owner's Manuals

or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you
slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make
such good sense.
Here ‘Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
12.. Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if
I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during
and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
ypu are belted.
@ If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be
in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only;
so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
wear safety belts?
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.

I .. . .. 4. Run the;vehicle's safety belt through or mound-the
restraint.
The child respint instnxctions will show
you how. directions-to be
sure'it
is secure. E it isn't, secure .the
restraint in a Werent place in the vehicle and
contact
the child restraint maker for their advice
about how to attach the child restraint properly.
-3 1
..
I' 1

Door Locks
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and
fall out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won’t open
it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be
so obvious: You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in
a
crash if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you will be
far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your door key or Remote Lock
Control transmitter, if your vehicle has this option.
On two-door models, the door lock will light up for about
15 seconds if you pull the door handle. The light can help
you find where to put your key when it’s dark outside. From
the inside, push the lever down to lock the door.
To unlock, push the lever up.
Power Door Locks
Press the power door lock switch to lock or unlock
all doors.
On four-door models, the rear doors do not have power
door lock switches. The lever on each rear door works
only that door’s lock. It won’t lock or unlock
all the doors.
2-3

I
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your Oldsmobile has a number of
theft-deterrent features, we know that nothing we put on
it can make it impossible to steal. However, there are
~ . ways you can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves
-- so
don’t do it.
When you park your Oldsmobile and open the driver’s
door, you’ll hear a chime reminding you to remove your
key from the ignition and take it with you. Always do
this. Your steering wheel will be locked, and
so will
your ignition and transaxle. And remember to lock
the doors.
Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember
to keep your valuables out of sight.
Put them in a storage area, or take them with you.
’Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it’s best to lock it up and take your keys.
But what if you have to leave your ignition key? What if
you have to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
Put your valuables in a storage area, like your trunk
0 Lock the glove box.
Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
Then take the door key with you. or
glove box.
PASS-Key@ I1
Your vehicle is equipped
with the PASS-Key
I1
(Personalized Automotive
Security System)
theft-deterrent system.
PASS-Key
I1 is a passive
theft-deterrent system.
It works when you insert
or remove the key from
the ignition.
2-8

Lamps
r.
The lamp controls are on the instrument panel. They
control these systems:
.
0 Headlamps
Taillamps
Parking Lamps
License Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
0 Courtesy Lamps
Fog Lamps
2Q.. , Turn the knob to this symbol (B) to turn the
headlamps and other operating lamps.
PC Turn the knob to this symbol (A) to turn on
the parking and other operating lamps without
the headlamp s .
Turn the knob to OFF to turn off the lamps.
A warning chime will sound when you,.turn the ignition
switch to the OF", LOCK or ACC position with the
lamps on.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DIU) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work,
so be sure it isn't covered.

Understanding Radio Reception
F" Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound. But FM signals
will reach only about
10 to 40 miles (1 6 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with
FM signals, causing
the sound to come and go.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other.
AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud
and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe sound level before your hearing adapts to it.
To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
0 Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
0 Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
I 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 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.
3-26
bP

The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one
drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers
will speed that up. “I’ll be careful” isn’t the
~ , right answer. What if there’s an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able
to react quickly enough to-avoid the collision.
There’s something else about drinking and driving ,ihat
many people don’t know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person’$ system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord or
heart. This means that when anyone who has been
drinking
-- driver or passenger -- is in a crash, that
person’s chance
of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not been drinking.
I
~ a CA-TIO, I:
Drinking and then driving is-very dangerous. ,
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and
judgment can be affected by even a small amount
of alcohol. You can‘have
a serious -- or even ,
fatal -- collision if you drive after drinking.
Please don’t drink and drive or ride with a driver
who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab.; or
if
you’re with a group, designate a driver who will
not drink.

Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst of all traffic accidents
-- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and to
crossroads for situations that might affect
your passing
patterns.
If you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for a better time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken
center line usually indicates it’s
all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid
line on your side of the lane or a double solid line,
even
if the road seems empty of approaching traflk.
Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass
while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one thing,
following too closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you’re following a larger vehicle.
Also, you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle
ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
0 When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And
if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull out
to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
4-11

0 Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
0 If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to
do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly
seek an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are
always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
Oldsmobile’s
three control systems. In the braking skid,
your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.

Here are some tips on night driving.
0 Drive defensively.
0 Don’t drink and drive.
0 Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
0 Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
glare
from headlamps behind you.
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
0 Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light
up only so much road ahead.
0 In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night Vision
have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
~ worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils
of your eyes contract repeatedly.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old roadway when you
are in a turn or curve. Keep your
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
same thing at night as a ‘20-year-old. lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should
be
What you
,do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
even aware of it.
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
1
4-14