OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE 1998 Manual Online

Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has a
Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock (BTSI). You must
fully apply your regular brakes before
you can shift
from PARK (P) when the ignition
is in ON. If you
cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift
lever by pushing it all the way into PARK (P) while
keeping the brake pushed down. Then move the shift
lever out
of PARK (P), being sure to press the shift lever
button. See “Shifting Out
of PARK (P)” in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift
to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re already
moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use NEUTRAL (N)
when your vehicle is being towed.
Shifting out of PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL (N)
while your engine is “racing” (running at high
speed) is dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on
the brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people
or objects. Don’t shift out
of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
2-21
ProCarManuals.com

DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. It is
the drive position. If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
0 Going less than 35 mph (55 km/hj, push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator pedal all the way down.
0 Going about 35 mph (55 km/hj or more, push the
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 (55 kmh) and DRIVE (D) for
higher speeds.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving. but it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD
(3)
instead of DRIVE (Dj:
0 When driving on hilly, winding roads.
0 When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
0 When going down a steep hill.
22
ProCarManuals.com

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.
NOTICE:
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than 25 miles
(40 km) at speeds over 55 mph (88 kmk), or you
can damage your transaxle. Use DRIVE
(D) or
THIRD (3) as much as possible.
Don’t shift into SECOND
(2) unless you are going
slower than
65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage your engine.
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
shift lever is put
in FIRST (l), 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 could 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.
2-23
ProCarManuals.com

-
---king Brake
To set parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot.
Push down the parking
brake pedal with your
left foot.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot and push the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. When you lift your left
foot, the parking brake pedal will follow it to the
released position.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
2-24
ProCarManuals.com

Shifting Into PARK (P)
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps that
follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position like this:
0 Hold in the button on the lever and push the lever all
1. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
the way toward the front of the vehicle.
2. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave with the ignition key in your hand, your
vehicle is in
PARK (P).
2-25
ProCarManuals.com

Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
L
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the
engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless
you have to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake
is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into the PARK (P)
position, hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move the shift lever away from PARK
(P)
without first pulling it toward you If you can, it means
that
the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transaxle into
PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force
on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK
(P). This is called “torque lock.” To
prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then shift
into PARK (P) properly before you leave the driver’s
seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in
the Index.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out
of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some
of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-26
ProCarManuals.com

Shifting Out of Park (P)
lour vehicle nas a Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock
(BTSI). You must fully apply your regular brakes before
you can shift from PARK (P) when
the ignition is in
ON. See “Automatic Transaxle Operation” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK
(P), ease pressure on
the shift lever by pushing it all the way into PARK
(P)
while keeping the brake pedal pushed down. Release the
shift lever button
as you maintain brake application.
Then move
the shift lever out of PARK (P) into the gear
that you wish.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out of PARK(P), try this:
1. Turn the key to ACC.
2. Apply and hold the brake.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the engine and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
r
-
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that
can burn.
2-27
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Exhaust
Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas
carbon monoxide
(CO), which you can’t see or
smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death.
You might have exhaust coming in if:
0 Your exhaust system sounds strange
0 Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
0 Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
0 Your vehicle was damaged when driving over
high points on the road or over road debris.
Repairs weren’t done correctly.
0 Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
0 Drive it only with all the windows down to
0 Have your vehicle fixed immediately.
or
different.
modified improperly.
blow out any
CO; and
Running Your En,gine While
You’re Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever : ire to, here are some things t ~ aow.
Idling the engine with the climate control system
off could allow dangerous exhaust into your
vehicle (see the earlier Caution under “Engine
Exhaust”)
.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide
(CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan switch is at the highest setting. One place
this can happen is a garage. Exhaust
-- with
CO
-- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
(See “Blizzard” in the Index.)
2-28
ProCarManuals.com

It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you’ve left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift
lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index.
If
you are parking on a hill and if you’re pulling a
trailer, also see “Towing a Trailer’’ in the Index.
Windows
Power Windows
Switches on the driver’s door armrest control each of the
windows when the ignition is on. In addition, each
passenger door has a switch for its own window.
The driver’s window switch has an auto-down fe.ature.
This switch is labeled AUTO. Tap the switch back, and
the driver’s window will open a small amount.
Tf the
switch is moved all the way back, the window will go all
the way down.
2-29
ProCarManuals.com

To stop the window while it is lowering, press the
switch.
To raise the window, press and hold the switch.
Tilt Steering Wheel
The driver’s window
controls also include
a
lock-out switch. Press
LOCK to stop front and
rear passengers from using
their window switches.
The driver can still control all windows with the lock on.
Press the other side of the
LOCK switch for normal
window operation. A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive.
You can also raise it to the
highest level to give your legs more room when
you exit
and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering wheel to
a comfortable level,
then release the lever to lock
the wheel in place.
2-30
ProCarManuals.com