Oldsmobile 1997 Achieva User manual

The 1997 Oldsrnobile Achieva Owner’s Manual
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Seatsand Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SRS” system.
Featuresand Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your Oldsmobile.
ComfortControlsand Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjustthe ventilation and comfortcontrols and how to operate your audio system.
Your Drivingand the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problemson the Road
This section tells what todo if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Serviceand AppearanceCare
Here the manual tells you how tokeep your Oldsmobilerunning properly and looking good.
MaintenanceSchedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenanceand what fluids and lubricants to use.
CustomerAssistanceInformation
This section tells you how to contact Oldsmobile for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects’’on page 8-8.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing ofalmost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you wantto read.
i

GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
OLDSMOBILE, the OLDSMOBILE Rocket Emblem
and the name ACHIEVA are registered trademarks of
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time it
was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
in the
product after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors of Canada Limited” for Oldsmobile
Division whenever it appears in this manual.
Pleasekeep this manual in your Oldsmobile,
so it will
be there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If
you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual
in it so the
new owner can use it.
pJ CERTIFIED
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION
THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propriktaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guideen franqais chez
votre concessionaire
ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario
L5T IC7
Litho
in U.S.A. @CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1996
Part No. 22652547 B First Edition All Rights Reserved
ii

How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receivetheir new vehicle.
If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls foryour vehicle. Inthis manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together
to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look forwhat you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabeticallist of what’s in
the manual, and the page number where you’ll find it.
Safety Warningsand Symbols
You will find anumber of safety cautions in this book.
We use a
box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurtyou if you were to ignore
the warning.
I
Thesemean there is somethingthat could hurt
you or other people.
In-thecaution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to helpavoid
or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions.If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with
a slash through itin
this book. Thissafety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also in this book you will find these notices:
I NOTICE:
Thesemean there is somethingthat could
damage
your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times,this damage would
not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the noticewill
tell you what to do to helpavoid
the damage.
When
you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colorsor in
different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

Vehicle Symbols
These
are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used
on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
4
BELTS
n
POWER
WINDOW
'tl
These symbols
have
to do wilh
your lamps:
SIGNALS e e
TURN
RUNNING .'****o
DAYTIME
LAMPS '**
FOGLAMPS $0
These symbols
are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator
lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BAlTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE (@)
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE -%-
LIGHTER n
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL e3

b NOTES
vi

Section 1 Seatsand RestraintSystems
Here you’ll find information aboutthe seats in your Oldsmobile and how to use your safety belts properly. You can
also learn about
some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
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Seats and Seat Controls
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
Here Are QuestionsMany People
Ask About
Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Right Front Passenger Position
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
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Rear Seat Passengers
CenterPassenger Position
Children
Child Restraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash
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Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you aboutthe seats -- how to
adjust them, and
also about reclining seatbacks and
head restraints.
Manual Seats
I A CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicleif you try to
adjusta manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving.The sudden movementcouldstartle and
confuseyou,
or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjustthe driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is notmoving.
Move the lever under the front seat to unlock it. Slide
the seat to where you want
it. Then release the lever and
try to move the seat with your body, to make sure the
seat
is locked in place.

4-Way Manual Seat
Manual Lumbar Support (If Equipped)
I
There aretwo levers at the frontof the seat. The left
lever
(A) adjusts the seat forward and back. The right
lever
(B) adjusts the angle of the front of the seat.
Turn the knob on the right of the driver’s seat cushion
clockwise or counterclockwiseto adjust support
for the
lower back.
The lever near the outer sideof the seat
(A) unlocks the
seat allowing
it to slide forward and back. Then release
the lever and try to move the seat to be certain that it is
locked
in place.
The lever
on the right (B) allows you to tilt the seat up
and down.
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Power Seat (If Equipped)
Rear Control (C): Raise the rear of the seat by holding
the switch up. Lower the rear of the seat by holding the
switch down,
Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the power seat:
Front Control (A): Raise the front of the seat by
holding the switch up. Lower the front of the seat by
holding the switch down.
Center Control (B): Move the seat forward or back by
holding the control to the front or back.
Move
the seat higher by holding the control up. Lower
the seat by holding
the control down.
To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outer side of
the seat and move the seatback where
you want it.
Release the lever to lock the seatback.
Pull up on the lever and the seat will go
to an
upright position.
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But don’t havea seatback reclinedif your vehicle is moving.
A CAUTION:
I
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicleis
in motion canbe dangerous. Even
if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t
do their jobwhen
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against yourbody. Instead, itwill be in
front of you.
In a crashyou could go into it,
receiving neckor other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In
a crash the
belt couldgo up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, notat yourpelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For properprotection when the vehicle is
in
motion, have theseatback upright. Then sitwell
back in the seat and wear your safetybelt properly.
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint
is closest to the top of your ears. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
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Seatback Latches (2-Door Models)
The front seatback foldsforward to let people get into
the back seat.
To fold a frontseat forward, lift the seatback latch.
When you return the seatback to its original position, the
seatback
will lock.
Easv Ent
Seat (2-Door Models)
A CAC JON:
If an easy entry right front seat isn’t locked, it
can move. In
a suddenstop or crash, the person
sitting there could be injured. After you’ve used
it, be sure
to push rearward onaneasy entryseat
to be sure it
is locked.
The right front seat of your vehicle makes it easy to get
in andout of the rear seat.
Tilt the right front seatback completely forward and
the whole seat will slide forward.
Move the right front seatback to its original position
after someone gets into the rear seat area. Then move
the seat rearward
until it locks.
Tilt the seatback completely forward again to get out.
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Rear Seats
Folding the Rear Seat (If Equipped)
To fold down the rear seat, pull forward
on the seat tab.
Push the seatback up to return it to its original position.
To make sure the seatback is secure,push it into a
Mly
upright position. A loose seatbackcan cause an injury in
a sudden stop.
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly.
It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And itexplainsthe Supplemental Restraint System
(SRS),
or air bag system.
Don’t let anyone ride where he
or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly.If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing
a safety belt, your injuries
can be muchworse.
You can hit things inside the
vehicle orbe ejected from
it. You can be seriously
injured orkilled. In the same crash,you might
not beif you
are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt,and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properlytoo.
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It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outsideof
a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are morelikely to be
seriously injuredor killed.
Do not allow people to
ride in any area
of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safetybelts. Be sure
everyone in yourvehicle is in
a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
I
Your vehicle has a light that
comes on as a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light”
in the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’tknow if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be
so
seriousthat even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are
in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimeswalk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. Inmost crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!

Why Safety BeltsWork
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes.
~~ ~ ~~~
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it's just a seat on wheels.
Put someone on it.
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r
Get it up to speed.Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’tstop. The person keeps going until stopped
by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
1-10

I
or the instrument panel ...
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 strongestbones take the forces.That’s why
safety belts makesuch
good sense.
1-11

Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accidentif I’m wearing
a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt ornot. 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
you are belted.
If my vehiclehasair bags,why shouldI haveto
wear safety belts?
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 salehas required the use
of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags,
you stillhave to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
@ If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
home, why should I wear safety belts?
accident -- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver
doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number
of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph
(65 hh).
Safety belts are for everyone.