Oldsmobile Cutlass 1978 Series User manual

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A WORD TO OLDSMOBILE OWNERS
manual has been prepared to a<XIuaint you with the operation and maintenance of your
8 Oldsmobile, and
to provide important safety information. It is supplemented by two
convenient folders. These folders
give you maintenance and warranty information. We urge
you
to read these publications carefully. Follow the recommendations to help assure the most
enjoyable and troublefree operation
of your car.
rPl<,tiiTIO this manual, you will notice that many specifications are given in both metric
CUl!ilO.maryunits. precise accuracy is not needed, some conversions have been
l:lVe:nl1IUrrlb~lr$l()t your handy use.
~lrneli~(I¥"i~,.~e]1ielnbler that your Oldsmobile dealer knows your car best. Your
satisfaction. Return to your dealer for Guardian
repairs your car may need.
your needs, Oldsmobile maintains a number
of Zone Offices
you have a problem that has not been handled
to your satisfaction,
Section Six
of this manual under the heading ''Owner Assistance".
if()lr.Clll.i:'I()siIlg an Oldsmobile product, and want to assure you of our continuing
"'''''''>lL''''' and satisfaction.
OLDSMOBILE DIVISION
General Motors Corporation
Lansing, Michigan 48921
FOR CONTINUING
SATISFACTION, KEEP
YOUR
GM CAR ALLGM.
GENERAL MOTORS
PARTS ARE IDEN-
TIFIED BY ONE OF
THESE TRADEMARKS:
,...
V
DelCO
"NOTE TO CANADIAN OWNERS:
If preferred, a French Owner's Manual can
be obtained from either your Dealer or
by
writing to General Motors of Canada Limited,
Technical Publications Department, Oshawa,
Ontario L1J 5Z6."
Aux propriataires canadians
On peut se procurer un exemplaira de ce
Guide
en fran9ais aupres du concessionnaire
ou du service des publications technique
General Motors
of Canada Limited, Oshawa,
Ontario L1J 5Z6.
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1978
OLDSMOBILE
OWNER'S MANUAL
This manual should be considered a permanent
part of this car. It should stay with the car when
sold, to provide the next owner with important
safety, op~rating and maintenance information.
All information, illustrations and specifications
contained in this manual are based on the latest
product information available at the time of
printing. The right is reserved to make changes at
any time without notice.
For cars sold in Canada, substitute the name
General Motors of Canada Limited whenever
the name Oldsmobile Division
appear.; in this
manual.
Applicable to California Sales Only- This car as
delivered by GM Oldsmobile Division has a
bumper energy absorption system meeting
California Vehicle Code Section 34715.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
II
II
E
II
E
E
II
BEFORE DRIVING YOUR OLDSMOBILE
STARTING AND OPERATING
A-STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS
B-FLOOR CONTROLS
C-INSTRUMENT PANEL
D-OTHER CONTROLS AND FEATURES
E-STATION WAGON FEATURES
IN CASE 0F EMERGENCY
APPEARANCE CARE
SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE
SPECIFICATIONS, OWNER ASSISTANCE & INDEX
GAS STATION INFORMATION
--
-
--
-
-
-
8"4'+11
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BEFORE DRIVING YOUR OLDSMOBILE
DRIVERDAllY CHECKLIST
BEFORE.ENTERING CAR:
1. See that windows, mirrors and lights are
clean.
2. Check whether any tire is low or flat.
(You may need to check with a
gage to
tell
if radial tires are properly inflated.)
3. Check that all lights work .
4. Look for fluid leaks.
5. Check area behind car if about to back
up.
BEFORE·DRIVING OFF:
1. Lock all doors.
2. Adjust seat and head restraints.
3. Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
4. Fasten seat belts;
2
5. Check that warning lights work as key is
turned to "RUN" or "START".
6. Check all gages.
7. Release parking brake and see that
"BRAKE" light turns off.
8. Be sure you know your car and its
equipment and how
to use it safely.
GUARD AGAINST THEFT
For tips on how to protect your car and its
contents,
see the "Starting and Operating"
section of this manual.
KEYS
Two different keys are provided for the
locks
on your car. The key code is stamped
on the "knock-out" plug in the key head.
• Key with square head (letter "J")-for
ignition switch only.
• Key with oval head (letter "K") -for all
other locks.
For car security:
• Record the key code numbers; then
knock plugs out
of keys.
• Keep the key codes in a safe place such
as your wallet,NOT IN THE CAR.
If the original keys are lost, duplicates can
be made using the key codes. Contact any
GM dealer ora locksmith.
If you park in an attended lot,separate and
leave yoursquare-head ignition key only.
Lock your glove box and take the
oval-head key with you. This will help
prevent any illegal entry into the glove box
and trunk compartment.
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REAR SEAT FILLER PANEL
CAUTION: The filler panel between
the rear seat
and the rear window
should not be
used to carry objects -
even those that are small and light. In an
accident, they could be thrown about
and injure people in the car.
Large items
will also reduce
vision to the rear.
DOOR LOCKS
Front and rear doors can be locked from
the inside by pushing down the door lock
buttons on the upper door panel. All doors
can be locked from the outside by pushing
down the lock button
and clOSing the door.
The front doors
can also be locked with
the oval·head key.
EXTERIOR DOOR LATCH
Pull lift bar upward and outward to open
door.
POWER DOOR LOCKS
The power door-lock system (optional)
makes it possible to lock and unlock all
doors
at the same time.The switchbuttons
for the power door locks are on the lower
portion
of both front door panels or on the
door arm rests. The automatic locking
mechanism does
not, at any time,interfere
with manual operation
of any door lock
button. The doors will not open with the
inside door handle when the lock button
is
pushed down, but can be unlocked
individually by lifting the lock button.
3
CAUTION: For safety's sake, always
lock
the doors when driving. This
provides greater safety in accidents, and
helps
keep children from opening the
door(s).
1t also helps keep out intruders
when stopped for lights, etc.
TRUNK COMPARTMENT
The trunk compartment (all models except
station wagons) may
be opened with the
oval·head key and by lifting up on the
counterbalanced trunk lid.
To close, the lid
must be shut firmly to
engage the lock.
The spare wheel and wheel changing tools
are in the trunk.
FRONT SEATBACK LATCHES
Cars with folding front seats have inertial
seatback latches. The latches are designed
•
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to prevent movement of the front seatback
toward people in the front seat
ONLY
during a sudden slowing of the car.
Normally, when you want
to get in or out
of the rear seat, the seatback can be tilted
forward without unlatching the seatback
by hand. But when the car
is "nose down",
such as on a very steep hill, the inertial
latch may keep the seatback from being
moved forward.
If this happens, pull
rearward slightly on the seatback while
lifting
upon the seatback release lever. The
release lever
is either on the outboard side
or center at the bottom of each front
seatback. This will release the latch and
allow the seatback to be
moved forward.
Check periodically that
eachseatback
release lever moves up and down freely. If
the lever does not move freely,take the car
to your dealer for service. For the inertial
4
latch to work properly, the lever must be
in the "down" position.
Keep seat belt webbing ·and hardware clear
of seat parts when you tilt folding seats
forward or backward. This helps prevent
damage to these belt systems.
RECLINING SEATBACK-With this
option, the seatback
can be tilted rearward
from nonna! position by rotating the
control lever located at the outboard
side
of the seat cushion or the inboard rear of
tlie seat cushion (depending on style of
seat) and exerting rearward pressure on the
seatback.
With no pressure on the seatback,
allow it to return forward
to normal
position. The seatback may be kept in the
desired position by releasing the control
lever. However, when necessary, the
seatback
can be pushed forward without
actuating the control
lever .
MANUAL SEAT ADJUSTMENT
The front seat should be positioned to give
the driver access to the foot pedals,
steering wheel and instrument panel
SWitches, and for the best driving visibility.
• Adjust the seat by moving to the right
the seat lock control
lever located at the
lower front
of the seat.
• Once unlocked, exert slight body
pressure
to move the seat forward or
rearward.
• Release the lever to lock seat in desired
position.
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• Test seat to be sure it is securely locked.
CAUTION: After adjusting a manually
operated seat, push forward and
backward on seat
to be sure seat
adjusters have latched. Movement of the
seat indicates that
at least one latch did
not engage. This could increase the
chance of injury and/or the amount
of
injury in an accident. Take the car to
your dealer for service if you find that
your seat adjusters do not latch.
Do not
adjust a manually operated driver's seat
while the car
is moving. The seat could
move suddenly and could cause the
driver to lose control
of the car.
POWER OPERATED FRONT SEAT
SIX-WAY CONTROL-The six-way
control (optional on
some models) is
located on the outer seat cushion
side
panel. The seat can be adjusted as follows:
1. The front control provides
up and down
movement at the front of the seat.
2. The center control provides forward
and backward and up and down
movement
of the entire seat.
3. The rear control provides up and down
movement at the back
of the seat.
MANUAL WINDOW CONTRO L
On all vertical moving windows, turn
manual control clockwise to raise right
window and counterclockwise
to raise left
window. Reverse direction
to lower win·
dow. The rear quarter windows in coupes
and the rear door windows in sedans and
wagons are stationary. To open the rear
1. Door Handle
2. Power Door Lock Switch
3. Manual Window Control
4. Remote Mirror Control
window air deflector, rotate latch upward
to unlock. Push the rear
of the glass
outward. To close, pull window shut and
rotate latch into locked position.
POWERWINDOW CONTROLS
With this optional power window system,
the two front vertical moving windows
and/or the rear quarter swing-out windows
on sedans are controlled by the master
control switches located
on the left front
door or on the door arm rest. Individual
switches are provided
on each door for
passenger use.
All of these switches have an
ignition interlock
so that the windows
cannot be operated unless the ignition
switch
is . in "RUN." 5
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DAY-NIGHT
ADJUSTMENT
REARVIEW MIRRORS
INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR-The
mirror
can be adjusted up, down or
sideways to obtain the best
view to the
front and rear.
Move the mirror lever to the
night position
to reduce. glare from
headlights
of vehicles behind you. For best
results,
move the lever to the right for day
driving and to the left for night driving.
OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR-Adjust
the outside mirror
so you can just see the
side of your car in the side of the mirror
closest to the car.
NOTICE: A void hanging objects on the
right-hand coat
hook in such a way that you
block the driver's vision to theright rear.
CONVEX MIRROR -Your car may have
an optional convex outside rearview
6
mirror. A convex mirror has a curved
surface. This type
of mirror is designed to
give a much wider view to the rear,
especially
of the lane next to the car.
However,
cars and other objects seen in
such a mirror will
LOOK smaller and
farther away than when seen in a flat
mirror. Therefore,
use care when judging
the
size or distance of a car or object seen
in this convex mirror. You can determine
the
size and distance of objects seen by
using your inside rearview mirror. Adjust
the convex mirror
so you can barely see
the side of your car in the portion of the
mirror closest
to the car. .
REMOTE 0 UTISDE MIRRORS~The
control·lever for this optional left side view
mirror is located on the door. It is on the
instrument panel .for the right
side view
mirror. To adjust the position of the
mirror, simply
move the lever in the
direction desired.
SUN VISOR ADJUSTMENT
The force needed to move the visor up and
down may be adjusted by tightening or
100 sening the .. screw shown in the
illustration. The
visors may be swung
toward the door windows to prevent glare
from the sides.
HEAD RESTRAINTS (For Bench Seats)
• Head restraints are designed to help
reduce "whiplash" injuries.
• To raise or lower, just slide the head
restraint up or down.
• Choose the position which places the
top of the head restraint closest to the
top of your ears.
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SEAT BELTS
To help lessen the chance of injury and/or
the amount of injury in accidents or
sudden stops, General Motors urges that
people riding in the car be properly
restrained at all times,
using the seat belts
provided. This includes pregnant women
and children
of all ages. See following
pages for use of restraints by children and
pregnant women.
.FRONT SEAT LAP-SHOULDER BELT
• Close the front door fully.
• Adjust the front seat as needed and sit
up straight and well back in the seat.
There are a number
of ways the
lap-shoulder belt may be put on easily. For
example:
• The lap-shoulderbelt may be put on
using one hand by: (1) Holding the latch
plate
and pulling the belt as far as it will
reach across your waist (see illustration).
(2) Then, hold the latch plate at a right
angle to the webbing. At the
same time,
slide it
uP .the belt by raising it toward
the upper outside corner
of the
windshield. (3) Finally, pull the belt
downacross the body and push the latch
plate into the buckle until it clicks.
• One easy two-handed method is to hold
the webbing just behind the latch plate
using the nearest hand. Then bring it
down across your body.
While holding
the webbing taut with one hand,
slide
the latch plate up the belt with the other
hand. Finally, hold the latch plate and
push
it into the buckle until it clicks.
• Position "lap" portion of belt across lap
as LOW ON THE HIPS as possible; Then
adjust to a
SNUG FIT by holding the
"shoulder" portion of belt and pulling it
UPWARD through the latch plate, until
the lap portion
is snug across the lap.
This reduces the risk
of sliding under the
belt during an accident.
CAUTION: A snug fit with the lap belt
positioned low on the hips is necessary
to help lessen the chance of inj ury
and/or the amount of injury in an
accident. This spreads the force of the
lap belt over the strong hip bone instead
of across the soft abdomen. To help
lessen the chance
of injury and/or the
amount of injury in
an accident: never
use the same belt for more than one
person
at a time; do not wear twisted
belts; and
d() not damage belts or belt
hardware
by pinching them in the seat
or door.
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• The shoulder portion of the front seat
· belt restraint has a "whic1e sensitive
retractor" which is designed to lock
ONLY during a sudden stop or impact.
At other times it
is designed to move
freely with the person.
• For those who want it,a tension reliever
is built into the retractor
to help reduce
discomfort.
To use the tension reliever
feature: (1) Start
by pulling the belt
outward a
few inches and letting it go so
it returns to the chest (Step "A" in the
figure) or lean FAR forward and then
back. (2) Then adjust the belt tension by
pulling down slightly on the shoulder
8
portion of the belt and letting go (Step
"B"
in the figure), or lean forward
SLIGHTLY and then back. It is very
important .that the
LEAST amount of
slack needed to relieve tension be chosen
when
using the tension reliever ~ not
more than 30 millimetres (about one
inch).
• To release the tension reliever and get
rid of slack, pull the shoulder belt out
and let it retract. Or lean far forward
and then back.
CAUTION: Too much slack could
increase the amount
of injury because
the belt would not be able to properly
restrain you in an accident. Do
NOT
wear the shoulder portion of the belt
under the arm
or out of position. Such
use could increase the chance of injury
and/or the amount
of injury in an
accident.
• To unfasten the belt, push in the button
in the center of the buckle.
• When no longer in use, front seat belts
can be stowed by letting them rewind
into their retractors. The tension reliever
is designed to release by itself when the
front door
is opened, or when the belt is
pulled out about 150 rnillimetres (six
inches). This lets belt
slack be taken up
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by the retractor. Before opening the
door,·or pulling the belt out, hold the
latch plate to keep it from possibly
striking people
or things nearby during
retraction.
If needed, move the latch
plate along the webbing to let the belt
retract fully.
RESTRAINT OF PREGNANT
WOMEN-General Motors urges that
pregnant .women
use a lap-shoulder belt
restraint whenever one
is present. This will
help lessen the chance of a pregnant
woman and her unborn child being injured
and/or
will reduce the amount of their
injury
in an accident. The lap belt should
be used alone if a shoulder belt is not
present. In either case, the lap belt should
be worn as low and snug over the hips as
possible,
as advised for regular seat belt
use.
(See the preceeding instructions.)
SEAT BELT LIGHT/BUZZER
REMINDER
• When the key is turned to "RUN" or
"START", a reminder light is designed
to come on for four to eight seconds. It
is to remind riders to fasten their seat
belts.
• If the driver's seat belt has not been
buckled before turning the key to
"RUN" or "START", a buzzer is
designed to sound for four to eight
seconds (or until buckled)
as a reminder.
If the seat belt or reminder system does
not work
as described, see your dealer for
service.
LAP BELTS FOR REAR SEAT (AND
CENTER FRONT SEAT) PASSENGERS
• Rear seats next to side windows have
retractors which are designed to take up
extra webbing automatically.
• In a single motion, pull the rear seat
outboard lap belt across the lap far
enough to push the latch plate into the
buckle, until it clicks.
If the belt is not
pulled
out far enough to reach the
buckle, let the lap belt rewind fully into
its retractor. This unlocks it
so the belt
can
be pulled out to the proper length.
• These belts should be located, fastened
and released
as described above under
"Front Seat Lap-Shoulder Belt." After
fastening, check that the belt
is SNUG
by pulling the belt firmly across the lap
toward the lap belt retractor.
• Lap belts at center seats also should be
located, fastened, and released
as
described above. They should be
adjusted to a
SNUG FIT by pulling on
CENTER AND REAR LAP BELTS
the end of the belt coming from the
adjustable latch plate.
• To lengthen the lap belt at center seats,
place the latch plate at a right
angle to
the belt webbing and pull on the latch
plate. The belt should then
slide easily.
ADDITIONAL SHOULDER BELTS
(Offered as an accessory at some
dealerships)
• When properly worn with a lap belt, a
shoulder belt can
give riders added
protection.
It can prevent or reduce
impact with the insides
of the car by
restraining the upper body in a collision.
This
is especially true in a frontal
impact. 9
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OPTIONAL REAR SHOULDER BELT
• To use the detachable shoulder belt,
unstow it and place the knob on the
shoulder belt end in the "keyhole" on
the lap belt latch plate. (This can ONLY
be done BEFORE the lap belt is
fastened.) Tilt the knob
as needed to
pass it through the slot. Pull the knob
firmly upward to seat it at the narrow
end of the keyhole. Then fasten the lap
belt.
Do this in reverse when taking off
the shoulder belt and putting it away.
• The detachable shoulder belts can be
made shorter or longer in the
same way
as center seat lap belts.
• The detachable shoulder belt should
have enough slack to put a fist's width
between your chest and the belt. This
can be checked by putting a clenched
10
fist between the belt and your chest.
(place thumb against chest with back
of
hand up.)
CAUTION: Too much slack could
increase the amount of injury because
the belt would not be able
to properly
restrain you in an accident.
Do NOT
wear the shoulder belt under thearm or
out of position. Such
use could increase
the chance of injury and/or the amount
of injury in an accident.
SEAT BELT INSPECTION
• Now and then, check that belts,buckles,
latch plates, retractors, reminder
systems, guide loops, and anchors work
properly.
Also check for damage that
could keep the restraint system from
doing its job
(see below).
DETACHABLE SHOULDER BELT
• Keep sharp edges and damaging objects
away from the belts and other parts
of
the restraint system.
• Do not put anything into the opening
where the seat belt webbing passes
through the trim panel. This may jam
the retractor and/or damage the belt.
• Replace belts if cut, weakened, or
frayed. Also have belts replaced
if they
have been worn in a collision.
• If there is any question, have parts
replaced.
• Keep belts clean and dry.
• Clean only with mild soap and lukewarm
water.
• Do not bleach or dye belts since this
may badly weaken them.
CHILD RESTRAINT
Children in cars should be restrained to
help lessen the chance of injury and/or the
amount
of injury in accidents or sudden
stops. General Motors dealers offer
restraint systems designed by
GM for use
with infants and small children. For babies
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up to 20 polUlds, General Motors
recommends
use of the GM "Infant Love
Seat." For children weighing 20 to 40
pounds, up
to 3 feet4 inches in height,and
who are able to sit up alone, General
Motors recommends
use of the GM ''Child
Love Seat".
In using any infant or child restraint
system,
be sure to read and follow all
instructions on installation and use.
If a child is riding ina car without a
General Motors (or other) infant
or child
restraint system,take care as follows:
1. Infants who cannot sit up
by themselves
should be restrained by placing them in
a covered, padded bassinet. Place it
crossways in the
car (widthwise)on the
rear seat. The bassinet should be
securely restrained with the car's regular
seat belts. Another method is
to place
the bassinet
so that it rests against the
back of the driver's seat, again
cro
ssways in the car.
2. Children who
can sit up by themselves
should be placed on a seat and
restrained with the seat belts provided.
When children ride in a rear seat, they
should
be restrained with a lap belt.
When children ride in the front seat,
both lap and shoulder belt should be
worn.
If the shoulder belt irritates neck
or face due
to the child's size, this may
be reduced by placing the child closer
to the center of the car.
Never let a
child stand or kneel on any seat.
3. General Motors advises that children
should be restrained properly when
riding. However, unusual conditions
may prevent
use of restraints and
require that a child stand.
If that
happens, the child should stand on the
floor behind the DRIVER'S seat. This
will help reduce the chance
of being
11
hurt by a frontal force impact in the.
event
of such an accident.
TRAILER TOWING
This car is designed and intended to be
used primarily
to carry people. Towing a
trailer will affect handling, durability and
economy. Your safety and satisfaction
depend upon proper
use of correct
equipment. Also, you should avoid
overloads and other abusive use.
The maximum loaded trailer weight you
can pull with your car depends on what
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special.equipment has been instal1ed ·· on it.
Oldsmobile does not recommend towing
any trailer over 1
,000 pounds (450
kilograms) gro ss trailer weight unle ss the
car has the required equipment.
CAUTION: Do not attempt to tow any
trailer over 5,000 pounds (2 250
kilo-
grams) gross trailer weight no matter
what trailer towing equipment. is in-
stalled. This could seriously affect your
car's performance and handling, which
could result in personal injury.
Information on trailer
tQwing ability,
special equipment required, and optional
equipment should be obtained from your
Oldsmobile dealer.
Ask for the trailering
brochure, or write: Oldsmobile Division,
Customer Service Department, Lansing,
Michigan 48921. (In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited,
Customer Services Department, Oshawa,
Ontario
LlJ 5Z6).
TIRES-When towing trailers using a
dead-weight hitch,tires should
be inflat~d
to the "Cold Tire Pressure" for "Max.
Load" shown on the Tire Placard on the
left front door. For trailers using
weight-distributing hitches, increase front
12
tire pressure 2 psi (14 kPa) above the
"Cold Tire Pressure" for "Max. Load"
shown on the Tire Placard. This increase
should never exceed the maximum pressure
shown on the side of the tire.
The allowable passenger and cargo load for
this car, also shown
on the same placard, is
reduced by the trailer tongue weight
whenever the trailer
is attached to the car.
MAINTENANCE-
More frequent service is
required when using your car to pull a
trailer. Change the:
• Automatic transmission fluid and filter
(or service the screen) each 15,000 miles
(24000 kilometres). (See trailering
brochurefor additional information),
• Standard rear axle fluid each 15,000
miles (24000 kilometres); Limited-Slip
each 7,500 miles (12 000 kilometres),
• Engine oil each 3,000 miles (4 800
kilometres) or 3 months, whichever
occurs fIrst,
• P.C.V. (positive Crankcase Ventilation)
valve each 12 months or 15,000 miles
(24000 kilometres), whichever occurs
first.
Now and
then, check that all trailer hitch
bolts and nuts are tight.
See the Index and
Maintenance Schedule folder. You will find
important facts there on belts, cooling
system care, and brake adjustment.
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE-'-See the new car
break-in instructions in this manual. Also,
it is recommended that your new
Oldsmobile
be driven for 500 miles (800
kilometres) .before trailer towing. At the
end
of this 500 mile break-in period,
speeds over 50 mph (80 km/h) and full
throttle starts should be avoided during the
first 500 miles (800 kilometres)
of trailer
towing. The same care should be observed
when a new engine, transmission or axle
is
installed in your car.
CAUTIONS:
BRAKES-To help avoid penonal injury
due
to poor braking action:
• Trailer brakes of adequate size are
required
on trailers over 1,000
pounds (450 kilograms) loaded
weight.
• If trailer brakes are to be used with
this car, follow the installation
and
balance instructions of the trailer
brake maker.
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• Do not tap into the car's brake
system
if use of the trailer brake
system requires more than 0.02 cubic
inches
(OJ cm3) of fluid from tge
car's master cylinder
.In this case, the
car's brake fluid. capacity will not be
enough.to operate
both the car and
trailer brakes under all kinds
of use.
• All brake fluid parts must be able to
stand 3,000 psi (20685 kPa). The
brake fluid tap must
be made to the
master cylinder port supplying fluid
to rear brakes. Copper tubing is sub-
ject to fatigue failure and must not be
used.
• Before going down a steep or long
grade, reduce speed and shift·
trans-
mission into a lower gear to control
your car's speed. Try not
to hold the
brake pedal down
too long or too
often. This could cause
the brakes to
get hot and not work as well.
HITCHES-To help avoid personal
injury due to sway caused
by such
things as cross winds, big trucks passing
and road roughness, or due to
separation
ofthe trailer:
• A properly installed and adjusted (1)
frame-mounted weight-distnouting
hitch and (2) sway control with
enough capacity are required for trail-
ers over 2,000 pounds (900 kilo-
grams) loaded weight.
• If your car has superlifts, keep them
at minimum pressure (10-15 psi,
70-105 kPa) when installing,
adjusting,
or when towing with a
weight-distributing hitch in order to
provide the most cornfortableride.
• The trailer. tongue load should be
kept
at 10% of the loaded trailer
weight for dead-weight hitches, and
12% for weight-distnouting hitches.
Tongue loads can
be a(ljusted by
proper distrimtion of the load in the
trailer. This can be checked
by
weighing separately the loaded trailer
and then the tongue.
• Do not use axle-mounted hitches.
They can cause damage
to the axle
housing, wheel bearings, wheels or
tires.
• When a trailer hitch is removed, be
sure to have any mounting holes in
the
body sealed. This will prevent
entry
of exhaust fumes, dirt or water.
(See Engine Exhaust Gas Caution.)
NOTICE: Use only trailer hitches which
permit normal operation
of the Energy
Absorbing Bumper system,
if so equipped.
For example, a rigid fore and
aft connection
between the bumper and any other part
of
the car may increa se damage in the event of a
crash.
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
GETTING SfARTED-Before entering
traffic with a trailer equipped with electric
brakes, start the car and trailer moving and
apply the trailer brakes by hand
to be sure
the trailer brakes are working and the
trailer electrical system
is connected.
ENGINE COOLING-In
case your engine
overheats,
see the "In Case of Emergency"
section in this manual.
LONG UPHILL GRADES-When going up
long grades, the chance of engine
overheating can be reduced by
down-shifting the transmission to a lower
gear and by reducing speed
to 45 mph (70
km/h) or below.
TRANSMISSION-See the method for
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checking transmission fluid level in the
"Service and Maintenance" section of this
manual.
PARKING-Cars with trailers should not
be parked on a grade. However, if you
must,this
is the way to do it:
1. Apply regular brakes.
2. Have someone place wheel chocks
under trailer wheels.
3. When wheel chocks are in place, release
regular brakes until chocks absorb load.
4. Apply parking brake.
S. Place transmission in ''PARK''.
If the car is parked on a grade, don't shift
the transmission lever
to "PARK" until the
trailer wheels are chocked and
the parking
brake is set.
If you do, the weight of the
car and trailer may exert so much force on
the parking pawl in the transmission that it
may be hard·
to get the shift lever out of
''PARK''.
When starting, after being parked on a
grade:
1. Apply regular brakes and hold until
steps 2 and 3 below are completed.
14
2. Start engine in ''PARK''.
3. Shift into gear and release parking
brake.
4. Release regular brakes and drive until
chocks are free.
S. Apply regular brakes and have helper
remove chocks.
OPERATION IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Your engine is designed to operate on
unleaded gasoline with an octane rating
of
approximately 91, research method.
If you plan to drive your Oldsmobile
outside the United States and its
jurisdictions or Canada, there
is a
possibility
the gasolines available in some
countries will not meet the needs
of your
engine.
Use of low octane rated gasolines
may cause engine knocking or serious
engine damage, for which Oldsmobile
is
not responsible. Use of leaded gasoline in,a
car equipped with a catalytic converter
may cause the converter
to lose its
effectiveness for emission control.
It could
also affect the warranty.
If you must use
leaded gasoline in a car designed for
unleaded fuel, converter modification and
different maintenance intervals will be
required. To obtain gasoline information
and a maintenance schedule for the
countries in which you plan
to travel,write
to: Oldsmobile Division, Customer Service
Department, Lansing, Michigan 48921 , (or
in Canada, write
to General Motors of
Canada Limited, Customer Services
Department, Oshawa, Ontario LlJ SZ6).
When writing, please include:
• The vehicle identification number.
• The countries in which you plan' to
travel.
OTIZENS BAND (CB) TRANSCEIVERS
Operation of CB units may be prohibited
in some countries. In others, operation
of
this equipment requires a special permit
besides
the valid station license. (permits
should be obtained before you leave the
United States.)
To operate a
CB unit in Canada, get a
permit from a regional office
of the
Canadian Department of Communications.
For information regarding other countries,
contact the local consulates
of the
countries in which you plan
to travel.
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STARTING AND OPERATING
ENGINE EXHAUST GAS CAUTION
(CARBON MONOXIDE)
Avoid breathing exhaust gases because
they contain carbon monoxide, which by
itself has no color or odor~ Carbon
monoxide is a dangerousgas. It can cause
unconsciousness and can be lethal. If at
any time you suspect that exhaust fumes
are entering the car, have the cause
determined and corrected as soon as
possible. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with ALL windows
fully OPEN.
Protect against carbon monoxide entry
into the car body. The best way is to
keep the engine exhaust system, car body
and body ventilation system properly
maintained. It is recommended that the
exhaust system and body be inspected by
a competent mechanic:
• Each time the car is raised for oil
change.
• Whenever a change is noticed in the
sound of the exhaust system.
• Whenever the exhaust system,
underbody or rear of the car is
damaged.
See your Maintenance Schedule folder for
partsrequiring inspection.
To allow proper operation of the car's
ventilation system, keep front ventilation
inlet grille clear of snow, leaves or other
obstructionat all times.
SITIING IN A PARKED CAR WITH
ENGINE RUNNING FOR A LONG
TIME IS NOT RECOMMENDED.
Do not run engine in confined areas such as
garages any more than needed to move car
in or out of area.When car is stopped in an
UNCONFINED area with the engine
running for any more than a short time,
adjust heating or cooling system to force
outside air into car as follows:
1. On cars NOT equipped with air
conditioning, set fan to medium or high
speed and upper control lever to any
position except "OFF".
2. On cars equipped withair conditioning,
set fan to medium or high speed and
upper control lever to any position
except "OFF" or "MAX".
The trunk lid should be closed while
driving to help prevent drawing exhaust II
gases into the car. If the trunk must remain
open for some reason while moving, or if
electrical wiring or other cable connections
to a trailer must pass through the seal
between trunk lid and body, these
precautions should be followed:
• Close all windows.
• Adjust heating or cooling system to
force outside air into car as described in
items 1 and 2 above but with fan set at
high speed.
• On cars that have outside air vents in or
under instrument panel, open vents
fully.
THEFT PROTECTION
Your new Oldsmobile has features to help
prevent theft of the car itself, its
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equipment, and contents. But these
anti-theft features DEPEND
UPON YOU
to work.
THE TIME
TO BE MOST ON GUARD IS
WHEN LEAVING THE CAR.
• PARK IN A LIGHTED SPOT
WHEN
YOU CAN.
• LOCK THE STEERING COLUMN
AND
TAKE THE KEYS:
16
o Turn the ignition switch to "WCK"
and remove the key. This locks the
ignition and BOTH steering and shift
controls, unless your car has a five-
speed transmission.
In that case, the
shift control
is not locked.
o If you must leave a key with the car,
leave the square-head ignition key
only. Take the oval-head key with
you. This will help prevent any illegal
entry into your car
at a laterdate or
into your glove
box (if locked) or
trunk.
• FULLY CWSE ALL WINDOWS AND
LOCK ALL DOORS.
• KEEP COSTLY ITEMS OUT OF SIGHT
AND LOCKED UP.
o Never .leave things of value in plain
sight
on seat or floor.
o The glove box offer a place to hide
small items (and
if locked, protects
even better).
o Lock larger items in the trunk, or
place them in the rear storage com-
partment of wagons.
NEW CAR "BREAK-IN" PERIOD
You can drive your new car from its very
fust mile/kilometre without following a
formal ''break
-ill" schedule. However,
there are things you can do during the first
few hundred miles/kilometres of driving
that will add
to the future performance
and economy
of your car.
It is recommended that your speed during
the first 500 miles (800 kilometres) be
limited
to a maximum of 55 mph (90
km/h); but do not drive for long periods at
anyone constant speed, either slow or fast.
During this period,avoid full throttle starts
and,
if possible,avoid hard stops, especially
during
the fust 200 miles (320 kilometres)
of driving.
If most of your driving is "around-town,"
be sure to include some 25 to 50 mile (40
to 80 kilometre) highway trips during the
break-:inperiod and vary the car's speed.
"Around-town" driving is considered
severe service, especially during cold
weather.
Always drive
at moderate speed until the
engine has completely warmed
up.
If you plan to use your new car for trailer
towing,
see additional information under
"Trailer Towing" in the "Before Driving
Your Oldsmobile" section. .
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A
ANTI·THEFT STEERING
COLUMN LOCK
The anti·theft lock on the right side of the
steering column has
five positions:
TYPICAL COLUMN
A. Cruise Control Engagement Button
B. Turn Signal Lever
and Dimmer SWitch
C. Steering Wheel Tilt Lever
D. Hom Blower Pad
E. Hazard Warning Flasher Button
F. Ignition Switch
G. Transmission Shift Lever
Steering Column Controls
• Acc~ory-You can use some electrical
accessories when the engine
is not
running.
To engage this position, push
key in and turn the top of the key
towards you.
• Lock-Normal parking pOSition. Key
cannot be returned to "LOCK"
and
removed until shift lever is placed in
"PARK." with automatic transmissions
or ''REVERSE'' with three-speed or
four-speed manual transmissions.
This
will lock the ignition and prevent normal
use of steering wheel and shift controls.
With a five-speed manual transmission,
the key cannot be returned to "LOCK"
without pressing down on the key
release lever. This will lock the ignition
and prevent normal
use of steering
wheel.
CAUfION: On cars with five-speed.
transmission, if you'need to turn off the
engine with the car in motion, turn the
key only to ''OFF''.
DO NOT press
down on the key release
lever while
turning the ignition off. This could
result in locking the steering wheel and
loss of steering control.
• Off -You can tum the engine off
without locking steering wheel and shift
controls.
• Run-Normal operating position.
• Start-Starts engine.
NOTICE: The anti-theft steering column lock
is not to be used in place of the parking
brake. Always set
the parking brake when
leaving
the car.
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If you have trouble turning the key to
unlock the ignition, try to turn the·steering
wheel
as hard as you can in the direction
the wheels are turned. At
the same time,
turn the key with as much effort as you
can apply with your own
hand. Do not try
to use a tool of any kind to apply more
force
on the lock knob, as this coUld break
the knob.
PARKING
When leaving your car unattended:
• Set the parking brake.
• Place the automatic transmission shift
lever
in ''PARK'' ("Reverse" for manual
transmissions).
• Turn the key to "LOCK" (with 5-speed
transmission, push down key release
lever first).
• Remove the key (the buzzer is designed
to remind you).
• Lock all doors.
NOTICE: Do not park your car over
combustible materials, such as grass or leaves.
They could touch the hot exhaust system and
ignite.
18
STARTING THE ENGINE
AutomaticTransmission Models
1. Apply
the parking brake.
2. Place transmission shift lever in
"PARK" or ''N'' ("PARK" preferred);
A safety device prevents turning
ignition switch
to "START" while the
transmission shift lever
is in any drive
position.
(If you have · to re-start the
engine with the car·moving, place the
shift leverin
"N".)
3. Press down on accelerator pedal and
activate starter as outlined below for
different conditions.
• Cold Engine-Fully depress accelerator
pedal and slowly release. With foot off
the pedal, crank the engine by turning
the ignition switch to "START"
Release when engine starts.
If engine starts, but fails to run, repeat
this procedure.
When engine is running
smoothly (about 30 seconds), the idle
speed may be reduced
by slightly
depressing the accelerator pedal and
then slowly releaSing.
NOTICE: Extended running of engine (5
minutes or more) without pressing down on
accelerator pedal could cause damage to the
engine and exhaust system due to
overheating.
Do not leave your cor unattended with the
engine running.
If the engine should overheat,
you would not be there to react to the
temperature warning light
or gage. This could
result
in costly damage to your cor and its
contents.
• Warm Engine (AU ,V-8s and California
and High Altitude V
-6)- With foot off
the accelemtor pedal, crank engine by
turning the ignition switch to ''START.''
Release when engine starts.
If cranking
time on the 305
V..s is more than three
seconds, depress accelerator pedal
one-
third of its travel and hold while
cranking engine.
(AU V -6s except Cal-
ifornia and High Altitude: Depress the
accelerator pedal HALFWAY and hold
while cranking engine. Release when
engine starts.)
• Very Cold Weather (Below O°F, -18°C)
or After Car Has Been Standing Idle
Several Days-Fully depress and release
accelerator pedal two
or three times
before cranking the engine. With foot
off the accelerator pedal, crank the
engine by turning the ignition switch to
"START". Release when engine starts.
Manual Transmission Models
1. Apply the parking brake, fully depress
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