Oldsmobile GM DELTA 88 1974 User manual

. ~
OLDSMOBILE
• DELTA 88
• DELTA 88 ROYALE
• CUSTOM CRUISER
• NINETY EIGHT
~
Owner's Manual
Important Operating, Safety and Maintenance Instructions
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OLDSMOBILE
SERVICE
FOR CONTINUING SATISFACTION,
KEEP YOUR GM CAR ALL GM.
GENERAL MOTORS PARTS ARE
IDENTIFIED BY ONE OF THESE
TRADEMARKS:
A WORD TO OLDSMOBILE OWNERS
This manual has been prepared to acquaint you with the operation and maintenance
of your 1974 Oldsmobile, and to provide important safety information. It is
supplemented by three convenient folders which provide additional information on
vehicle maintenance, emission control, and warranties. We urge you to read these
publications carefully and follow the recommendations to help assure the most
enjoyable and trouble free operation of your vehicle.
When it comes to service, remember that your Oldsmobile Dealer knows your vehicle
best and is interested in your complete satisfaction. Return to him for Guardian
Maintenance Service
and any other assistance you may require.
To assist dealers in handling your needs, Oldsmobile maintains a number of Zone
Offices
throughout the country. Should you have a problem that cannot be handled
through normal channels, follow the procedure presented in Section Six of this
manual under the heading "Owner Assistance",
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing an Oldsmobile
product - and assure you of our continuing interest in your motoring pleasure and
satisfacti on.
OLDSMOBILE DIVISION
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1974 OLDSMOBILE OWNER'S MANUAL
All information, illustrations and specifications
contained
in this manual are based on the latest
product information available at the time of
publication. The right is reserved to make changes at
any time without notice.
For vehicles sold in Canada,
substitute the
name General Motors of Canada, Limited,
wherever
the name Oldsmobile Division
appears in this manual.
Applicable
to CALIFORNIA Sales Only-This vehicle
as delivered
by GM Oldsmobile Division is equipped
with a bUmper energy absorption system meeting
California S.B. 42 (1971) as set forth in Sec 34715
Vehicle Code.
OLDSMOBILE DIVISION
General Motors Corporation
Lansing, Michigan 48921
~ General Motors Corporation 1973
Section CONTENTS
1. BEFORE ORIVING YOUR OLDSMOBILE . \; '0' •••••
2. STARTING AND OPERATING ............... .
• STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS ...... . .... .
• FLOOR CONTROLS .................. ' ... .
• INSTRUMENT PANEL ................... .
• OTHER CONTROLS A~O fEATURES . . ...... .
• CONVERTIBLE FEATURES . ....... Ie •...•.
• STATION WAGON " FEATURES ............. .
3. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY .... c ••••••••••••••
4. APPEARANCE CARE ........... :' .......... .
5. SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE .............. .
6. SPECIFICATIONS, OWNER ASSISTANCE & INDEX .
, 7. GAS STATION INFORMATION ............. .
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BEFORE DRIVING YOUR OLDSMOBILE
DRIVER CHECK LIST
BEFORE ENTERING CAR:
1. See
that windows, mirrors and lights are
clean.
2. Visually note inflation condition of
tires.
3. Check that area to rear is clear if about
to back up.
BEFORE DRIVING OFF:
1. Lock all doors.
2. Position seat and adjust head restraints.
3. Adjust inside
and outside mirrors.
4. Fasten seat belts.
5. Check that warning bulbs light when
key is turned to ON or START
position.
6. Release parking brake and see that
brake warning light turns off.
7. Be sure you understand your car and
how
to operate it safely.
KEYS
Two separate keys are provided for your
car. Each key has a different cross section
so
that it can be inserted only in certain
locks.
•
Key with square head (stamped
"J"}-for ignition switch only.
• Key with oval head (stamped
"K")-for
door locks, glove box, console
compartment, and station wagon
tailgate.
IGNITION
SWITCH
ONLY
DOORS & ALL
OTHER LOCKS
The code number of each key is stamped-
on the "knock out" plug in the key head.'
Your Oldsmobile dealer removed these
plugs and placed them with the spare set of
keys
that were given to you at time of
delivery. For your protection:
• Record the numbers and discard the key
plugs.
• Keep
the key numbers in a safe place
such as your wallet, NOT IN THE CAR .
In the event the original keys are lost,
duplicates can
be made by your dealer or a
locksmith using the key code information.
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Be sure to lock the glove box compartment
and remove the key from the car whenever
it
is necessary to leave the ignition key
with an
attendant.
DOOR LOCKS
Front and rear doors can be locked from
the inside by depressing the passenger
guard
door lock button located on the
upper door panel. All doors can be locked
from the outside by simply depressing the
interior door lock button and closing the
door. The front doors can also be locked
by using the square headed key.
POWER
DOOR
LOCKS
The power-operated door-lock system
(optional equipment) makes it possible to
lock and unlock all doors simultaneously.
The switch buttons that operate the Power
Door Locks, are located on
both front
door panels or on the door arm rests. The
automatic locking mechanism does not, at
any time, interfer with manual operation
of any door lock button. The doors wi II
not unlock or open with the inside door
handle when the lock button is depressed,
but can be unlocked individually by lifting
the lock button. An optional device to
automatically unlock the front seat backs
when a
door is opened, is available on
Ninety-Eight coupes with power door
locks.
REMINDER: Always lock the doors when
driving for greater security in the event of an
accident,
to help keep children from opening
the doors,
and for greater security against
entry by unwelcome persons while
momentarily stopped.
TRUNK COMPARTMENT
The trunk compartment (all models except
Custom Cruiser) may be opened with the
oval-end key and by lifting up on the
counter-balanced trunk lid. To close, the
lid must be shut firmly to engage the lock.
The spare wheel and wheel changing tools
are located in the trunk.
MANUAL SEAT ADJUSTMENT
The front seat should be positioned to
provide the driver access to the foot pedals,
steering wheel, instrument panel switches
and for
the best driving visibility.
• Adjust
the seat by releasing the seat lock
mechanism lever located at the lower
side of the seat.
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• Once released, exert slight body pressure
to move the seat forward or rearward.
• Release the lever to lock seat in desired
position.
• Test seat to make certain it is securely
locked.
CAUTION: Do not adjust a manually
operated driver's seat while the car is
moving - the seat could move
unexpectedly, causing loss of control of
the vehicle.
POWER OPERATED SEATS
TWO-WAY CONTROL-(Standard on
certain Ninety-Eight models
and optional
on others) -- To operate, simply move the
switch lever (located on the driver's seat
side cushion panel)
in the direction of
desired travel.
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 front seat
assembly.
3. The rear control provides up and down
S I X - WAY CON T R 0 L - The movement at the back of the seat.
electrically-operated six-way front seat is
available as optional equipment. The
switch control
is located on the driver's
seat left side panel.
On certain models
when combined with the power window
option, it is on the door arm rest panel on
the driver's side. The seat can be moved
forward, rearward, upward downward
or
tilted by means of the seat control switch
as follows:
MANUAL WINDOW CONTROL
Rotate manual window control clockwise
to raise right window(s) and
counterclockwise to raise left window(s).
Reverse direction of
the window control to
lower windows.
POWER
WINDOW
CONTROLS
With this optional power operated window
system, all vertically moving windows
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(except the Station Wagon tailgate
window) are controlled
by the power
window control switches located on
the
left front door. Individual switches are
provided
under each window for passenger
use.
All of these switches have an ignition
interlock so
that windows cannot be
operated unless
the ignition switch is in the
"ON" position.
DOOR CONTROLS
1. Door Latch Handle
2. Power Door Lock Switch
3. Power Window Controls
4. Remote Control, Outside Mirror
5. Power
Seat Controls
FRONT
SEAT-BACK
LATCH
Folding front seat-backs are equipped with
self-latching mechanisms and release
controls designed for
the convenience of
entering and exiting passengers. The
seat-back latch keeps
the seat-back locked
in place while in the up position.
The latch release lever for
the deluxe and
custom bench seat
is located on the upper
outboard section of the backrest. Rotate
the lever to release and tilt the backrest
forward.
Keep seat belts
and buckles clear of
mechanism when tilting folding seats
forward or backwards,
to prevent damage
to these belt restraints.
REARVIEW MIRRORS
INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR -
• Switch mirror to night position to
reduce glare from following headlights.
For best resu Its, lever shou
Id be to the
right for day position, left for night
position.
To raise or lower,
to achieve the desired
field of view, grasp mirror and
exert
DAY-NIGHT
ADJUSTMENT
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sufficient pressure by pushing or pu liing
up, down or sideways.
OUTSIDE MIRROR-Adjust for most
effective view
to rear in lane to your left.
REMOTE OUTSIDE MIRROR-The
remote control lever for this optional
mirror
is located at the upper front edge of
the left
front door on some models or in
the arm rest control center on the driver's
door.
To adjust the position of the mirror,
simply move
the lever in the direction
des.ired.
REMINDER: Avoid hanging objects on the
right
hand coat hook in such a way that you
block the driver's vision to the right rear
quarter.
HEAD RESTRAINTS
Head restraints are designed to help reduce
injuries due
to "whiplash".
• Select one of
the two positions - up or
down -which places the top of the
head restraint closest to the top of your
ears.
• Do not use head restraint above the up
detent position.
• Head restraint can be raised by pulling
up until you feel it click into the detent
position.
• To lower, release latch at base of
supporting rod and push
down on
restraint.
• Do not operate vehicle with head
restraints removed, since occupants lose
the protection they provide.
REAR SEAT fILLER PANEL
CAUTION: The filler panel between
the rear seat and the rear window
should not be used for storage - even of
light weight, small articles. They might
become dangerous projectiles during an
accident. Large items may also reduce
vision to the rear. .
SUN VISOR ADJUSTMENT
The force required to rotate the visor up
and down
may be adjusted by tightening or
loosening the screw indicated in the
illustration. The visors may be removed
from
the center mounting and swung
toward
the door windows to prevent glare
from
the sides.
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AIR CUSHION RESTRAINT SYSTEM
If your vehicle is equipped with the
optional Air Cushion Restraint System
consult the Supplement to the 1974
Oldsmobile Owner's Manual for
information on ACRS function, operation
of the readiness indicator light, and
maintenance requirements.
Use of rear seat lap, or optional shoulder
belts, or optional front lap belts is covered
in this manual, on the pages that follow.
SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
This vehicle is equipped with a belt system,
starter interlock, and a light/electronic
tone alarm reminder system which is
designed to prevent starting the car until
outboard front seat occupants are buckled
in.
NOTE: 1974 model General Motors
passenger cars
sold in CANADA have a
light-buzzer reminder system which reminds
occupants when the driver's
and any front
passenger's seat belts are
not fastened.
Operation of this "SEAT BEL T
BUZZER/LIGHT REMINDER" is explained
under that heading in this manual. However,
these cars do
NOT have a seat belt starter
interlock system -a system which prevents
starting the car until the driver
and the right
front passengerare
buckled up. Therefore, the
information
about the seat belt starter
interlock
system under the heading "TO
START CAR" in this manual does not apply,
nor do any other references in this manual to
the seat belt starter interlock system apply to
this
new car sold in Canada.
TO START CAR:
• Seat belts
must be properly buckled
a
ro und each outboard front seat
occupant after getting in the car before
the starter will operate.
• The reminder tone alarm and light are
designed
to go on if seat belts are
unbuckled
at occupied front seats while
the vehicle is underway (the engine will
continue to run).
• The engine may be restarted after a stall
without interlock interference if the
driver remains seated.
BELT BUCKLE
I
RELEASE
BUTTON
LATCH PLATE LAP BELT
IF STARTER WILL NOT OPERATE:
• Remove any objects from occupied
front seats.
• Re-buckle front seat belts.
NOTE: Front seating positions contain a
weight detector which is designed to activate
the starter interlock
or the tone alarm and
light reminder whenever a nominal weight is
placed on the seat
and belts are not buckled.
The weight detector cannot distinguish
between a passenger
and any object on the
seat, therefore, such items should
be stowed
elsewhere in the vehicle. It is necessary that
the weight detectors be activated at all times.
This requires a small
but continuous current
from the
battery which under normal
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circumstances will not result in a discharged
battery . However, leaving an object on the
front $e/lt or leaving the front seat belts
fastened while
the car is parked creates a
heavier current drain which
could result in a
discharged battery
after a period of time,
which will vary depending on battery
and
we{Jther conditions.
IF STARTER STI LL WILL NOT
OPERATE:
•
Set parking brake firmly, move
transmission lever
to "Park".
• Turn ignition key to "ON".
• Open hood and press button on the
manual override relay labeled "START",
mounted on bright orange support . at
rear of engine compartment on driver's
side -see illustration. .
• Close
hood, enter car, fasten seat belt,
and follow normal starting procedures.
NOTE: The reminder tone alarm and light
are also designed
to come on if a malfunction
develops in the starter interlock system.
If the
car will
not start and the tone alarm/light
reminder
did not come on, the trouble is not
likely to be due to the starter interlock
system_ If the starter will crank, this indicates
theinterlock is not causing interference.
FRONT SEAT LAP-SHOULDER BELT
COMBINATION
• Adjust
front seat to satisfaction of driver
and sit erect and well back in seat.
• In a single motion, pull the lap-shoulder
belt webbing across lap far enough
to
permit inserting metal latch plate end of
belt into the buckle, until a snap is
heard. If webbing is not pulled out far
enough
to reach buckle, let lap belt
rewind into its
retractor to release lock
mechanism, so belt can be pulled
out to
the proper length.
• Position "lap" portion of belt across lap
as
LOW ON HIPS as possible. To reduce
the risk of sliding under belt during an
accident, adjust
to a SNUG FIT by
pulling belt firmly across lap in direction
of lap belt retractor so it can
take up
slack. The belt retractors are designed to
automatically take up excess webbing
and maintain tension on
the belt.
CAUTION: A snug fit and a low lap
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