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

www.PlandeGraissage.org

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

www.PlandeGraissage.org

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

.............

.

Page

-

...

-

-milt

www.PlandeGraissage.org

2

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.

www.PlandeGraissage.org

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.

..

3

www.PlandeGraissage.org

4

• 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

www.PlandeGraissage.org

(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

5

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6

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.

www.PlandeGraissage.org

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

7

www.PlandeGraissage.org

8

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

www.PlandeGraissage.org

belt

position

are

essential

to

lessen

the

chance

of

injury

in

the

event

of

an

accident

because

this

spreads

the

force

exerted

by

the

lap

belt

in

a

collision

over

the

strong

hip

bone

structure

rather

than

across

the

soft

abdominal

area.

To

lessen

the

chance

of

injury

in

the

event

of

an

accident

never

use

the

same

belt

for

more

than

one

person

at

a

time;

avoid

wearing

belts

in

a

twisted

condition;

and

do

not

allow

belts

or

hardware

to

become

pinched

between

the

seat

structural

(metallic)

members

or

in

the

door.

Seat belt buckles are located close

to

the

seat

to

provide shoulder belt attaching

points

that

reduce

the

tendency of

shoulder belts

to

pull

the

lap belt upward

into

the

soft abdominal area in

the

event

of

frontal impact.

• The

front

seat shouIder belts

in

this

vehicle are equipped with a "vehicle

sensitive

retractor"

which

is

designed

to

grip

the

belt only during a sudden

stop

or impact.

At

other

times it

is

designed

to

move freely with

the

occupant,

regardless of

occupant

movement.

• After buckling,

any

excess slack in

shoulder belt should be removed

by

pushing belt toward guide loop on head

restraint.

• A

comfort

clip

is

provided

to

reduce

possible discomfort caused

by

the

tension of

the

shoulder belt. To adjust,

pull on

the

shoulder belt

to

provide

the

desired

amount

of slack,

then

push

the

comfort

clip

on

the

shouIder belt snugly

against

the

guide loop. HOWEVER,

the

clip should

not

be

adjusted so it provides

more

than

four inches slack (width of a

fist) between

the

shoulder belt

and

your

chest; excessive clearance would reduce

restraint system effectiveness.

• To unfasten belts, depress push

button

in

center of .buckle.

• When no longer

in

use,

front

seat

lap-shoulder belts can be stowed

b.y

allowing

them

to

rewind into their

retractors. The

comfort

clip can be

adjusted when removing belts, so

shou.lder belt slack will be fully

taken

up

by

retractor.

NOTE: Take care

not

to

let

the

"lap"

portion

of

the

belt

twist while

it

is being

rewound

into

the

retractor. The

bulk

of

the

twisted

belt

may

cause the retractor

to

jam so

it

will

not

rewind further, while

at

the

same

time

the retractor locking mechanism

may

prevent the

belt

from being withdrawn.

To

relea:;e

a

jammed

belt, open the cover on the

rear

of

the retractor

and

rotate

the

key

slot

while

pulling

the

.

belt

upward (see

illustration). This should allow the

belt

to be

untwisted.

If

for some reason the

lap

belt

9

www.PlandeGraissage.org

10

SHOULDER

BELT

LAP

BELT

portion

remains jammed,

or

other

parts

of

the

restraint

system do

not

operate

properly,

take

the vehicle

to

your

dealer

for

service.

SEAT

BE LT

TONE-ALARM/LIGHT

REMINDER

• The

front

seat belts are linked

to

a

tone-alarm and light which remind

occupants

to

fasten

their

belts.

• The tone-alarm and light are designed

to

come on when any

outboard

front

seat

occupant's

belt

is

not

fastened, while

attempting

to

start

the

engine;

or

if

any

front

seat belt

is

unfastened while

driving

in

any

forward gear.

• The reminders

do

not

come

on when

the

engine

is

running

and

a

front

belt

is

unbuckled

if

the

transmission

is

in

Park

or

neutral.

If seat belt system, starter interlock

system,

or

reminder system does not

work

as

described,

see

your

dealer for

information and assistance.

LAP BELTS (For Rear

Seat

and Center

Front

Seat

Passengers)

• Seating positions

side windows

except

station wagon

third

seats have

retractors

which are designed

to

automatically

take

up

excess webbing

and maintain tension

on

the

lap belt.

These belts should be positioned and

secured

as

described above

under

"Lap-Shoulder

Belt

Combination".

Retractors are available as an

option

on

station wagon

third

seats.

• Lap belts

at

center seating positions and

third

seats also should be positioned and

secured as described above,

and

adjusted

to

a SNUG

FIT

by pulling

on

the

end

of

the

belt

extending from

the

adjustable

latch plate.

www.PlandeGraissage.org

•

To

lengthen lap belt

at

center seating

positions and station wagon third seats

place adjustable latch plate

at

right

angles

to

the belt webbing

and

pull on

latch plate; belt should

then

slide easily

through

the

adjustment

feature.

OPTIONAL SHOULDER BELTS (Rear

Seat

Outboard

Passengers

And

Front

Seat

on

Convertibh!s)

• When properly worn

with

a lap belt, a

shoulder belt can provide

important

additional

protection

against impact

with

the

car interior

by

restraining

forward

motion

of

the

upper

torso in a

collision. This

is

particularly

true

in

the

case

of

a frontal impact, which

is

the

most

frequent

type

of

accident.

CAUTION:

Do

not

wear

shoulder

belt

under

the

arm

or

without

lap

belt.

Such

improper

use

could

increase

the

chance

of

injury

and

the

severity

of

injury

in

the

event

of

an

accident.

•

To

fasten

the

detachable shoulder belt,

unstow

it and place

the

knob

on

the

shouIder belt end into

the

keyhole on

the

lap belt latch plate.

The

latch

is

designed so

that

this

attachment

can

only

be completed before fastening

the

lap belt. Tilt

the

knob

as necessary,

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. Reverse this procedure when

removing

and

restowing

the

shouIder

belt.

•

The

detachable shoulder belts are

lengthened and shortened

in

the

same

manner as center seat lap belts.

• Detachable shoulder belts may be

shortened

by

pulling on

the

end

of

the

belt extending from

the

adjustable latch

plate.

•

To

lengthen a detachable shoulder belt,

place adjustable latch plate

at

right

angles

to

the

belt webbing

and

pull on

latch plate; belt should

then

slide easily

through

the

adjustment

feature.

• The detachable shoulder belt should

have sufficient slack

to

insert a fist's

width between your chest

and

the

belt.

This can be checked

by

insertir.g a

clenched fist between

the

belt and

your

chest with

thumb

against chest and

back

of

hand facing upward.

• When

not

in

use,

the

detachable

shoulder belt should be stowed

by

leaving it

attached

to

the

lap belt and

allowing

the

lap belt

to

rewind

into

its

retractor. Take up remaining slack using

the

shoulder belt

adjustment

feature.

11

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12

SEAT BELT INSPECTION AND CARE

• Periodically inspect belts, buckles,

retractors,

interlock and reminder

systems, guide loops, clips, and anchors

for

damage

that

could lessen

the

effectiveness of

the

restraint

system.

• Keep sharp edges and damaging objects

away from belts.

• Replace belts

if

cut,

weakened, frayed,

or

subjected

to

coliision loads.

• Check

that

anchor mounting bolts are

tight.

• Have questionable parts replaced.

• Keep seat belts clean and dry.

• Clean only with mild soap solution and

lukewarm water.

• Do

not

bleach

or

dye

belts since this

may

severely weaken belts.

CHILD RESTRAINT

Children

in

automobiles

should be

restrained

to

lessen

the

risk

of

injury in

accidents, sudden stops or

other

hazardous

situations. GeneraI Motors dealers offer

restraint systems designed specifically for

use with infants and

with

small children.

The

GM

"Infant

Love

Seat"

is

designed

for

babies

up

to

20 pounds.

The

GM

"Child

Love

Seat"

is

designed

for

children

weighing 20

to

40

pounds,

up

to

3 feet-4

inches

in

height,

who

are able

to

sit

up

alone.

In using

any

infant

or

child restraint

system,

read and comply with

all

installation and usage instructions. All

unused seat belts near

the

child should be

stowed properly

to

help prevent

them

from

striking him

in

the

event

of

an accident.

If

a child

is

traveling

in

a vehicle

not

equipped with a General Motors infant

restraint

or

other

safe infant

or

child

restraint system,

the

following precautions

should be

taken:

(1) Infants unable

to

sit

up

by

themselves

should be restrained

by

placing

them

in a covered, padded bassinet which

is

p I

aced

crossways

in

the

vehicle

(widthwise)

on

the

rear seat. The

bassinet should be securely restrained

with

the

regular vehicle seat belts. An

www.PlandeGraissage.org

alternate

method

is

to

position

the

bassinet so

that

it rests against

the

back of

the

front

seat, again crossways

in

the

vehicle.

(2) Children able

to

sit

up

by

themselves

should be placed

on

a seat and

restrained with a seat belt. When

children ride

in

the

front

seat,

both

lap

and shoulder belt should be worn.

If

the

shoulder belt causes neck

or

face

irritation due

to

the

child's size, this

may be reduced in some cases

by

positioning

the

child

further

inboard.

If

serious

discomfort

continues,

the

child should be lap belted

in

the

rear

seat. Never allow a child

to

stand

or

kneel on

any

seat.

(3) General Motors recommends

that

children be restrained properly when

riding. However,

if

unusual conditions

prohibit

use of restraints and require

that

a child must

stand,

he should

stand

on

the

floor directly behind

the

front

seat. This will help minimize

the

possibility of injury

from

a frontal

impact in

the

event

of

an accident.

TRAILER

HAULING

Since passenger cars are designed

and

intended

to

be used primarily as passenger

conveyances, towing a trailer will

affect

handling,

durability

and

economy.

Maximum safety and satisfaction depends

upon proper use

of

correct

equipment

and

avoiding overloads

and

other

abusive

operation.

The maximum loaded trailer

weight which you can pull

with

your

Oldsmobile depends

on

what

special

equipment

has been installed on your car.

Oldsmobile

does

not

recommend

towing

any trailer unless

the

car

is

properly

equipped. Information on trailer hauling

capabilities, special

equipment

required,

and

optional

equipment

offered

by

Oldsmobile

is

available from

your

Oldsmobile Dealer

or

by writing

to

Oldsmobile Division, Customer Service

Dept., Lansing, Michigan

48921

(or

in

Canada,

by

writing

to

General Motors

of

Canada Limited, Owner Relations

Dept.,

Oshawa,

Ontario).

To

assist

in

attaining good handling

of

the

car-trailer

combination,

it

is

important

that

the

trailer

tongue

load be maintained

at

approximately

10%

of

the

loaded trailer

weight. Tongue loads can be adjusted by

13

www.PlandeGraissage.org

14

proper

distribution

of

the load in the

trailer, and

can

be

checked

by

weighing

separately the loaded trailer and then the

tongue.

When

towing

trailers, tires should

be

inflated

to

the highest

inflation

pressures

shown on the placard

affixed

to

the inside

of

the glove box door. The allowable

passenger

and cargo load, also shown on

the

same

placard,

is

reduced

by

an

amount

equal

to

the trailer tongue load on the

trailer hitch.

MAINTENANCE-More

frequent vehicle

maintenance

is

required when using

your

car

to

pull a trailer. Change the:

•

Automatic

transmission

fluid

and

strainer

each

12,000 miles,

• Rear axle

fluid

each

12,000 miles,

• Engine oil

each

60

days

or

3,000 miles,

whichever occurs

first,

• Positive crankcase ventilation valve

each

12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever

occurs first.

BREAK-IN

SCHEDULE-During

the 500

mile break-in period,

it

is

recommended

that

your

new Oldsmobile

not

be

used

for

trailer towing.

If

it

is

necessary

to

tow

during this period, avoid

speeds

over 50

MPH and

full

throttle

starts. The

same

precautions should

be

observed whenever a

new engine, transmission

or

axle

is

installed

in

your

car.

CAUTIONS:

(1)

A

frame

mounted

load

distributing

hitch

with

sway

control

of

sufficient

capacity

is

required

for

trailers

over

2,000

Ibs_

loaded

weight.

(2)

Do

not

use

axle-mounted

hitches.

They

can

cause

damage

to

the

axle

housing,

wheel

bearings,

wheels

or

tires.

(3)

Trailer

brakes

are

required

on

trailers

over

1,000

Ibs.

loaded

weight.

(4)

Do

not

tap

into

the

car's

hydrau

lie

brake

system

if

operation

of

the

trailer

brake

system

requires

more

than

0.02

cubic

inch

of

fluid

displacement

from

the

car's

master

cylinder.

The

car's

master

cylinder

flu

id

capacity

will

not

be

sufficient

to

operate

both

car

and

trailer

brakes

under

all

conditions

of

use

if

more

than

0.02

cubic

inch

of

fluid

displacement

is

required.

(5)

Whenever

a

trailer

hitch

is

removed,

be

certain

to

have

any

mounting

holes

in

the

underbody

properly

sealed

to

prevent

possible

entry

of

exhaust

fumes,

dirt

or

water

(See

Engine

Exhaust

Gas

Caution).

NEW

CAR

OPERATING

SPEED

Driving

speeds

for

your

new Oldsmobile

should

be

limited

to

a maximum

of

50

miles per

hour

for

the

first

100 miles and

65 miles per hour

for

the

miles

with

no heavy

throttle

accelerations.

If

most

of

your

driving

is

of

the around-town

)

www.PlandeGraissage.org

variety,

which

is

considered "severe

service" especially

in

cold

weather,

be sure

to

include some

25

to

50

mile highway

trips during

the

break-in period

and

vary

the

car's

speed.

OPERATION

IN

FOREIGN

COUNTRIES

Your

Oldsmobile

is

designed

to

operate

on

fuel

of

approximately

91 research

octane

number

or

higher, sold in

the

United

States

and Canada.

If

you

plan

to

operate

your

Oldsmobile

outside

the

continental

limits

of

the

United States

or

Canada,

there

is

a

possibility

that

the

best fuels available are

so low

in

anti-knock

quality

that

excessive

knocking and serious engine damage may

result

from

their

use.

To

obtain

information on

the

quality

of

fuels

available

in

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, Owner

Relations

Department,

Oshawa,

Ontario),

giving:

•

The

vehicle identification

number

(on

plate

on

instrument

panel ahead of

the

steering wheel and visible

through

the

windshield,

or

from registration slip

or

title).

•

The

country

or

countries

in

which

you

plan

to

travel.

It

is

recommended

that

you

not

operate

your

Oldsmobile

inany

country

not

having

fuels meeting

the

r~quirements

of

your

Oldsmobile engine. Engine modifications

are

not

available

to

compensate

for low

anti-knock

quality

fuels.

Operation

of

your

car

under

conditions

of

continuous

or

excessive knocking

constitutes

misuse

of

the

engine and

may

cause engine damage

for which Oldsmobile Division

is

not

responsible

under

the

terms

of

the

Oldsmobile New Vehicle Warranty.

15

www.PlandeGraissage.org

16

STARTING

AND

OPERATING

Section

Page

A - Steering Column

Controls

..•....

17

B - Floor Controls

...............

22

C - I

nstrument

Panel

.............

25

o -

Other

Controls

&

Features

.......

40

E - Convertible

Features

..•........

42

F -

Station

Wagon

Features

.........

43

ENGINE

EXHAUST

GAS

CAUTION

(CARBON MONOXIDE)

Avoid inhaling exhaust gases because

they

contain carbon monoxide, which by itself

is

colorless and odorless. Carbon monoxide

is

a dangerous gas

that

can cause

unconsciousness and

is

potentially lethal.

If

at

any

time

you suspect

that

exhaust

fumes

are

entering

the

passenger

compartment,

have

the

cause determined

and corrected as soon as possible.

If

you

must

drive under these conditions, drive

only

with all windows fully

open.

The

best

protection

against carbon

monoxide

entry

into

the

car body

is

a

properly

maintained engine

exhaust

system, car

body

and

body

ventilation

system. It

is

recommended

that

the

exhaust

system and

body

be inspected by a

competent

mechanic:

• Each

time

the

vehicle

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

vehicle

is

damaged.

See your Maintenance Schedu

Ie

folder

for

inspection procedure.

To

allow proper

operation

of

the

car's

ventilation system, keep

front

ventilation

inlet grille clear

of

snow, leaves

or

other

obstruction

at

all times.

SITTING

IN

A PARKED

ENGINE

RUNNING

EXTENDED

PERIOD

RECOMMENDED.

CAR WITH

FOR

AN

IS

NOT

Do

not

run

engine

in

confined areas such as

garages any more

than

needed

to

move

vehicle

in

or

out

of area. When vehicle

is

stopped

in

an UNCONFINED area with

the

engine running for

any

more

than

a

short

period,

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 with air conditioning,

set fan

to

medium

or

high speed,

upper

control

lever

to

any

position

except

OFF,

and

lower control lever

to

any

position

except

extreme

left COLD.

www.PlandeGraissage.org

The

trunk

lid should be closed while

driving

to

help prevent inadvertently

drawing exhaust gases

into

the

car. It

is

unwise

to

drive

at

high speeds for long

durations with

the

trunk

lid open.

However,

if

for some reason

the

trunk

must remain

open

for a period while

moving, or electrical wiring or

other

cable

connections

to

a trailer must pass through

the seal between

trunk

lid

and

body,

the

following precautions should be observed:

• Close all windows.

• Adjust heating or cooling system

to

force outside air into car as described

in

items 1, 2 and 3 above

but

with fan set

at

high speed.

•

On

cars equipped with outside air vents

in or under

instrument

panel,

open

vents

fully.

A-Steering

Column

Controls

A - Cruise Control Engage

Button

B -

Turn

Signal Lever

C - Tilt-Away Steering Wheel Lever

D - Ignition Switch

E - Horn Blower Pad

F - Hazard Warning Flasher

Button

G - Transmission Selector Lever

ANTI·

THEFT

STEERING

COLUMN

LOCK

Th,

"Mh,ft

lo'k,

lo""

..

d on

th'

dght

It

side of

the

steering column, has five

positions:

•

Accessory-Permits

operation

of

electrical accessories,

except

power

windows, when

the

engine

is

not

running.

To

engage, push key

in

and

turn

toward

you (counterclockwise).

•

Lock-Normal

parking position. Locks

ignition and provides added

theft

protection

by

preventing normal

operation of steering wheel and shift

controls. Key

cannot

be returned

to

"lock"

position and removed until

transmission

is

placed in

"park".

•

Off-Permits

turning engine

off

without

locking steering wheel and shift controls.

17

www.PlandeGraissage.org

18

•

Run-Normal

operating position.

•

Start-Permits

engagement of starter.

NOTE

: The

anti-theft

steering

column

lock

is

not

a substitute

for

the

parking

brake.

Always

set the

parking

brake

when leaving the car

unattended.

If

difficulty

is

experienced in turning

the

ignition key and lock

knob

to

unlock

the

ignition,

attempt

to

turn

the

steering wheel

as

hard

as

possible

in

the

direction

the

wheels are turned.

At

the

same time

turn

the

ignition-lock knob

in

a clockwise

direction with

as

much

effort

as

you can

apply with

your

own hand. Do

not

attempt

to

use a tool of

any

kind

to

apply

additional force on

the

lock knob, as this

could break the knob.

PARKING

When leaving your car

unattended,

•

Set

Parking brake.

• Place

automatic

transmission selector

in

Park.

•

Turn

key

to

LOCK

position.

• Remove key (the

tone

alarm wi

ll

remind

you).

• Lock all doors.

STARTING

THE

ENGINE

NOTE:

This

car

is

equipped

with

a safety

belt

starter

interlock

system.

Outboard

front

seats

must

have seat belts fastened

before

engine can be

started

. (Refer

to

the seat

belt

restraint system procedure

as

outlined

in

the

first

section

of

this manual.)

1. Apply

the

foot

brake_

2. Place transmission selector in

"P"

or

"N"

("P"

preferred). - A starter safety

switch prevents starter operation while

the

transmission selector

is

in

any

drive ·

position. (If it

is

necessary

to

re-start

the

engine

with

the

car moving, place

the

selector lever

in

"N".)

3. Depress 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 key

to

the

Start

position -

release when engine starts.

If

engine starts,

but

fails

to

run, repeat this

procedure.

When engine

is

running

smoothly (approximately

30

seconds).

the

idle speed may be reduced

by

slightly

depressing

the

accelerator pedal and

then

slowly releasing.

www.PlandeGraissage.org

Oldsmobile GM DELTA 88 1974 User manual

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