Oldsmobile Cutlass (1999 year). Manual - part 11

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4-18

Hydroplaning

Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or no contact with the road.

Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on
the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.

Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when it is raining.

Driving Through Deep Standing Water

NOTICE:

If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine’s air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you
can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.

Some Other Rainy Weather Tips

D Besides slowing down, allow some extra following

distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.

D Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See

“Tires” in the Index.)

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4-19

City Driving

One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.

Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
D Know the best way to get to where you are 

going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross

-

country trip.

D Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most

large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)

D Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic 

light is there because the corner is busy enough to
need it. When a light turns green, and just before you
start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.

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4-20

Freeway Driving

Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.

The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too

-

fast or

too

-

slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the

left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.

At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.

Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.

Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.

Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.

When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.

The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.

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4-21

The exit speed is usually posted.

Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.

Before Leaving on a Long Trip

Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh 

--

 such as after a day’s

work 

--

 don’t plan to make too many miles that first part

of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.

Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Oldsmobile dealerships all across North America.
They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need it.

Here are some things you can check before a trip:
D Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are

all windows clean inside and outside?

D Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
D Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked

all levels?

D Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
D Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,

trouble

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free trip. Is the tread good enough for

long

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distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the

recommended pressure?

D Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook

along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?

D Maps: Do you have up

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to

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date maps?

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4-22

Highway Hypnosis

Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.

There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a second, and you could crash and 
be injured.

What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.

Then here are some tips:
D Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a

comfortably cool interior.

D Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to

the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.

D If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service

or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.

Hill and Mountain Roads

Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.

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If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
D Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid

levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system 
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.

D Know how to go down hills. The most important

thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.

CAUTION:

If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.

CAUTION:

Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.

D Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest 

gear possible.

D Stay in your own lane when driving on two

-

lane

roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.

D As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There 

could be something in your lane, like a stalled car 
or an accident.

D You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of

special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no

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passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding

roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.

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4-24

Winter Driving

Here are some tips for winter driving:
D Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
D You may want to put winter emergency supplies in

your trunk.

Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.

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Driving on Snow or Ice

Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.

However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be 
very careful.

What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing (32

_F; 0_C) and freezing rain begins to fall.

Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.

Whatever the condition 

--

 smooth ice, packed, blowing

or loose snow 

--

 drive with caution. Accelerate gently.

Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate
too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.

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Your anti

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lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability

when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have the anti

-

lock braking system, you’ll

want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti

-

Lock” in the Index.

D Allow greater following distance on any 

slippery road.

D Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine

until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.

If You’re Caught in a Blizzard

If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
D Turn on your hazard flashers.

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D Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that

you’ve been stopped by the snow.

D Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.

If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats 

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 anything you can wrap around yourself or

tuck under your clothing to keep warm.

You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.

CAUTION:

Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.

Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.

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Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well

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charged battery to

restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.

Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.

Recreational Vehicle Towing

You can tow your vehicle behind another vehicle for use
at your destination. Be sure to use the proper towing
equipment designed for recreational towing. Follow the
instructions for the towing equipment.

Towing Your Vehicle from the Front

There are two ways to tow your vehicle from the front.

To tow your vehicle with a dolly, follow these steps:

1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.

2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).

3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.

4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight

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ahead position

with a clamping device designed for towing.

5. Release the parking brake.

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To tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground,
follow these steps:

1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.

2. Turn the ignition to OFF.

3. Set the parking brake.

4. Remove the following fuses from the left side of the

instrument panel fuse block: A) Radio, B) Wiper, 
H) Powertrain Control Module, K) Body Function
Control Module, Cluster. This will prevent your battery
from draining while towing. See “Instrument Panel Fuse
Block 

-

 Left” in Section 6 for the location of these fuses.

5. Turn the ignition to ACC.

6. Shift your transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).

7. Release the parking brake.

Remember to replace the fuses once you reach your
destination. To replace a fuse:

1. Set the parking brake.

2. Remove the key from the ignition.

3. Replace the fuse.

NOTICE:

Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
65 mph (105 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.

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Towing Your Vehicle from the Rear

NOTICE:

Do not tow your vehicle from the rear. Your
vehicle could be badly damaged and the repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.

Loading Your Vehicle

Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire

-

Loading Information label

found on the rear edge of the driver’s side rear passenger
door tells you the proper size, speed rating and
recommended inflation pressures for the tires on your
vehicle. It also gives you important information about
the number of people that can be in your vehicle and the
total weight that you can carry. This weight is called the
Vehicle Capacity Weight, and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo and all nonfactory

-

installed options.

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The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver’s door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or 
rear axle.

And, if you do have a heavy load, you should spread 
it out. Don’t carry more than 132 lbs. (60 kg) in 
your trunk.

CAUTION:

Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, and it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten the life
of your vehicle.

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CAUTION:

Things you put inside your vehicle can strike 
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in
a crash.
D Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a

trunk, put them as far forward as you can.
Try to spread the weight evenly.

D Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,

inside the vehicle so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.

D Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in

your vehicle.

D When you carry something inside the

vehicle, secure it whenever you can.

D Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you

need to.

Towing a Trailer

CAUTION:

If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well 

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 or even at all. You

and your passengers could be seriously injured.
You may also damage your vehicle; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your dealer for advice
and information about towing a trailer with 
your vehicle.

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Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.

That’s the reason for this part. In it are many
time

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tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.

Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.

Load

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pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,

wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer

If you do, here are some important points:
D There are many different laws, including speed limit

restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.

D Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch

dealer about sway controls.

D Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles

(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.

D Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you

tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.

D Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.

Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than 55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.