Oldsmobile Cutlass (1999 year). Manual - part 16

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6-28

Vehicle Storage

If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days 
or more, remove the black, negative (

-

) cable from 

the battery. This will help keep your battery from
running down.

CAUTION:

Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.

Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.

Also, for your audio system, see “Theft

-

Deterrent

Feature” in the Index.

Bulb Replacement

This section describes bulb changing procedures for
some of your interior and exterior lamps. For bulb sizes,
see “Replacement Bulbs” in the Index. For any bulbs not
listed in this section, contact your dealer.

Halogen Bulbs

CAUTION:

Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.

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Headlamps

1. With the hood open and the engine off, pull the

fastener out of the plastic splash shield covering the
top of the headlamp assembly and remove it.

2. Carefully pull directly up on the two latches.

3. Remove the lamp assembly from the vehicle by

pulling forward. Use care not to scratch the vehicle
with the lamp or the lamp with the fender.

4. Unclip the wiring harness and twist the bulb less

than one

-

quarter of a turn counterclockwise and

remove. Gently wiggle the bulb out of the socket.

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5. Reconnect the wiring harness to the bulb or 

lamp assembly.

6. Replace the lamp to its original position by carefully

lining up the lamp to the mounting balls.

7. Press down on the two latches. Replace the splash

shield by pushing down on the retainer.

Front Exterior Bulbs

A. Front Turn Signal

B. High

-

Beam Headlamp

C. Low

-

Beam Headlamp

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Front Turn Signal Lamp Bulb Replacement

1. With the hood open and the engine off, pull the

fastener out of the plastic splash shield covering the
top of the headlamp assembly and remove it.

2. Carefully pull directly up on the two latches.

3. Remove the lamp assembly from the vehicle by

pulling forward. Use care not to scratch the vehicle
with the lamp or the lamp with the fender.

4. Unclip the wiring harness and twist the bulb less

than one

-

quarter of a turn counterclockwise and

remove. Gently wiggle the bulb out of the socket.

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6-32

5. Press the tab on the white bulb socket and twist it

less than one

-

quarter of a turn counterclockwise.

6. Reconnect the wiring harness to the bulb or 

lamp assembly.

7. Replace the lamp to its original position by carefully

lining up the lamp to the mounting balls.

8. Press down on the two latches. Replace the splash

shield by pushing down on the retainer.

Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL)

1. Open the trunk and locate the CHMSL housing at the

top of the trunk.

2. Twist the bulb housing one

-

quarter of a turn

counterclockwise to remove it.

3. Gently remove the bulb(s) and replace with a 

new one.

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Rear Exterior Lamps

A. Back

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Up Lamp

B. Taillamp/Stoplamp

C. Rear Turn Signal Lamp

Tail/Stop/Turn Signal/Back-Up Lamps

1. Unscrew the 

fastener that holds 
in the trunk trim.

2. Gently pull back the trunk trim.

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6-34

3. Remove the three plastic wingnuts.

4. Pull out the taillamp assembly to expose 

the backplate.

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5. Carefully remove the backplate by pulling the four

outer tabs and two inner tabs sideways away from
the backplate.

6. Gently wiggle the bulbs to remove them from the

socket. Replace the bulb.

7. Reverse the steps to reassemble the rear lamp

assembly and mount to the car.

Make sure that all six tabs are securely fastened to
the backplate before reassembling the lamp.

8. When securing the lamp back into place, align the

lamp so that the trunk lid doesn’t contact it.

Dome Lamp

To change your dome lamp bulb, grasp the center front
and center rear portion of the housing and squeeze
firmly but gently. The housing should pop off.

If this doesn’t work, you may need to use a small
flat

-

head screwdriver under the side of the housing to

help pry it off.

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6-36

Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement

Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See “Wiper Blade
Check” in Section 7 of this manual under Part B “Owner
Checks and Services” for more information.
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. For the proper type and
length, see “Capacities and Specifications” in the Index.
Here’s how to remove the Shepherd’s Hook type:

1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from 

the windshield.

2. Push the release lever and slide the wiper assembly

toward the driver’s side of the vehicle.

3. Install a new blade by reversing Steps 1 and 2.

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Tires

Your new vehicle comes with high

-

quality tires made by

a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see
your Oldsmobile Warranty booklet for details.

CAUTION:

Poorly maintained and improperly used tires 
are dangerous.
D Overloading your tires can cause

overheating as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air

-

out and a serious

accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in 
the Index.

D Underinflated tires pose the same danger as

overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.

D Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut,

punctured or broken by a sudden 
impact 

--

 such as when you hit a pothole.

Keep tires at the recommended pressure.

D Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your

tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.

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Inflation -- Tire Pressure

The Tire

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Loading Information label, which is located on

the driver’s side rear passenger door, shows the correct
inflation pressures for your tires when they’re cold.
“Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).

NOTICE:

Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
D Too much flexing

D Too much heat

D Tire overloading

D Bad wear

D Bad handling

D Bad fuel economy.

NOTICE: (Continued)

NOTICE: (Continued)

If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
D Unusual wear

D Bad handling

D Rough ride

D Needless damage from road hazards.

When to Check

Check your tires once a month or more.

Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It should be at 
60 psi (420 kPa).

How to Check

Use a good quality pocket

-

type gage to check tire

pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.

Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt 
and moisture.

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Tire Inspection and Rotation

Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles 
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See “When It’s Time for New Tires” and
“Wheel Replacement” later in this section for 
more information.

The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.

When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.

Don’t include the compact spare tire in your 
tire rotation.

After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire

-

Loading

Information label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in 
the Index.

CAUTION:

Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index.)

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When It’s Time for New Tires

One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.

You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
D You can see the indicators at three or more places

around the tire.

D You can see cord or fabric showing through the 

tire’s rubber.

D The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep

enough to show cord or fabric.

D The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
D The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that

can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.

Buying New Tires

To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire

-

Loading Information label.

The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all

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season tread

design, the TPC number will be followed by an “MS”
(for mud and snow).

If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias

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belted or radial) as your original tires.

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CAUTION:

Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving. If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias

-

belted tires), the vehicle may not

handle properly, and you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.

It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.

CAUTION:

If you use bias

-

ply tires on your vehicle, the

wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial

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ply

tires with the wheels on your vehicle.

Uniform Tire Quality Grading

The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply to deep tread, winter

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type snow tires,

space

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saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with

nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited

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production tires.

While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.

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Treadwear

The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. 
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a
half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a
tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.

Traction 

--

 AA, A, B, C

The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight

-

ahead braking

traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.

Temperature 

--

 A, B, C

The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. 
Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance
on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required
by law.

Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.

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Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance

The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.

Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.

Wheel Replacement

Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
dealer if any of these conditions exist.

Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.

Each new wheel should have the same load

-

carrying

capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.

If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your vehicle.

CAUTION:

Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
It could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have a collision in which
you or others could be injured. Always use the
correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts 
for replacement.