1998 Oldsmobile Achieva Owner's Manual - Page 86

SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power (but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the selector lever is put in FIRST (I), the transaxle won't shift into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough. NOTICE: Don't drive in SECOND for more than (2) 25 miles (41 km), or at speeds over55 mph (88 km/h), oryou can damage your transaxle. Use AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@)or THIRD (3) as much aspossible. Don't shift into SECOND (2) unless you are going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h) or you can damage your engine. With an automatic overdrive transaxle, SECOND (2) will select either first or second gear depending on vehicle speed. If your vehicle is slowing, the transaxle will downshift to first gear at 20 to 25 miles per hour (32 to 40 km/h) for enginebraking. You may notice some variation in shift speed in SECOND (2) when accelerating or braking. NOTICE: If your frontwheels can't rotate, don't try to drive. This might happen you were stuck in if a very deep sand or mud or were up against solid object.You can damage your transaxle. Also, if you stop when going uphill, don't hold your vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat and damage the transaxle. Use your brakes or shift into PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in position ona hill. 2-22