OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1994 Owners Manual

What should you do if this ever
happens? Ease up on the accelerator
pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that
you should adjust your speed. Of
course, the posted speeds are based on
good weather and road conditions.
Under less favorable conditions you’ll
want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you
approach a curve, do it before you enter
the curve, while your front wheels are
straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed
so you can
“drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be
more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and find
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car
suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a
child darts out from between parked
cars and stops
right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking
-
if you can stop in time. But sometimes
you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the
time for evasive action
- steering
around the problem,
Your Oldsmobile can perform very well
in emergencies like these. First apply
your brakes.
It is better to remove as
much speed
as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem,
to the left
or right depending
on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close
attention and a quick decision. If you
are holding the steering wheel at the
recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions,
you can turn it a full
180 degrees very
quickly without removing either hand.
But you have to act fast, steer quickly,
and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations
are always possible is a good reason to
practice defensive driving at all times
and wear safety belts properly.
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Your Driving and the Road
140
I
I Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right
wheels have dropped off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder while you’re
driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only
slightly below the pavement, recovery
should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing
in the way, steer
so that your vehicle
straddles the edge of the pavement.
You
can turn the steering wheel up to % turn
until the right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. Then turn your steering
wheel to go straight down the roadway.
I Passing
The driver of a vehicle abor It t o pass
another on a two-lane highway waits for
just the right moment, accelerates,
moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again.
A
simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle
on a two-lane highway is a potentially
dangerous move, since the passing
vehicle occupies the same lane as
oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A
miscalculation, an error in judgment, or
a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face
to face with the worst of all traffic
accidents
- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road,
to the sides, and to crossroads for
situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any
doubt whatsoever about malting a
successful pass, wait for a better time.
markings, and lines. If you can see
a
sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your
Watch for traffic signs, pavement pass.
A broken
center line usually
indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear).
Never cross a solid line on your side
of the lane or a double solid line, even
if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
Do not get too close to the vehicle
you want to pass while you’re
awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces
your area of vision, especially if you’re
following a larger vehicle. Also, you
won’t have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly
slows or
stops. Keep back a reasonable
distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is
coming up, start to accelerate but stay
in the right lane and don’t get too
close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to
move into the other lane. If the way is
clear to pass, you will have
a “running
start” that more than rnaltes
up for
the distance you would lose by
dropping back. And if something
happens to cause you to cancel your
pass, you need only slow down and
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drop back again and wait for another
opportunity.
slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take
care that someone isn’t trying to pass
you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over
your shoulder and check the blind
spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and start your left lane
change signal before moving out
of
the right lane to pass. When you are
far enough ahead of the passed
vehicle to see its front in your inside
mirror, activate your right lane change
signal and move back into the right
lane. (Remember that your right
outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle
you just passed may seem to be
farther away from you than it really
is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle
at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
vehicle
too rapidly. Even though the
If other cars are lined up to pass a
Don’t overtake a slowly moving brake
lights are not flashing, it may be
slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy
for the following driver to get ahead of
you. Perhaps you can ease a little to
the right.
Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say
about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don’t have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do
what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep
trying to steer and constantly seek
an
escape route or area of less danger.
In a skid, a driver can lose control of
the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care
suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to
your Oldsmobile’s three control systems.
In the braking skid your
wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or
cornering skid, too much speed or
steering in
a curve causes tires to slip
and lose cornering force. And in the
acceleration skid
too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by
easing your foot
off the accelerator
pedal.
If you have the traction control
system, remember: It helps avoid only
the acceleration skid. If you do not have
traction control, or
if the system is off,
then an acceleration skid is also best
handled by easing your foot
off the
accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your
foot off the accelerator pedal and
quicltly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go.
If you start steering
quickly enough, your vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when
water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety,
you’ll want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down on slippery
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Your Driving and the Rod
142
surfaces because stopping distance will
be longer and vehicle control more
limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced
traction, try your best to avoid sudden
steering, acceleration, or braking
(including engine braking by shifting to
a lower gear). Any sudden changes
could cause the tires to slide.
You may
not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle
is skidding. Learn to
recognize warning clues
- such as
enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface”
- and slow down when you have any
doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking
system
(ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than
day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely to be impaired
- by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to
reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may
need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher
speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the
daytime. But as we get older these
differences increase.
A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at
night
as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also
affect your night vision. For example, if
you spend the day in bright sunshine
you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your
eyes will have less trouble adjusting to
night. But if you’re driving, don’t wear
sunglasses at night. They may cut down
on glare from headlights, but they also
make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by
approaching lights. It can take a second
or two, or even several seconds, for
your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from
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a driver who doesn’t lower the high
beams, or
a vehicle with misaimed
headlights), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching
lights.
Keep your windshield and all the glass
on your vehicle clean
- inside and out.
Glare
at night is made much worse by
dirt on the glass. Even the inside
of the
glass can build up a film caused by dust.
Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and
flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils
of your eyes contract
repeatedly.
Remember that your headlights light up
far less of a roadway when you are in a
turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving;
that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlights
should be checked regularly for proper
aim, so should your eyes be examined
regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness
- the inability to see in
dim light
- and aren’t even aware of it.
4 Driving in the Rain
Rain and wet roads can mean driving
trouble. On a wet road you can’t stop,
accelerate or turn as well because your
tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on
dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have
much tread left, you’ll get even less
traction. It’s always wise to go slower
and be cautious if rain starts to fall
while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement. The
heavier the rain, the harder it is to
see. Even
if your windshield wiper
blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and
traffic signals, pavement markings, the
edge of the road, and even people
walking.
It’s wise to keep your wiping equipment
in good shape and keep your windshield
washer tank filled. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they
show signs of streaking or missing areas
on the windshield, or when strips of
rubber start to separate from the
inserts.
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Your Driving and the Road
144
Driving too fast through large water
puddles or even going through some car
washes can cause problems, too. The
water may affect your brakes. Try to
avoid puddles. But
if you can’t, try to
slow
down before you hit them.
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 haven’t 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.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlights -
not just your parking lights - to help
make you more visible to others.
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.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. (See
Tires in the Index.)
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I City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city
streets is the amount
of tr&c 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:
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.
Try to use the freeways that rim and
crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next
section,
Freeway Driving.)
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.
I 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
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Your Driving and the Road
146
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. 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.
I 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:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are
all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape?
you checked all levels?
lenses clean?
safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
weather outlook along your route?
Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
Tires: They are vitally important to a
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
Highway Hypnosis
Is tbere 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.
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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:
Make sure your vehicle is well
ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
ahead and to the sides. Check your
mirrors and your instruments
frequently.
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.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road
I
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is
different from driving in flat or rolling
terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep countly,
or if you’re planning to visit there, here
are some tips that can make your trips
safer and more enjoyable.
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.
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.
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Your Driving and the Road
148
Ihow how to go uphill. You may
want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the
hill better.
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.
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.
You may see highway signs on
mountains that warn of special
problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling
rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert
to these and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Oldsmobile in good shape
for winter. Be sure your engine
coolant mix is correct.
You may want to put winter
emergency supplies in your vehicle.
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.
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; O’C) and freezing rain begins to
fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until
salt and sand crews can get there.
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