traction control OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1996 Owners Manual

Cruise Control (0
With cruise control, you can rnalnrain a speed of about
25 mph (40 kmh) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work
at speeds below about
25 mph (40 kdh).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control shuts off.
0 Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at a steady speed.
So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
slippery roads.
On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
Cruise control can be dangerous on Setting
Cruise Control
A CAUTION:
9
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you’re not using cruise, you might hit
a button and
go into cruise when you don’t want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the cruise
control switch
OFF until you want to use it.
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If
you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead
to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel the
system working, or you may notice some noise, but this
is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to.
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of
the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn
the front wheels. If there’s
no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you’ve ever
tried to steer a vehicle
on wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in
a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface,
the angle at
which the curve is banked,
and your speed. While you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
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If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly 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
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 brake 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.
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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.
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-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary
use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-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.
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 -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B,
and C, and they 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.
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Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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.
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.
In most cases, you will not need to have your wheels
aligned again. 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
Oldsmobile retailer if any of these conditions exist.
Your retailer 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.
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Stuck: In Sand. Mud. Ice or Snow .................. 5-33
Sunvisors
.................................... 2-65
Sunglasses Storage
.............................. 2-57
Supplemental Restraint System
.................... 1-25
Symbols. Vehicle
.................................. v
Tachometer .................................. 2-7 1
Taillamp Bulb Replacement
....................... 6-33
TapePlayerCare
............................... 3-24
Temperature and Compass Display
................. 2-55
Temperature Control, Climate Control System
......... 3-2
Theft
......................................... 2-21
Theft-Deterrent Feature, CD Player
................ 3- 19
Third Gear 2-29
Tilt Steering Wheel
............................. 2-39
Time, Setting the
................................ 3-9
Tirechains
.................................... 6-42
TireLoading
................................... 4-27
Tire-Loading Information Label
................... 4-27
Tires
......................................... 6-35
Alignment and Balance
........................ 6-40
Buying New
................................. 6-38
Chains
..................................... 6-42
ChangingaFlat
.............................. 5-22
Cleaning
.................................... 6-48
Compact Spare
............................... 5-32
Inflation
.................................... 6-36
Thermostat
.................................... 6-22
....................................
Inflation Check ............................... 7-34
Inspection and Rotation
........................ 6-37
Pressure
.................................... 6-36
Temperature
................................. 6-40
Traction
........ ' ............................ 6-39
Treadwear
................................... 6-39
Uniform Quality Grading
....................... 6-39
Wear Indicators
.............................. 6-38
Wheel Replacement
........................... 6-40
When It's Time for New
....................... 6-38
Loading
.................................... 4-27
TopStrap
..................................... 1-48
TorqueLock
................................... 2-34
Torque, Wheel
Nut ......................... 5-30. 6-59
Towing a Trailer
................................. 4-29
Towing Your Vehicle
.............................. 5-7
Trailer
Brakes
..................................... 4-33
Hitches
..................................... 4-33
ParkingonHills
.............................. 4-36
Tongueweight
............................... 4-32
Towing
..................................... 4-29
Turnsignals
................................. 4-35
Weight
..................................... 4-31
Driving
on Grades ............................ 4-36
Driving with
................................. 4-34
Maintenance When Towing
..................... 4-37
Safety Chains
................................ 4-33
Total Weight
on Tires .......................... 4-32
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