fuel Oldsmobile Silhouette 2000 s User Guide
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2-84 Instrument Panel Cluster
Your instrument panel cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You'll know how
fast you're going, how much fuel you're using, and many other things you'll need to drive safely and economically.
The indicator warning lights and gages are explained on the following pages.
United States shown, Canada similar
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2-85
Speedometer and Tamper
Resistant Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h). Your
odometer shows how far your vehicle has been driven,
in either miles (used in the United States) or kilometers
(used in Canada).
Your vehicle has a tamper
-resistant odometer.
You may wonder what happens if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed. If the new one can be set to the
mileage total of the old odometer, then that will be done.
If it can't, then it's set at zero and a label must be put on
the driver's door to show the old mileage reading when
the new odometer was installed.
If your vehicle has the optional driver information
center (DIC), you may toggle the odometer to either
miles (used in the United States) or kilometers (used in
Canada). See ªDriver Information Centerº in the Index.
Dual Trip Odometers
In addition to the standard odometer, the cluster can also
display two separate trip odometers (designated by the
letter ªAº or ªBº in the display window). The display can
be toggled between the odometer and the trip odometers
by quickly pressing and releasing the trip/reset button
located to the right of the temperature gage. The display
toggles once each time the trip/reset button is pressed
for less than 1.5 seconds. The display toggles in the
following sequence: Odometer
- Trip Odometer A - Trip
Odometer B. Each of the two trip odometers can be used
to keep track of different trip distances (for example, the
mileage of a long trip and the mileage driven on the
current tank of fuel). The trip odometers will continue to
keep track of miles (kilometers) driven even if they are
not currently displayed. To reset the odometer to zero (0),
push and hold the trip/reset button for at least
1.5 seconds, but less than 3 seconds. Only the trip
odometer that is showing in the display will be reset.
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2-91
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine
-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the red area, your engine is
too hot!It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service
Engine Soon Light in the United States or
Check Engine Light in Canada)
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
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2-92
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics
-Second Generation) and is intended to assure
that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life of the
vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner environment. The
SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service is
required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may prevent
more serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust or fuel system of your vehicle or the
replacement of the original tires with other than
those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the SERVICE ENGINE SOON
or CHECK ENGINE light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by your warranty.
This may also result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
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2-93
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly.
See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. It will take a
few driving trips to turn the light off.
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Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel
(see ªFuelº in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause
your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start
-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation
on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light
is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on
-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is designed
to evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This may take several days of routine
driving. If you have done this and your vehicle still
does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD system
readiness, see your dealer or qualified service center to
prepare the vehicle for inspection.
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Fuel Gage
United States Canada
When the indicator nears EMPTY (E), you still have a
little fuel left, but you should get more soon.
If your fuel is low, the warning message in the message
center will go on. See ªLow Fuel Warning Messageº
later in this section.Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have
left when the ignition is on.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. All
these things are normal and do not indicate that anything
is wrong with the fuel gage.
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads FULL (F).
It takes a little more (or less) fuel to fill up than the
gage reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but
it took more (or less) than half of the tank's capacity
to fill it.
The gage pointer may move while cornering, braking
or speeding up.
The gage may not indicate EMPTY (E) when the
ignition is turned off.
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2-100 Door Ajar Warning Message
This message will come on
when the ignition is turned
to RUN or START and the
driver's or passenger's door
is open.
It may also come on if a sliding door is not in the fully
latched position.
Rear Hatch Ajar Warning Message
This message will come on
when the ignition is turned
to RUN or START and the
rear hatch is open.
PASS-Key III Security Message
If you are ever driving and
this message comes on and
stays on, you will be able to
restart your engine if you
turn it off.
Your PASS
-Key III system, however, is not working
properly and must be serviced by your dealer. Your
vehicle is not protected by the PASS
-Key III system at
this time.
Low Fuel Warning Message
If your fuel is low, the
warning message will come
on and stay on until you
add fuel.
If the warning message is still on after adding fuel, you
need to reset the warning message. To reset the warning
message, turn the ignition to OFF then to ON. If the
message stays on, see your dealer right away.
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Manual Compass Calibration
If the compass appears erratic and the calibration
symbol does not appear, you must manually put the
compass into the calibration mode.
Turn the ignition on and cycle the DIC to the
compass/temperature mode. Press both the E/M and
MODE buttons simultaneously for at least 10 seconds
until the calibration symbol appears. Release both
buttons and complete three 360 turns in an area free
from large metal objects. The calibration symbol will
turn off and the compass reading will be displayed.
Error Displays
An error of the vehicle's speed sensor or fuel sender
will cause
-E- to be displayed.
In the absence of vehicle communications, a double
dash ª
--º is displayed.
If one of these error messages appear, see your dealer.
Trip Computer
There are five trip computer displays which may be
stepped through by pushing the MODE button. The
information will appear in the following order:
AVG ECON (Average Fuel Economy): This shows
the average fuel economy since the last reset.
INST ECON (Instantaneous Fuel Economy):
This shows fuel economy for the most recent
second of driving.
RANGE (Trip Range): This shows the estimated
distance that can be traveled with the remaining fuel.
The fuel economy used to calculate range is based on
the last few hours of driving.
FUEL USED (Trip Fuel Used): This shows the
accumulated fuel used since the last reset.
AVG SPEED (Average Speed): This shows the
average speed since the last reset.
Resetting the Trip Computer
Press and hold the MODE and E/M buttons for at least
two seconds. The reset is acknowledged with the display
showing all segments on briefly. A reset can only be done in
AVG ECON, FUEL USED and AVG SPEED displays.
AVG ECON, FUEL USED and AVG SPEED can be reset
independently. Only the mode that is displayed will be reset.
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When the air conditioner compressor is on, you may
sometimes notice slight changes in your vehicle's engine
performance and power. This is normal. The system is
designed to help fuel economy while it maintains the
desired cooling level.
The air conditioner removes moisture from the air, so
you may sometimes notice water dripping from under
your vehicle's engine compartment when it is idling or
after it has been turned off. This is normal.
Heating
Turn the temperature knob clockwise (toward the red
area) to warm the air.
In the LOWER setting, outside air will be brought in
and sent through the floor outlets. The heater works best
if you keep your windows closed while using it.
The BI
-LEVEL setting is designed for use on sunny
days when the air is only moderately warm or cool.
On days like these, the sun may adequately warm your
upper body, but your lower body may not be warm
enough. For the best results, turn the temperature
control knob to the middle position, and then adjust it
for comfort.If you have the optional engine coolant heater and use
it during cold weather, 0F (
-18C) or lower, your
heating system will provide heat more quickly because
the engine coolant is already warmed. See ªEngine
Coolant Heaterº in the Index.
Defogging and Defrosting
To rapidly defrost the windshield, turn the temperature
control knob all the way clockwise (to the red area) and
turn the mode knob to DEFROST. Adjust the fan to the
highest speed.
To keep the windshield clear and bring in heated air
through the heater ducts, turn the mode knob
to DEFOG.
When the temperature outside is above freezing, the air
conditioner compressor will run in these settings to help
remove moisture from the air.
Your vehicle is equipped with side window defogger
vents located on the top of the instrument panel. For
additional side window defogging, turn the mode knob
to the BI
-LEVEL setting and adjust the fan to the
highest speed. Aim the side vents on the instrument
panel toward the side windows. For increased airflow to
the side vents, close the center vents.