mirror Oldsmobile Silhouette 2001 Owner's Manuals

Table of Contents
Windows
Keys and Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry (Option)
Automatic Transaxle
Parking Brake
Tilt Wheel
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
Windshield Wipers
Cruise Control
Exterior and Interior LampsMirrors
Storage Compartments
Convenience Net (Option)
Accessory Power Outlets
OnStar® System (If Equipped)
HomeLink® Transmitter (Option)
Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Option)
Rear Parking Assist (Option) Seats and Seat Controls
Safety BeltsAir Bag Systems
Restraint Systems for Children
Section
1
Section
2
Seats and Restraint Systems
Features and Controls
ii

2-71
Mirrors
Inside Day/Night Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lights behind you, pull the lever
toward you (to the night position). To return the mirror
to the day position, push the lever away from you.
Power Remote Control Mirrors
The control located on the
driver's door operates both
outside rearview mirrors.Turn the control counterclockwise to select the
driver's side rearview mirror, or clockwise to select the
passenger's side rearview mirror. Then use the control to
adjust each mirror so that you can see a little of the side
of your vehicle when you are sitting in a comfortable
driving position.
If you are not adjusting either mirror, leave the control
in the center off position. This prevents moving the
mirrors accidentally once you have them adjusted.
Both outside mirrors can be folded forward or rearward.
In the rearward position, they will fold almost flush
with the vehicle. This feature is particularly useful in
automatic car washes.
Your mirrors have a blue tint to reduce glare while
driving at night.

2-72 Convex Outside Mirror
Your passenger's side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror's surface is curved so you can see more from
the driver's seat.
CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder
before changing lanes.
Heated Outside Mirrors
The outside rearview mirrors are heated when you
activate the rear window defogger. See ªRear Window
Defoggerº in the Index.
Storage Compartments
Your vehicle's large carrying capacity can store many
items. You can carry things as large as a 4
x 8
piece
of plywood. You can also use the floor pins that are used
to attach the seats, to secure larger loads.
Glove Box
Your vehicle has a glove box below the instrument
panel. To open the glove box, lift the latch release.
Use the key to lock or unlock the glove box.
The glove box door has a detent to prevent the door
from lowering too far. Open the glove box until the door
is partway open, then pull the door down if you need it
fully open. To close the glove box, the door must be
pushed up past the detent.
In the door of the glove box, you will find a tissue pack
holder and clip for a pen or pencil.

2-84
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as you're driving,
check now and then to make sure the luggage carrier
and cargo are still securely fastened.
Your luggage carrier has
release knobs set in the
ends of each crossrail.
Turn the release knobs counterclockwise to unlock the
crossrails. Slide the crossrails forward or backward as
needed, to accommodate loads of various sizes.
After repositioning the crossrails, be sure to tighten the
release knobs by turning them clockwise. This will lock
the crossrails in place.
Use the tie-down loops
on the slider to help
secure large loads.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors.
You can also remove them from the center mount and
swing them to the side.
Visor Vanity Mirrors
Pull down the sun visor. Flip up the cover to expose the
vanity mirror.
Lighted Visor Vanity Mirrors (If Equipped)
Pull down the sun visor. Flip up the cover to expose the
vanity mirror. The lamps will come on when you open
the cover.

2-118 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 only be reset independently. Only the mode that is
displayed will be reset.
Rear Parking Assist (Option)
Rear parking assist can help you to determine how close
an object is to your rear bumper within a given area,
making parking easier. It is not intended to be used
primarily as a rear obstacle detection system.
The rear parking assist display is located inside the
vehicle, above the rear window. It has three color
-coded
lights that can be seen through the rearview mirror.
Rear parking assist can be
turned off by pressing the
rear park aid disable switch
located in the overhead
console switchbank.
How the System Works
If the rear park aid disable switch is not on, the rear
parking assist will turn on automatically when the shift
lever is moved into REVERSE (R) and the vehicle
speed is less than 3 mph (5 km/h). When the system
turns on, the three lights on the display will illuminate
for 1.5 seconds to let you know that the system is
working. Rear parking assist senses how close your
vehicle is to an object. The distance is determined by
the four ultrasonic sensors located on the rear bumper.

3-9 Rear Window Defogger
Press the REAR button
(the light will glow) to
warm the defogger grid
on the rear window and to
turn on the heated outside
rearview mirrors.
The system will turn off automatically after about
10 minutes of use. If you turn it on again, the defogger
will operate for about five minutes. You can also turn
the defogger off by turning off the ignition or by
pressing the button again.
Do not attach a temporary vehicle license across the
defogger grid on the rear window.NOTICE:
Don't use a razor blade or something else sharp
on the inside of the rear window. If you do, you
could cut or damage the warming grid, and the
repairs wouldn't be covered by your warranty.
Rear Climate Control (Option)
If you have the optional rear climate control, the rear
seat passengers can control the temperature and the
amount of air directed to the rear of the vehicle.
You can also adjust the amount of air directed to the
rear of the vehicle using the front fan knob.
When it's cold outside, set the main climate control mode
knob to LOWER, DEFOG or DEFROST to send air to
the rear of the vehicle through the lower vents.
Set the main climate control mode knob to UPPER or
BI
-LEVEL to send air to the rear of the vehicle through
the headliner outlets.
To send conditioned air to the rear of the vehicle, press
the A/C button (the light will glow) on the main climate
controls. If you do not select A/C, air directed to the rear
of the vehicle will be cabin temperature.

4-14

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
ªrunning startº that more than makes 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 drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.

If other cars are lined up to pass a 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.

Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps 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.

4-15
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.
Skidding
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 ªoverdrivingº those
conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle'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 ªTraction Control
System,º remember: It helps avoid only the acceleration
skid. If you do not have this system, 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 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 ªmirrored surfaceº
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti
-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.

4-16
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 headlamps 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
headlamps 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.
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 headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.

4-21
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 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
ªblindº 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.