service OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1993 User Guide

Features & Controls
SLIDIP
GAT1
SERVICE
ENGINE SOON
120 U2165
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
A computer monitors operation of your
fuel, ignition and emission controls
systems. This light should come
on
when the ignition is on but the engine is
not running, as a check to show you it is
working.
If it does not come on at all,
have it fixed right away.
If it stays on, or
it comes
on while you are driving, the
computer is indicating that
you have a
problem.
You should take your vehicle
in for service
soon.
If you keep driving your vehicle
with this light
on, after awhile the
emission controls won’t work
as
well, your fuel economy won’t be
as good and your engine may not
run as smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs not covered by you1
warranty.
Lifigate Ajar Warning light
The GATE AJAR light on your
instrument panel will come on if your
liftgate is not completely closed.
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AM Stereo
Your Delco@ system may be able to
receive C-Quam@ stereo broadcasts.
Many
AM stations around the country
use C-Quam@ to produce stereo, though
some do not. C-Quam@ is a registered
trademark
of Motorola, Inc. If your
Delco@ system can get C-Quam@
signals, your stereo indicator light will
come on when you are receiving it.
Care of Your Cassette
Tape
Player
A tape player that is not cleaned
regularly can cause reduced sound
quality, ruined cassettes, or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be
stored
in their cases away from
contaminants, direct sunlight, and
extreme heat.
If they aren't, they may
not operate properly or cause failure of
the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned
regularly each month
or after every 15
hours of use. If you notice a reduction in
sound quality, try a known good cassette
to see if
the tape or the tape player is at
fault. If this other cassette has no
improvement in sound quality, clean the
tape player. Clean your tape player with
a wiping-
action, non-abrasive cleaning cassette,
and follow the directions provided with
it.
Cassettes are subject to wear and the
sound quality may degrade over time.
Always make sure that the cassette tape
is in good condition before you have
your tape player serviced.
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Your Driving and the Road
140
w Road Signs
The road signs you see everywhere are
coded by color, shape and symbols.
It's
a good idea to know these codes so that
you can quickly grasp the basic meaning
or intent of the sign even before you
have a chance to read it.
STOP DO NOT ENTER
Color of Road Signs
Red means Stop. It may also indicate
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:hat some movement is not allowed.
Examples are
Do Not Enter and Wrong
Way.
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WRONG
WAY
Green is used to guide the driver. Green
;igns may indicate upcoming freeway
:xits or show the direction you should
urn to reach
a particular place.
RR ADVANCE NARROW NO PASSING
CROSSING BRIDGE ZONE
Yellow indicates a general warning.
Slow down and be careful when
you see
a yellow sign. It may signal a railroad
crossing ahead, a no passing zone, or
some other potentially dangerous
situation. Likewise, a yellow solid line
painted on the road means
Don't Cross.
HOSPITAL
11
Blue signs with white letters show
motorists' services.
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X3006 I
You can steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As you brake, your
computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
1
‘t
Anti-lock doesn’t change the
time you need to get your foot
up
to the brake pedal. 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.
To Use Anti-Lock: Don’t pump the
brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work for you. When
you start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, you may notice that your brake
pedal moves a little
while this is going
on.
A brief mechanical noise is normal.
This is
the ABS system testing itself.
You also may hear a clicking noise as
you accelerate after a hard stop.
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your Oldsmobile has front disc brakes
and rear drum brakes. Disc brake pads
have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the
brake pads are worn and
new pads are
needed. The sound may come and
go or
be heard all
the time your vehicle is
moving (except when you are pushing
on the brake pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning
sound means that sooner or
later your brakes won’t work well
That could lead to an accident.
when you hear the brake wear
serviced. arning
sound, have your vehicle
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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 that should
remain visible-such as parked cars,
obstacles, pedestrians, or even trains
blocking railway crossings. You may
want to put on your sunglasses after you
have pulled into a brightly-lighted
service or refreshment area. Eyes shielded from that glare
may adjust
more quickly to darkness back on the
road. But be sure to remove your
sunglasses before you leave the service
area.
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 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. If there is a line of opposing
traffic, make occasional glances over the
line of headlights to make certain that
one of the vehicles isn't starting to move
into your lane. Once you are past the
bright lights, give your eyes the to
readjust before resuming speed.
High Beams
If the vehicle approaching you has its
high beams on, signal by flicking yours
to
high and then back to low beam. This
is the usual signal to lower the headlight
beams. If the other driver still doesn't
lower the beams, resist the temptation to
put your high beams on. This only
makes two half-blinded drivers.
On a freeway, use your high beams only
in remote areas where you won't impair
approaching drivers.
In some places,
like cities, using high beams is illegal.
When you follow another vehicle on a
freeway or highway, use low beams.
True, most vehicles now have day-night
mirrors that enable the driver to reduce
glare. But outside mirrors are not
of this
type and high beams from behind can
bother the driver ahead.
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Driving a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
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168
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made on freeways, there are still many
made on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and regular highways is the same in some
ways. The trip has to be planned and the
vehicle prepared, you drive at higher-
than-city speeds, and there are longer
turns behind the wheel. You’ll enjoy
your trip more if you and your vehicle
are
in good shape. Here are some tips
for a successful long trip. 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?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Have you checked all levels?
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a
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?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
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On the Road
Unless you are the only driver, it is
good to share the driving task with
others. Limit turns behind the wheel to
about 100 miles
(160 km) or two hours
at a sitting. Then, either change drivers
or stop for some refreshment like coffee,
tea or
soft drinks and some limbering
up. But do stop and move around. Eat
lightly along the way. Heavier meals
tend to make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided
multilane highways that do not have
controlled access, you’ll want to watch
for some situations not usually found on
freeways. Examples are: stop signs and
signals, shopping centers with direct
access to the highway, no passing zones
and school zones, vehicles turning left
and right
off the road, pedestrians,
cyclists, parked vehicles, and even animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there 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.
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.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road
ahead and to the sides. Check your
rearview mirrors frequently and your
instruments from time
to time. This
can help
you avoid a fixed stare.
Wear good sunglasses in bright light.
Glare can cause drowsiness. But don’t
wear sunglasses at night. They will
drastically reduce
your overall vision
at the very time you need all the
seeing power you have.
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.
As in any driving situation, keep pace
with traffic and allow adequate following distances.
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Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle,
with a trailer attached, on a hill. If
something goes wrong, your rig could
start to move. People can be injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer can
be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on
a hill, here’s how to do it:
1 . Apply your regular brakes, but don’t
shift into
P (Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under
the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load.
apply your parking brake, and then shift to
P (Park).
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold
the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
of the chocks.
store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you’re pulling a trailer. See
the Maintenance Schedule for more on
this. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are
automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill)
engine oil, belts, cooling system, and
brake adjustment. Each
of these is
covered in this manual, and the
Index
will help you find them quickly. If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to
review these sections before you
start
your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch
nuts and bolts are tight.
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10. Now start the vehicle with the good
battery and run the engine for a
while.
1 1. Try to start the vehicle with the
dead battery.
If it won’t start after a
few tries, it probably needs service.
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1
1 2. Remove the cables in reverse order
to prevent electrical shorting. Take
care that they don’t touch each other
or any other metal.
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Towing Your Oldsmobile
Try to have a GM dealer or a
professional towing service tow your
Oldsmobile. The usual towing
equipment is
:
(A) Sling-type tow truck
(B) Wheel-lift tow truck
(C) Car carrier
If your vehicle has been changed or
modified since it was factory-new by
adding aftermarket items like
fog lamps,
aero skirting, or special tires and
wheels, these instructions and
illustrations may not be correct.
Before
you do anything, turn on the
hazard warning flashers.
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Problems on the Road
192
Towing Your Oldsmobile (CONT.:)
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle cannot be towed
from the front with sling-type
equipment.
drive.
vehicle. lever.
damaged.
That your vehicle has front-wheel
The make, model, and year of your
Whether you can still move the shift
If there was an accident, what was
When the towing service arrives, let the
tow operator know that this manual
contains detailed towing instructions and
illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
1 X6016
m,. ,
L ‘~‘n help avoid injury to you or
0 Never let passengers ride in a
vehicle that is
being towed.
* Never tow faster than safe or
0 Never tow with damaged parts
0 Never get under your vehicle
posted speeds.
not fully secured.
after it has been lifted by the tow
truck.
chains on each side when towing
a vehicle.
Never use “J” hooks. Use T-
hooks instead.
* Always use separate safety When your vehicle is being towed, have
the
ignition key
off. The steering wheel
should be clamped in a straight-ahead
position, with
a clamping device
designed for towing service. Do not use
the vehicle’s steering column lock for
this. The transaxle should be
in Neutral
and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on
the
front wheels, unless you must. If the
vehicle must be towed on the front
wheels, don’t
go more than 35 mph
(56 km/h) or farther than 50 miles
(80 km) or your transaxle will be
damaged. If these limits must be
exceeded,
then the front wheels have to
be supported on a dolly.
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