lights OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1994 Owner's Manual

86
Features & Controls
you may damage the system. After 30
minutes, wait at least 10 minutes before
restarting the air inflator.
To turn off the inflator, press OFF and
detach the hose, first from the inflated
object, then from the outlet. Place the
inflator kit tools
in the pouch and store
it in the glove box.
To use your air inflator system, attach
the appropriate nozzle adapter, if
required, to the end of the hose that has
the pressure gage. Then attach that end
of the hose to the object you wish to
inflate. Attach the other end
of the hose
to the outlet. Press the
ON switch. The
ON switch will work even with the
ignition off.
Your air inflator will automatically shut
off after about
10 minutes. To reset,
press the
ON switch again.
Don’t run your air inflator for longer
than
30 minutes at one time. If you do,
4 Inside DaylNight Rearview
Mirror
To reduce glare from lights behind you,
pull the lever toward you to the night
position.
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Sunroof (OPTION)
This feature may not be available on
your vehicle.
The sunroof has a glass panel that
opens for ventilation.
To Open the Sunroof:
Pull down on the latch release handle
and then push it forward and up until
the glass panel loclts into place.
To Close the Sunroof:
Pull the latch release handle forward
and down, then push it back and up.
Press firmly to lock the latch release
handle into the closed position.
Compact Overhead Console
The standard front overhead console
includes
two reading lights and a
storage compartment.
To turn on or
off either reading light,
press the switch next to it.
If you have the optional power sliding
door, your overhead console will
also
have two power sliding door switches.
To operate these switches, see the
Index under Power Sliding Door.
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The Instrument Panel-Your
Information System
Your instrument panel 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.
Refer to the accompanying diagram
of
your instrument panel to locate the
components listed below.
1. Side Vents
2. Light Controls
3. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
4. Tilt Steering Wheel Lever
5. Instrument Cluster
6. Gearshift Lever
7. Wipermasher Controls
8. Center Vents
9. Storage Compartment
IO. Side Vents
11. Circuit Brealter/Relay Panel
12. Glove Box/Fuse Panel
13. Audio System
14. Rear Fan Controls
15. Cup Holders/Ashtray
16. Locking Storage Bin
17. Lighter
18. Interior Lights Override Switch
19. Traction Control Switch
20. Climate Controls
21. Hazard Warning Flashers Switch
22. Ignition Switch
23. Horn
24. Steering Wheel Touch Controls
(Option)
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Features & Controls
98
I Instrument Panel Cluster
Your cluster includes indicator warning lights and gages that are explained on the following pages.
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Features & Controls
100
Warning Lights, Gages and
Indicators
This section describes the warning
lights and gages that may be on your
vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that
something
is wrong before it becomes
serious enough to cause an expensive
repair or replacement. Paying attention
to your warning lights and gages could
also save you or others from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may
be or is a problem with one of your
vehicle's functions. As you will see in
the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when
you turn the ignition key just to let you
know they're working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should
not be alarmed when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be
or
is a problem with one of your
vehicle's functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you
know when there's a problem with your
vehicle. When
one of the warning lights comes
on and stays on when you are driving,
or when one
of the gages shows there
may be a problem, check the section
that tells you what to do about it. Please
follow the manual's advice. Waiting to
do repairs can be costly
- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your
warning lights and gages. They're a big
help.
- UNLtADtU FUtL
-
I
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fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you about how
much fuel you have left, when the
ignition is
on. When the gage first
indicates
E (Empty), you still have a
little fuel left, but you should get more
soon.
Here are four things that some owners
ssk about. None of these show a
problem with your fuel gage:
At the service station, the gas pump
shuts off before the gage reads
F
(Full) .
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill
up than the gage indicated. For
example, the gage may have indicated
the tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than half the
tank's capacity to
fill the tank.
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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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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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