stop start OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1995 User Guide

Low Traction Light (Option)
If your vehicle has the
traction control system,
there will be a
LOW
TRACTION light on
the instrument panel.
LOW
TRACTION
When your anti-lock system is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking
skid, or when your traction
control system is limiting wheel spin, the
LOW TRACTION light will come on. Slippery road
conditions may exist if this light comes on,
so adjust
your driving accordingly. The light will come
on and
stay on for four seconds when your anti-lock system
adjusts brake pressure for 'less than four seconds or
when your traction control system limits wheel spin
for
less than four seconds. Otherwise, the light will go out
as soon as the anti-lock system stops adjusting brake
pressure or the traction control system stops limiting
wheel spin. The
LOW TRACTION
light also comes on briefly, as a
bulb check, when the engine is started. If the light
doesn't come on then, have it fixed
so it will be there to
tell you when the system is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
In
260
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.
2-80
ProCarManuals.com

RCL: Press this button once to see which track is
playing. Press it again within five seconds to see how
long your selection has been playing. The track number
also will be displayed when the volume is changed or a
new track starts to play.
PREV: Press this button to play a track again. If you
hold or keep pressing the PREV button, the disc will
keep backing up to previous tracks.
NEXT Press this button when you want to hear the next
track before the track you are listening to has finished.
If
you hold or keep pressing the NEXT button, the disc
will keep advancing
to other tracks.
REV: Press and hold this button to rapidly back up to a
favorite passage. Release it to resume playing.
FF: Press and hold this button to rapidly advance the
disc. Release
it to resume playing.
COMP: Press this button to make soft and loud
passages more alike in volume. Press it again
to resume
normal play.
When Finished with the Compact Disc Player
If you press POWER or turn off the ignition, the disc
will stay
in the player and start again when you turn on
the ignition or power switch. The disc will begin playing
at the point where it had been stopped.
STEL: Press this button to stop the disc player (the
radio will then play). Press
it again to play the disc (the
player will start playing the disc where it was stopped
earlier).
EJCT Press this button to eject the disc (the radio will
then play).
CD Player Anti-Theft Feature
Delco LOC 11' is a security feature for the compact disc
player. It can be used or ignored. If ignored, the system
plays normally. If it is used, your player won't be usable
if it is ever stolen, because it will go to
LOC mode any
time battery power is removed. Until an unlock code is
entered, it will not turn
on.
The instructions that follow tell you how to enter a
secret code into the system. If your vehicle loses battery
power for any reason, you must unlock the system with
the secret code before the radio will turn on.
3-17
ProCarManuals.com

Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes
back into
the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane
highway
is a potentially dangerous move, since the
passing vehicle occupies
the same lane as oncoming
traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can
suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the
worst
of all traffic accidents -- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides, and
to crossroads for situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever
about making a successful pass, wait for a better time.
0 Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines.
If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate
a turn
or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken center
line usually indicates it’s all right to pass (providing the
road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid line on your
side
of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road
seems empty
of approaching traffic.
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
“running start” 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.
4-13
ProCarManuals.com

is off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled by
easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
Driving at Night
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. 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.
4-15
ProCarManuals.com

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 headlamps 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 headlamps 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.
Driving in the Rain
I
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.
4-17
ProCarManuals.com

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
“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.
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.
4-21
ProCarManuals.com

Making Turns
1 NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a different turn signal flasher (included in the
optional trailering package). The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you signal a
turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps
will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop. When
towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not.
It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down
a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have
to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxie overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000 pounds (454 kg), and you have an automatic
transaxle with OVERDRIVE
(GO), you may prefer to
drive
in THIRD (D) instead of OVERDRIVE (0)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear). This will minimize
heat build-up and extend the life of your transaxle.
-
4-37
ProCarManuals.com

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
PARK
(P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer whe
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load. els.
Parking on Hills
You really should
not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on
a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK
(P).
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:
0 Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is cl
ear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and 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.
4-3s
ProCarManuals.com