OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1995 Owners Manual

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Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that
can occur
on the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others.
They
also let police know you have a problem. Your
front and rear turn signal lamps will flash on
and off.
Your hazard warning flashers switch
is on the steering
column, below the ignition switch.
Press the button in to
turn
on your flashers.
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Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key isn’t in.
To turn off the flashers, pull out on the collar.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals won’t work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at the
side of
the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
Oldsmobile. But please follow the steps below to do it
safely.
On vehicles equipped with the optional power sliding
door, a low voltage battery or replacing a battery may
cause the system to become inoperative. Refer to “Power
Sliding Door” in the Index for more information.
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NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Trying to start your Oldsmobile by
pushing or pulling
it won’t work, and it could
damage your vehicle.
To Jump Start Your Oldsmobile
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your Oldsmobile, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems. You
could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firrnly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) or a manual
transaxle in
NEUTRAL (N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. And it could
save your radio!
L
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
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5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
Your Oldsmobile has a remote positive
(+) jump
starting terminal. The terminal is
in the red box on the
same side
of the engine compartment as your battery.
You should always use the remote positive (+) terminal
instead
of the positive (+) terminal on your battery.
To open the remote positive (+) terminal box, pull
the tab and open the cover.
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6. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation.
If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some things
you should know. Positive
(+) will go to positive (+)
and negative (-) will go to negative (-) or a metal
engine part. Don’t connect
(+) to (-) or you’ll get a
short that would damage the battery and maybe other
parts, too.
7. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
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8. Don’t let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the
positive
(+) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
9. Now connect the black negative (-) cable to the good
battery’s negative
(-) terminal. Don’t
let the other end touch anything
until the next
step. The other end of the negative cable doesn ’t go
to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy unpainted
metal part on
the engine of the vehicle with the dead
battery.
3.1L V6 Engine
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3800 V6 Engine
10. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just as
good
there, but the chance of sparks getting back to the
battery is much
less.
11. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for
a while.
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. If it
won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
GOOD BATTERY
DEAD BATTERY
13. 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 Vehicle
J
I
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. 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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