check engine OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1995 Owners Manual

NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to
be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START.
If it doesn’t start in three seconds (or starts
but then stops), push the accelerator pedal about
one-quarter of the way down for
12 more seconds, or
until it starts.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could
be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try this:
Wait
15 seconds to let the starter motor cool down.
Then push your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor. Hold it there. Then hold the key in START.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine. When
the engine starts, let
go of the key and the accelerator
pedal.
If the engine still doesn’t start, wait another
15 seconds and repeat this step.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the fuel injection system operates. Before adding
electrical equipment, check with your retailer.
If
you don’t, your engine might not perform
properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that
tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
To Start Your 3800 V6 Engine
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition
key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets
warm.
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NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START
for about three to five seconds at a time until
your engine starts. Wait about
15 seconds between
each try to help avoid draining your battery.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way
to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but
this time keep the pedal down for five or six seconds.
This clears the extra gasoline from the engine. After
waiting about
15 seconds, repeat the normal starting
procedure.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the
way
the fuel injection system operates. Before adding
electrical equipment, check with your retailer.
If
you don’t, your engine might not perform
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the part of this manual that tells how to do
it
~ without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the Index.
, properly.
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Trip Odometer
[O 12 O 531
I UNLEADED FUEL ONLY I
The trip odometer can tell you how far your vehicle has
been driven since you last set it to zero.
To set it to zero,
push the reset button located above the fuel gage.
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part 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 come 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 start the
engine 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 this 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.
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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.
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HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU BADLY!
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE SOON
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
worlung.
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.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while 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 your
warranty.
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adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to
it.
To help avoid hearing loss or damage:
1. Adjust the volume control
to the lowest setting.
2. Increase the volume slowly until you can hear
comfortably and clearly.
I NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two-way radio
-- be sure you can
add what you want.
If you can, it’s very
important to do it properly. Added sound equipment may interfere with the operation of
your vehicle’s engine, Delco@ radio
or other
systems, and even damage them. And, your
vehicle’s systems may interfere with the
operation
of sound equipment that has been
added improperly.
Before adding sound equipment, check with your retailer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
Understanding Radio Reception
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach
only about 10 to 40 miles ( 16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with
FM signals, causing
the sound
to come and go.
AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for
FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can
also
pick up noise from things like storms and power lines.
To lower this noise, try reducing the treble level.
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.
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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 retail facilities 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:
0
a
a
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a
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Windshield WLzslzer 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?
Lcmys: 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 Forecasts: What’s the 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‘?
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 u 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:
0
0
0 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 mirrors and your instruments
frequently.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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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