check engine OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1996 User Guide

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning
to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to
know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to
a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
I
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a steep downhill slope.
‘ A CA,TIO,/:
I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get
so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the
hll better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads
in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across
the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay
in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones,
a falling rocks area or winding
roads.
Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
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Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it
or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just
a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This
will help
keep
CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it
go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later
on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
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Driving with a Trailer
A -CAUTION:
I
If you have a rear-most window open and you
pull
a trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide
(CO) could come into your vehicle. You can’t see
or smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness or
death. (See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.)
To
maximize your safety when towing a trailer:
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting
on your trip.
0 Keep the rear-most windows closed.
0 If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through a window in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use
RECIRC because it only recirculates the
air inside your vehicle. (See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index.)
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight
of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving
is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before
you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without
a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
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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;
0 Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear 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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&!, CAWTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery
(or batteries) installed in every new
GM vehicle.
But if
a battery has filler caps, be sure the right
amount of fluid is there.
If it is low, add water to
take care
of that first. If you don’t, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
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 positive
(+) to negative (-)
or you’ll get a short that would damage the battery
and maybe other
parts, too.
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.
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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A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there
is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
1 parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
~
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see
if the electric engine fan(s) are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fan(s) should be running.
If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery
Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t
at or above the FULL HOT mark, add a 501.50
mixture of den72 water (preferably distilled) and
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze
at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in
the Index for more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant
mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM antifreeze.
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You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge, experience, and the- proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall
off. You could be hurt.
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and CGSB 3.S-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting
the AAMA specification could provide improved driveability
and
emission control system protection compared to other gasolines.
Be sure
the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive.
If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry
if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up
a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy
a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have
a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label),
it is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels are not available
in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily
on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may turn
on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to
your authorized Oldsmobile retailer for diagnosis to
determine the cause of failure. In the event
it is
determined that the cause of the condition
is the type of
fuels used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty.
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In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called MMT. If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on. If this happens, return to your
authorized Oldsmobile retailer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help prevent
deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel system,
allowing your emission control system to function
properly. Therefore,
you should not have to add anything
to
the fuel. In addition, gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines
may be available in your area
to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that you use these gasolines
if they
comply with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts
in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use of improper fuel wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in
the country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation,
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
Ll H 8P7
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NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your retailer can get one for you.
If you get
the wrong type, it may not fit or have proper
venting, and your fuel tank and emissions system
might be damaged.
Checkhg Things Under the Hood
/I CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
Hood Release
A CAUTION:,,
I
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto
a hot engine.
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Pull forward on the hood prop to release it from its
storage clip.
Put the end of the hood prop into the slot in
the underside of the hood.
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on
properly. Lift the hood to relieve the pressure on
the
hood prop. Remove the hood prop from the slot in the
hood and return the prop to its retainer. Let the hood
down and close
it firmly.
Underhood Lamp
Your underhood lamp will go on when you open
the hood.
Engine Oil
LOW
OIL
If the LOW OIL light on the
instrument panel comes
on,
it means you need to check
your engine oil level right
away.
For more information,
see "LOW
OIL Light" in the
Index. You should check
your engine oil level
regularly; this is
an
added reminder. It's
a good idea
to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel.
In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
.-
The engine oil dipstick is located at the front of the
engine compartment, near the center. The dipstick
handle has
a bright, yellow loop design for
easier identification.
Turn off the engine
and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the
oil pan. If you don't, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
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