warning light OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1996 User Guide

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident.
If the light is still on or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing
after you’ve pulled off the road and stopped
carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come on when you start
your engine and it will
stay on for three seconds.
That’s normal.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come
on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem. If
the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with your
regular brakes. Pull off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.)
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A CAUTION:
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly if the anti-lock brake system warning light
is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock
brake system warning light flashing can lead to an accident. After you’ve pulled
off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your Oldsmobile needs service. If
the light is on but not flashing and the regular brake
system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but
you don’t have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there
is a problem.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
’ 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.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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Low OilLi -
LOW
OIL
If this light comes on, it
means your engine is low
on oil.
Power Sliding Door Warning Light
With the optional power
sliding door, the sliding
door ajar symbol on your
instrument panel will come
on
if your sliding door is
not completely closed.
You need to check the
oil level right away. Driving your
vehicle without enough oil can cause extensive engine
damage. Have your vehicle serviced immediately. If you shift the transaxle out of PARK (P) while the
sliding door is open or
in the process of closing, and the
power sliding door
ON/OFF switch is in the ON
position, the power sliding door warning light will flash
and a buzzer will sound. This is
a warning that the
sliding door is not completely closed.
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If you shift the transaxle out of PARK (P) and
accelerate before the power sliding door latches
closed, the door may reverse to the open position.
A child or others could fall out of the vehicle and
be injured. Always make sure the power sliding
door
is closed and latched before you drive away.
If you manually slam the power sliding door shut when
the ignition is on, the power sliding door warning light
may come
on and stay on. To turn the light off, reopen
and close the door using either power door switch, or
manually open and close
the door again more slowly.
Lift,. ~ Aja:-- Wan 19 Light
-1
The liftgate ajar symbol on
your instrument panel will
come on if your liftgate is
not completely closed.
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Low Fuel Warning Light
I
‘F
1/2
This light will also come on when you turn on the
ignition, but the engine
is not running, to show you it is
working. If
it doesn’t come on as you start your vehicle,
have it fixed right away.
When there
is between 3 gallons (1 1 L) and 0.5 gallon
(1.8 L) of fuel left in the tank, the warning light next to
the fuel symbol will go
on.
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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster
if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down.
If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder
to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will
help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test
is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little. (You may also hear a clicking
noise
if you leave the ignition in the RUN position for
about four seconds before starting the vehicle.) This
is normal.
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on or
flash. See “Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light”
in the Index.
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City Drivi - Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
0
a
0
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part
of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving,”)
Treat a green light as
a warning signal. A traffic
light
is there because the corner is busy enough to
need
it. When a light turns green, and just before you
start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Oldsmobile in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle. Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of
windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and
a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction.
Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be \
very careful.
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DW to 2 dl uid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough
of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it
to the proper level. It doesn’t
take much fluid, generally less than a pint
(0.5 L).
Don ’t overfill. We recommend you use only fluid
labeled DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that
label is made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused
by fluid other than DEXRON-111 is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
0 After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How
to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way. The
cooling system in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL
TM (orange-colored, silicate-free) engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to remain in your
vehicle for
5 years or 100,000 miles (166 000 km),
whichever occurs first.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low.
If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your Oldsmobile will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights and gages work as they should.
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When your brake fluid falls
to
a low level, your brake
warning light
will come on.
See “Brake System Warning
I BRAKE I
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No. 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only, and always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap before removing
it.
r
With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work
at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
NOTICE:
a
0
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle. If you do, wash it
off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
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