engine OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1996 Owner's Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: OLDSMOBILE, Model Year: 1996, Model line: SILHOUETTE, Model: OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1996Pages: 372, PDF Size: 19.39 MB
Page 141 of 372

Low Coolant Light
I i LOW
If this light comes on,
your system is low on
coolant and the engine
may overheat.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine
Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE SOON
Your Oldsmobile is
equipped with a computer
which monitors operation
of the
fuel, ignition and
emission control systems.
To prevent damage to your engine, immediate action
is required.
See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index and have your
vehicle serviced
as soon as possible. This
system is called
OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and
is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce
a cleaner
environment. The
SERVICE ENGINE SOON light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent, which may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
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Page 142 of 372

I NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be
as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have
it repaired.
This light will also come on during
a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0
0
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system
on your
vehicle. Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required. The
following
may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reduce vehicle speed.
0 Avoid hard accelerations.
0 Avoid steep uphill grades.
0 If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled as soon
as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains on steady, see
“If the Light Is On
Steady” following.
If the light is still flashing follow the
previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your retailer
or
qualified service center for service.
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Page 143 of 372

If 3 Light Is On Steady
IOU may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you just put fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system
can determine if the fuel
cap has been
left off or improperly installed. This will
allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few
driving trips should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently
as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure
to install the fuel cap properly.
It will take
a few driving trips to turn the light off. Have
you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel”
in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently
as designed. You may
notice this
as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience this condition, change the fuel brand
you use. It will require at least one full tank of the
proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your retailer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
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Page 144 of 372

Oil Pressure Indicator
Your vehicle is equipped with an oil pressure indicator.
Your oil pressure indicator lets you know when you may
have
a problem with your engine oil pressure.
When the engine is running, readings
within the white
area indicate the normal operating range. Readings
in or
below the red area indicate that the engine's oil level
may be dangerously low, or there may be another
problem causing low
oil pressure. Driving your vehicle
with low
oil pressure can
cause extensive engine damage. Have your vehicle
serviced immediately.
' A CA"T1ON:
I-
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You
or others could be burned.
Check your oil
as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems
can be costly and is not covered by your warranty.
2-80
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Page 145 of 372

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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Page 148 of 372

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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Page 151 of 372

On very hot days, your vehicle will cool down more
quickly and economically if you open the windows long
enough to let
hot, inside air escape. For all settings,
adjust the temperature control lever and fan speed
as desired.
Press the RECIRC button
to get maximum cooling or
quick cool-down on very hot days. It should not be used
for long periods of time because the air may become too
cold and dry.
When the temperature outside is above freezing,
the air
conditioner compressor will automatically condition the
air when you press RECIRC (the A/C indicator light
will glow),
DEFOG or DEF (the A/C indicator light will
not glow).
Press A/C (the
A/C indicator light will glow) to condition
the air when you press UPPER, BI-LEV or LOWER. To
turn
off the air conditioner compressor in these settings,
press A/C again (the indicator light will go
off>.
Each time you turn on the ignition, the air conditioner
will default to the setting you had selected before last
turning off the ignition.
When the air conditioner compressor is on,
you may
sometimes notice slight changes
in your vehicle’s engine
performance and power. This is normal. The system
is
designed to help fuel economy while it maintains the
desired cooling level.
The air conditioner removes moisture from the air,
so
you may sometimes notice water dripping from under
your vehicle when
it is idling or after it has been turned
off. This is normal.
T’
Slide the temperature lever to the right to warm the air.
In the LOWER mode, outside air will be brought
in and
sent through
the floor outlets. The heater works best if
you keep your windows closed while using
it.
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Page 152 of 372

The BI-LEV setting is designed for use on sunny days
when the air is
only moderately warm or cool. On days
like these, the sun may adequately warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
For the best results, slide the temperature control lever
to the middle position, and then adjust it for comfort.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater and use
it during cold weather,
0°F (-18°C) or lower, your
heating system will provide heat more quickly because
the engine coolant is already warmed. See “Engine
Coolant Heater’’
in the Index.
%til-.tion Syst
Your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air
into the vehicle when it is moving. Outside
air will also enter the vehicle when the heater or the air
conditioning fan is running.
Your vehicle has air outlets that allow you to adjust
the direction and amount
of airflow inside the vehicle.
Push the outlet up or down to direct airflow to your
preference. Increase or reduce the amount
of airflow by
opening and closing the louvers. Opening and closing
the louvers will also direct airflow from side to side.
If your vehicle is equipped with seats in the third row,
you will have a rear air outlet and a rear fan.
To
maximize airflow to the rear of your vehicle, place
the
left bucket seat in the second row in the forward
position (see “Adjusting Rear Seats” in
the Index).
This uncovers the rear air outlet.
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Page 157 of 372

Rear Window Defogger
Press R. DEF (Rear Defog) to warm the defogger grid on
the rear window. The indicator light will glow while the
rear window defogger is operating. The rear window
defogger will turn
off automatically after about 10 minutes
of use. If you
turn it on again, the defogger will operate
for about five minutes only. You can also turn the defogger
off by turning off the ignition or pressing the switch again.
Do not attach a temporary vehicle license across the
defogger grid on the rear window.
I NOTICE:
Don’t use a razor blade or something else sharp
on the inside
of the rear window. If you do, you
could cut or damage the warming grid, and the
repairs wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
Audio Systems
Your Delco@ audio system has been designed to operate
easily and give years
of listening pleasure. You will get
the most enjoyment out
of it if you acquaint yourself
with it first. Find out what your Delco system can do
and how to operate all its controls, to be sure you’re
getting the most out of the advanced engineering that
went into it.
Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo
Press SET. Within five seconds, press and hold SEEK
down arrow
until the correct hour appears. Press and
hold SEEK up arrow
until the correct minute appears.
Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo with
Cassette Tape Player
Press SET. Within five seconds, press and hold SEEK
left arrow until the correct hour appears. Press and hold
SEEK right arrow until the correct minute appears.
Setting the Clock for AM-FM Stereo with
Compact Disc Player
Press SET. Within five seconds, press and hold SEEK
until the correct hour appears. Press and hold SCAN
until the correct minute appears.
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Page 171 of 372

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.
AWI
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 pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes
of sound. Sound that seems normal can be
loud and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by
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:
0 Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.
0 Increase volume slowly until you 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. Your vehicle’s
systems may interfere with the operation of
sound equipment that has been added
improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your retailer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
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