brakes OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1996 Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols are important for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
SEAT
BELTS
These symbols have to
do with
your lights:
SIGNALS TURN
FOG LAMPS
# 0
These symbols
are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE k
COOLANT - t6
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
h
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER n
HORN b
SPEAKER
b
FUEL e3
V
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How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Oldsmobile retailer in the area where you’ll be
parking your vehicle. The retailer can give you the best
advice for that particular area. Ensure
the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your Oldsmobile has
Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock (BTSI). You must fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK
(P) when the ignition key is in the RUN position.
As you step on the brake pedal, while in PARK (P), you
may hear a click from the solenoid of the
BTSI. This
Automatic Transaxle Operation
ensures that the BTSI is operating properly.
If you cannot shift out of PARK
(P), ease pressure on
PARK (P) as
you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you wish. See
“Shifting Out of PARK (P)” in this section.
There are several
different positions for your shift lever. the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P): This position locks your front wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle can’t move easily.
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SECOND (2): This position gives you more power, but
lower fuel economy. You can use
SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control
your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then
you would also want to use
your
brakes off and on.
NOTICE:
~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~~
Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than 25 miles
(41 km), or at speeds over 55 mph (88 km/h), or
you
can damage your transaxle. Use THIRD (D) or
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(0) as much as
possible. Don’t shift into SECOND (2) unless you
are going slower than
65 mph (105 km/h) or you
can damage your engine.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly,
or if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with a transaxle system
sensor.
If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged.
So, if this happens, have
your vehicle serviced right away. Until then, you
can use SECOND
(2) when you are driving less
than
35 mph (55 kmh) and THIRD (D) for
higher speeds.
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FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power (but
lower
fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use it on
very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the selector
lever
is put in FlRST (l), the transaxle won’t shift into
first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes
or shift into PARK (P)
to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot and push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot. If the ignition is on,
the
brake system warning light will come on. See “Brake
System Warning Light” in the Index.
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To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot while you push down
on the parking brake pedal with your left foot.
(To
release the tension on the parking brake cable, you will
need to apply about the same amount of pressure to the
parking brake pedal as you did when you set the parking
brake.) When you remove your foot from the parking
brake pedal, it will pop up to the release position.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake
firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake with your left foot.
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Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your Oldsmobile has Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock
(BTSI). You have to fully apply your regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P), when the ignition
is
in the RUN position. See “Automatic Transaxle
Operation”
in the Index.
As you step
on the brake pedal, while in PARK (P), you
may hear a click from the solenoid of the
BTSI. This
ensures that the BTSI
is operating properly.
If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you want. If you ever
hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift out of
PARK
(P), try this:
1. Turn the key to the OFF position.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
I
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that
can burn.
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Cruise Control (0
With cruise control, you can rnalnrain a speed of about
25 mph (40 kmh) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work
at speeds below about
25 mph (40 kdh).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control shuts off.
0 Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at a steady speed.
So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
slippery roads.
On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
Cruise control can be dangerous on Setting
Cruise Control
A CAUTION:
9
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you’re not using cruise, you might hit
a button and
go into cruise when you don’t want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the cruise
control switch
OFF until you want to use it.
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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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Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes,
as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and reuction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do
it. That’s reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and
as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play
a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph ( 100 km/h) trave.ls 66 feet (20 m).
That could be
a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And,
of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel);
the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; and the condition
of your brakes.
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