flat tire OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1996 Owners Manual

The 1996 Oldsrnobile Silhouette Owner’s Manual
Seats and Restraint Systems ............................................................. 1-1
Features and Controls .................................................................. 2-1
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems ..................................................... 3-1
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SIR” system.
This section explains how to start and operate your Oldsmobile.
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your
audio system.
YourDrivingandtheRoad .............................................................. 4-1
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
ProblemsontheRoad .................................................................. 5-1
This section tells you what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or
overheated engine, etc.
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Oldsmobile running properly and looking good.
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
This section tells you how to contact Oldsmobile for assistance\
and how to
get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects”\
on page
8-7.
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
ServiceandAppearanceCare ............................................................ 6-1
Maintenanceschedule............ ...................................................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information ........................................................ 8-1
Index ........................................................................\
........ 9-1
i
ProCarManuals.com

Act-.:- -1ry Power Outlet
The power outlet is located in the rear compartment on
the driver’s side.
To open, slide the latch down and
remove the cover.
The power outlet can be used to plug in electrical
equipment such
as a cellular telephone, CB radio, etc.
Follow the proper installation instructions that are
included with any electrical equipment you install.
When not
in use, always cover the outlet with the
protective cap.
NOTICE:
Air Inflator System (Option)
Your vehicle may be equipped with an air inflator. It will
be located in the rear compartment on the driver’s side
along with the accessory power outlet. With it, you can
inflate things like air mattresses and basketballs, and
you can also use it to bring your tires up to the
proper pressure.
To open, slide the latch down and remove the cover.
I
’ When using the accessory power outlet:
Maximum load of any electrical equipment
Be sure to turn off any electrical equipment should not exceed
20 amps.
when not in use. Leaving electrical
~ equipment on for extended periods can
drain your battery.
2-66
ProCarManuals.com

The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your
sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must
start when you’re not fresh -- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive
in.
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
0
0
0
0
0
0
Windshield Welsher 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?
Lamps: 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?
4-20
ProCarManuals.com

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 a 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 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving
in flat or rolling terrain.
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.
4-21
ProCarManuals.com

Loading Your Vehicle
ml GVWR MFD
BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP XWXX
GAWR
FRT GAWR RR
LB/KCI
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL. APPLICABLE
U.S. FEDERAL
MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS IN EFFECT ON THE DATE
OF MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
MODEL:
MPBY TIRE
SIZE RTC. RIM
FRT
RR
SPA SERIAL NUMBER
M.P.V.
SPEED
SEE OWNERS MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PSVKPA
(COLD
The Certification/Tire label is found on the rear edge of
the driver’s door. The
label shows the size of your original tires and the
inflation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity
of your vehicle. This is called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the
weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
The CertificatiodTire label also tells
you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called
the Cross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). To find out the actual
loads on your front and rear axles,
you need to go to a
weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your retailer can
help you with this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front
or rear axle.
!7
ProCarManuals.com

Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total or gross
weight
of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo
you may carry in it, and the people who will be
riding in
the vehicle. And if you will tow a trailer, you
must add the tongue load to the GVW because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle” in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A B
If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue (A) should weigh
10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you’re using a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight
(B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see
if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be able
to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Yo Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the limit for
cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
CertificationEire label at the rear edge of the driver’s
door or see “Tire Loading”
in the Index. Then be sure
you don’t
go over the GVW limit for your vehicle,
including the weight of the trailer tongue.
4-32
ProCarManuals.com

If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a
few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your’foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to
go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake
to a stop -- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Air Inflator (Option)
Your vehicle may have an air inflator used to bring tires
up
to the proper pressure. See “Air Inflator System” in
the Index for more details.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you
or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
5-22
ProCarManuals.com

Slide the cable retainer through the center of the spare,
then place the compact spare tire near the flat tire.
1 1
The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), folding
wrench
(B) and shaft (C).
ProCarManuals.com

I
3. Attach the folding wrench to the jack, and rotate the
wrench clockwise to raise the jack head
a few inches.
4. Near each wheel, there is a notch in the vehicle’s
frame. Position the jack and raise the jack head until
it fits firmly into
the notch in the vehicle’s frame
(nearest the flat tire).
Do not raise the vehicle yet.
Put
the compact spare tire near you.
5-27
ProCarManuals.com

Getting under a vehicle when it is jacked up is
dangerous.
If the vehicle slips off the jack, you
could be badly injured or killed. Never get under
a vehicle when it is supported only by a jack.
NOTICE:
Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly
positioned will damage the vehicle
or may allow
the vehicle to fall
off the jack. Be sure to fit the
jack lift head into the proper location before
raising your vehicle.
‘1
5. Raise the vehicle by rotating the folding wrench
clockwise
in the -jack. Raise the vehicle far enough
off the ground so there is enough room for the spare
tire to fit.
6. Remove all the wheel nuts and take off the flat tire.
ProCarManuals.com