warning OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1996 Owners Manual

How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this,
it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
the back of
the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of all
that’s
in the manual, and the page number where you’ll
find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION
to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
I
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions.
If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,’’
“Don’t do this,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
iii
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Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
iv
In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell you what to do
to help avoid
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might
see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
You’ll also
see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
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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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WARNING! FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE
MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS ON THE
USE
OF THIS CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM CAN
RESULT IN YOUR CHILD STRIKING THE
VEHICLE’S INTERIOR DURING
A SUDDEN STOP
OR
CRASH. SNUGLY ADJUST THE BELTS
PROVIDED WITH THIS CHILD RESTRAINT AROUND YOUR CHILD.
Just like the other restraint systems in your vehicle, your
built-in child restraint needs to be periodically checked
and may need to have parts replaced after a crash. See
“Checking Your Restraint Systems’’ and “Replacing Seat
and Restraint System Parts After a Crash” in the Index.
Using the Built-in Child Restraint
I
1. Pull the child head restraint release strap and raise
the head restraint until you hear
the latch click.
The child head restraint is not for use by an
adult. Use of this head restraint by an adult could
result in injury in the event
of a collision.
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Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and
optional features on your Oldsmobile, and information
on starting, shifting and braking. Also explained are the
instrument panel and the warning systems that
tell you if
everything is working properly -- and what to do if you
have a problem.
Keys
A c ‘LL I
Leaving young children in a vehicle with the
ignition key
is dangerous for many reasons. A child
or others could be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate power windows
or other
controls or even make the vehicle move. Don’t
leave the keys in a vehicle with young children.
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When the key is in the ignition in the RUN position,
the power sliding door will only open if
the transaxle
is
in PARK (P). The transaxle does not have to be in
PARK (P) to close the door.
If the ON/OFF switch is in
the
ON position and the power sliding door is open or in
the process
of closing when you shift out of PARK (P), a
tone will sound and the power sliding door warning light
on your instrument panel will flash (see “Power Sliding
Door Warning Light”
in the Index). This is a warning
light that the sliding door is not completely closed.
IAC TION: I
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 anything obstructs the power sliding door while it is
closing, the door will automatically reverse to the open
position, provided it meets sufficient resistance. Resistance must be
as strong as the force of the closing
door, or stronger.
The force of the closing door increases
significantly
as the door approaches the latch position.
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To close the liftgate, pull down on the handle, then
firmly shut the liftgate. Don’t drive with the liftgate
open, even slightly. See“Engine Exhaust”
in the Index.
A light on your instrument panel will warn you if the
liftgate is not completely closed (see “Liftgate Ajar
Warning Light”
in the Index).
2-
It can be dangerous to drive with the liftgate
open because carbon monoxide
(CO) gas can
come into your vehicle. You can’t see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the liftgate open or if electrical
wiring or other cable connections must
pass through
the seal between the body and the liftgate:
0 Make sure all windows are shut.
lhrn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to
its highest speed with the setting
on BI-LEV (Bi-Level) or
UPPER. That will
force outside air into your vehicle. See
“Comfort Controls” in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
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Ignition Positions
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions.
C
A E
ACCESSORY (A): An on position in which you can
operate your electrical power accessories. Press in the
ignition switch
as you turn the top of it toward you.
LOCK (B): This is the only position in which you can
remove
the key. This locks your steering wheel, ignition
and transaxle.
OFF (C): This position unlocks the steering wheel,
ignition and transaxle, but does not send electrical
power to any accessories. Use this position
if your
vehicle must be pushed
or towed, but never try to
push-start your vehicle. A warning chime will sound if
you open the driver’s door when the ignition is
OFF and
the key is
in the ignition.
RUN (D): An on position to which the switch returns
after
you start your engine and release the switch. The
switch stays
in the RUN position when the engine is
running. But
even when the engine is not running, you
can use the
RUN position to operate your electrical
power accessories, and to display some instrument panel
warning lights.
START (E): This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch will
return
to the RUN position for normal driving.
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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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Lamps
Headlamps
PC: Push this switch to turn on:
0 Parking Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
0 Taillamps
Instrument Panel Lights
Pull the switch to turn
off the lamps.
-:g-: Push this switch to turn on the headlamps,
together with:
Parking Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
0 Taillamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
Pull the switch to turn
off the lamps.
Lamps On Reminder
If you turn the ignition key to the OFF or LOCK
position while leaving the lamps on,
you will hear a
warning chime.
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