OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1997 Owners Manual

Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one
of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s
a problem with your vehicle.
When one of
the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of
the gages shows
there may be
a problem, check the section that tells you
what
to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re
a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds
to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light
will also come on and
stay on
until the driver’s
belt is buckled.
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Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows a deployed air bag. The system
checks the air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. The
system check includes
the air bag sensors, the air bag
module, the wiring and the diagnostic module. For
more information on the air bag system, see “Air Bag”
in the Index.
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will tlash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should
go out. This means
the system
is ready.
If
the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes
on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away. The air
bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the 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.
Charging System Indicator Light
1+1
The charging system light
will come on when you turn
on the ignition as a check to
show you it is working. It
will remain on as long as
the engine is
not running.
It should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system. It could indicate that
you have problems with a generator drive belt, or
another electrical problem. Have
it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn
off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
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Brake System Warning Light
Your Oldsmobile’s hydraulic brake system is divided
into two parts. If
one part isn’t working, the other part
can still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem or the brake fluid level could be low. Have your
brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
This light should come on
briefly when you turn the
ignition
key to RUN. If it
doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed so it will be ready to
warn you
if there’s a
problem.
If the light comes
on while you are driving, 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. If the light is still on, or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing, have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” and “Towing Your Vehicle”
in
the Index.)
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.
. UTIO--:
4
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.
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
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.
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 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.) 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.
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Traction Control System Warning
Light (Option)
#-I
This warning light should
come on briefly
as you start
the engine.
If the warning
light doesn’t come on then,
have
it fixed so it will be
ready to warn
you if there’s
a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be
a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly. The
traction control system warning light may come on
for
the following reasons:
If you turn the system off by pressing the traction
control button located
in the instrument panel
switchbank, the warning light will come
on and stay
on. To
turn the system back on, press the button
again. The warning light should go off. (See
“Traction Control System”
in the Index for
more information.)
If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come on. If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system
will turn off and the warning light will come
on
until your brakes cool down.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn
off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
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Low Traction Light (Option)
If your vehicle has the
traction control system,
there will be a LOW
LOW
TRACTION
TRACTION light on the
instrument panel.
When your anti-lock system is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid
a braking skid, or when your traction
control system is limiting wheel spin,
the LOW
TRACTION light will come on. Slippery road
conditions may exist
if this light comes on, so adjust
your driving accordingly. The light will come on and
stay on for four seconds when your anti-lock system
adjusts brake pressure for less than four seconds or
when your traction control system limits wheel spin
for less than four seconds. Otherwise, the light will go
out as soon as the anti-lock system stops adjusting brake
pressure or the traction control system stops limiting
wheel spin. The
LOW TRACTION
light also comes on briefly, as
a bulb check, when the engine is started. If the light
doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be there
to tell you when the system is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
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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Engine Temperature Warning Light
This light will come on
when your engine gets
too hot.
If this light comes on, 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.
Low Coolant Light
If this light comes on,
your system
is low on
coolant and the engine
1+1
may overheat.
To prevent damage to your engine, immediate action .- IS requlred.
See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index and have your
vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
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Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE ENGINE
SOON
Your Oldsmobile is
equipped with a computer
which
rr mitors operation
of the fuel, ignition and
emission control systems.
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 and
a chime will sound to indicate that there is
a problem and service is required. Malfunctions often
will be indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. This may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle. This system is also designed to assist
your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any
malfunction.
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
a
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.
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If the Light Is Flashing If the Light Is On Steady
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 If you are 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. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
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. You may be
able
to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently 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. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed 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.
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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 one or more of these conditions,
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.
Oil Pressure Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with an oil pressure warning
light. Your oil pressure
indicator lets
you know
when you may have a
problem with your engine
oil pressure.
When
the engine is running, this light may come
on to indicate that
the engine’s oil level may be
dangerously low, or there may be another problem
causing low
oil pressure.
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