battery OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1997 Owner's Manual

8. Attach the cable at least
18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts
that move.
The electrical
connection
is just as
good there, but the
chance of sparks
getting back to the
battery is much less.
9. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and
run the engine for
a while.
10. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after
a few tries, it probably
needs service.
11. Remove
the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
5-7
ProCarManuals.com

Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Oldsmobile. This section begins with service information, and
then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted
to its appearance care.
6-2
6- 3
6-4
6-5
6-7
6-10 6-15
6-16 6-17
6-20 6- 24
6-25
6-26
6-30 6-30
6-3
1
6-38 Doing
Your Own Service Work
What Kind
of Fuel to Use
Using Fuel in Foreign Countries
Where to Put the Fuel and Filling the Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Checking Your Engine
Oil
Air Cleaner
Pollen Filter
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Where to Fill
the Windshielc 9 Washer Fluic
Important Brake Information
Information on Your Vehicle’s Battery
Tips on Vehicle Storage
Bulb Replacement Procedures
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement 6-40
6-42
6-44
6-47 6-49
6-50
6-52
6-53 6-54
6-55 6-56
6-57
6-62
6-62
6-62 6-63
6-63 How and
When to Check Tire Inflation
When
it is Time to Buy New Tires
Wheel Alignment
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Care of the Safety Belts
Cleaning
the Outside of Your Vehicle
How to Clean Aluminum Wheels
Underbody Maintenance
Recommended Appearance Care Materials
Your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
The Electrical System
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Replacement Bulb Types for Your Vehicle
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Specifications
Vehicle Dimensions
Normal Replacement Parts
6-1
ProCarManuals.com

Brake Pedal Travel
See your retailer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase
in pedal
travel. This could be
a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have
to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality
GM brake
parts in them, as your Oldsmobile does
when it is new.
When you replace parts of your braking system
-- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put
in -- be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts
in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come
to expect can change in many other ways if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Oldsmobile has a Delco Freedom@ battery.
You never have to add water to one of these. When it’s
time for
a new battery, we recommend a Delco Freedom
battery. Get one that has the replacement number shown
on the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or more,
take
off’ the black, negative (-) cable from the battery. This
will help keep your battery from running down.
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode.
You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful.
See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your retailer to learn how to prepare your
vehicle for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature”
in the Index.
6-30
ProCarManuals.com

Section 9 Index
Accessory Power Outlet ......................... 2-84
Adding Equipment to the Outside
Of Your Vehicle ...... 6-3
AirBag
....................................... 1-43
How Does
it Restrain .......................... 1-47
Howitworks
................................ 1-45
Location
.................................... 1-45
Readiness Light
......................... 1.44, 2.94
Servicing
................................... 1-48
What Makes it Inflate
.......................... 1-46
What Will You See After it Inflates
............... 1-47
When Should it Inflate
......................... 1-46
Aircleaner
.................................... 6-15
Air Conditioning
................................ 3-3
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
..................... 6-62
AirInflator
.................................... 2-86
Alignment and Balance. Tire
...................... 6-44
Aluminum Wheels. Cleaning
...................... 6-52
Antenna. Integrated Windshield
.................... 3-30
Antifreeze ..................................... 6-20
Anti-Lock
........................................
Brake System Warning Light ................ 2.96. 4.7
Brakes
...................................... 4-7
Adjusting the Split Bench Seat
.................... 1 . 19
Appearance Care
............................... 6-46
Appearance Care Materials
....................... 6-54
Ashtray
....................................... 2-82
Audio Systems
.................................. 3-9
Automatic Door Locks
............................ 2-6
Automatic Overdrive
............................ 2-33
Automatic Transaxle Check
....................... 7-38
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
........................ 6-17
HowtoAdd
................................. 6-20
How to Check
............................... 6-18
When
to Check and Change ..................... 6-17
Automatic Transaxle Operation
.................... 2-31
Shifting
..................................... 2-31
Automatic Transaxle Park Mechanism Check
......... 7-40
Battery Saver
................................. 2-61
Battery
....................................... 6-30
Jump Starting
................................. 5-3
Warnings
................................ 5.3. 5.5
BBB Auto Line
................................. 8-7
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
.................... 4-22
Better Business Bureau Mediation
................... 8-7
9-1
ProCarManuals.com

Fabric ...................................... 6-47
Class
....................................... 6-50
Inside
of Your Oldsmobile ...................... 6-47
Instrument Panel
............................. 6-49
Outside of Your Oldsmobile
.................... 6-50
Special Problems
............................. 6-48
Stains
...................................... 6-48
Tires
....................................... 6-52
Vinyl ....................................... 6-48
Wheels
..................................... 6-52
Windshield and Wiper Blades
................... 6-50
Climate Control System
........................... 3-2
Clock. Setting the
................................ 3-9
Coinholder
.................................... 2-74
Comfort Controls
................................ 3- 1
Compact Disc Care ............................. 3-30
Compact Disc Player
............................ 3- 19
Compact Disc Player Errors
....................... 3-21
Compact Disc Player. Remote
..................... 3-17
Compact Overhead Console
...................... 2-68
Compact Spare Tire
............................. 5-32
Content Theft Deterrent
.......................... 2-23
Control of
a Vehicle .............................. 4-6
Convenience Net
............................... 2-76
Side
....................................... 2-78
Convex Outside Mirror
.......................... 2-67
Coolant
....................................... 6-20
Adding
..................................... 6-23
Checking
................................... 6-22 Heater.
Engine
............................... 2-29
RecoveryTank
............................... 5-16
Whattouse ................................. 6-21
Courtesy Transportation
........................... 8-6
Cruise Control
................................. 2-55
Cupholders
.................................... 2-74
Customer Assistance for Text Telephone Users
......... 8-4
Customer Assistance Information
................... 8-1
Customer Satisfaction Procedure .................... 8-2
Damage. Finish
............................... 6-52
Damage. Sheet Metal
............................ 6-52
Daytime Running Lamps
......................... 2-59
Dead Battery
................................... 5-3
Defects? Reporting Safety ......................... 8-8
Defensive Driving
............................... 4-2
Defogger. Rear Window
.......................... 3-8
Defrosting
..................................... 3-8
Delayed Illumination
............................ 2-63
Dimensions. Vehicle ............................ 6-63
Door Locks
....................................... 2-3
Power Sliding
................................ 2-15
Sliding
..................................... 2-13
Door Ajar Light
............................... 2- 104
Driver Information Center
........................ 2-71
DriverPosition
................................. 1-34
Defogging
..................................... 3-8
ProCarManuals.com

Radios ........................................ 3-9
Radios. Steering Wheel Controls
................... 3-26
Rain. Driving In
................................ 4- I7
Reading Lamps
................................ 2-65
Cargo Lamp
................................. 2-64
Rear
AirVents
.................................... 3-7
Climate Control
............................... 3-5
Comfort Controls
.............................. 3-6
Fan Control
.................................. 3-6
Outside Seat Position .......................... 1-49
Safety
Belt Comfort Guides ..................... 1-52
Seat Audio
............................. 3- 15. 3-23
Seat Passengers
.............................. 1-49
Seats
........................................ 1-6
Storage
..................................... 2-76
Towing
..................................... 5-11
Window Defogger
............................. 3-8
Windshield Washer
........................... 2-55
Rearview Mirror, Inside Day/Night
................. 2-66
Reclining Front and Captain’s Seatbacks
.............. 1-4
Recovery Tank, Coolant .......................... 5- 16
Refrigerants,
Air Conditioning .................... 6-62
Remote Compact Disc Player
.......................... 3- I7
Operation of the Power Sliding Door .............. 2-9
Battery Replacement
.......................... 2- IO
Resynchronizing ............................. 2- I2
Remote Lock
Control
............................. 2-7 Removing
Captain’s Chairs
.............................. 1-26
Second Row Solid Bench Seat
.................... 1-8
Split Bench Seat
.............................. 1-20
Third Row Solid Bench Seat .................... 1-14
Replacement BLIlbs
...................................... 6-62
Parts
....................................... 6-63
Wheel
...................................... 6-44
Replacing Captain’s Chairs
.............................. 1-27
Second Row Solid Bench Seat
................... 1 . IO
Split Bench Seat .............................. 1-22
Third Row Solid Bench Seat
.................... 1 . 16
Replacing Safety Belts ........................... 1-80
Reporting Safety Defects
.......................... 8-8
Resetting the Power Sliding Door
.................. 2-19
Restraints Checking
................................... 1-80
Head
........................................ 1-6
Replacing Parts After a Crash
................... 1-80
Second Row Safety Belt Stowage
................. 1-7
System Check ................................ 7-38
Restraints. Child
................................ 1-68
Reverse
....................................... 2-32
Right Front Passenger Position
.................... 1-43
Roadside Assistance
.............................. 8-5
Rocking Your Vehicle
........................... 5-34
Rotation
. Tires ................................. 6-41
ProCarManuals.com

Service Station Information
WINDSHIELD
WASHER FLUID
P6-25 TIRES
P6-40
REMOTE
BATTERY
P5-5
ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK
P6- 1 0
SECONDARY
HOOD RELEASE
P6-8
ENGINE COOLANT HOOD FUEL
RECOVERY TANK RELEASE DOOR
P6-22 P6-8 P6-5
For detailed information, refer to the page number listed, or see the index in the back of the owner’s manual.
9-14
ProCarManuals.com