towing OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1997 Owner's Manual

A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it
is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle.
Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When
your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key in the OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped in
a straight-ahead position, with a
clamping device designed for towing service.
Do not
use
the vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The
transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking
brake released.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle has front-wheel drive; do not have it
towed with the front wheels in contact with the
ground or vehicle damage may occur.
A dolly
must be used under the front wheels when towing
from the rear or the vehicle must be transported
on a flat bed carrier.
Be careful not to damage brake fluid lines when
securing the vehicle
with safety chains.
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Towing From the Front
Tow Limits -- 55 mph (80 kdh), 500 miles (800 km) NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the
front bumper system will be damaged. Use
wheel-lift or car-carrier equipment. Additional
ramping may be required
for car-carrier
equipment. Use safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment.
To help avoid damage, install
a towing dolly
and raise the vehicle until adequate clearance
is obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
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Towing From the Rear
A totting dolly must be used under the front wheels
when towing from the rem
Tow Limits -- 55 mph (80 kndh), 500 miles (800 knz)
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or the rear
bumper system will be damaged. Use wheel-lift
or car-carrier equipment. Additional ramping may be required for car-carrier equipment. Use
safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment.
To help avoid damage, install a towing dolly
and raise the vehicle until adequate clearance
is obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Oldsmobile’s instrument panel. See “Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage”
in the Index. You also have a low
coolant level light on your instrument panel. See “Low
Coolant Light” in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
Should a low coolant condition exist, an overheat
protection mode which alternates firing groups of three
cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode,
you will notice
a significant loss in power and engine
performance. The low coolant light may come on and
the temperature gage will indicate an overheat condition
exists. This emergency operating mode
allows your
vehicle to be driven to
a safe place in an emergency.
Towing
a trailer in the overheat protection mode should
be avoided.
I NOTICE:
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil
will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause of coolant loss and change the oil. See
“Engine Oil, When to Change” in the Index.
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NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires.
If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn your traction
control system off. (See “Traction Control System”
in
the Index.) Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transaxle
is in gear. If that doesn’t get you out
after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you
do need to be towed out, see “Towing
Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
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4.
5.
6.
Replace the filters by reversing Step 3. Make sure
the filters are inserted
so that the sealing foam is
angled
in the same direction on both filters. For the
type of filter to use,
see “Normal Replacement Parts”
in the Index.
Close the inner access door, while squeezing the tab,
to be sure
it is tightly closed.
Snap the outer access panel
into the back of the
glove box.
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level
is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more
of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
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Maintenance Schedule
Long TridHiehwav Definition 1 m
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
conditions from the Short Trip/City Maintenance Change (or
every
12 months, whichever occurs first).
Schedule is true.
Do not use this schedule if the vehicle Tire Rotation.
is used for trailer towing, driven in a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine
under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slowex
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Passenger
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Compartment Air Filter Replacement.
Replacement. Service (severe conditions only).
Drive Belt Inspection. Fuel
Tank, Cap and Lines
Inspection (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule
on the following pages.
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I Long Tripmighway Intervals 1
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I Short TriplCity Maintenance Schedu
50,000 Miles (83 000 km) (Continued)
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of
these conditions, the fluid andfilter do not
require changing.
DATE
SERVICED BY ACTUAL MILEAGE
51,000 Miles (85 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
I I I
DATE
SERVICED BY: ACTUAL MILEAGE
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I Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule I
100,000 Miles (I 66 000 km) (Continued)
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
lf you do not use your vehicle under my of
these conditions, the fluid and jilter do not
require changing.
delivery service.
DATE
ACTUAL MILEAGE
1
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
0 Drain, flush and refill cooling system
(or every 60 months since last service,
whichever occurs first). See “Engine
Coolant”
in the Index for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser,
pressure cap and neck. Pressure test cooling
system and pressure cap.
An Elnission Control Service.
I 1
DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE
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1 Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule I
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
IJ‘you do twt use your velzicle under any of
these conditiom, the fluid and-filter do not
require
ch.unging.
I I I 1
FF-1-
ACTUAL MILE * >E ISERVICED BY
52,500 Miles (87 500 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
12 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and
Rotation’’
in the Index for proper rotation
pattern and additional information.
I DATE I ACTUAL MILEAGE ISERVICED BY I
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