ESP OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1997 Owners Manual

Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if
I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not.
But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even
if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident, so
you cm unbuckle and get out, is ~mch greater if
you are belted.
If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only;
so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the
use of
safety belts. Even
if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only
in frontal collisions,
but especially
in side and other collisions.
If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why
should I wear safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident
-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being
a good driver
doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious in-juries
and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph
(65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
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The master key can be
used for
the ignition as
well as all door locks,
the liftgate lock and
the
storage compartments.
Door Locks
If you need a new key, contact your Oldsnmbile retailer,
who can obtain the correct key code.
NOTICE:
Your Oldsmobile has a number of new features
that can help prevent theft. But you can have a
lot of trouble getting into your vehicle
if you ever
lock your key inside. You may even have to
damage your vehicle to get in.
So be sure you
have an extra key. Unlocked
doors can be dangerous.
Passengers
-- especially children -- can easily
open the doors and
fall out. When a door is
locked, the inside handle won’t open it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked
door when you slow down or stop your vehicle.
This may not be so obvious: You increase the
chance
of being thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash if the doors aren’t locked. Wear safety belts
properly, lock your doors, and you
will be far
better off whenever you drive your vehicle.
There are several ways to lock and unlock your vehicle.
From the outside, use your key or the Remote Lock
Control transmitter
(if your vehicle has this option).
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If you are still having trouble with nuisance alarms, you
can turn off the Content Theft Deterrent system by
programming your Content Theft Deterrent to Mode
3.
See “Locks and Lighting Choices” in the Index. See
your Retailer
or qualified technician for service.
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your Oldsmobile has a number of
theft-deterrent features, we know that nothing we
put on
it can make it impossible to steal. However, there are
ways you can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves
-- so
don’t do it.
When you park your Oldsmobile and open the driver’s
door, you’ll hear a chime reminding you to remove
your
key from the ignition and take it with you.
Always
do this. Your steering wheel will be locked,
and
so will your ignition and transaxle. And remember
to lock the doors.
Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember
to keep your valuables out of sight.
Put them
in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
1.f you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle,
it’s best to lock it up and take your key.
But what
if you have to leave your key? What if you
have
to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
0 Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
glove box.
Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
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Lamps
300: : Turning the dial to this setting turns on:
0 Parking Lamps,
0 Sidemarker Lamps,
0 Taillamps and
0 Instrument Panel Lights.
--
20 : Turning the dial to this setting turns on the
headlamps, together with:
a Parking Lamps,
0 Sidemarker Lamps,
0 Taillamps and
0 Instrument Panel Lights.
0 : Turning the dial to this setting turns off all
the lights.
Lamps On Reminder
If the driver’s door is opened and you turn the ignition
to
the OFF or LOCK position while leaving the lamps
on, you will hear a warning chime.
Daytime Running Lamps (If Equipped)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front
of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful
in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful
in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
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PLAY Press this button to play a cassette tape or
compact disc when the radio is playing.
MUTE: Press this button to silence the system. Press
it again to turn on the sound. This button may be
used when listening to the radio, a cassette tape or
a
compact disc.
SEEK: Press the up arrow to tune to a higher radio
station and the down arrow to tune to
a lower radio
station. The sound
will mute while seeking. When
playing a cassette tape or compact disc, press
SEEK to
hear the next selection.
AM-FM: Press this button to choose AM or FM.
PRESET Press this button to play a station you have
programmed on the radio preset buttons.
Understanding Radio Reception
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound. But FM signals
will reach only about
10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with
FM signals, causing
the sound to come and go.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other.
AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble
to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes
of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud
and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting
the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to
it.
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The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink.
No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that
up. “I’ll be careful” isn’t the
right answer. What if there’s
an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able
to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There’s something else about drinking and driving that
many people don’t know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in
a person’s system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries
to the brain, spinal cord or
heart. This means that when anyone who has been
drinking
-- driver or passenger -- is in a crash, that
person’s chance
of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than
if the person had not been drinking. Drinking and then driving
is very dangerous.
Your
reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount
of alcohol. You can have
a serious -- or even
fatal
-- collision if you drive after drinking.
Please don’t drink and drive or ride with
a
driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a
cab; or if you’re with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
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Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance.
If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel the
system working, or you may notice some noise, but this
is normal.
LOW
TRACTION
If your vehicle has the
traction control system, this
light will come on when
your anti-lock system is
adjusting brake pressure to
help avoid a braking skid.
See “Low Traction Light”
in the Index.
Traction Control System (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have a traction control system that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if
it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the
system works the front brakes and reduces engine power
to
limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system worlung, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use
it again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. (See “Cruise Control” in
the Index.)
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When the system is on, this
warning light will come on
to let you know if there’s
a
problem with your traction
control system.
See “Traction Control System Warning Light” in the
Index. When this warning light is on,
the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin,
especially
in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn
the
traction control system off if you ever need to. (You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See “Rocking Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
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C
C
C
L
To turn the system off, press
the
TCS symbol on the
bottom of the button in the
center console switchbank.
The indictor light on the
traction control button will
go off.
The traction control system warning light will come on
and stay on. If the system
is limiting wheel spin when you
press the button, the warning light will come on
-- but the
system won’t
turn off right away. It will wait until there’s
no longer a current need
to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The traction control svstem warning
light should go
off.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
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0
0
Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces your area
of
vision, especially if you’re following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space
if
the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep
back a reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance
to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into the
other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes
up for the
distance you would lose by dropping back. And
if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up
to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass
you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to be farther away from you
than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing,
it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
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Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the
three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek
an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited
to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”
those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
Oldsmobile’s
three control systems. In the bralung skid,
your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
slud, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on
the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is sludding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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