air condition OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1997 Owners Manual

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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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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Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Syster1.-
In this section, you’ll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your Oldsmobile.
Be sure
to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
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3-4
3-4
3-5
3-8
3-8
3-9
3-9
3-15 Comfort Controls
Air Conditioning
Heating Ventilation System and Tips
Rear Climate Control
Tips for Defogging and Defrosting
Rear Window Defogger
Setting the Clock
Radios
Rear Seat Audio
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3 -24
3-26
3-27
3-27
3-28
3-28
3-30
3-30 Remote Compact
Disc Player
Theft-Deterrent Feature
Steering Wheel Controls
Understanding Radio Reception
Tips About Your Audio System
Adding Sound Equipment to Your Vehicle
Care
of Your Cassette Tape Player
Care
of Your Compact Discs
Antenna
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Comfort Controls
This section tells you how to make your air system work
for
you. Your comfort control system uses
ozone-friendly
R- 134a refrigerant.
With these systems you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation in your Oldsmobile. Your vehicle
also
has a flow-through ventilation system described later in
this section.
Fan Knob
The left knob is the fan knob and selects the force of air
you want. Turn the knob clockwise to increase fan speed
and counterclockwise to decrease fan speed.
The fan
must be turned on for the air conditioning compressor
to operate.
Temperature Knob
The center knob controls the temperature of the air
coming through the system. Turn it counterclockwise
(toward the blue area) for cooler air. Turn it clockwise
(toward the red area) for warmer air.
Mode Knob
This knob selects the direction of where the air will
enter the vehicle.
+e
/J UPPER: This setting directs outside air through
the instrument panel outlets.
+fl BI-LEV This setting directs outside air into your
vehicle
in two ways. Cooler air is directed toward your
upper body through the front instrument panel outlets,
while warmed air is directed through the heater ducts at
your feet.
+e
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0
+fl LOWER: This setting brings in most of the air
through the floor ducts. This setting is also used to send
air to
the rear of the vehicle. Keep the area under the
front seats free of objects that could obstruct airflow to
the rear of the vehicle.
+’ DEFOG: This setting directs air to the windshield
and through the floor ducts. This mode is particularly
useful during cold or inclement weather because of your
Oldsmobile Silhouette’s larger windshield area.
w.
DEFROST This setting directs most of the air to
the windshield and side window vents.
Mode Buttons
RECIRC: Press this button (the light will glow)
to limit the amount of fresh air entering your vehicle by
recirculating much of the air inside your vehicle. You
may
use this setting to limit odors entering your vehicle.
Press the OUTSIDE AIR button (the light on the
RECIRC button
will go off) to let outside air circulate
into
the vehicle.
OUTSIDE AIR: Press this button (the light will
glow) to send outside air into your vehicle. Using this
setting while trying to defrost or defog the windows will
help clear the vents
of moisture. Press the RECIRC button
(the light
on the OUTSIDE AIR button
off) to limit outside air entering the vehicle.
Air Conditioning
will go
On very hot days, your vehicle will cool down more
quickly and economically
if you open the windows long
enough to let hot, inside air escape.
For all settings, adjust
the temperature control knob and fan speed
as desired.
To get maximum cooling or a quick cool-down on very
hot days, press
the A/C and RECIRC buttons (the lights
will glow) and turn the temperature knob to the left
(toward the blue area). Adjust the mode knob
to direct
the air to the desired location. This setting should not be
used for long periods
of time because the air may
become too cold and dry. Push the A/C button again (the
light will go off) to turn off the air conditioning.
When the air conditioner compressor is on, you may
sometimes notice slight changes
in your vehicle’s engine
performance and power. This is normal. The system is
designed to help fuel economy while it maintains
the
desired cooling level.
The air conditioner removes moisture from the air,
so
you may sometimes notice water dripping from under
your vehicle when
it is idling or after it has been turned
off. This is normal.
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Ventilation Tips
0
0
0
Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or
any other obstruction (such as leaves). This will allow
the heater and defroster
to work much better, reducing
the chance of fogging the inside of your windows.
When you enter a vehicle
in cold weather, turn the
blower fan to
5 for a few moments before driving
off. This helps clear the intake ducts of snow and
moisture, and reduces the chance
of fogging the
inside
of your windows.
Keep the area around
the base of the center
instrument panel console and the air path under the
front seats clear of objects. This helps air to circulate
throughout your vehicle.
Rear Climate Control (If Equipped)
If you have the optional rear climate control, the rear
seat passengers can control the temperature and
the
amount of air directed to the rear of the vehicle. The
amount
of air directed to the rear of the vehicle can also
be adjusted using
the front control for the rear fan.
Set the main climate control mode knob to
BI-LEV,
LOWER or DEFOG, when outside temperatures are
cold or moderate, to send air to the rear of the vehicle
through the lower vents.
Set the main climate control mode knob
to UPPER
to send air to the rear of the vehicle through the
headliner outlets.
To send conditioned air to the rear of the vehicle, press
the
A/C button (the light will glow) on the main Climate
Controls.
If you do not select A/C, air directed to the
rear
of the vehicle will be cabin temperature.
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Defogging and Defrosting
To rapidly defrost the windshield, turn the temperature
control knob all the way clockwise (to the red area) and
turn the mode knob to
DEFROST.
Adjust the fan to the highest speed.
To keep the windshield clear and bring in heated air
through the heater ducts,
turn the mode knob to DEFOG.
When the temperature outside is above freezing, the air
conditioner compressor will run in these settings to help
remove moisture from the air.
Your vehicle is equipped with side window defogger
vents located on the top of the instrument panel. For
additional side window defogging, turn the mode knob
to the
BI-LEVEL setting and adjust the fan to the
highest speed. Aim the side vents on the instrument
panel toward the side windows. For increased airflow to
the side vents, close the center vents.
Rear Window Defogger
Press REAR (the light
will glow) to
warm the
defogger grid
on the
rear window.
The rear window defogger will turn
off automatically
after about
10 minutes of use. If you turn it on again, the
defogger will operate for about five minutes.
You can
also turn the defogger
off by turning off the ignition or
pressing the switch again.
Do not attach a temporary vehicle license across the
defogger grid on the rear window.
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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:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. See “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” in the Index.
I
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get
a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign
of steam,
try this for
a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window
as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) or
THIRD (3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If
the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn ofthe engine and get everyone out of
the vehicle until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously
in
this section.
You may decide not to
lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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