OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1998 Owners Manual

Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is
to keep it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or
cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays
of the sun.
Don’t use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use
liquid hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soaps.
You can get GM-approved cleaning products from your
retailer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials” in the
Index.) Don’t use cleaning agents that are petroleum
based, or that contain acid
or abrasives. All cleaning
agents should be flushed promptly and
not allowed to
dry on the surface, or they could stain. Dry the finish
with a soft, clean chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water spotting.
Before you enter an automatic car wash, if your vehicle
is equipped with the optional power sliding door, be sure
to have the switch for the power sliding door override
feature enabled. See “Power Sliding Door”
in the Index.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.
Cleaning Exterior LampsLenses
Use lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a liquid
hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soap
to clean
exterior lamps and lenses. Follow instructions under
“Washing Your Vehicle.”
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your vehicle by
hand may be necessary to remove residue from the paint
finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products
from your retailer. (See “Appearance Care and
Materials” in the Index.)
Your vehicle has a “basecoat/clearcoat” paint finish.
The clearcoat gives more depth and gloss to the
colored basecoat. Always use waxes and polishes that
are non-abrasive and made for a basecoatklearcoat
paint finish.
I NOTICE:
Machine compounding or aggressive polishing on
a basecoatklearcoat paint finish may dull the
finish or leave swirl marks.
6-5 1
ProCarManuals.com

Foreign materials such as calcium chloride and other
salts, ice melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap, bird
droppings, chemicals from industrial chimneys, etc., can
damage your vehicle’s finish if they remain
on painted
surfaces. Wash the vehicle
as soon as possible. If
necessary, use non-abrasive cleaners that are marked
safe for painted surfaces to remove foreign matter. Don’t take your vehicle through an automatic
car wash
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface of these wheels. Cleaning Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
Exterior painted surfaces are subject to aging, weather
and chemical fallout that can take their toll over a period
of years.
You can help to keep the paint finish looking
new by keeping your vehicle garaged or covered
whenever possible.
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels
(If Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel.
A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because
you could
damage the surface.
I NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces
on the body or wheels of the vehicle.
Petroleum-based products may damage the paint
finish.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
6-52
ProCarManuals.com

Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your retailer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your retailer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are
not removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur
on the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor
pan and exhaust system even though they have
corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your retailer or an underbody car washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create
a chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon
and attack painted surfaces on your
vehicle. This
damage can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched
into the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this,
Oldsmobile will repair, at no charge
to the owner,
the surfaces of new vehicles damaged by this fallout
condition within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20
000 km)
of purchase, whichever occurs first.
6-53
ProCarManuals.com

Appearance Care Materials Chart
PART NUMBER USAGE DESCRIPTION
SIZE
994954
Exterior polishing cloth
Polishing Cloth - Wax Treated 23 in. x 25 in.
1050 172
Cleans and lightly waxes
Wash Wax Concentrate
16
oz. (0.473 L) 1052870 Removes dirt, grime, smoke and fingerprints
Glass Cleaner
23 oz. (0.680 L) 1050427 Cleans vinyl tops, upholstery and convertible tops
Vinyl Cleaner 32
02. (0.946 L) 1050214 Removes soil and black marks from whitewalls White Sidewall Tir\
e Cleaner
16
oz. (0.473 L) 1050174 Use on chrome, stainless steel, nickel, copper and brass
Chrome Cleaner and Polish 16
oz. (0.473 L) 1050173 Removes tar, road oil and asphalt
Tar and Road Oil Remover 16
oz. (0.473 L)
1 ~ 1052918** I 8 oz. (0.237 L) I Armor All TM Protectant Protects leather, wood, acrylics, Plexiglas T’, plastic,
rubber and vinyl
6-54
ProCarManuals.com

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
-1 I. 11111.11 1111 111 111111 111 111111.. 1111111.1111 111..1111 II J 0
CAhmDLE4UXWM072675
L = 1
F 1
L n
m Ill 111111 IIII 11l1111111111I ll11IIl111111111 1111IIII I III1111
UEiaIW" I
ENGlNEA998 7 ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT
This is the legal identifier for your vehicle. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver's side. You can see it
if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates
of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The 8th character in your VIN is the engine code. This
code will help you identify your engine, specifications
and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You'll find this label on the inside of the access panel
located on the left-hand side of the rear of the vehicle.
It's very helpful if you ever need
to order parts. On this
label is:
your VIN,
the model designation,
paint information and
a list of all production options and
special equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
ProCarManuals.com

Electrical System
Add-on Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don’t add anything electrical to your vehicle
unless you check with your retailer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn’t be covered
by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working
as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your vehicle, see “Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle” in the Index.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by an internal circuit
breaker in the
I/P fuse panel. An electrical overload will
cause the lamps to
go on and off, or in some cases to
remain off. If this happens, have your headlamp wiring
checked right away.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected by an internal
circuit breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due
to
heavy snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor
cools. If the overload is caused by some electrical
problem, be sure to get it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the I/P fuse panel protect the power
windows and other power accessories. When the current
load is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the problem is fixed.
6-56
ProCarManuals.com

Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers
and fusible thermal links.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size
and rating.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don’t have a
spare fuse, you can borrow one that has the same
amperage
or use one of the spare fuses in the underhood
fuse and relay center. Just pick some feature of your
vehicle that
you can get along without -- like the radio
or cigarette lighter -- and use its fuse, if it is the right
amperage. Replace it as soon as you can.
There are two fuse blocks in your vehicle: the
instrument panel fuse block and
the underhood fuse and
relay center.
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
The instrument panel fuse
block is to the right of the
glove
box. Pull the door
open to access the
instrument panel fuse block.
ProCarManuals.com

r
FUSE USAGE CHART
CIRCUIT LH T/LP RH T/LP
SWC
BACKLIGHT
3REAKERS
I HEADLAMP ELEC PRNDL
ABS SOL ELC RR DEFOG RR FOG LP
PWR MIRROR CTSY
LAMP FRT PWR
SCKT
CIGARDLC
Fl FRT HVAC/HI
1 CRUISE I TiSlG I SIR
I PWROTRVENT I RRHVAC I FR&~~$~~~w' I SUNROOF I HVAC/DRL I
FRT WPRMSHR BCM
PRGRM
RR WPA WSHR
MALURADIO/DIC
SWC ACCY
LH HEADLP RH
HEADLP
HAZARD LOW LOW
I PWR LOCK I RR PWR SCKT 1 ABS MOD BATr I LH:ktDLP I RH%DLp
I I DRL I CANVENTSOL I ABSFCS IGN I PCM /
For More information, See Owner's Manual Printed in /
Circuit Breakers
HEADLAMP
PWR WDOIRR
VENT
PWR SEATIPSD
FRT HVAC/HI
BLWR DRL
Control Module,
Headlamp and
I/P
Dimmer Switch
Front Power Windows
6-Way Power Seat(s) and Rear
Side Door Actuator Motor
Blower Motor Hi Speed Relay
in Module
Fuses
swc
BACKLIGHT
ELEC PRNDL
PWR MIRROR Steering Wheel
Radio Control
Switches (Illumination)
Instrument Cluster to
PRNDL Indicators
Power Remote Control
Mirror Switch
CRUISE Cruise Control Module, Switch
and Release Switch
PWR QTR VENT Interior Lamps and
Multifunction Switch
(Power Vent Switch)
FRT WPWSHR Windshield Wipermasher
Motor and Switch
BCM
PWR LOCK
RH TLP
RR FOG LP
CIGARIDLC
TISIG Not
Used
Not Used Cigarette Lighter and Data Link
Connector (DLC)
Turn Signal Switch
6-58
ProCarManuals.com

Fuses Fuses
RR HVAC SWC ACCY
HAZARD
RR PWR SCKT
DRL
LH T/LP
RR DEFOG
FRT PWR SCKT
SIR
FRT HVAC LOW/MED BLWR Rear
Blower Motor, Rear
Heater-A/C Control, and
Temperature Door
Actuator (Rear)
Steering Wheel Radio Control
Switches
Turn Signal Switch
Rear Electric Accessory
Plug Housing
DRL Control Module
Not Used
Rear Window Defogger Relay
Front Electric Accessory
Plug Housing
Inflatable Restraint
Control Module
Heater-A/C Control MALL/RADIO/DIC
BCM, Driver Information
Display, Radio and Radio Rear Speaker Amplifier
STOP LAMP
ABS MOD BATT
CAN VENT
SOL
ELC CTSY LAMP
IGN 1
Stoplamp Switch to Stoplamps
Electronic Brake Control
Module/Electronic Brake
Traction Control Module (EBCM/EBTCM)
Evaporative Emissions (EVAP)
Canister Vent Solonoid Valve
Electronic Level Control (ELC)
Air Compressor and ELC
Relay, Trailer Harness
BCM
ALC Sensor, BCM, Electronic
Brake Control Indicator Lamp
Driver Module, Instrument
Panel Cluster, Rear Window
Wipermasher and
Multifunction Switch (Fog
Lamp SwitcWTraction Control
Switch) and Stoplamp/Torque
Converter Clutch (TCC) Switch
6-59
ProCarManuals.com

Fuses
SUNROOF
RR WPR WSHR Sunroof
Control Module
Rear Window Wiper Motor,
Rear Window Wipermasher
and Multifunction Switch (Rear
Window Wipermasher Switch)
LH HEADLP LOW Not
Used
LH HEADLP
HIGH
ABSITCS IGN
ABS
SOL
Not Used
Electronic Brake Control
Module/Electronic Brake
Traction Control Module (EBCMEBTCM)
LH and RH Front Brake
Solenoid Valve
Fuses
HVAC/DRL Air Inlet Actuator, DRL Control
Module, Heater-A/C Control,
Temperature Door Actuator (Front) and Rear Window
Defogger Relay
BCM PRGRM Body Control Module (BCM)
RH HEADLP LOW Not Used
RH HEADLP
HIGH
PCM Not
Used
IGN MAIN Relay and PCM
6-60
ProCarManuals.com