OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1998 Owners Manual
Manufacturer: OLDSMOBILE, Model Year: 1998, Model line: SILHOUETTE, Model: OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1998Pages: 444, PDF Size: 23.2 MB
Page 421 of 444

GM Participation in an Alternative
Dispute Resolution Program
This program is available in all 50 states and the District
of Columbia. Canadian owners refer to your Warranty
and Owner Assistance Information booklet for
information on the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration
Plan (CAMVAP). General Motors reserves the right to
change eligibility limitations and/or
to discontinue its
participation in this program.
Both Oldsmobile and your Oldsmobile retailer are
committed to making sure you are completely satisfied
with your new vehicle.
Our experience has shown that, if a
situation arises where you feel your concern has not been
adequately addressed, the Customer Satisfaction Procedure
described earlier in this section is very successful.
There may be instances where an impartial third party
can assist in arriving at a solution to a disagreement
regarding vehicle repairs or interpretation
of the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty. To assist in resolving these
disagreements, Oldsmobile voluntarily participates in
BBB AUTO LINE. BBB AUTO
LINE is an out-of-court program
administered by the Better Business Bureau system to
settle automotive disputes. This program is available
free of charge to customers who currently own or lease a
GM vehicle.
If you are not satisfied after following the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure, you may contact the BBB using
the toll-free telephone number, or write them at the
following address:
BBB AUTO LINE
Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.
4200 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1
804
Telephone: 1-800-955-5 100
To file a claim, you will be asked
to provide your name
and address, your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
and a statement
of the nature of your complaint.
Eligibility is limited by vehicle age and mileage, and
other factors.
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Page 422 of 444

We prefer you utilize the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure before you resort to AUTO LINE, but you
may contact the BBB at any time. The BBB will attempt
to resolve the complaint serving as an intermediary. If
this mediation is unsuccessful, an informal hearing will
be scheduled where eligible customers may present their
case to an impartial third-party arbitrator.
The arbitrator will make a decision which
you may
accept or reject. If
you accept the decision, GM will be
bound by that decision. The entire dispute resolution
procedure should ordinarily take about
40 days from the
time you file a claim until a decision
is made.
Some state laws may require you
to use this program
before filing a claim with a state-run arbitration program
or in the courts. For further information, contact the
BBB at 1-800-955-5100 or the Oldsmobile Customer
Assistance Network at 1-800-442-6537.
Warranty Information
Your vehicle comes with a separate warranty booklet
that contains detailed warranty information.
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
TO THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could
cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), in addition to
notifying General Motors.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in
a group
of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved
in individual problems between you, your retailer or
General Motors.
To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety
Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123
in
the Washington, D.C. area) or write to:
NHTSA,
U.S. Department of Transportation
Washington, D.C. 20590
You can also obtain other information about motor
vehicle safety from
the Hotline.
8-8
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Page 423 of 444

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
TO THE CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT
If you live in Canada, and you believe that your vehicle
has a safety defect, you should immediately notify
Transport Canada, in addition to notifying General
Motors of Canada Limited. You may write to:
Transport Canada
Box 8880
Ottawa, Ontario K1G 352
REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS TO GENERAL MOTORS
In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada)
in a situation like this, we certainly hope you’ll notify
us. Please call us at 1-800-442-6537 or write:
Oldsmobile Customer Assistance Network
16
E. Judson Street
P.O. Box 436006
Pontiac, MI 48343-6006 In
Canada, please call us at 1-800-263-3777 (English)
or 1-800-263-7854 (French). Or, write:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre, 163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H
8P7
Ordering Service and Owner
Publications in Canada
Service manuals, owner’s manuals and other service
literature are available for purchase for all current and
past model General Motors vehicles.
The toll-free telephone number for ordering information
in Canada
is 1-800-668-5539.
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Page 424 of 444

1998 OLDSMOBILE SERVICE PUBLICATIONS ORDERING INFORMATION
The following publications covering the operation and servicing \
of your vehicle can be purchased by filling out
the Service Publication Order Form in this book and mailing it in with your check, money order,
or credit
card information to Helm, Incorporated (address below.)
~
CURRENT PUBLICATIONS FOR 1998 OLDSMOBILE
SERVICE MANUALS
Service Manuals have the diagnosis and repair information
on engines, transmission, axle, suspension, brakes, electrical, steering, body, etc. RETAIL SELL PRICE: $90.00
TRANSMISSION, TRANSAXLE, TRANSFER CASE UNIT REPAIR MANUAL
This manual provides information on unit repair service
procedures, adjustments and specifications for the
1998 GM transmissions, transaxles and transfer cases.
RETAIL SELL PRICE:
$40.00
SERVICE BULLETINS
Service Bulletins give technical service information needed
to knowledgeably service General Motors cars and trucks.
Each bulletin contains instructions to assist in the
diagnosis and service
of your vehicle.
PLEASE COMPLETE THE ORDER FORM SHOWN ON
THE FOLLOWING PAGE AND MAIL TO:
Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207
OWNER’S INFORMATION
Owner publications are written directly for Owners and
intended to provide basic operational information about the
vehicle. The owner’s manual will include the Maintenance
Schedule for all models.
In-Portfolio: Includes a Portfolio, Owner’s Manual and
Warranty Booklet. RETAIL SELL
PRICE: $15.00
Without Portfolio: Owner’s Manual only. RETAIL SELL PRICE: $10.00
CURRENT & PAST MODEL ORDER FORMS
Service Publications are available for current and past
model GM vehicles.
To request an order form, please
specify year and model name of the vehicle.
OR ORDER TOLL FREE: 1-800-782-4356
Monday-Friday 8:OO AM - 6:OO PM Eastern Time
For Credit Card Orders Only
(VISA-MasterCard-Discover)
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Page 425 of 444

ORDER TOLL FREE (NOTE: For Credif Card Holders Only)
(Monday-Friday 8:OO AM - 6:OO PM EST) FAX Orders Only 1-31 3-865-5927
1-800-782-4356
Orders will be mailed within 10 days of receipt. Please allow ade uate time for postal
service. If further information is needed, write to the address s gh own below or call
1-800-782-4356. Material cannot be returned for credit without packing slip with return
information within
30 days of delivery. On returns, a re-stocking fee may be applied
against the original order.
I
PUBLICATION FORM ITEM DESCRIPTION VEHICLE MODEL
EACH* PRICE TOTAL NUMBER
Car & Light Truck
Service Manual
1998 $90.00
NAME YEAR PRICE
Transmission Unit Repair 1998 $40.00
Owner’s Manual In Portfolio 1998
$1 5.00
Owner’s Manual Without Portfolio 1998 $1 0.00
1
9
9
8
G
M
S
H
I
P
T
0
NOTE: Dealers and Companies please provide dealer or company name, and also the
name of the person to whose attention the shipment should be sent.
Mail completed order form to:
For purchases outside U.S.A. please write to the above address for quotation. HELM, INCORPORATED P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207
(CUSTOMER’S NAME) (ATTENTION)
(STREET ADDRESS-NO
P.O. BOX NUMBERS)
(CITY) (STATE) (ZIP CODE)
DAYTIME TELEPHONE NO.
0 AREA CODE
GM-OLD-ORD98 *(Prices are subject to change without notice and without incurring
obligation. Allow ample time for delivery.)
-
P
A
Y
M
E
N
T
-
TOTAL MATERIAL
Order payable to Michigan Purchasers
Helm, Inc. (USA funds add 6% sales tax only - do not send cash.) U.S. Order Processing
Mastercard I ICan I
L c -I VISA -
I
--.ladian Postage
(See Note Below)
I I GRAND TOTAL I
u Discover I’ I
Account Number: urn tun tun tuIl
Expiration rl ml Check here if your billing address
Date molyr: is different from your shipping
address shown.
CUSTOMER SIGNATURE L
are to make checks payable in US. funds. To cover Canadian postage, add $11 50 plus the
Note
to Canadian Customers: All listed prices are quoted in US. funds. Canadian residents
U.S. order processing.
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Page 426 of 444

b%I NOTES
8-12
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Section 9 Index
Accessory Idator System ....................... 2-78
Accessory Power Outlets
......................... 2-81
Adding Equipment to the Outside Of Your Vehicle
...... 6-3
Adjusting the Bucket Seats
....................... 1-16
Adjusting the Split Bench Seat
..................... 1-9
AirBag
....................................... 1-38
How Does it Restrain
.......................... 1-44
Howitworks
................................ 1-41
Location
.................................... 1-41
Readiness Light
......................... 1.40. 2.87
Servicing
................................... 1-46
What Makes it Inflate
.......................... 1-43
What Will You See After
it Inflates ............... 1-44
When Should it Inflate
......................... 1-42
Aircleaner
.................................... 6-15
Air Conditioning Refrigerants ..................... 6-65
Air Filter Replacement, Passenger Compartment ...... 6-16
Airhflator
.................................... 2-78
Alignment and Balance, Tire
...................... 6-45
Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning
...................... 6-52
Antenna, Integrated Windshield
.................... 3-27
Antifreeze
..................................... 6-21
Brakes
...................................... 4-7
Brake System Warning Light
................ 2-89, 4-7
Appearancecare
............................... 6-47
Appearance Care Materials
....................... 6-54
AirConditioning
................................ 3-3
hti-LOck Ashtray
....... ........... a.......i.. .. .i-...<.:..i.. 2-77
Audio Systems
.................................. 3-9
Automatic
Door Locks ............................ 2-6
Automatic Overdrive
............................ 2-32
Automatic Transaxle Check
....................... 7-30
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
........................ 6-18
HowtoAdd
................................. 6-20
How to Check
............................... 6-18
When to Check and Change
..................... 6-18
Automatic Transaxle Operation
.................... 2-30
Shifting
..................................... 2-30
Automatic Transaxle
Park Mechanism Check ......... 7-32
Battery
...................................... 6-30
Jump Starting
................................. 5-3
BatterySaver .................................. 2-64
BBB Auto Line
................................. 8-7
Before Leaving on a Long
Trip .................... 4-23
Better Business Bureau Mediation
................... 8-7
Blizzard
...................................... 4-28
Brake Warnings
................................ 5.3. 5.5
Adjustment
.................................. 6-30
Fluid
....................................... 6-27
Master Cylinder
.............................. 6-27
Parking
..................................... 2-34
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Brake (Continued) PedalTravel
................................. 6-29
Replacing System Parts
........................ 6-30
System Warning Light
.................... 2.88. 6.28
Trailer
...................................... 4-37
Transaxle Shift Interlock
....................... 2-37
Transaxle Shift Interlock Check
.................. 7-3 1
Wear ....................................... 6-29
Brakes. Anti-Lock
............................... 4-7
Braking
........................................ 4-6
Braking in Emergencies
.......................... 4- 10
Break-In. New Vehicle
.......................... 2-25
BTSI
......................................... 2-37
BTSICheck
................................... 7-31
Bucketseats
................................... 1-15
Adjusting
................................... 1-16
Folding or Reclining the Seatback
................ 1 - 15
Removing
................................... 1-16
Replacing
................................... 1-19
Bulb Replacement .............................. 6-3 1
Canada. Ordering Service and Owner Publications .... 8-9
Canadian Roadside Assistance ...................... 8-6
Capacities and Specifications
...................... 6-64
Captain’s Chairs
................................ 1-21
Reclining
the Seatback ......................... 1-2 1
Removing ................................... 1-22
Replacing
................................... 1-23
Carbon Monoxide
.................... 2-38.4-29. 4-36
Cassette Deck Service
........................... 7-29
Cassette Tape Player
............................ 3- 10
Cassette Tape Player Care ........................ 3-26 CD Adapter Kits
............................... 3-14
CD Player Theft-Deterrent Feature
................. 3-21
Center Dome Lamp
............................. 2-63
Center Passenger Position (Bench Seat)
............. 1-53
Center Passenger Position (Bucket Seat)
............. 1-54
Certificationflire Label
.......................... 4-30
Chains. Safety
................................. 4-37
Chains. Tire
................................... 6-46
Changing
a Flat Tire ............................. 5-24
Charging System Indicator Light
................... 2-88
Checking Your Restraint Systems
.................. 1-89
Chemical Paint Spotting.
......................... 6-53
Child Restraints
................................ 1-70
Built-in
..................................... 1-59
Cleaning Built-in
............................. 6-49
Securing in
a Rear Outside Seat Position ........... 1-77
Securing in the Center Rear Seat Position
(Bucketseat)
............................... 1-81
Securing
in the Center Rear Seat Position
(Third Row Bench)
.......................... 1-79
Securing
in the Right Front Seat Position .......... 1-83
TopStrap
................................... 1-76
WheretoPut
................................ 1-75
Children
...................................... 1-56
Cigarette Lighter
............................... 2-77
Circuit Breakers and Fuses
....................... 6-57
Cleaner. Air
................................... 6-15
Cleaning Alum~num Wheels
............................ 6-52
Built-in Child Restraint
........................ 6-49
Fabric
...................................... 6-48
Glass
....................................... 6-50
Inside of Your Vehicle
......................... 6-47
Instrument Panel
............................. 6-49
9-2
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Outside of Your Vehicle ........................ 6-50
Special Problems
............................. 6-48
Stains
...................................... 6-48
Tires
....................................... 6-52
Vinyl
....................................... 6-48
Wheels
..................................... 6-52
Windshield and Wiper Blades
................... 6-50
WiperBlades
................................ 6-50
Climate Control System
........................... 3-2
Clock. Setting the
................................ 3-9
Coinholder
.................................... 2-69
Comfort Controls
................................ 3-1
Compact Disc Care
............................. 3-27
Compact Disc Player
............................ 3-14
Care
....................................... 3-27
Errors
................................. 3-17. 3-20
Remote
..................................... 3-20
Compact Overhead Console
...................... 2-66
Content Theft-Deterrent
......................... 2-23
Control
of a Vehicle .............................. 4-6
Convenience Net
............................... 2-72
Side
....................................... 2-73
Convex Outside Mirror
.......................... 2-65
Coolant
....................................... 6-21
Adding
..................................... 6-23
Checking
................................... 6-23
Heater. Engine
............................... 2-29
RecoveryTank
............................... 5-18
Whattouse
................................. 6-22
Courtesy Transportation
........................... 8-6
Cruise Control ................................. 2-55
Compact Spare Tire
............................. 5-34
Cupholders
.................................... 2-69 Customer Assistance for
Text Telephone Users
......... 8-4
Customer Assistance Information ................... 8-1
Customer Satisfaction Procedure .................... 8-2
Damage. Finish
............................... 6-53
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
.......................... 3-5
Defogging
..................................... 3-4
Defrosting
..................................... 3-4
Delayed Illumination
............................ 2-62
Dimensions. Vehicle
............................ 6-65
Door AjarLight
................................... 2-97
Power Sliding
................................ 2-15
Sliding
..................................... 2-14
Driver Information Center
........................ 2-99
DriverPosition
................................. 1-29
Driver’s Four-Way Manual Seat
.................... 1-2
Driving City
........................................ 4-21
Defensive
.................................... 4-2
Drunken
..................................... 4-3
Freeway
.................................... 4-22
InaBlizzard
................................. 4-28
In Foreign Countries
........................... 6-5
IntheRain
.................................. 4-18
Night
...................................... 4-16
Locks
....................................... 2-4
9-3
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Driving (Continued)
On Curves
.................................. 4- 11
On Grades While Towing a Trailer ............... 4-39
On Hill and Mountain Roads
.................... 4-24
On Snow and Ice
............................. 4-26
Throughwater
............................... 4-20
WetRoads
.................................. 4-18
Winter
...................................... 4-26
With a Trailer
................................ 4-37
Dump and
Stow Feature ........................... 1-7
Electrical Equipment. Adding .................... 2-28
Electrical System
............................... 6-56
Electronic Level Control
......................... 4-32
Engine
....................................... 6-10
Coolant ..................................... 6-21
Coolant Heater
............................... 2-29
Coolant Level Check
.......................... 7-29
Coolant Temperature Gage
..................... 2-92
Cooling System
.............................. 6-64
Exhaust
..................................... 2-38
Identification
................................ 6-55
OilLevelCheck
.............................. 7-29
Overheated Protection Operating Mode
........... 5- 13
Overheating
................................. 5-13
Specifications
................................ 6-64
StartingYour
................................ 2-27
Temperature Warning Light
..................... 2-92
Additives
................................... 6-14
Checking
................................... 6-12
Running
While Parked
......................... 2-39
Engine Oil
............................... 2-96. 6-11 Used
....................................... 6-15
What Kind to Use
............................. 6-13
WhentoAdd
................................ 6-12
Equipment. Adding to the Outside
Of Your Vehicle ..... 6-3
When
to Change
.............................. 6-14
Exhaust. Engine ................................ 2-38
Exit Lighting
.................................. 2-62
Fabric Cleaning
............................... 6-48
Fan Knob. Climate Control System
.................. 3-2
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
.................... 6-7
Filling Your Tank
................................ 6-5
Filter. Air
..................................... 6-15
Filter. Passenger Compartment Air
................. 6-16
Finishcare
.................................... 6-51
Finish Damage
................................. 6-53
FirstGear
..................................... 2-33
Flashers. Hazard Warning
......................... 5-2
Flat Tire. Changing
............................. 5-24
Fluid Capacities
................................ 6-64
FogLmps
.................................... 2-60
Folding Driver’s Seatback
......................... 1-3
Foreign Countries. Fuel
........................... 6-5
FrenchLanguage Manual
11
FrontDoor ..................................... 2-4
Front Parking/Turn Signal Lamp Bulb Replacement
.... 6-34
Front Seat Storage Bin
........................... 2-71
Front Seat Storage Net
........................... 2-71
Front Sidemarker Lamp Bulb Replacement
........... 6-36
FrontTowing
.................................. 5-10
Fluids and Lubricants
............................ 7-34
.. ...........................
9-4
.
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