belt OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1998 Workshop Manual

Larger Children
1
Children who have outgrown child restraints should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts. If
you have the choice, a child should sit next to a
window
so the child can wear a lap-shoulder belt and
get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide.
Accident statistics show that children are safer
if they
are restrained in the rear seat. But they need to use the
safety belts properly.
Children who aren’t buckled up can be thrown out in
0 Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other
a
crash.
people who are.
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Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt. The
belt can't properly spread the impact forces. In a
crash, the two children can be crushed together
and seriously injured.
A belt must be used by
only one person at a time.
Q: What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is
so small that the shoulder belt is
very close to the child's face or neck?
A: Move the child toward the center of the vehicle, but
be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child's
shoulder, so that in a crash the child's upper body
would have the restraint that belts provide. If the
child is sitting in a rear seat outside position, see
"Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides" in the Index.
If the child is
so small that the shoulder belt is still
very close to. the child's face or neck, you might
want to place the child in a seat that has a lap belt,
if your vehicle has one.
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A CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here
a child is sitting in a seat that has a
lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind
the child.
If the child wears the belt in this way, in
a crash the child might slide under the belt. The
belt’s force would then be applied right on the
child’s abdomen. That could cause serious or
fatal injuries.
Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of
the belt
should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching
the child’s thighs. This applies belt force to the child’s
pelvic bones in a crash.
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Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use it.
But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your
retailer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you
go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so
the extender will be long enough for you. The extender
will be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle
that you choose. Don’t let someone else use it, and
use it
only for the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach
it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly. If your vehicle
has a
built-in child restraint, also periodically make sure the
harness straps, latch plates, buckle, clip, child head
restraint and anchorages are working properly.
Look for
any other loose or damaged safety belt and built-in child
restraint system parts. If you see anything that might
keep a safety belt or built-in child restraint system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in
a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is
torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
If your vehicle has the built-in child restraint, torn or
frayed harness straps can rip apart under impact forces
just like torn or frayed safety belts can. They may not
protect a child in a crash. If
a harness strap is torn or
frayed, get
a new harness right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired
or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
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Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new safety belts or
built-in child restraint parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But if the safety belts or built-in child restraint harness
straps were stretched, as they would be if worn during a
more severe crash, then you need new safety belts or
harness straps. If
safety belts or built-in child restraint harness straps
are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision damage also
may mean you will need to have safety belt, built-in
child restraint or seat parts repaired or replaced. New
parts and repairs may be necessary even if the safety belt
or built-in child restraint wasn’t being used at the time
of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier in
this section.
If the frontal air bags inflate, you’ll also need to replace
the driver’s and right front passenger’s safety belt
buckle assembly. Be sure to
do so. Then the new buckle
assembly will be there
to help protect you in a collision.
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Door Locks
I-
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).
To unlock either front door from the outside with the
key, insert the key and turn it toward the front
of
the vehicle.
You can lock either front door from the outside with
your key by inserting
and turning it toward the rear of
the vehicle.
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Delayed Illumination
The delayed illumination feature will continue to
illuminate the interior for
25 seconds after all doors have
been closed
so that you can find your ignition and
buckle your safety belt at night. Delayed illumination
will not occur while the ignition
is in RUN or
ACCESSORY. After 25 seconds have passed, the
interior lamps will slowly fade out. The lights will fade
out before the
25 seconds have passed if you:
0 turn the ignition to RUN or ACCESSORY,
lock all doors using the remote lock control
0 lock all the doors using the power door lock switch
transmitter
(if equipped) or
or the key.
Exit Lighting
With exit lighting, the interior lamps will come on for
about
25 seconds whenever you remove the key from
the ignition switch. If you turn the ignition switch
to
RUN or ACCESSORY, the lamps will fade out. The
lamps will also fade out if you lock the doors with the
power door lock switch or the remote lock control
transmitter (if equipped).
To turn the Delayed Illumination feature off or on, see
“Locks and Lighting Choices’’ in the Index. When
any door is opened, exit lighting is cancelled. The
interior lamps will stay on while any door
or liftgate is
open, and slowly fade out when all doors and the liftgate
are closed.
The interior lamps may stay on for up
to 25 seconds
after all doors have been closed if they have not been
locked, see “Delayed Illumination” earlier in
this section.
To turn the Exit Lighting feature off or on, see “Locks
and Lighting Choices” in the Index.
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When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
70 seconds. If the
driver’s belt is already
buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
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 flash 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 ignition 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.
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Charging System Indicator Light
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.
Brake System Warning Light
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will come on when you set your parking brake.
The light
will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release fully.
If
it stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it
means you have
a brake problem.
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both
parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
United States Canadian
This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to
RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
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Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat. If they aren’t, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate
that you have used your tape player for
50 hours without
resetting the tape clean timer. If this message appears
on
the display, your cassette tape player needs to be
cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as
soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and
player.
If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a
known good cassette to see if it
is the tape or the tape
player at fault. If this other cassette has no improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player.
The recommended cleaning method for your cassette
tape player
is the use of a scrubbing action,
non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn.
The recommended cleaning cassette
is available through
your retail facility
(GM Part No. 12344789). When using a
scrubbing action, non-abrasive cleaning
cassette, it is normal for the cassette to eject because
your unit is equipped with a cut tape detection feature
and a cleaning cassette may appear as a broken tape.
To
prevent the cleaning cassette from being ejected, use the
following steps.
1. Turn the ignition to RUN or ACCESSORY.
2. Turn the radio off.
3. Press and hold the TAPE AUX button for five
seconds. The tape symbol on the display will flash
for two seconds.
4. Insert the scrubbing action cleaning cassette.
5. Eject the cleaning cassette after the manufacturer’s
recommended cleaning time.
When the cleaning cassette has been ejected, the cut tape
detection feature is active again.
You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not
eject on its own.
A non-scrubbing action cleaner may
not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner.
The use of a non-scrubbing action, dry-type cleaning
cassette is not recommended.
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