belt OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1998 Repair Manual

Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is:
Drive defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in
your Oldsmobile: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts” in
the Index.) Defensive driving really means “be ready
for anything.”
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
“always expect the unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might
do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of
accidents. Yet
they are common. Allow enough
following distance.
It’s the best defensive driving
maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never
know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake
or
turn suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on
the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving
task
-- such as concentrating on a cellular telephone
call, reading, or reaching for something on the
floor
-- makes proper defensive driving more difficult
and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury.
Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or pull
off
the road in a safe place to do them yourself. These
simple defensive driving techniques could save
your life.
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Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front
of you. You can
avoid these problems by braking
-- if you can stop in
time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action
-- steering around
the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in
Emergencies” earlier in this section.) It is better to
remove as much speed as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available. An
emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision.
If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can
turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and
just as quickly straighten the wheel once
you have
avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always
possible
is a good reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts properly.
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Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill.
If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how
to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocl ss .
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belts, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look
at the CertificatiodTire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number
on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an “MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
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CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
i A CAUTION: I
I If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only radial-ply
tires with the wheels
on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls
of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system
does not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria
(TPC) standards.
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Cleaning Leather
Use a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap
or saddle soap and wipe dry with a soft cloth. Then, let
the leather dry naturally.
Do not use heat to dry.
0 For stubborn stains, use a leather cleaner. See your
Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
retailer
for this product.
cleaners, furniture polish or shoe polish on leather.
immediately.
If dirt is allowed to work into the
finish, it can harm the leather.
Soiled or stained leather should be cleaned
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones or
waxes may cause annoying reflections in the windshield
and even make it difficult
to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
Cleaning Interior Plastic Components
Use only a mild soap and water solution on a soft
cloth
or sponge. Commercial cleaners may affect the
surface finish.
Cleaning the Built-in Child
Restraint Pad
The built-in child restraint pad is attached to the seat
frame with fastener strips. You can remove the pad and
hand wash
it with mild soap and water.
Care of Safety Belts and Built-in
Child Restraint Harness
Keep the safety belts and the built-in child restraint
harness clean and dry.
Do not bleach or dye safety belts or the built-in
child restraint harness. If you
do, they may be
severely weakened. In
a crash, they might not be
able to provide adequate protection. Clean the
safety belts and the child restraint harness only
with mild soap and lukewarm water.
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Maintenance Schedule
I Short Trip/City Definition I
Follow the Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule if any
one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
your vehicle.
or other
commercial application.
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine oil to break
down sooneK
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
(or
6 months, whichever occurs first). Tire Rotation.
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Chassis Lubrication
Every 12,000 Miles (20 000 km): Passenger
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Compartment Air
Filter Replacement.
Inspection, if driving in dusty conditions.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner
Filter Replacement.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Service (severe conditions
only).
Drive Belt Inspection. Fuel Tank, Cap
and Lines
Inspection (or every 60 months, whichever occurs
first).
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
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Maintenance Schedule
I Short Trip/City Intervals I
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.
1 Long Trip/Highway Definition
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the
conditions from the Short Trip/City Maintenance
Schedule
is true. Do not use this schedule if the vehicle
is used for trailer towing, driven in
a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the Short Trip/City schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine oil to break
down slower:
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
every 12 months, whichever occurs first).
Chassis Lubrication (or every
12 months, whichever
occurs first). Tire Rotation.
Compartment Air Filter Replacement.
Filter Replacement.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Passenger
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Service (severe
conditions only).
Drive Belt Inspection. Fuel
Tank, Cap and Lines
Inspection (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement. Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.
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I Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule I
54,000 Miles (90 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 6 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation” in the Index for proper
An Emission Control Service.
(See footnote #.)
rotation pattern and additional information. (See footnote +.)
57,000 Miles (95 000 km)
Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
60,000 Miles (100 000 km)
0
0
0
0
Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months,
An Emission Control Service.
whichever occurs first).
Lubricate chassis components (or every
6 months, whichever occurs first).
(See footnote
#.)
Replace passenger compartment air filter.
Inspect engine accessory drive belt.
An Emission Control Service.
Replace air cleaner filter.
An Emission Control Service.
DATE I
MILEAGE
DATE
1
I MILEAGE ACTUAL I SERVICEDBY I
DATE I
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Long Trip/Highway Maintenance Schedule
52,500 Miles (87 500 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first).
An Emission Control Service.
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first).
Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation” in the Index for proper
(See footnote
#.)
rotation pattern and
additional information. (See footnote +.)
60,000 Miles (100 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Lubricate chassis components (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Replace passenger compartment air filter.
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation” in the Index for proper
An Emission Control Service.
(See footnote #.)
rotation pattern and additional information. (See footnote +.)
0 Inspect engine accessory drive belt.
An Emission Control Service.
0 Replace air cleaner filter.
0 Inspect fuel tank, cap and lines for damage or leaks. Inspect fuel cap gasket
An Emission Control Service.
for any damage. Replace parts as needed.
An Emission Control Service. (See footnote?.)
DATE
I MILEAGE ACTUAL I SERVICEDBY: I
1 I
DATE I
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