headlamp OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1998 Owners Manual

Tilt Wheel
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before
you drive. You can also raise it to the
highest level to give your legs more room when you exit
and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the
steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering
wheel to a comfortable
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
1
Icr
I
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator
0 Headlamp HighLow Beam Changer
Windshield Wiper and Washer Control
0 Cruise Control
2-52
ProCarManuals.com

Turn and Lane Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a
turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the
turn is finished, the lever will retwn automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash in the
direction of the turn
or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by
itself when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrow
flashes faster than normal, a signal bulb may be burned
out and other drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident.
If the arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and check the
fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers”
in the Index). If
you have a trailer towing option with added wiring for
the trailer lamps, the signal indicator will flash at a
normal rate even
if a turn signal bulb is burned out.
Check the front and rear turn signal lamps regularly to
make sure they are working.
Turn Signal On Chime
If either turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound to let the driver know to
turn it off.
If the you need to leave the signal on for more than
3/4 mile (1.2 km), turn off the signal and then turn it
back on.
Headlamp HigWLow Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from high to low beam, or low
to high, simply pull the turn signal lever all the way
toward you. Then release it.
When the high beams are
on, this light on the
instrument cluster will also
be on.
2-53
ProCarManuals.com

Exterior Lamps
500: Turning the dial to this setting turns on:
0 Parking Lamps
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
Instrument Panel Lights
@ Turning the dial to this setting turns on the
headlamps, together with:
. Parking Lmps
Sidemarker Lamps
0 Taillamps
0 Instrument Panel Lights
0 Turning the dial to this setting turns off all the lamps
and lights.
Lamps On Reminder
If the driver’s door is opened and you turn the ignition
to
OFF or LOCK while leaving the lamps on, you will
hear a warning chime.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front
of your vehicle during the day.
DlU can be helpful
in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
2-59
ProCarManuals.com

A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work, so be sure it isn’t covered. The DRL system
will make your front parking and turn signal lamps
come on in daylight when:
The ignition is on,
the headlamp switch is off and
the parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your front parking and turn
signal lamps will be
on. Your instrument panel won’t be
lit up.
When it’s dark enough outside, the exterior lamps will
come on automatically. When it’s bright enough outside,
the exterior lamps will
go out and the DRL will turn on.
Of course, you may still turn on the headlamps any time
you need to.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL or exterior lamps off,
set the parking brake while the ignition is in
OFF or
LOCK. Then start the vehicle. The DRL will stay
off
until you release the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Fog Lamps
The fog lamps switch is
located in the instrument
panel switchbank. Push the
fog lamp symbol on the
rocker button to turn on
the lamps.
The green indicator light will glow. Push the ribbed
part of
the switch to turn them off. The indicator light will go off.
Your parking lamps or headlamps must be on for your
fog lamps to go on.
When your DRL are on, the headlamps switch must first
be turned from the off position before the fog lamps can
be turned on. At night, when DRL automatically turns
on your headlamps, the fog lamps can be turned on
when the headlamps switch is in any position.
Your fog lamps will go off when you switch to high
beams. Using your high beams in fog is not recommended.
2-60
ProCarManuals.com

Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Intensity Control
Turn the control, located below the headlamps switch, to
the right to increase the brightness of the instrument
panel lights, and to the left to decrease the brightness.
Turn the control all the way to the left to turn them off.
Interior Lamps Control
Turn the dial all the way to the right to turn on the
interior lamps,
if the interior lamps override switch is
off. Turn the dial to the left to turn the lamps off.
Interior Lamps Override Switch
--
I This switch is located in the
c- overhead console
switchbank. Press the
symbol on the bottom
of the
rocker switch to override control of the interior lamps
and turn off power to the
courtesy lamps, reading
lamps and glove box lamp. Press the top
of the interior
lamps override rocker switch
to turn power back on to the interior lamps. This will
allow the lamps to
stay on when any door is open.
Illuminated Entry
With illuminated entry, the interior of your vehicle is
illuminated
so you can see inside before you enter your
vehicle. The lamps will come on for
40 seconds if you
unlock your door using your key or the remote lock
control transmitter (if equipped) and the ignition is in
LOCK
or OFF. After 40 seconds have passed, the
interior lamps will slowly fade out. The lamps will turn
off before the 40 seconds if you:
lock all the doors using the key,
press LOCK on the power door lock switch or
0 press LOCK on the remote lock control transmmer
(if equipped).
When any door is opened, illuminated entry is cancelled.
The interior lamps will stay on while any door or the
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’’ later
in this section.
ProCarManuals.com

Driving at Nieht Here are some tips on night driving.
a
a
a
a
a
a a
Drive defensively.
Don’t
drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can’t see
as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull
off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night driving is more dangerous
than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely
to be impaired -- by
alcohol or
drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
ProCarManuals.com

Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to
see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two,
or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from
a driver who
doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps. Keep your windshield and all
the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on
the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils
of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are
in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren’t even aware of it.
4-17
ProCarManuals.com

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Loading Your Vehicle
GAWR FRT
COLD TIRE PRESSURE
00 n-
SEE %ER’S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. -1
The Certificatioflire label is found on the rear edge of
the driver’s door.
The label shows the size of your original tires and the
inflation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
4-30
ProCarManuals.com

Jump Starting
For jump starting instructions, see “Jump Starting” in
the Index.
Bulb Replacement
Halogen Bulbs
I A CAUTWN:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
Headlamps
I NOTICE:
When replacing the headlamp bulb, do not leave
the bulb out for any length
of time. This could
cause nitrogen gas to escape from the lamp. To
minimize nitrogen gas from escaping within the
headlamp, the headlamp must be placed
on a flat
surface with the lens facing down when removing
the bulb.
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the front parkinghurn signal lamp assembly.
See “Front Parking/Turn Signal
Lamps” later in
this section.
6-31
ProCarManuals.com

3. Remove the two wing nuts located on top of the
headlamp assembly.
4. Unscrew the black retainer ring that holds the bulb
assembly in place.
5. Pull the bulb assembly straight up from the
lamp housing.
I
6. Unhook the electrical connector by lifting up the
blue tabs and pulling
the bulb out.
6-32
ProCarManuals.com