service OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1998 Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: OLDSMOBILE, Model Year: 1998, Model line: SILHOUETTE, Model: OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1998Pages: 444, PDF Size: 23.2 MB
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The 1998 Oldsrnobile  Silhouette  Owner’s  Manual 
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Seats  and  Restraint  Systems 
This section tells you  how to use  your  seats and  safety  belts  properly.  It also explains  the “SRS” system. 
Features  and  Controls 
This section explains  how to start  and operate  your  vehicle. 
Comfort  Controls  and  Audio  Systems 
This section tells  you  how to adjust the  ventilation  and  comfort controls  and  how to operate your audio system. 
Your Driving  and  the  Road 
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips  about the road  and how to drive  under  different conditions. 
Problems  on the  Road 
This section tells  what to do  if  you  have a problem while driving, such as  a flat tire or overheated engine, etc. 
Service  and  Appearance  Care 
Here the manual tells  you  how  to keep your  vehicle  running properly  and  loolung good. 
Maintenance  Schedule 
This section tells  you  when to perform vehicle maintenance  and  what fluids and lubricants to  use. 
Customer  Assistance  Information 
This section tells  you  how to contact Oldsmobile for assistance  and  how to get service  and owner publications. 
It also gives 
you information  on “Reporting Safety Defects”  on page 8-8. 
Index 
Here’s  an  alphabetical listing of almost every subject  in  this manual.  You can use it  to  quickly  find 
something  you  want  to  read. 
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Oldsmobile L 
GM - 
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM  Emblem, 
OLDSMOBILE,  the OLDSMOBILE  Rocket Emblem 
and the name  SILHOUETTE  are registered trademarks 
of  General Motors Corporation. 
This manual includes the latest information at the time it  was printed.  We reserve  the right to make changes  in the 
product after  that time without further  notice. For 
vehicles first sold  in Canada, substitute the name 
“General Motors  of Canada Limited”  for Oldsmobile 
Division whenever it appears  in this manual. 
Please keep this manual  in your vehicle, 
so it will  be 
there  if  you  ever need  it when you’re  on the  road. 
If you 
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual  in it 
so the new 
owner can use it. 
Litho in U.S.A. 
Part No. 22656200 C First Edition 
r We support voluntary 
technician certification. 
r CERTIFIED 7 
WE SUPPORT 
VOLUNTARY  TECHNICIAN 
CERTIFICATION  THROUGH 
National Institute for 
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE 
EXCELLENCE 
For  Canadian  Owners Who Prefer  a 
French  Language  Manual: 
Aux propriktaires  canadiens: Vous pouvez vous 
procurer  un exemplaire de  ce guide en  franqais chez 
votre  concessionaire  ou au: 
DGN  Marketing Services Ltd. 
1577 Meyerside  Dr. 
Mississauga, Ontario  L5T 
1B9 
@Copyright General Motors Corporation : )7 
All Rights Reserved 
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In many crashes  severe  enough to inflate an air  bag, 
windshields  are broken  by vehicle  deformation. 
Additional  windshield breakage  may also occur from  the 
right  front  passenger  air bag. 
Air bags are designed to inflate only once.  After an 
air  bag  inflates,  you’ll need some new parts  for your 
air  bag  system. 
If you  don’t  get them,  the  air  bag 
system won’t be  there  to help protect  you  in another 
crash. A new system will  include air bag modules 
and possibly  other parts.  The  service  manual for your 
vehicle  covers  the need to  replace  other  parts. 
Your vehicle is equipped with  a  crash sensing and 
diagnostic  module, which  records information  about 
the  frontal  air bag  system.  The module records 
information  about  the readiness  of the system, when 
the  sensors  are  activated and driver’s safety  belt 
usage at deployment. 
Let  only  qualified  technicians  work on your air bag 
systems.  Improper  service can mean that an  air bag 
system won’t work properly.  See your retailer 
for  service. 
I NOTICE: 
If you  damage  the  covering  for  the  driver’s  or  the 
right  front  passenger’s  air  bag,  or  the  air  bag 
covering  on  the  driver’s  and  right  front 
passenger’s  seatback,  the  bag  may  not  work 
properly. 
You may  have  to  replace  the  air  bag 
module  in  the  steering  wheel, both  the  air  bag 
module  and  the  instrument  panel  for  the  right 
front  passenger’s  air  bag,  or  both  the  air  bag 
module  and  seatback  for  the  driver’s  and  right 
front  passenger’s  side  impact  air  bag. 
Do not 
open  or  break  the  air  bag  coverings. 
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If your vehicle ever gets  into  a  lot of water -- such as 
water up  to the carpeting  or higher 
-- or if water  enters 
your vehicle  and soaks  the  carpet,  the  air bag controller 
can  be soaked  and ruined. 
If this ever  happens, and then 
you  start  your vehicle, the damage could  make  the 
frontal  and side  impact air bags  inflate and safety belt 
pretensioners activate, even  if there’s  no crash.  You 
would  have to replace  the  air  bags,  all the sensors  and 
related  parts,  parts of the  safety belt system  and parts 
of 
the  driver  and right  front  passenger’s seatbacks.  If your 
vehicle is  ever in a 
flood, or if it’s  exposed  to water that 
soaks the  carpet,  you can avoid needless  repair  costs by 
turning  off the  vehicle immediately.  Don’t let anyone 
start  the  vehicle, even  to tow  it, unless  the battery cables 
are  first  disconnected. 
Servicing  Your Air Bag-Equipped  Vehicle 
Air bags  affect  how  your  vehicle should  be  serviced. 
There  are parts  of the air  bag systems  in  several  places 
around  your vehicle.  Your retailer  and the  Silhouette 
Service  Manual have information about servicing your 
vehicle and  the 
air bag systems. To purchase  a service 
manual, see “Service  and Owner Publications”  in 
the Index. 
For  up to 10 minutes  after  the  ignition key is 
, turned off and the battery is disconnected,  an air 
bag  can  still  inflate  during improper  service. You 
can be injured  if  you are close  to an air bag  when 
it inflates.  Avoid wires wrapped  with  yellow  tape 
or  yellow  connectors.  They  are probably  part of 
the  air bag  systems.  Be sure 
to follow  proper 
service  procedures,  and make  sure the person 
performing  work for you  is  qualified  to  do 
so. 
~~  ~~ 
The air bag  systems  do  not need regular maintenance. 
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6. Select only one side  of the  harness.  Place the harness 
over the child’s shoulder. 
7. Push  the  latch  plate  (B) into  the  buckle until  it clicks. 
Be  sure  the buckle 
is free of any  foreign  objects  that 
may  prevent  you from securing  the latch plates. 
If 
you  can’t secure  a  latch  plate,  see  your Oldsmobile 
retailer  for  service before  using the child restraint. 
8. Place  the  other side  of the  harness over the 
child’s shoulder. 
9. Push  the latch plate  into  the buckle until  it clicks. 
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Remote Lock Control  (Option) 
If your vehicle has this option,  you can lock and unlock 
your  doors  and the  liftgate from about 
3 feet (1 m)  up  to 
30 feet (9 m) away  using  the remote lock control 
transmitter supplied with your vehicle. 
Your  remote lock control system operates  on a radio 
frequency subject  to Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada.  This 
device complies with Part 
15 of the FCC Rules. 
Operation  is subject to 
the following two conditions: 
(1) this  device  may not cause harmful interference, 
and 
(2) this  device  must accept  any interference 
received, including interference that  may cause 
undesired operation. 
This  device complies  with RSS-2 
10 of Industry Canada. 
Operation  is subject to the following two conditions: 
(1) this device  may not cause interference, and (2) this 
device must accept  any interference received, including 
interference that  may cause undesired operation 
of 
the device. 
Changes  or modifications to this system  by other than an 
authorized service facility could void authorization to  use  this equipment. 
This  system has  a range 
of about 3 feet (1 m)  up  to 
30 feet (9 m). At times  you  may  notice a decrease in 
range.  This  is normal for any remote keyless entry 
system.  If the transmitter does not work  or if  you  have 
to  stand closer to your vehicle  for the transmitter  to 
work,  try this: 
Check  to determine  if battery replacement or 
synchronization  is necessary.  See the instructions 
that follow. 
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Check the  distance.  You may  be  too  far  from  your 
vehicle.  You may need  to stand  closer  during  rainy 
or  snowy  weather. 
Check  the  location.  Other  vehicles  or  objects  may be 
blocking  the  signal.  Take a  few  steps  to the  left  or 
right,  hold the  transmitter  higher, and try again. 
If you’re  still  having trouble,  see  your retailer  or  a 
qualified  technician  for  service. 
Operation 
Remote  Driver’s  Door  and All Door  Unlock 
When  you press  UNLOCK on  the  remote  lock  control 
transmitter, only  the  driver’s  door  will unlock. 
If you 
press  UNLOCK again within  five  seconds,  all  the  doors 
and  the  liftgate  will  unlock. 
If you  would  like  all  the 
doors  to  unlock  the  first  time  you press 
UNLOCK, see 
“Locks and  Lighting  Choices” 
in the  Index. 
If  your  vehicle  is equipped  with the  Content 
Theft-Deterrent  system,  the  UNLOCK button on the 
remote  lock  control  transmitter  will disarm  the  system 
(see  “Content  Theft-Deterrent”  in  the Index  for 
more  details). 
Remote All Door Lock 
To  lock all doors,  press LOCK on the remote  lock 
control  transmitter  (see  “Power Door  Locks”  in  the 
Index  for  more details 
on the power door lock  features). 
If your vehicle is equipped  with the Content 
Theft-Deterrent  system,  the LOCK button may arm  the 
system  (see  “Content  Theft-Deterrent”  in the  Index  for 
more  details). 
Remote  Lock  Confirmation 
When  you  use  the  remote  lock  control  transmitter  to 
lock  your  vehicle,  your parking lamps will  flash briefly 
to  let  you know  the  command  has been received. 
If you 
press  the  LOCK button again, within  five seconds, the 
horn will sound briefly  and the parking  lamps will flash 
to  let  you know  the  vehicle  is  already locked. 
If  you would  like  to change  the way  the parking  lamps 
and  horn  operate with Remote  Lock  Confirmation,  see 
“Locks  and Lighting  Choices”  in  the  Index. 
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Resetting  the Power Sliding Door 
The power  sliding  door  may operate  incorrectly  or  not  at 
all because  of the  following  conditions: 
A low  voltage  or  dead battery, 
Disconnecting  the battery  or 
If the IGN 1, B/U LAMP,  RADIO  or  PWR 
SEATPSD  fuse  is removed  or blown. 
See  “Fuse Panel” in the Index  for more  information 
about  your fuse  panel. 
If  any  of these  conditions  occur, the power  sliding door 
will  need  to be  reset. 
To do  this,  follow  the directions 
listed  here.  It will  be  easier  if you read  through them 
once  before  beginning  this  procedure. 
1.  Check  to be  sure  the  power sliding  door  is  unlocked 
2. Turn the ignition switch to OFF. 
and securely  closed. 
3. Enable  the  power sliding  door  override  feature. 
4. Remove the RADIO fuse  from  the  underhood fuse 
and relay  center.  Leave  it  out  for 
30 seconds. 
5. Reinstall the  fuse and wait 10 seconds. 
6. Disable the power sliding door  override  feature. 
7. Push either  of the  power door buttons  to open the 
power  sliding door. 
8. Wait  five seconds  and close  the door  by pushing 
9. Wait  five  seconds  and repeat  Steps 7 and 8. 
either  power door button. 
If  the door does not rest  in the fully open position after 
repeating  Step 
7, repeat  Steps 7 and 8 again. If the 
door still does not  operate correctly,  see your retailer 
for  service. 
Sliding Door Security Lock 
Your  vehicle  is equipped with  a  sliding door security 
lock that  helps prevent young children  or  other 
passengers  from  opening the sliding door  by using the 
inside  door handle.  This  lock  is on both doors if your 
vehicle  has the dual  sliding  doors. 
If  you  have the  optional power  sliding door,  you can 
override  the security lock  by pressing  either power door 
switch  when the power sliding door  override  feature is 
disabled.  See  “Power Sliding Door” earlier  in 
the  section. 
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Nuisance Alarms New  Vehicle “Break-In” 
If you experience  nuisance  alarms  (alarms  which are not 
caused  by the  opening  of a  door  or  the  liftgate  and are 
not  desirable),  you may  need  to  reduce  the  damage 
detection  sensitivity.  Try programming  the  Content 
Theft-Deterrent  to  Mode 
1. 
If you  continue  to  experience  nuisance  alarms,  you may 
want  to try  turning 
off damage  detection  by 
programming your  Content  Theft-Deterrent  to  Mode 
2. 
If you are  still  having  trouble  with nuisance  alarms,  you 
can 
turn off the  Content  Theft-Deterrent  system by 
programming your  Content  Theft-Deterrent  to  Mode 
3. 
See “Locks  and  Lighting  Choices”  in the  Index  for  more 
information.  See 
your retailer  or  qualified  technician 
for  service. 
NOTICE: 
Your  vehicle  doesn’t  need  an elaborate 
“break-in.”  But 
it will perform  better  in  the  long 
run 
if you  follow  these  guidelines: 
0 Don’t drive at any  one  speed -- fast  or 
slow 
-- for  the first 500 miles (805 km). 
Don’t  make full-throttle starts. 
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this  time 
your  new brake  linings  aren’t yet broken 
in.  Hard  stops with  new  linings  can mean 
premature  wear and  earlier  replacement. 
Follow 
this breaking-in  guideline  every 
time  you  get  new  brake linings. 
See  “Towing 
a Trailer’’  in the Index for 
more  information. 
Avoid  making  hard stops for the first 
0 Don’t  tow a trailer  during  break-in. 
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NOTICE: 
If your key  seems  stuck in LOCK and you can’t 
turn  it, be  sure  you are using  the  correct  key;  if 
so, is it all the  way  in? If it is,  then  turn  the 
steering  wheel  left  and  right while  you  turn the 
key  hard.  But turn  the key  only  with  your hand. 
Using 
a tool  to force  it could  break  the key  or the 
ignition  switch. 
If none of this  works,  then your 
vehicle  needs  service. 
Starting Your Engine 
Move  your shift  lever  to PARK (P) or  NEUTRAL  (N). 
Your  engine  won’t start in any  other  position 
-- that’s a 
safety  feature.  To restart  when you’re  already moving, 
use  NEUTRAL 
(N) only. 
NOTICE: 
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your  Oldsmobile 
is  moving. 
If you  do,  you  could  damage the 
transaxle. Shift to 
PARK  (P) only  when  your 
vehicle  is  stopped. 
1. Without pushing  the accelerator pedal, turn your 
ignition key  to START.  When the  engine starts, let 
go of the key.  The  idle  speed will go down as your 
engine  gets warm. 
I NOTICE: 
Holding  your key in START for longer  than 
15 seconds  at a time  will cause  your battery  to be 
drained  much  sooner.  And  the excessive  heat can 
damage your  starter motor. 
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