tow 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
Page 19 of 444

Second Row Safety  Belt Stowage 
If your vehicle has  seats in the  third  row, there is  a 
sleeve  on the  second  row outside  safety  belt to  store  the 
safety  belt while  entering and exiting  the  third 
row of 
the vehicle. 
If  your vehicle has  a bench  seat in the  second  row, 
follow  this  procedure: 
0 Pull  the  belt  out  and slide  the  sleeve  along the  belt 
until  it  reaches  the  patch of Velcro@  on the  roof. 
Simply  press  the  sleeve  against  the  Velcro patch to 
bo not have  the  second  row  outside  safety  belt stored if 
someone  is sitting  in the  second  row  outside  position. 
To  release  the second  row outside  safety  belt,  just  pull 
the  sleeve  away from  the Velcro  patch and  use  the safety 
belt as  usual.  The  sleeve  should slide  freely  when  not 
in  use. secure  it 
in place. 
There  is 
also a  clip  on  the  safety  belt  used  to  secure  the 
belt  after  it  is  disconnected 
from the  mini-buckle.  When 
removing  the  second  row  bench  seat,  secure  the  loose  end 
of  the  safety  belt  in  this  clip. 
This will  keep  the  safety  belt 
from  dangling  and  possibly  striking  something. 
Dump and Stow Feature 
The  rear  seats  in your  vehicle,  except the  captain’s 
chairs,  can  be folded  forward.  Use this  feature  for 
exiting  and entering  third  row seats. 
Push  adjustable  head  restraints  fully  down.  Fold  the  seatback 
flat on the seat. If  the seat adjusts,  slide  it  all  the 
way  back.  Release  the  rear  set  of  hooks  from  the  floor 
pins;  hang  on  to  the  straps  as  the  seat  folds  forward. 
I I I I I U 
1-7 
ProCarManuals.com 
Page 23 of 444

L 
Repeat Steps 1 through 5 for the  other  section  of the 
split bench seat. 
5. To unlatch  the  front  latches,  squeeze the angled latch 
release  bar  toward the straight crossbar. 
6. Remove the  seat by 
rocking it slightly 
toward the rear 
of the 
vehicle and then 
pulling  it out. 
1-11 
ProCarManuals.com 
Page 24 of 444

Replacing  the  Split  Bench  Sections 
Don’t put the sections  of the bench seat in so they  face 
rearward because they won’t latch  that way.  If 
you want 
more  storage  room behind  the seat,  adjust  each section 
by  sliding  it  forward. 
The  split benches have seat position labels, located on 
the back 
of each seat, showing where the seat must go. 
Follow that diagram. 
0 The left (40) section of the 40/60 split bench uses the 
A and B sets  of floor  cups. 
the 
C and D sets  of floor  cups. 
and 
H sets of  floor  cups. 
and 
J sets  of floor  cups. 
0 The right (60) section  of the 40/60 split bench uses 
0 The left section  of the 50/50 split  bench  uses the G 
0 The right section  of the 50/50 split bench uses the I 
1. Squeeze the angled gray bar toward the solid gray 
crossbar  while placing the  front hooks  of the bench 
seat  onto  the front  two floor  pins. 
See  “Seat Controls”  in the beginning  of this  section  for 
more  details.  The  seat must be placed in the proper 
location  for the  legs  to  attach correctly. 
Make  sure  the seat is in the  full  rear  position before 
beginning this procedure. 
1-12 
ProCarManuals.com 
Page 30 of 444

5. To unlatch the  front  latches,  with the seat folded 
forward,  squeeze the  angled latch release  bar toward 
the  straight crossbar. 
6. Remove  the  seat by 
rocking it slightly 
toward the  rear 
of the 
vehicle and then pulling 
it 
out. This  should  be 
done  in one  motion. 
1-18 
ProCarManuals.com 
Page 31 of 444

Replacing  the  Bucket  Seats 
Don’t put the  seats in so they face rearward because they 
won’t  latch that way.  If  you want more  storage room 
behind  the  seat,  adjust  the  seat  by sliding  it  forward. 
The  bucket  seats  have  seat  position  labels,  located  on  the 
back 
of the  seat,  showing  where the  seat  must  go.  Follow 
that  diagram. See  “Seat  Controls”  in  the beginning  of 
this 
section  for  more details.  The seat  must  be  placed  in  the 
proper  location  for the  legs 
to attach  correctly. 
RIGHT 
ONLY seats  that  don’t  have the built-in  child 
restraint  option fit  only  in  the  right location of either 
row,  the 
E and F or I and J sets of floor  cups. 
The  CENTER 
OR LEFT  seat  fits  in the  center  location 
or  in either  left location,  the 
A and B, C and D or G 
and H sets  of floor  cups. 
The 
LEFT ONLY  seats that don’t  have  the  built-in child 
restraint  option fit only in the  left location  of either  row, 
the 
A and B or G and H sets  of floor  cups. 
RIGHT  ONLY seats that have  the built-in  child  restraint 
option  fit  only 
in the  right  location  of the second  row, 
the 
E  and F sets of  floor  cups. 
LEFT ONLY seats that have  the built-in  child restraint 
option  fit  only 
in the  left  location of the second row,  the 
A and  B sets of floor  cups. 
Make  sure the seat  is in  the  full  rear  position before 
beginning this  procedure. 
1. With the  seat  folded,  squeeze the angled gray bar 
toward the solid  gray  crossbar  while  placing the 
front  hooks  of the bench  seat 
onto the front  two 
floor  pins. 
To do this, 
the seat  will 
need to  be angled 
so that 
the  front  hooks clear the 
floor pins. 
1-19 
ProCarManuals.com 
Page 56 of 444

How  does  an  air  bag  restrain? 
In moderate  to severe  frontal  or  near frontal  collisions, 
even belted occupants can  contact  the steering wheel  or 
the  instrument panel.  In moderate 
to severe  side 
collisions,  even belted occupants can  contact  the  inside 
of  the  vehicle.  The 
air bag supplements  the protection 
provided  by safety belts.  Air bags  distribute  the force  of 
the  impact more evenly over  the occupant’s  upper  body, 
stopping  the occupant more  gradually. But the  frontal 
air 
bags would  not help you  in many  types of collisions, 
including  rollovers,  rear impacts,  and side  impacts, 
primarily because  an  occupant’s motion is not toward 
the  air bag.  Side  impact  air bags would  not help  you in 
many  types of collisions,  including  frontal  or  near 
’ frontal collisions,  rollovers, and rear impacts, primarily 
because  an  occupant’s  motion is not toward  those air 
bags. 
Air bags should never  be regarded  as anything 
more than  a supplement  to safety  belts,  and then  only  in 
moderate  to severe  frontal  or  near-frontal  collisions  for 
the  driver’s  and right front  passenger’s  frontal  air bags, 
and only in moderate  to severe  side  collisions  for  the 
driver’s  and right  front  passenger’s side impact  air bags. 
What will you  see  after  an  air  bag  inflates? 
After an air bag  inflates,  it quickly  deflates, so quickly 
that some people  may  not even realize  the air bag 
inflated.  Some  components of the  air bag  module 
-- the 
steering wheel hub  for the driver’s 
air bag,  the 
instrument panel  for  the  right  front  passenger’s bag, the 
side  of the  seatback closest  to the  door  for  the  driver and 
right  front  passenger’s side impact  air  bags 
-- will be 
hot for a short  time.  The parts of the bag  that  come  into 
contact  with  you  may  be  warm, but not too hot  to touch. 
There  will be some smoke  and dust  coming  from  the 
vents in  the deflated  air bags. Air bag inflation  doesn’t 
prevent the driver  from seeing  or being able  to steer  the 
vehicle, nor does  it stop people  from leaving  the vehicle. 
When  an  air  bag  inflates,  there  is dust  in the  air. 
This dust  could  cause  breathing  problems  for 
people  with 
a history of asthma  or  other 
breathing  trouble.  To avoid  this,  everyone  in the 
vehicle  should  get  out 
as soon  as  it is safe  to  do so. 
If you  have  breathing  problems  but  can’t  get  out 
of  the  vehicle  after  an  air bag  inflates,  then  get 
fresh  air  by  opening  a  window  or  a  door. 
1-44 
ProCarManuals.com 
Page 58 of 444

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. 
1-46 
ProCarManuals.com 
Page 83 of 444

An infant  car  bed (A)  is  a  special  bed made for  use 
in  a motor vehicle. It’s  an infant  restraint  system 
designed  to  restrain or position  a child 
on a 
continuous  flat  surface.  With an infant  car  bed, 
make  sure  that  the infant’s head  rests toward the 
center  of the vehicle. 
A rear-facing  infant restraint (B) positions an infant 
to  face  the  rear of the vehicle. Rear-facing  infant 
restraints  are  designed  for  infants  of  up to about 
20 lbs. (9 kg) and  about  one year  of age.  This  type 
of  restraint  faces  the rear 
so that  the infant’s head, 
neck and body can have  the support they need in  a 
crash.  Some  infant  seats  come  in two parts 
-- the 
base stays  secured in the vehicle and the  seat part 
is  removable. 
1-71 
ProCarManuals.com 
Page 99 of 444

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. 
1-87 
ProCarManuals.com 
Page 106 of 444

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. 
ProCarManuals.com