fuel Oldsmobile Silhouette 2002 s User Guide

2-104 Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service
Engine Soon Light in the United States
or Check Engine Light in Canada)
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On
-Board
Diagnostics
-Second Generation) and is intended to assure
that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life of the
vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner environment. The
SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service is
required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may prevent
more serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust, intake or fuel system of your vehicle or
the replacement of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the SERVICE ENGINE SOON
or CHECK ENGINE light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by your warranty. This
may also result in a failure to pass a required
Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.

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This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:

Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A
few driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.

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Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. See
ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. It will take a few
driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See
ªFuelº in the Index. Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start
-up, stalling when you put
the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on acceleration
or stumbling on acceleration. (These conditions may go
away once the engine is warmed up.) This will be detected
by the system and cause the light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have
or may begin programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass
this inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE
light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is designed
to evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This may take several days of routine
driving. If you have done this and your vehicle still does
not pass the inspection for lack of OBD system
readiness, see your dealer or qualified service center to
prepare the vehicle for inspection.

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Fuel Gage
United States Canada
When the indicator nears empty, you still have a little
fuel left, but you should get more soon.
If your fuel is low, the warning message in the message
center will go on. See ªLow Fuel Warning Messageº
later in this section.Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have
left when the ignition is on.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. All
these things are normal and do not indicate that anything
is wrong with the fuel gage.

At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads full.

It takes a little more (or less) fuel to fill up than the
gage reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but
it took more (or less) than half of the tank's capacity
to fill it.

The gage pointer may move while cornering, braking
or speeding up.

The gage may not indicate empty when the ignition
is turned off.

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Low Fuel Warning Message
United States Canada
If your fuel is low, the warning message will come on
and stay on until you add fuel.
If the warning message is still on after adding fuel, you
need to reset the warning message. To reset the warning
message, turn the ignition to off and then back on. If the
message stays on, see your dealer right away.
AWD Disable Warning Message
(If Equipped)
United States Canada
You will receive this message when there is a spare tire
on the vehicle or when the anti
-lock brake system
warning light comes on.
The all
-wheel-drive system will be disabled until the
compact spare tire is replaced by a full
-size tire. If the
warning message is still on after putting on the full
-size
tire, you need to reset the warning message. To reset
the warning message, turn the ignition off and then
back on again. If the message stays on, see your dealer
right away. See ªAll
-Wheel Driveº in the Index for
more information.

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Manual Compass Calibration
If the compass appears erratic and the calibration
symbol does not appear, you must manually put the
compass into the calibration mode.
Turn the ignition on and cycle the DIC to the
compass/temperature mode. Press both the E/M and
MODE buttons simultaneously for at least 10 seconds
until the calibration symbol appears. Release both
buttons and complete three 360
turns in an area free
from large metal objects. The calibration symbol will
turn off and the compass reading will be displayed.
Error Displays

An error of the vehicle's speed sensor or fuel sender
will cause
-E- to be displayed.

In the absence of vehicle communications, a double
dashª
--º is displayed.
If one of these error messages appear, see your dealer.
Trip Computer
There are five trip computer displays which may be
stepped through by pushing the MODE button.
The information will appear in the following order:

AVG ECON (Average Fuel Economy): This shows
the average fuel economy since the last reset.

INST ECON (Instantaneous Fuel Economy):
This shows fuel economy for the most recent second
of driving.

RANGE (Trip Range): This shows the estimated
distance that can be traveled with the remaining fuel.
The fuel economy used to calculate range is based on
the last few hours of driving.

FUEL USED (Trip Fuel Used): This shows the
accumulated fuel used since the last reset.

AVG SPEED (Average Speed): This shows the
average speed since the last reset.

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Resetting the Trip Computer
Press and hold the MODE and E/M buttons for at least
two seconds. The reset is acknowledged with the display
showing all segments on briefly. A reset can only be
done in AVG ECON, FUEL USED and AVG SPEED
displays. AVG ECON, FUEL USED and AVG SPEED
can only be reset independently. Only the mode that is
displayed will be reset.
Rear Parking Assist (Option)
Rear parking assist can help you to determine how close
an object is to your rear bumper within a given area,
making parking easier. It is not intended to be used
primarily as a rear obstacle detection system.
The rear parking assist display is located inside the
vehicle, above the rear window. It has three color
-coded
lights that can be seen through the rearview mirror.
The rear PARK AID switch
is located in the overhead
console switchbank.
Rear parking assist can be turned off by pressing the
part of the switch with the PARK AID disable symbol
on it. Pressing the textured part of the switch enables
the system.

3-5
Mode Buttons
(Outside Air): Press this button to send outside
air into your vehicle. The light in the button will glow
when outside air is in use. Using this setting while trying
to defrost or defog the windows will help clear the vents
of moisture. While floor, defog or defrost mode is
selected, the system will automatically go to outside air
mode.
(Recirculation): Press this button to limit the
amount of outside air entering your vehicle. The light in
the button will glow when recirculation is in use. You
may use this setting to limit odors entering your vehicle.
Operating the Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning
(HVAC) system in the recirculation mode may cause
fogging of the vehicle's windows when the weather is
cold and damp. To clear the fog, switch the HVAC
system to either the defog or defrost mode and increase
the fan speed. To avoid re
-fogging of the windows,
operate the HVAC system in the outside air mode.
A/C (Air Conditioning): Press this button to turn
the air conditioning compressor on and off. The light in
the button will glow when the air conditioning is in use.
Air Conditioning
On very hot days, your vehicle will cool down more
quickly and economically if you open the windows
long enough to let hot, inside air escape. For all
settings, adjust the temperature control knob and fan
speed as desired.
To get maximum cooling or a quick cool
-down on very
hot days, press the A/C and recirculation buttons and
move the temperature control toward the blue area.
Adjust the mode knob to direct the air to the desired
location. This setting should not be used for long
periods of time because the air may become too cold
and dry. Push the A/C button again to turn off the
air conditioning.
When the air conditioner compressor is on, you may
sometimes notice slight changes in your vehicle's engine
performance and power. This is normal. The system is
designed to help fuel economy while it maintains the
desired cooling level.
The air conditioner removes moisture from the air, so
you may sometimes notice water dripping from under
your vehicle's engine compartment when it is idling or
after it has been turned off. This is normal.

4-23
Here are some things you can check before a trip:

Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are all windows clean inside and outside?

Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?

Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?

Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?

Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble
-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long
-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?

Weather Forecasts: What's the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?

Maps: Do you have up
-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as ªhighway hypnosisº?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don't let it
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:

Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.

Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.

If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.

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CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
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.