Oldsmobile Silhouette 2002 Owner's Manuals

4-40 Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with
the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you're turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal. Do this so your trailer won't
strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers.
Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have
extra wiring.
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you're about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It's
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.

4-41 Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than 1,000
lbs. (450 kg), you may prefer to drive in THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) (or, as you
need to, a lower gear). This will minimize heat build
-up
and extend the life of your transaxle.
Parking on Hills
CAUTION:
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.

4-42 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 chocks.
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 system.
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.

5-
5-1
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5
-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5
-2 Other Warning Devices
5
-3 Jump Starting
5
-9 Towing Your Vehicle
5
-9 Engine Overheating5
-12 Cooling System
5
-20 If a Tire Goes Flat
5
-21 Changing a Flat Tire
5
-36 Compact Spare Tire
5
-38 If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow

5-2
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Your hazard warning
flashers button is located on
top of the steering column.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key isn't in.
Press the button to make the front and rear turn signal
lamps flash on and off. Press the button again to turn the
flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals won't work.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up
at the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.

5-3
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to follow the steps below to do it safely.
On vehicles equipped with the optional power sliding
door, a low
-voltage battery or replacing a battery may
cause the system to become inoperative. See ªPower
Sliding Doorº in the Index for more information.
CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:

They contain acid that can burn you.

They contain gas that can explode or ignite.

They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you don't follow these steps exactly, some or
all of these things can hurt you.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that wouldn't be
covered by your warranty.
The ACDelco battery in your vehicle has a
built
-in hydrometer. Do not charge, test or
jump start the battery if the hydrometer looks
clear or light yellow. Replace the battery when
there is a clear or light yellow hydrometer and
a cranking complaint.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling
it won't work, and it could damage your vehicle.

5-4
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn't a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren't touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don't want. You wouldn't be able
to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic transaxle
in PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in NEUTRAL
before setting the parking brake.
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn't be covered
by your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlet. Turn off
the radio and all lamps that aren't needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (
-) terminal locations on
each vehicle.
You will not need to access your battery for jump
starting. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+)
jump starting terminal for that purpose.

5-5
The terminal is located
under a tethered cap
at the front of the
underhood fuse block.
See ªEngine
Compartment Overviewº
in the Index for more
information on location.
Squeeze the tabs and pull up on the cap to access the
remote positive (+) terminal. You should always use
the remote positive (+) terminal instead of the
positive (+) terminal on your battery.
CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don't
need to add water to the ACDelco
battery
installed in every new GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take
care of that first. If you don't, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don't get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.

5-6
CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables don't have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one. Negative (
-) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (
-) terminal if the vehicle has one. Don't
connect positive (+) to negative (
-) or you will get a
short that would damage the battery and maybe other
parts, too. And don't connect the negative (
-)
cable to the negative (
-) terminal on the dead
battery because this can cause sparks.6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the dead battery. Use a remote positive (+)
terminal if the vehicle has one.
7. Don't let the other end
touch metal. Connect
it to the positive (+)
terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal
if the vehicle has one.

5-7
8. Now connect the black
negative (
-) cable to the
negative (
-) terminal of
the good battery. Use a
remote negative (
-)
terminal if the
vehicle has one.
Don't let the other end touch anything until the
next step. The other end of the negative (
-) cable
doesn't go to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy,
unpainted metal part, or to a remote negative (
-)
terminal on the vehicle with the dead battery.
9. Connect the other end of
the negative (
-) cable at
least 18 inches (45 cm)
away from the dead
battery, but not near
engine parts that move.
The electrical connection is just as good there,
and the chance of sparks getting back to the battery
is much less.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery.
If it won't start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.