brake Oldsmobile Silhouette 2002 s Service Manual

5-20
9. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the FULL
COLD mark.
10. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblow outº while you're driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it's much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a ªblowout,º here are a
few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake
to a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you'd use in
a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.

5-21
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.

5-32
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage. To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
10. Don't try to put a wheel cover on the compact spare
tire. It won't fit. Store the wheel cover securely in
the rear of the vehicle until you have the flat tire
repaired or replaced.
NOTICE:
Wheel covers won't fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
CAUTION:
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.

6-
6-1
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-12 Engine Oil
6
-17 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Passenger Compartment Air Filter (If
Equipped)
6
-21 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-26 Engine Coolant
6
-29 Radiator Pressure Cap
6
-30 Power Steering Fluid
6
-31 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-32 Brakes6
-35 Battery
6
-36 Bulb Replacement
6
-43 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-45 Tires
6
-53 Appearance Care
6
-53 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-57 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-60 Underbody Maintenance
6
-60 Chemical Paint Spotting
6
-61 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-62 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-63 Electrical System
6
-71 Replacement Bulbs
6
-71 Capacities and Specifications
6
-72 Air Conditioning Refrigerant Capacity
6
-72 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:

Dispense gasoline only into
approved containers.

Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle's trunk, pickup bed
or on any surface other than the ground.

Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.

Don't smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a fire. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.

6-11 Engine Compartment Overview
When you lift the hood, you'll see these items:
A. Underhood Fuse Block
B. Remote Positive (+) Terminal
C. Windshield Washer
Fluid ReservoirD. Radiator Pressure Cap
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap
G. Engine Oil DipstickH. Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
I. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir
J. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
K. Engine Coolant Reservoir

6-22
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180F to 200F
(82C to 93C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50F
(10C). If it's colder than 50F (10C), you may
have to drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:

Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.

With the parking brake applied, place the shift
lever in PARK (P).

With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the
shift lever in PARK (P).

Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The dipstick is located toward the back of the engine
compartment, next to the brake master cylinder reservoir.
The dipstick handle has a bright, red loop design for easy
identification. See ªEngine Compartment Overviewº in
the Index for more information on location.
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag
or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds
and then pull it back out again.

6-32
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is filled with
DOT
-3 brake fluid. See ªEngine Compartment
Overviewº in the Index for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake
fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up.The other reason is that fluid is leaking out of the brake
system. If it is, you should have your brake system
fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your brakes
won't work well, or won't work at all.
So, it isn't a good idea to ªtop offº your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won't correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you'll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system. See ªChecking Brake Fluidº
in this section.

6-33
United States Canada
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See ªBrake System Warning
Lightº in the Index.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT
-3 brake
fluid. Refer to ªRecommended Fluids and Lubricantsº
in the Index. Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause
a crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
NOTICE:

Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just a few
drops of mineral
-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts so badly that they'll have to be
replaced. Don't let someone put in the wrong
kind of fluid.

If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle's
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake
fluid on your vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately. See ªAppearance Careº in
the Index.

6-34 Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built
-in wear indicators that make
a high
-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come
and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving
(except when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won't work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to GM torque specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don't have wear indicators,
but if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have
the rear brake linings inspected immediately. Also, the
rear brake drums should be removed and inspected
each time the tires are removed for rotation or changing.
When you have the front brake pads replaced, have the
rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See ªBrake System Inspectionº in Section 7 of this
manual under Part C ªPeriodic Maintenance Inspections.º
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.