headlamp OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 2003 Owners Manual

Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or
down. When the turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
-1 An arrow on the instrument
panel cluster will flash in
the direction of the
turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by itself
when you release it.
As you signal a turn or a lane change,
if the arrow
flashes faster than normal, a signal bulb may be
burned out and other drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you signal
a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and check the
fuse. See
Bulb Replacement on page 5-52 and Fuses
and Circuit Breakers on page
5-96.
If you have a trailer towing option with added wiring for
the trailer lamps, the signal indicator will flash at a normal
rate even
if a turn signal bulb is burned out. Check the
front and rear turn signal lamps regularly to make sure
they are working.
Turn Signal On Chime
If either turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound to let the driver know to
turn
it off.
If you need to leave the signal on for more than 3/4 mile
(1.2 km), turn off the signal and then turn it back on.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from high to low beam, or
low to high, simply pull the turn signal lever all the way
toward you. Then release it.
When the high beams
are on, this light on the
instrument panel cluster
will also be on.
Your fog lamps will turn
off when you switch to
high beams. Using your high beams in fog is not
recommended.
3-8

Flash-to-Pass
When the headlamps are off, pull the lever toward you
to momentarily switch on the high beams (to signal
that you are going to pass). When you release the lever,
they will turn
off.
Windshield Wipers
To operate the windshield wipers turn the band marked
WIPER, located on the multifunction lever.
MIST: Turn the band to MIST for a single wiping cycle.
Hold it there until the wipers start. Then let
go. The
wipers will stop after one wipe.
If you want more wipes,
hold the band on mist longer.
OFF: Turn the band to
OFF to turn off the
windshield wipers.
LOW: Turn the band to LOW, for steady wiping at
low speed.
HIGH: Turn the band to HIGH, for steady wiping at
high speed.
DELAY: Turn the band away from you to one of the
five sensitivity settings between
OFF and LOW, to
choose the delayed wiping cycle. The further the band
is turned toward LOW, the shorter the delay will be.
Use this setting tor light rain or snow. Remember that damaged
wiper blades may prevent you
from seeing well enough to drive safely. To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them.
If they’re frozen to the
windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them. If your blades
do become damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers.
A circuit
breaker will stop them until the motor cools. Clear away
snow or ice to prevent an overload.
Windshield Washer
To wash your windshield, press and hold the windshield
washer paddle. The washers and wipers will operate.
When you release the paddle, the washers will stop, and
the wipers will continue
to operate for two cycles, unless
your wipers had already been on. In that case, the wipers
will resume the wi--
- r speed you had selected earlier.
I I
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer fluid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
3-9

Exterior Lamps
The control to the left of the steering column operates
the exterior lamps.
0 (Off/Auto): Turning the control to this setting will
activate the automatic headlamp control when it is
dark enough outside and turn
off all of the lamps and
lights during the day, except the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL).
?% (Parking Lamps): Turning the control to this
setting turns on the parking lamps together with the
following:
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
Instrument Panel Lights
sD (Headlamps): Turning the control to this setting
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
Lamps on Reminder
If the driver’s door is opened and you turn the ignition
to
OFF or LOCK while leaving the lamps on, you
will hear a warning chime.
3-1 4

Daytime Running Lamps/Automatic
Headlamp System
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful
in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
first sold in Canada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes
the
DRL work, so be sure it isn’t covered. The DRL
system will make your front parking and turn signal
lamps come on in daylight when:
The ignition is on,
the exterior lamps control is off, and
the parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your front parking and turn
signal lamps will be on. Your instrument panel won’t
Le I:+ . .- ue 111 up.
When it’s dark enough outside, the exterior lamps will
come on automatically. When it’s bright enough outside,
the exterior lamps will turn
off and the DRL will turn
on. Of course, you may still turn on the headlamps any
time you need to.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL
if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
control is in the full bright position. See “Instrument
Panel Brightness Control’’ under
lnterior Lamps
on page
3-17.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL and automatic
headlamp control
off, set the parking brake while the
ignition is in OFF or LOCK. Then start the vehicle.
The DRL and automatic headlamp control will stay
off
until you release the parking brake.
As with any vehicle. you should turn on the reuular
headlamp system when you need
it.
3-1 5

Fog Lamps
Your vehicle may have fog
lamps.
If it does, the fog
lamps switch is located in
the instrument panel
switchbank. Press the fog lamp symbol on the switch
to turn on the lamps. The
indicator light will be lit when the fog lamps are on.
Press the top part of the switch to turn them
off.
The indicator light will go off.
When your DRL are on, the exterior lamps control must
first be turned from the
off position before the fog
lamps can be turned on.
Your parking lamps
or headlamps must be on for your
fog lamps to turn on.
At night, when the light sensor automatically turns on
your headlamps, the fog lamps can be turned on when
the exterior lamps control is in any position.
Your fog lamps will go
off when you switch to high
beams. Using your high beams in fog is not
recommended.
3-1 6

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
:~8~~~ is that ssze &j\,lers 2rf! ph!! be impaired - by
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
0 Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow
down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
0 If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much
light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example,
if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you’re
driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may
cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also
make a lot
of things invisible.
4-1 7

You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark.
When you are faced with severe glare (as from a
driver who doesn’t lower the high beams, or a vehicle
with misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid
staring directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim,
so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from
night blindness
- the inability to see in dim light - and
aren’t even aware of it.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet
road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well because
your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on dry roads.
And,
if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get
even less traction. It’s always wise to go slower and
be cautious
if rain starts to fall while you are driving.
The surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes
are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
4-1 8

Hydroplaning .-- Thr -W
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the
water. This can happen
if the road is wet enough and
you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if your
tires do not have much tread or
if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen
if a lot of water is standing
on the road.
If you can see reflections from trees,
telephone poles or other vehicles, and raindrops
“dimple” the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Nofice: If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage your engine. Never drive through water that
is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle.
If you can’t avoid deep puddles or standing
water, drive through them very slowly.
~ Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
~ If you try to drive through flowing water, as you
might at
a low water crossing, your vehicle
can be carried away.
As little as six inches of
flowing water can carry away a smaller
vehicle. If this happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Don’t ignore police
warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through flowing water.
9
e
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Turn on your low-beam headlamps - not just your
parking lamps -to help make you more visible
to others.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth.
See
Tires on page 5-60.
9
4-20

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.
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don’t want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as “rocking” can
help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must
use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high spe ~ ~, ~ rey
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transaxle or other parts
of
the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment fire or other damage.
When you’re stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Don’t spin the wheels above
35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
4-30

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Service ............................................................ 5.3
Doing Your Own Service Work
......................... 5.3
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of
Your Vehicle .............................................. 5-4
Fuel
.............................................................. -5-5
Gasoline Octane
............................................ 5-5
Gasoline Specifications
................................... 5-5
California Fuel
............................................... 5-6
Additives
....................... .... ......... 5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
........... ..... 5-7
Filling Your Tank
............................ ..... 5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
.................... 5-9
Checking Things Under the
Hood .................. -5-1 0
Hood Release .............................................. 5-10
Engine Compartment Overview ....................... 5-12
Engine Oil
................................................... 5-14
Engine Air CleanedFilter
................................ 5-19
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
.............................. 5-20
Radiator Pressure Cap
............................... 5-26
Engine Overheating
.................................... 5-26
Cooling System
............................. , ....... 5-29
Power Steering Fluid .................. , ....... 5-37
Windshield Washer Fluid
................. , ....... 5-38
Brakes
.......................... .... ........ 5-39
r.--.:.-- ---I-.- b CI lyll IC uuvlal I1 4-LU c r)r) .............................................
Battery ........................................................ 5.43
Jump Starting
............................................... 5-44
All-Wheel Drive
.............................................. 5-50
Bulb Replacement .......................................... 5-52
Halogen Bulbs
.............................. ......... 5-52
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Headlamps
...................................... ..... 5-52
Parking Lamps
.............................. ..... 5-54
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5-57
Back-up Lamps
......................................... 5-56
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.............. 5-58
Tires
.............................................................. 5-60
Inflation
- Tire Pressure ................................ 5-61
Tire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5-62
When It
Is Time for New Tires ....................... 5-63
Buying New Tires
......................................... 5-64
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
.......................... 5-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
.................. 5-66
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5-66
Tire Chains
.................................................. 5-67
Accessory Inflator
......................................... 5-68
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................ 5-69
Changing a Flat Tire ..................................... 5-70
Compact Spare Tire ...................................... 5-86
5- 1