mirror OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 2003 Owners Manual

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The 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette Owner Manual
Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
............................................. 1-22
Child Restraints
....................................... 1-45
Air Bag Systems
...................................... 1-69
Restraint System Check
............................ 1-77
Features and Controls
..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-9
Windows
................................................. 2-24
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................ 2-27
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
........... 2-32
Mirrors
.................................................... 2-45
Onstar@ System
...................................... 2-47
HomeLink@ Transmitter
......................... 2-49
Storage Areas
......................................... 2-54
Vehicle Personalization
............................. 2-62
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
...................................... 3-25
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
......... 3-39
Driver Information Center (DIC)
.................. 3-60
Instrument Panel
............................................. 3-1
Messaye Center 5-3L n r~ .......................................
Audio
System(s) ....................................... 3-63
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
................................................... 4-32
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
............... 5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................ 5-50
Bulb Replacement
.................................... 5-52
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
......... 5-58
Tires
...................................................... 5-60
Appearance Care
..................................... 5-87
Vehicle Identification
................................. 5-95
Electrical System
...................................... 5-96
Capacities and Specifications
................... 5-1 03
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
...... 5-1 05
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information
.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-9
Driving Your Vehicle
....................................... 4-1
Service and Appearance Care
.......................... 5-1
Maintenance Schedule
..................................... 6-1
Index
................................................................ 1

Section 2 Features and Controls
Keys ..................................................
Remote Keyless Entry System ............
Remote Keyless Entry System Operatior
Doors and Locks
................................
Door Locks .......................................
1
............ 2.3
............ 2.5
........... 2.6
............ 2.9
............ 2.9
Power Door Locks
........................................ 2-10
Last Door Closed Locking
.............................. 2-1 1
Programmable Automatic Door Locks
.............. 2.12
Lockout Protection
........................................ 2.13
Leaving Your Vehicle
.................................... 2.13
Dual Sliding Doors
.
Power Sliding Door
Liftgate
.................
Windows .................
Power Windows .....
Power Rear Quarter
...................................... 2.13
PSD)
.............................. 2.16
...................................... 2.22
...................................... 2.24
...................................... 2.25
Windows
........................ 2.26
Sun Visors
................................................... 2-26
Content Theft-Deterrent
. . .................... 2.27
PASS-Key@
Ill ................... ............ 2.29
PASS-Key@
Ill Operation .... 2.30
Theft-Deterrent Systems
.................................. 2.27 Starting
and Operating
Your Vehicle ................ 2.32
Ignition Positions
.............. .......... 2-32
New Vehicle Break-In
.................................... 2.32
Starting Your Engine
..................................... 2-34
Engine Coolant Heater
.................................. 2-35
Automatic Transaxle Operation
....................... 2-36
Parking Brake
.............................................. 2-39
Shifting Into Park (P)
..................................... 2-40
Shifting Out of Park (P)
................................. 2-42
Parking Over Things That Burn
....................... 2-43
Engine Exhaust
............................................ 2-43
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked
....... 2-44
Mirrors
........................................................... 2-45
Manual Rearview Mirror
................ .......... 2-45
Outside Power Mirrors
................................... 2-45
Outside Convex Mirror
................................... 2-46
Outside Heated Mirrors
.................................. 2-46
Onstar@ System
............................................. 2-47
HomeLink@ Transmitter
................................... 2-49
Programming the HomeLink Transmitter
........... 2-50
2-1

Power Rear Quarter Windows
Your vehicle may have power rear quarter windows.
the overhead console
switchbank, is used
for opening and closing
the power rear quarter
windows.
Press the textured part of the switch to open the
windows; both windows will open. The windows will
continue to open as long as the switch is pressed until
they are fully opened. Press
the part of the switch with the symbol to close
both windows. The windows can be closed fully or
partway depending on how long the switch is pressed.
The ignition must be in RUN, ACCESSORY or
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) must be active, to
use the power rear quarter windows. See “Retained
Accessory Power (RAP)” under
lgnition Positions
on page 2-32.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors.
You can also remove them from the center mount and
swing them to the side.
Visor Vanity Mirror
Pull down the sun visor. You will see the vanity mirror.
Lighted Vanity Mirror
Pull down the sun visor. Flip up the cover to expose the
vanity mirror. The lamps will come on when you open
the cover.
2-26

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lights behind you, pull the lever
toward you (to the night position). To return the mirror to
the day position, push the lever away from you.
Outside Power Mirrors
The control located on the
driver’s door operates both
outside rearview mirrors. Turn
the control counterclockwise to select the driver’s
side rearview mirror, or clockwise to select the
passenger’s side rearview mirror.
Then use the control to adjust each mirror
so that you
can see a little
of the side of your vehicle and the
area beside and behind your vehicle when you are
sitting in a comfortable driving position.
If you are not adjusting either mirror, leave the control
in the center
off position. This prevents moving the
mirrors accidentally once you have them adjusted.
Both outside mirrors can be folded forward or rearward.
In the rearward position, they will fold almost flush
with the vehicle. This feature
is particularly useful in
automatic car washes.
2-45

Outside Convex Mirror
Your passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved
so you can see more from
the driver’s seat.
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder
before changing lanes.
I
Outside Heated Mirrors
If your vehicle has the outside rearview mirrors, they are
heated when you activate the rear window defogger.
See “Rear Window Defogger” in
Climate Control System
on page 3-25.
2-46

Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity.
For one thing, following too closely reduces your
area of vision, especially
if you’re following a larger
vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space
if
the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops.
Keep back a reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and
don’t get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move
into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you
will have a “running start” that more than makes
up for the distance you would lose by dropping
back. And
if something happens to cause you to
cancel your pass, you need only slow down
and drop back again and wait for another
opportunity.
If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle,
wait your turn. But take care that someone isn’t
trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow
venicie.
Fiemember io yiance over your sirouicjer
and check the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving
out of the right lane to pass. When you are
far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its
front
in your inside mirror, activate your right
lane change signal and move back into the right
lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror
is convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem
to be farther away from you than it really is.)
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing
the next vehicle.
0 Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing,
it may be slowing down or starting to turn.
0 If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps
you can ease a little to the right.
4-1 5

Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens
when the three control systems (brakes, steering and
acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the tires
meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area
of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot
off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Traction Control System, remember:
It helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not
have this system, or
if the system is off, then an
acceleration skid is also best handled by easing your
foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material
is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction,
try your best
to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle
is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
- such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make
a “mirrored surface” - and slow
down when you have any doubt.
If you have the anti-lock braking system, remember:
It helps avoid only the braking skid.
if you do not have
anti-lock, then in a braking skid (where the wheels
are no longer rolling), release enough pressure on the
brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This restores
steering control. Push the brake pedal down steadily
when you have to stop suddenly.
As long as the wheels
are rolling, you will have steering control.
4-1 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

Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the
safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules. The
most important advice on freeway driving is:
Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the
same speed most
of the other drivers are driving.
Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks
a smooth traffic flow.
Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to
the freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as
you drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect
to blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close
to the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal,
check your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as
often as necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the
traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate
if it’s slower.
Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in
your “blind” spot.
Once you are moving
on the freeway, make certain
you allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to
move slightly slower at night.
4-22

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
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:
e
e
e
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.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
4-24