ABS Oldsmobile Silhouette 2004 Owner's Manuals

Accessory Power Outlets
With accessory power outlets you can plug in electrical
equipment such as a cellular telephone or CB radio.
The front accessory power outlet is located below
the cupholder drawer.
Pull the cover down to use the accessory power outlet.
When not in use, keep the cover on.
The rear accessory power outlet is located in the rear
compartment on the driver's side next to the air
in¯ator system.
To remove the cover, pull the tab on the cover and pull
it off. To put the cover back on, line up the tabs at
the back of the cover and put the cover in place. Push
down the tab to secure the cover. When not in use,
always cover the rear accessory power outlet with the
protective cap.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain the battery. Always turn
off electrical equipment when not in use and do
not plug in equipment that exceeds the maximum
amperage rating.Certain electrical accessories may not be compatible
with the accessory power outlet and could result
in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience a
problem see your dealer for additional information
on accessory power outlets.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to your
vehicle may damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Check with your
dealer before adding electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow the
proper installation instructions included with the
equipment.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by your warranty. Do not
hang any type of accessory or accessory bracket
from the plug because the power outlets are
designed for accessory power plugs only.
3-27

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 dash
ª- -º is displayed.
If one of these error messages appear, see your dealer.
Trip Computer
There are ®ve trip computer displays available 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 (Instant 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.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 brie¯y. 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.
3-62

Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeandreaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That isperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That isreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis about 3/4 of a second. But that
is only an average. It might be less with one driver and as
long as two or three seconds or more with another.
Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination and
eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving
at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could
be a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough
space between your vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement
or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of
the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts Ð heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking Ð rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time
to cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear
out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking.If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking
and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake
normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do,
the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist.
But you will use it when you brake. Once the power
assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes. ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has anti-lock
brakes, this warning light
on the instrument panel will
come on brie¯y when
you start your vehicle.
4-6

When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that
your brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each wheel.
The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and
road conditions. This can help you steer around
the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
4-7

Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you do not 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, do the
following:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do not 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.
4-45

Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine air cleaner/®lter.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/®lter at every oil change and
replace it at the ®rst oil change after 25,000 miles
(40 000 km). See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4for more information.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/®lter, remove the ®lter from
the vehicle and lightly shake the ®lter to release
loose dust and dirt. If the ®lter remains caked with dirt,
a new ®lter is required.To inspect or replace the air cleaner/®lter, do the
following:
1. Remove the two clamps on the duct.
2. Remove the duct.
3. Unlatch the two hooks on top of the engine air
cleaner/®lter housing.
4. Remove and replace the engine air cleaner/®lter.
5. Align the tabs located on the bottom of the
panel with the slots at the bottom of the housing.
5-18

6. Latch the hooks to secure the panel in place. If the
panel moves easily, check that the tabs are seated
correctly in the slots.
7. Put the duct back on and reinstall the clamps.
{CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/®lter
off can cause you or others to be burned.
The air cleaner not only cleans the air,
it helps to stop ¯ame if the engine back®res.
If it is not there and the engine back®res,
you could be burned. Do not drive with it off,
and be careful working on the engine with
the air cleaner/®lter off.
Notice:If the air cleaner/®lter is off, a back®re can
cause a damaging engine ®re. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always have
the air cleaner/®lter in place when you are driving.
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change Automatic
Transaxle Fluid
A good time to check your automatic transaxle ¯uid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the ¯uid and ®lter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one
or more of these conditions:
·In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or higher
·In hilly or mountainous terrain
·When doing frequent trailer towing
·Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service
If you do not use your vehicle under any of
these conditions, change the ¯uid and ®lter at
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4for more
information.
5-19

The terminal is located
under a tethered cap at
the front of the underhood
fuse block. See
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
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
¯ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the ACDelco
žbattery
installed in your new vehicle. But if a battery
has ®ller caps, be sure the right amount of
¯uid is there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that ®rst. If you do not, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery ¯uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, ¯ush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
5-44

Bulb Replacement
For the type of bulbs, seeReplacement Bulbs
on page 5-56.
For any bulb changing procedure not listed in this
section, contact your dealer.
Halogen Bulbs
{CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside
and can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb.
You or others could be injured. Be sure to
read and follow the instructions on the bulb
package.
Headlamps
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the front turn signal/parking lamp
assembly. See
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps on page 5-52.
3. Pull the assembly away from the vehicle.4. Unscrew the black retainer ring that holds the bulb
assembly in place.
5. Pull the bulb assembly straight up from the lamp
housing.
6. Unhook the electrical connector by lifting up the
blue tabs and pulling the bulb out.
5-50

7. Install the new bulb through the black retainer ring
and into the electrical connector. Tighten the black
retainer ring in place. Push the bulb ®rmly enough
so that the blue tabs hook over the tab on the bulb.8. Carefully put the bulb assembly back into the lamp
housing. Be careful not to damage the bulb on the
headlamp aiming bar.
5-51