1993 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE check engine

1 Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting out
for the open road, you’ll want to get
to
know your rig. Acquaint yourself with
the feel of handling and braking with the
added weight of the trailer. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and
not nearly
so responsive as your vehicle
is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector, lights, tires and mirror
adjustment.
If the trailer has electric
brakes,
start your vehicle and trailer
moving and then apply the trailer brake
controller by hand to be sure the brakes
are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
If you have a rear-most
window open and you pull a
mler with your‘vehicle, carbon
monoxide (CO) could come into
your vehicle. You can’t see or
smell CO. It can cause
unconsciousness or death (see the
Inh under Engine Exhausb). To I
maximize your safety when towing
a trailer:
@ Have your exhaust system
inspected for leaks, and Make
necessary yirs before starting
on your trip.
closed.
If exhaust does corne into your
vehicle through a window in the
fear or another opening, drive
with your front, main heating or
cmling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This WU bring
fresh, outside air into your
vehicle.
Do not use RECIRC
because it only recirculates the
air imide ywr vehick, See the
Index under Comfort &m&.
e KWP the =-most windows
During your trip, check occasionally to
be sure that the load is secure, and that
the lights and any trailer brakes are still
working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond
the passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
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Your Driving and the Road
Driving with a Trailer (CONT.)
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trailer
to the left, just move that hand
to the
left. To move the trailer to the right,
move your hand to the right. Always
back up slowly and, if possible, have
someone guide you.
Making Turns
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 a different
turn signal flasher
and extra wiring. The green arrows on
your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal
a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lights will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to
turn, change
lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green 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.
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.
On a long uphill grade,
shift down and
reduce your speed to around
45 mph
(70 Wh) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transaxle overheating. If
your vehicle has a 3800 V6 engine, you
should also drive in
D instead of
Overdrive when towing a trailer on
fairly level roads. This will help your
engine and transaxle run cooler in
this
condition, too.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs
more
than 1,000 pounds (454 kg), and
you have an automatic transaxle with Overdrive, you may prefer to drive in
D
instead of Overdrive (or, as you need to,
a lower gear).
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Parking on Hills
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
P (Park) 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.
apply your parking brake, and then shift to
P (Park).
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then
5. Release the regular brakes.
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
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
of the chocks.
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 adjustment. 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.
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Your Oldsmobile has a remote positive
(+) jump starting terminal. The terminal
is in the red box on the same side
of the
engine compartment as your battery.
You should always use the remote
positive
(+) terminal instead of the
positive
(+) terminal on your battery.
To open the remote positive (+)
terminal box, pull the tab and open the
cover.
A
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.
You don’t need to add water to the
Delco Freedom@ 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
bum 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. 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 things you should know. Positive
(+) will go to positive (+) and negative
(-) will go to negative (-) or a metal
engine part. Don’t connect
(+) to (-) or
you’ll get a short that would damage the
battery and maybe other parts, too.
Fans
or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly.
Keep your hands away bm
moving parts once the engines are
running. I
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Engine Overheating (CONTI)
The coolant level should be at or above
the
FULL HOT mark. If it isn’t, you
may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump or
somewhere else in the cooling system.
I, rn Heater and radiator hoses, and
b other engine parts, can be
VGI~ hot. Don’t touch them. If you
do, you can be
burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is a
leak. If you
run the engine, it
could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you
cou
be burned. Get any leak fix
before you drive the vehicle Engine damage from running your
: engine without coolant isn’t
i.: covered
by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, check to
see if the electric engine fan(s) is
running. If the engine is overheating, the
fan(s) should be running. If it isn’t, your
vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery
Tank:
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but
the coolant level isn’t at or above the
FULL HOT mark, add a 50/50 mixture
of
clean water (preferably distilled) and
a proper antifreeze at the coolant
recovery
tank. (See the Index under
Coolant for more information about the
proper coolant mix.)
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Here you will find information about
the care of your Oldsmobile
. This
part 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 section devoted to its appearance care
.
Part 6
Service di Appearance Care
Service ......................................................... 216
Fuel ........................................................... 217
HoodRelease
.................................................... 221
Engineoil
...................................................... 225
Aircleaner
..................................................... 230
TransaxleFluid
.................................................. 232
Enginecoolant
.................................................. 235
Power Steering Fluid
.............................................. 238
Windshield Washer Fluid
........................................... 239
Brakes
......................................................... 240
Battery
......................................................... 242
Bulb Replacement
................................................ 243
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
................................. 245
Loading Your Vehicle
............................................. 245
Tires
.......................................................... 247
Appearancecare ................................................. 254
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
................................. 262
Add-on Electrical Equipment
....................................... 263
Fuses
& Circuit Breakers ........................................... 264
Capacities
& Specifications ......................................... 269
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
............................... 271
Fluids
& Lubricants ............................................... 272
ReplacementBulbs
................................................ 273
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Underhood Light
Your underhood light will go on when
you open the hood.
Engine Oil
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil
every time you get fuel. In order to get
an accurate reading, the oil must be
warm and the vehicle must be on level
ground.
Turn off the engine and give the
oil a few minutes to drain back into the
oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
To Check Engine Oil:
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a
paper towel or cloth, then push it back
in
all the way. Remove it again, keeping
the tip lower.
I 3.1L V6: Checking Engine Oil
3800 V6: Checking Engine Oil
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3.1L V6: Checking Air Cleaner Filter
To Check or Replace:
1. Remove the large wing nut and lift
can cause a damaging engine fire. 3
And, dirt can easily get into your the
cover.
engine, which will damage it.
Always have the air cleaner in
dace when you’re driving.
3.1L V6: Replacing Air Cleaner Filter
2. Remove the air cleaner filter.
3. Be sure to install the air cleaner filter,
replace the cover and tighten the
wing
nut securely.
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