1993 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE ESP

A Step Ahead
In 1966, Toronado made front-wheel-
drive news, including Motor Trend’s
“Car
of the Year.” Still breaking new
ground, the 1974 “Toro” became the first
car equipped with
a production “air bag.”
Recent Oldsmobile engineering has
created exciting advancements like
the responsive Quad
4 engine. Versions of
the 4-cylinder, 16-valve Quad 4 propelled
Oldsmobiles on roads and racetracks to
new standards
of economy and
performance. Today, the all-wheel-drive security
of SmartTrak
in the Oldsmobile Bravada
continues that proud tradition
of
meaningful technology.
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Seats & Safety Belts
Here Are Questions Many People
Ask About Satiety Belts-
and the Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle
after an accident if
I’m wearing a
safety belt?
wearing a safety belt or not. But you
can easily unbuckle a safety belt,
even
if you’re upside down. And
your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident,
so you
can unbuckle and get out, is much
greater if you are belted.
A: You could be-whether you’re
Q: Why don’t they just put in air
bags
so people won’t have to wear
safety belts?
Inflatable Restraint systems, are in
some vehicles today and will be in
more of them in the future. But they
are supplemental systems only-so
they work
with safety belts, not
instead of them. Every “air bag”
system ever offered for sale has
required the use of safety belts. Even
if you’re in a vehicle that has “air
bags,” you still have to buckle up to
get the most protection. That’s true
not only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other
collisions.
A: “Air bags,” or Supplemental
Q: If I’m a good driver, and I never
drive far from home, why should I
wear safety belts?
if you’re in an accident-even one
that isn’t your fault-you and your
passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn’t protect you from
things beyond your control, such as
bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
25 miles
(40 km) of home. And the greatest
number of serious injuries and deaths
occur at speeds of less than
40 mph
(65 Wh).
Safety belts are for everyone.
A: You may be an excellent driver, but
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Front Doors
k
Pay attention when you open
or close these doors from the
c ;ide. Stay clear of the upper
rear corner to avoid hitting your
head.
‘ Door Locks
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dangerous. I
Passengers-especially children-
can easily open the doors and fall
out. When a door is locked, the
inside handle won’t open it.
Outsiders can easily enter throl 1
an unlocked door when you slow
down or stop pur vehicle.
This may not be so obvious: You
increase
the chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a crash
if the doors aren’t locked. Wear
safety belts properly, lock your
doors, and you will be far better
off whenever you drive yuur
vehicle. I
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There are several ways to lock and
unlock your vehicle.
From the Outside:
Use your door key or remote keyless
entry transmitter, if your vehicle has this
option.
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Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially
in some cities. Although your
Oldsmobile has a number of theft-
deterrent features, we know that nothing
we put on it can make it impossible
to
steal. However, there are ways you can
help.
Key in the Ignition: If you walk away
from your vehicle with the keys inside,
it's an easy target for joy riders or
professional thieves-so don't do it.
When you park your Oldsmobile and
open the driver's door, you'll hear a
chime reminding you
to remove your
key from the ignition and take it with
you. Always do this. Your steering
wheel will be locked, and
so will your
ignition and transaxle. And remember to
lock the doors.
Parking at Night: Park in a lighted
spot, close
all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your
valuables out
of sight. Put them in a
storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots: If you park in a lot where
someone will be watching your vehicle,
it's best to lock it
up and take your keys.
But what if you have to leave your
ignition key? What if you have to leave
something valuable in your vehicle?
Put your valuables in a storage area,
like your glove
box or locking storage
bin.
Lock the storage bin.
Lock all the doors except the driver's.
Then take the door key with you.
Sliding Door
To open the sliding door from outside
the vehicle, pull the front
of the latch
release out and then toward the rear. If
you slide the door all the way back, it
will latch in the open position.
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Features & Controls
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Operation of Lights
Although your vehicle’s lighting system (headlamps, parking lamps, fog lamps,
side marker lamps and tail lamps) meets
all applicable federal lighting
requirements, certain states ahd provinces
may apply their own lighting regulations
that may require special attention before
you operate these lamps. For example,
some jurisdictions may require that you
operate your lower beam lamps with fog
lamps at all times, or that headlamps be
turned on whenever you must use your
windshield wipers. In addition, most
jurisdictions prohibit driving solely with parking lamps, especially at dawn or
dusk. It is recommended that you check
with your own state or provincial
highway authority for applicable lighting
regulations.
Lights On Reminder
If you turn the ignition key to the Off or
Lock position while leaving the lights
on, you will hear a warning chime.
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Headlight High-Low Beam
Changer
To change the headlights 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, a blue
light on the instrument cluster also will
be on.
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r
“I’ll be careful” isn’t the right answer.
What if there’s an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child
darts into the street?
A person with a
higher
BAC might not be able to react
quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There’s something else about drinking
and driving that many people don’t
know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person’s system can make
crash injuries worse. That’s especially
true for brain, spinal cord and heart
injuries. That means that if anyone who
has been drinking-driver or
passenger-is in a crash, the chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is
higher than
if that person had not been
drinking. And we’ve already seen that t
C
he chance
of a crash itself is higher for
kinking drivers.
CAllT€~N
r Drinking and then driving is
c b very dangerous. Your reflexes,
pexeptions, and judgment will be
affected
by even a small amount of
alcohol. You could have a
serious-or even fatal-accident if
you drive after drinking. Please
don’t drink and drive or ride with
a
driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or
if you’re
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your
vehicle go where
you want it to go.
They
are the brakes, the steering and the
accelerator.
All three systems have to do
their work at the places where the tires
meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on
snow or ice, it’s easy to ask more of
those control systems than the tires and
road can provide. That means you can
lose control of your vehicle.
n
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Watch for traffic signs, pavement
markings, and lines.
If you can see a
sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your
pass.
A broken center line usually
indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear).
Never cross a solid line on your side
of the lane or a double solid line, even
if the road seems empty
of approaching
traffic.
vehicle you want to pass isn’t aware of
your presence, tap the horn a couple
of times before passing.
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.
If you suspect that the driver of the
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.
slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take
care that someone isn’t trying to pass
you as you pull out
to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember
to glance over
your shoulder and check the blind
spot.
If other cars are lined up to pass a
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.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle
at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the
next
vehicle.
vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing,
it may be
slowing down or starting to turn.
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.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving
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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 Oldsmobile’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 and an acceleration
skid are best handled by easing your
foot
off the accelerator pedal. If your
vehicle
starts to slide (as when you turn
a corner on a wet, snow- or ice-covered road), ease your
foot
off the accelerator
pedal as soon as you feel the vehicle
start to slide. Quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go.
E you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle
will straighten out. As it does, straighten
the front wheels.
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
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