1993 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE engine overheat

How to Use this Manual
MANY PEOPLE READ THEIR OWNER t’S
manual from beginning to end when
they first receive their new vehicle.
This
will help you learn about the
features and controls for
your vehicle.
In this manual, you’ll find that
pictures and words work together
to explain things quickly.
There are nine
parts with color-tabbed
pages to help you find each of the
parts of this manual. Each part begins
with a brief list of contents,
so you
can usually tell at
a glance if that part
contains the information you want.
YOU can bend the manual slightly to
reveal the color tabs that
help you
find
a part.
Part 1: Seats & Sa fety Belts
This part tells
you how to use your
seats and safety belts properly.
Part 2: Features & Controls
This part explains how to start and
operate your Oldsmobile.
Part 3: Comfort Controls & Audio Systems
This part tells you how to adjust the
ventilation and comfort controls and
how to operate your audio system.
Part 4: Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information
and tips about the road and how
to
drive under different conditions.
Part 5: Problems on the Road
This part tells you what to do if you
have
a problem while driving, such as
a flat tire or engine overheating.
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Features & Controls
Engine Block Heater (CONI)
ungrounded outlet could cause shock.
Also, the
wrong kind
of extension cord
could overheat and cause a fire.
You could be seriously injured.
Plug the cord into a properly
grounded three-prong 110-volt
outlet.
If the cord won’t reach, use
a heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least
15 amps. be
sure to store the cord as it was
before, to keep it away from
moving
engine parts. If you don’t, ~
it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the block
heater plugged in? The answer depends
on the weather, the kind of oil you have,
and some other things. Instead
of trying
to list everything here, we ask that you
contact an Oldsmobile dealer in the area
where you’ll be parking your vehicle.
The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
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Features & Controls
68
more than 5 miles (8 km), or at
speeds over
55 mph (88 km/h), or
you
can damage your transaxle. Use
: D (m or D if your vehicle has
Overdrive) as much
as possible.
Don’t shift into
2 unless you are
going slower than 65 mph
(105 km/h), or you can damage
your engine.
1 (First Gear): This position gives you
even more power (but lower fuel
economy) than
2. You can use it on very
steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
If
the selector lever is put in 1, the
transaxle won’t shift into first gear until
the vehicle is going slowly enough.
If your front wheels can’t rotate,
don’t try
to drive. This might
happen if you were stuck in very
deep sand or mud or were up
against a solid object.
You could
damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going
uphill, don’t hold your vehicle
there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and
damage the transaxle. Use your
brakes or shift into
P (Park) to
hold your vehicle
in position on a
hill.
Parking Brake
To Set the Parking Brake:
Hold the regular brake pedal down with
your right
foot. Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.
If the
ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will come on. See the
Index under
Brake System Warning Light.
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To Release the Parking Brake:
Hold the regular brake pedal down. Pull
the BRAKE RELEASE lever.
Driving with the parking brake
on
can cause your rear brakes to
overheat. You may have to replace
them, and you could also damage
i other parts of your vehicle. .. , m
If You are on a Hill:
See the Index under Parking on Hills.
That section shows how to turn your
front wheels.
If You are Towing a Trailer and are
Parking on Any Hill:
See the Index under Towing a Trailer.
That section shows what to do first to
keep the trailer
from moving.
Shiithg Into P (Park)
1
A
It is dangerous to get out 01
your vehicle if the shift lever
is not fully in
P (Park) with the
parking brake
firmly set. Your
vehicle can roll. If you have left
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won't move, when you're
on fairly level ground, use the
steps that follow.
If you are parking
on a hill,
or if you're pulling a
trailer, also see the Index under
Parking on Hills or Towing a
Trailer.
I
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your
right
foot and set the parhng brake.
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I
Features & Controls
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant
temperature. If the gage pointer moves
into the red area, your engine is too hot!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating
your vehicle under normal driving conditions, you should pull off the road,
stop your vehicle and
turn off the engine
as soon as possible.
HOT COOLANT CAN BURN YOU
BADLY!
In Problems on the Road, this manual
shows what to do. See the
Index under
Engine Overheating.
Brake System Warning Light
Your Oldsmobile’s hydraulic brake
system is divided into two parts. If one
part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking,
though, you need both parts working
well.
If the warning light goes on, there
could be a brake problem. Have your
brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on as you start
the vehicle.
If it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you if there’s a problem.
This light will
also come on when you
set your parking brake, and will stay on
if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking
brake is fully released, it means you have a brake problem.
I
If the light comes on while you’re
driving, pull off the road and stop
carefully. You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go
closer to the floor. It may take longer to
stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service.
(See the Index
under Towing Your Oldsrnobile.)
Your brake system may not be
h working properly if the brake
-kg light is on. Driving with
cllu ,,&e warning light on can lead
to
an accident. If the light is still
on after you’ve pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the
vehicle towed for service.
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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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.....
Here you'll find what to do about
some problems that
can occur on the
road .
Part 5
Problems on the Road
Hazard Warning Flashers .... ............................... 186
Jumpstarting .................................................... 187
Towing Your Oldsmobile ........................................... 191
Engine Overheating ............................................... 195
If a Tire Goes Flat ................................................ 203
ChangingaFlatTire
.............................................. 204
Compact Spare Tire
............................................... 212
If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud. Ice or Snow ............................ 213
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3. Attach a separate safety chain around
the end of each axle inboard of the
spring.
4. Be certain your vehicle is towed no
faster than
35 mph (56 km/h) and no
farther than
50 miles (80 km) to
avoid damage to your transaxle.
damaging a vehicle
luring a tow over rough surfaces,
Install a towing dolly beneath the
wheels that would otherwise be on
the ground during the tow. This
will increase clearance between
the
wheel lift equipment and the
underbody of the towed vehicle.
Engine Overheating If Steam is Coming from Your Engine
You will find a coolant temperature gage
on your Oldsmobile's instrument panel.
See the
Index under Coolant
Temperature
Gage.
A Steam from an overheated
r - n engine can bum you badly,
even
if you just open the hood. Stay
away from
the engine if you see or
hear steam coming from it. Just
turn
it off and get everyone away
from
the vehicle until it cools down.
Wait
until there is no sign of steam
or coolant before opening the hood.
If you keep driving when your
engine
is overheated, the liquids in
it can catch fire. You or others
could
be badly burned. Stop your
engine
if it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle
until the engine is
cool.
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