1994 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Owners Manual

brake pedal. That’s perception time.
Then you have to bring up your foot
and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a
second. But that’s 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
% of a second, a
vehicle moving at
60 mph (100 kwh)
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’s pavement or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet,
dry, icy); tire tread; and the condition of
your brakes.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some
people drive in spurts
- heavy
acceleration followed by heavy braking
- 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’re
driving, brake normally but don’t 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 Brakes (ABS)
Your Oldsmobile has an advanced
electronic braking system that will help
prevent skidding.
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Your Driving and the Road
* x1000
136
i‘his light on the instrument panel will
go on when you start your vehicle.
When you start your vehicle, or when
jou begin to drive away, you may hear a
nomentary motor or clicking noise.
4nd you may even notice that your
)rake pedal moves
a little while this is
going on. This is the
ABS system
:esting itself.
(You may also hear a
:licking noise if you leave the ignition in
.he
Run position for about four seconds
Iefore starting the vehicle.) If there’s a
Jroblem with the anti-lock brake
iystem, the anti-lock brake system
Yarning light will stay on or flash.
See
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
2ight
in the Index.
lere’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say
1
the road is wet. You’re driving safely.
Suddenly an animal jumps out
in front
You slam on the brakes. Here’s 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 front
wheel and at the rear wheels.
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. of
you.
You can steer around the obstacle while
braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and
controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change
the time you need
to get your foot up to
the brake pedal.
If you get too close to
the vehicle in front of you, you won’t
have time to apply your brakes if that
vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to stop,
even though you have anti-lock brakes.
To Use Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the
brake pedal down and let anti-lock
work for you. You may feel the system
working, or you may notice some noise,
but this is normal.
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If your vehicle has the traction control
system, the
LOW TRACTION light will
come on when your anti-lock system is
adjusting brake pressure to help avoid a
braking skid. See Low Traction Light in
i
theIndex.
Traction Control System
(OPTION: 3800 V6 ENGINE)
Your vehicle may have a traction
control system that limits wheel spin.
This is especially useful in slippery road
conditions. The system operates only if
it senses that one or both
of the front
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction.
When this happens, the system works
the front brakes and reduces engine
power (by shutting
off fuel injectors and
managing spark) to limit wheel spin. The
LOW TRACTION light
will come
on when your traction control system is
limiting wheel spin. See Low Traction
Light in the Index. You may feel the
system working, or you may notice
some noise, but this is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when
the traction control system begins to
limit wheel spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it
again, you may re-engage the cruise
control. (See Cruise Control in the
Index
.)
30
140 0
10
4F;n
The TCS warning light will come on to
let you know if there's a problem with
your traction control system.
See Traction Control System Warning
Light in the Index. When this warning
light is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
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Your Driving and the Road
138
I’he traction control system
mtomatically comes
on whenever you
start your vehicle.
To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, you should
dways leave the system on. But you can
:urn the traction control system off if
IOU ever need to. (You should turn the
;ystem off
if your vehicle ever gets stuck
n sand, mud, ice or snow. See Rocking
Your Vehicle in the Index.)
To turn the system off, press the switch
ocated on the center instrument panel
:onsole.
The light on the switch will go
off. If the
Lraction control system is limiting wheel
;pin when you press the switch, the
;ystem won’t turn
off right away. It will wait until
there’s
no longer a current
need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any
time by pressing the switch again. The
light
on the switch should come on.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when
you need to. With anti-lock, you can
steer and brake at the same time.
In
many emergencies, steering can help
you more than even the very best
braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist
because the engine stops or the system
is not functioning, you can steer but it
will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a
reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control”
accidents mentioned on the news
happen
on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of
us is subject to the same laws of physics
when driving
on curves. The traction of
the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its
path when you turn the front wheels. If
there’s
no traction, inertia will keep the
vehicle going in the same direction.
If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on
wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve
depends
on the condition of your tires
and the road surface, the angle at which
the curve is banked, and your speed.
While you’re in a curve, speed
is the one
factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a
sharp curve. Then you suddenly
accelerate. Both control systems
-
steering and acceleration - have to do
their work where the tires meet the
road. Unless you have traction control
and the system is on, adding the sudden
acceleration can demand too much
of
those places. You can lose control.
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What should you do if this ever
happens? Ease up on the accelerator
pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that
you should adjust your speed. Of
course, the posted speeds are based on
good weather and road conditions.
Under less favorable conditions you’ll
want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you
approach a curve, do it before you enter
the curve, while your front wheels are
straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed
so you can
“drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve,
and then accelerate gently into the
straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be
more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and find
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car
suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a
child darts out from between parked
cars and stops
right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking
-
if you can stop in time. But sometimes
you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the
time for evasive action
- steering
around the problem,
Your Oldsmobile can perform very well
in emergencies like these. First apply
your brakes.
It is better to remove as
much speed
as you can from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem,
to the left
or right depending
on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close
attention and a quick decision. If you
are holding the steering wheel at the
recommended
9 and 3 o’clock positions,
you can turn it a full
180 degrees very
quickly without removing either hand.
But you have to act fast, steer quickly,
and just as quickly straighten the wheel
once you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency situations
are always possible is a good reason to
practice defensive driving at all times
and wear safety belts properly.
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Your Driving and the Road
140
I
I Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right
wheels have dropped off the edge of a
road onto the shoulder while you’re
driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only
slightly below the pavement, recovery
should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing
in the way, steer
so that your vehicle
straddles the edge of the pavement.
You
can turn the steering wheel up to % turn
until the right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. Then turn your steering
wheel to go straight down the roadway.
I Passing
The driver of a vehicle abor It t o pass
another on a two-lane highway waits for
just the right moment, accelerates,
moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again.
A
simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle
on a two-lane highway is a potentially
dangerous move, since the passing
vehicle occupies the same lane as
oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A
miscalculation, an error in judgment, or
a brief surrender to frustration or anger
can suddenly put the passing driver face
to face with the worst of all traffic
accidents
- the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road,
to the sides, and to crossroads for
situations that might affect your
passing patterns. If you have any
doubt whatsoever about malting a
successful pass, wait for a better time.
markings, and lines. If you can see
a
sign up ahead that might indicate a
turn or an intersection, delay your
Watch for traffic signs, pavement 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.
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 rnaltes
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
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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.
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
If other cars are lined up to pass a
Don’t overtake a slowly moving 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.
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.
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 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
traction control, 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
quicltly 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
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Your Driving and the Rod
142
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.
Remember: Any anti-lock braking
system
(ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than
day driving. One reason is that some
drivers are likely to be impaired
- by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to
reduce the glare from headlights
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 headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a
safe place and rest.
Night Vision
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 headlights, but they also
make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by
approaching lights. It can take a second
or two, or even several seconds, for
your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from
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