1994 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE fuel

The gage moves a little when you turn
The gage doesn’t go back to E when
For your fuel tank capacity, see
Service
Station Information
on the last page of
this manual. a corner, brake or
speed
up.
you turn off the ignition.
_____ 0
‘F
I
00-
- 1/2
Low Fuel Warning Light
When there is between 3 gallons (1 1
liters) and 0.5 gallon (1.8 liters) of fuel
left in the tank, the warning light next
to the fuel symbol will go on.
This light will also come on when you
turn on the ignition, but the engine is
not running, to show you it is working.
If it doesn’t come on as you start your
vehicle, have it fixed right away.
d
Oil Pressure lndicator
(31 00 V6 ENGINE)
Your vehicle is equipped with an oil
pressure indicator rather than an oil
pressure gage. Your oil pressure indicator
lets
you know when you may have a
problem with your engine oil pressure.
When the engine is running, readings
within the white graduation band
indicate the normal operating range.
Readings in or below the red area
indicate that the engine’s oil level may
be dangerously low, or there may be
another problem causing low oil
pressure.
Driving your vehicle with low oil
pressure can cause extensive engine
damage. Have your vehicle serviced
immediately.
101
ProCarManuals.com

I
Features & Controls
-
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels when the
TCS warning light is on can
destroy parts of your vehicle as well
as the tires.
If you spin your wheels
too fast while shifting your
transaxle back and forth, you can
destroy your transaxle. When
you're stuck, spin the wheels as
little as possible.
106
LOW
TRACTION
AIR BAO
SERVICE
ENGINE SOON
c
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
A computer monitors operation of your
fuel, ignition and emission controls
systems. This light should come on
when the ignition is on but the engine is
not running, as a check to show you it
is working.
If it does not come on at all,
have it fixed right away.
If it stays on, or
it comes on while you are driving, the
computer is indicating that you have a
problem.
You should tale your vehicle
in for service soon.
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle
with this light on, after a while the
emission controls won't work as
well, your fuel economy won't be as
good and your engine may not run
as smoothly.
This could lead to
costly repairs not covered by your
warranty.
Liifgate Ajar Warning Light
The liftgate ajar symbol on your
instrument panel will come on if your
liftgate is not completely closed.
Power Sliding Door Warning
Light
With the optional power sliding door,
the sliding door ajar symbol on your
instrument panel will come on if your
sliding door is not completely closed.
If you shift the transaxle out
of P (Park)
while the sliding door is open or in the
process
of closing, and the power
sliding door enable switch is in the
ON
position, the - will flash and a
buzzer will sound. This is a warning
that the sliding door is not completely
closed.
107
ProCarManuals.com

I Climate Control System
Your vehicle’s heater and air
conditioner work best if you keep your
windows closed. Your vehicle also has
flow-through ventilation, described late]
in this section, to bring outside air into
your vehicle.
If you have the optional engine coolant
heater and use it during cold weather,
0°F (-18°C) or lower, your heating
system will more quicldy provide heat
because the engine coolant is already
warmed. See the
Index under Engine
Coolant Heater.
OFF: Press to turn the system off. Press
any climate control setting to turn the
system on.
8: Slide the lever to the right to increase
fan speed,
decrease fan speed. to the left
to
Temperature Control Lever: Slide
the
lever to the right for warmer, heated air;
slide it to the left for cooled air.
Air Conditioner
When the temperature outside is above
freezing, the air conditioner compressor
will automatically condition the air
when
you press RECIRC (the A/C
indicator light will glow), DEFOG or
DEF (the A/C indicator light will not
Press
A/C (the A/C indicator light will
glow) to condition the air when you
press
UPPER, BI-LEV or LOWER. To
turn off the air conditioner compressor
in these settings, press
A/C again (the
indicator light will go off).
glow).
Each time you turn on the ignition, the
air conditioner will default to the setting
you had selected before last turning off
the ignition.
When the air conditioner compressor is
on, you may sometimes notice slight
changes in your vehicle’s engine
performance and power. This is normal, because
the system is designed to help
fuel economy while it maintains the
desired cooling level.
The air conditioner removes moisture
from the air,
so you may sometimes
notice water dripping from under your
vehicle when it
is idling or after it has
been turned off. This is normal.
On very hot days, your vehicle will cool
down more quickly and economically if
you open the windows long enough to
let hot inside air escape. For all settings,
adjust the temperature control lever and
fan speed as desired.
Directional Controls
RECIRC (Recirculate): Press to get
maximum cooling or quick cool-down
on very hot days. This setting
recirculates much of the air inside your
vehicle. It should not be used for long
periods of time because the air may
become too cold and dry.
Slide the temperature control lever
down to the coolest setting and adjust
the fan speed as desired.
UPPER: For normal cooling on hot
days, press
A/C along with UPPER.
1
111
ProCarManuals.com

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.
137
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
146
flow. Try to merge into the gap at close
to the prevailing speed. Switch on your
turn signal, check your mirrors and
glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with
the traffic flow.
Once
you are on the freeway, adjust
your speed to the posted limit or to the
prevailing rate
if it’s slower. Stay in the
right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your
mirrors. Then use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance
quickly over your shoulder to make sure
there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving
on the freeway,
make certain you allow a reasonable
following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway,
move to the proper lane well in
advance. If you
miss your exit do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back
up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply. The exit
speed
is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your
speedometer, not to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at
higher speeds, you may tend to think
you are going slower than you actually
are.
I Before Leaving on a Long
Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested. If you must start when you‘re
not fresh
- such as after a day’s work
- don’t plan to make too many miles
that first part of the journey. Wear
comfortable clothing and shoes you can
easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If
you keep it serviced and maintained, it’s
ready to go. If
it needs service, have it
done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service
experts in Oldsmobile dealerships all
across North America. They‘ll be ready
and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things you can check
before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are
all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape?
you checked all levels?
lenses clean?
safe, trouble-free trip.
Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
weather outlook along your route?
Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have
Lights: Are they all working? Are the
Tires: They are vitally important to a
Weather Forecasts: What’s the
Highway Hypnosis
Is tbere actually such a condition as
“highway hypnosis”? Or is it just plain
falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
150
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
- anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to
keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm,
but be careful. Run your engine
ody as long as you
must. This saves fuel. When you run the
engine, make it go a little faster than
just idle. That
is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat
that you get and
it keeps the battery
charged.
You will need a well-charged
battery to restart the vehicle, and
possibly for signaling later on with your
headlights. Let the heater run for
awhile.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the
window almost
all the way to preserve
the heat. Start the engine again and
repeat this only when
you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it
as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as
long as you can.
To help keep warm,
you can get out of the vehicle and do
some fairly vigorous exercises every half
hour or
so until help comes.
ProCarManuals.com

Towinga Trailer
L
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section,
and see your Oldsmobile dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To
identify what the vehicle trailering
capacity is for your vehicle, you should
read the information in
Weight of the
Trailer that appears later in this section.
But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering
means changes in handling, durability,
and fuel economy. Successful, safe
trailering takes correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it
are many time-tested, important
trailering tips and safety rules. Many of
these are important for your safety and
that of your passengers.
So please read
this section carefully before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the
engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and
tires are forced to work harder against
the drag of the added weight. The
engine is required to operate at
relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat.
What’s more, the trailer adds
considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important
points.
There are many different laws having
to do with trailering. Make sure your
rig will be legal, not only where you
live but
also where you’ll be driving. A
good source for this information can
be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control if your
trailer will weigh
2,000 pounds (900
kg) or less. You should always use a
sway control if your trailer will weigh
more than
2,000 pounds (900 kg).
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway
controls.
151
ProCarManuals.com