
Features & Con&oli 
58 
U 
I Ignition  Switch 
With the ignition  key in the  ignition 
switch,  you can turn  the  switch to five 
positions: 
Accessory: An “on” position  in which 
you  can operate  your electrical power 
accessories. Press  in the  ignition switch 
as  you  turn  the  top 
of it toward you. 
Lock: The  only  position  in which  you 
can  remove  the ltey.  This  loclts  your 
steering wheel, ignition  and  transaxle. 
Off Unlocks the steering wheel, 
ignition, and  transaxle,  but  does not 
send  electrical power  to any accessories 
Use  this position 
if your  vehicle  must be 
pushed or towed,  but  never try to  push- 
start  your  vehicle. 
A warning chime  will 
sound 
if you  open  the driver’s  door  the 
ignition. 
Run: An “on”  position  to which  the 
switch  returns  after you start  your 
engine  and release  the switch. The 
switch stays  in the 
Run position  when 
the  engine  is running.  But even  when 
the  engine  is not  running,  you can use 
Run to  operate  your electrical  power 
accessories,  and  to display  some 
instrument  panel warning lights. 
Start: Starts  the engine. When the 
engine  starts, release  the ltey.  The 
ignition switch  will return  to 
Run for 
normal driving. 
Note  that even  if the  engine  is not 
running,  the  positions 
Accessory and 
Run are “on” positions that allow  you 
to  operate  your electrical accessories, 
such  as  the  radio. 
NOTICE: 
If your key seems  stuck in Lock 
and you  can’t  turn  it,  be sure  it  is 
all  the  way  in. If it is,  then  turn  the 
steering wheel  left and  right  while 
you  turn  the  key hard.  But turn  the 
key  only  with your  hand. Using  a 
tool 
to force  it could  break  the key 
or  the  ignition switch.  If none  of 
this  works,  then  your vehicle  needs 
service. 
I Starting Your Engine 
Engines  start differently.  The 8th digit 
of  your  Vehicle  Identification  Number 
(VIN)  shows  the code  letter  or  number 
for your engine. 
You will  find  the VIN 
at  the  top  left of your  instrument  panel. 
(See 
Vehicle  Identification Number in 
the 
Index.) Follow  the proper  steps to 
start  the  engine. 
Move  your shift  lever 
to P (Park)  or N 
(Neutral).  Your engine  won’t  start  in 
any  other  position 
- that’s  a safety 
feature. 
To restart  when you’re  already 
moving,  use 
N (Neutral)  only. 
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NOTICE: 
When using  concentrated  washer 
fluid,  follow  the manufacturer’s 
instructions  for adding  water. 
Don’t  mix water  with  ready-to- 
use  washer  fluid. Water  can  cause 
the  solution  to freeze  and damage 
your  washer  fluid tank  and  other 
parts  of the  washer  system. Also, 
water  doesn’t  clean as well  as 
washer  fluid. 
Fill your  washer  fluid tank  only 
3/4 full when  it’s very  cold.  This 
allows  for  expansion,  which  could 
damage  the  tank 
if it is 
completely  full. 
Don’t  use  radiator  antifreeze  in 
your  windshield  washer.  It  can 
damage your  paint. 
Rear Window  Wiper  and  Washer 
To Use Your Rear  Wiper: Slide the 
lower  control  to 
Ql . 
For a Delayed  Wiper  Cycle: Slide the 
lower  control  to 
DELAY. 
To Wash the Rear  Window: Slide the 
lower  control  to 
a and hold  it. The 
washer  and  wiper will operate  only as 
long as the control  is  held in that 
position.  Then  the wiper  will return  to 
DELAY. 
4 Overhead Console 
The  optional  front  overhead console has 
reading lights, 
two switches for  the 
optional  power  sliding  door, storage 
compartments,  including one for your 
garage  door  opener  and  one  for 
sunglasses,  a  compass and  an outside 
temperature  display. The features  of the 
optional  overhead console  are explained 
on  the  following  pages. 
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3. To make sure  the  button  on  your 
garage  door  opener  is centered  above 
the  button  on  the compartment  door, 
use  the intersecting  lines 
on the 
Velcro@  inside  the  Compartment  as 
a 
guide.  Center  the  control  button of 
your garage door  opener  over the 
point  where  the lines  intersect,  and 
press  the opener  firmly into place. 
Make sure  the  button  is facing down. 
4. Once  the opener  is installed,  use  the 
pegs  inside  the compartment  door  to 
make  sure  the  button  on  the 
compartment  door will contact  the 
control  button 
on your garage  door 
opener  when  pressed. 
5. Add one peg at a time  until  your 
garage  door  opener  operates  with  the 
compartment  door closed when  you 
press  the  button. Temperature  and  Compass 
Display 
The  outside  air temperature  and  the 
compass  are displayed  at  the front of 
the  overhead console. The  control 
switches  are  located  to  the left 
of the 
display. 
Turn  the  display on  or 
off by pressing 
the 
ON/OFF switch.  Display  the 
temperature  in either  degrees 
Fahrenheit  (English) or Celsius  (metric) 
by  pressing  the 
US/MET switch. 
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Features & Controls 
82 
If the  outside  temperature is 37" F 
(3" C) or lower when  you turn  on the 
ignition, 
ICE will  appear  briefly on the 
display.  It's  there  to  caution  the  driver 
that  road  conditions  may  be  icy  and 
that  appropriate  precautions  should be 
taken. 
Compass  Calibration: 
The compass  is self-calibrating, so it 
does  not need  to be  manually  set. 
However, when your  Silhouette  is new, 
the  compass  may function  erratically.  If 
it  does, 
CAL (Calibration)  will appear 
on  the  display. 
To correct  the problem, 
drive  in  a complete 
360" circle  three 
times,  and  the  compass  will function 
normally. 
 
Compass  Variance: 
v'ariance is the  difference  between 
nagnetic  north  and  geographic north. 
:n some areas  the  difference  between 
:he two can  be great enough  to cause 
'alse  compass readings. 
If this  happens, 
ollow  these  instructions  to  set the 
rariance  for your particular location: 
I. Locate your location on  the  zone 
map. Note your  zone  number. 
2. Press and hold  both  the ON/OFF 
and  the US/MET switches. The 
display  will  go  off. 
3. After 5 seconds, VAR CAL will 
appear 
on the  display.  When  it  does, 
release  both  buttons. 
4. Press US/MET until your  zone 
number  appears  on  the  display. 
5. Press ON/OFF to  enter your zone 
number.  Your variance  is  now set. 
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Speedometer  and  Odometer 
Your speedometer  lets  you see your 
speed  in  both  miles per hour  (mph)  and 
kilometers per  hour  (ltm/h). Your 
odometer  shows how far your vehicle 
has  been  driven,  in either  miles (used in 
the 
U.S.) or kilometers  (used  in 
Canada). 
Tamper  Resistant  Odometer 
Your Oldsmobile  has  a  tamper  resistant 
odometer. 
If you  see silver  lines 
between  the numbers,  you’ll know that 
someone  has probably tried  to  turn it 
back, 
so the  numbers  may not  be  true. 
You may wonder  what  happens if your 
vehicle  needs  a  new odometer  installed. 
If the new  one  can  be set  to  the  mileage 
total  of the  old odometer,  then  it  must 
be.  But  if it  can’t,  then  it’s set at zero 
and  a  label must  be put  on  the  driver’s 
door  to show  the old  mileage  reading 
when  the new  odometer  was installed. 
\‘ 4 
4 
Tachometer 
The tachometer  displays the engine 
speed in  revolutions  per minute  (rpm). 
NOTICE: 
Do not  operate  the  engine with  the 
tachometer  in the  red  area,  or 
engine damage  may occur. 
[o I 2 0 531 
UNLEADED  FUEL ONLY 
Trip Odometer 
The trip  odometer  can  tell you how far 
your vehicle  has  been driven since 
you 
last  set it to  zero.  To set it to zero,  push 
the  reset  button  located above  the fuel 
gage. 
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ProCarManuals.com 

18 ‘I I 
Voltmeter 
Your charging system  gage  will show 
:he  rate 
of charge when  the engine  is 
running. 
The  reading  will change  as  the  rate of 
:barge changes  (with the engine  speed, 
?tc.),  but  readings between  the red 
warning  zones  indicate  the normal 
3perating range. Readings  in  either red 
zone  indicate  a  possible problem  with 
your  charging system. Have your 
Oldsmobile  serviced immediately. 
When  the engine  is not  running  but  the 
ignition 
is on  (in  the Run position),  the 
display  measures  the voltage  output of 
your  battery. 
 I’ 260 
1 
‘ 
1 
Engine  Coolant  Temperature 
Gage 
rhis  gage  shows  the engine  coolant 
Iemperature.  If the  gage  pointer moves 
.nto  the  red area,  your engine  is too  hot 
[t  means  that your engine coolant  has 
werheated.  If you  have been  operating 
{our vehicle  under  normal  driving 
:onditions,  you should  pull off the  road 
;top  your vehicle  and  turn off the 
mgine  as soon  as possible. 
HOT COOLANT  CAN  BURN  YOU 
BADLY! 
[n 
Problems on the Road,  this  manual 
shows  what to do.  See  the 
Index under 
Engine Overheating. 
LOW 
BAG 
E SOON 
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 comes  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. 
If the light comes  on while  you  are 
driving,  pull off the  road  and  stop 
carefully. 
You may  notice  that  the  pedal 
is  harder  to  push. 
Or, the  pedal  may go 
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4 Audio Systems 
The following pages describe  the audio 
systems available for your Oldsmobile, 
and  how  to get  the  best  performance 
from  them.  Please read  about the 
system in your vehicle. 
Hearing  damage from  loud  noise  is 
almost  undetectable  until  it  is too late. 
Your hearing  can  adapt  to higher 
volumes  of sound.  Sound  that  seems 
normal  can  be  loud and harmful  to your 
hearing. Take  precautions by adjusting 
the  volume  control on your  radio  to  a 
safe  sound  level before your hearing 
adapts 
to it. 
To help  avoid  hearing  loss or damage: 
1. Adjust  the volume  control to the 
lowest  setting. 
2. Increase  volume slowly until you 
hear  comfortably  and clearly. 
NOTICE: 
Before  you  add  any  sound 
equipment 
to your vehicle - like  a 
tape  player, 
CB radio, mobile 
telephone  or  two-way radio 
- be 
sure  you can add what  you want.  If 
you  can,  it’s very  important  to  do it 
properly.  Added sound  equipment 
may  interfere  with the operation 
of 
your vehicle’s engine, Delco@  radio 
or other systems,  and even damage 
them.  And,  your vehicle’s systems 
may  interfere  with  the  operation  of 
sound  equipment  that has  been 
added  improperly. 
So, before 
adding  sound  equipment,  check 
with  your dealer  and  be  sure  to 
check Federal rules covering  mobile 
radio  and  telephone  units. 
111 111 AUTO REVERSE 
Setting the Clock 
For radios  with v SEEK A: 
1. With the radio  on or off,  press SET. 
The SET indicator  will appear  on the 
digital  display for  five seconds.  You 
must  begin  to set  the  clock to  the 
correct  hour  and  minute  during those 
five  seconds. 
correct  hour  appears  on  the display. 
2. Press and hold v SEEK until  the 
3. Press  and hold SEEK A until  the 
correct  minute  appears  on  the 
display. 
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Comfort Controli &Audio Systems 
118 
bc 
1. 
2. 
3. 
)r  radios with SEEK and SCAN 
Ittons: 
With  the  radio  on  or 
off, press SET. 
The SET indicator  will appear  on the 
digital  display for  five seconds.  You 
must  begin  to set  the  clock  to  the 
correct  hour  and  minute  during those 
five seconds. 
Press  and hold 
SEEK until  the 
correct  hour  appears 
on the display. 
Press  and hold 
SCAN until  the 
correct  minute  appears  on  the 
display.  For radios with 
4 SEEK b and 
SCAN: 
1. With 
the radio  on or off,  press SET. 
The SET indicator  will appear  on  the 
digital  display 
for five seconds.  You 
must  begin  to set  the  clock  to  the 
correct  hour  and  minute  during those 
five  seconds. 
1 
2. Press  and  hold SCAN until the 
correct  hour  appears 
on the display. 
3. Press  and  hold 4 SEEK or SEEK b 
until the correct  minute  appears  on 
the  display. 
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