1995 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Owners Manual

NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Trying to start your Oldsmobile by
pushing or pulling
it won’t work, and it could
damage your vehicle.
To Jump Start Your Oldsmobile
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your Oldsmobile, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems. You
could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firrnly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) or a manual
transaxle in
NEUTRAL (N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. And it could
save your radio!
L
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
5-3
ProCarManuals.com

5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
Your Oldsmobile has a remote positive
(+) jump
starting terminal. The terminal is
in the red box on the
same side
of the engine compartment as your battery.
You should always use the remote positive (+) terminal
instead
of the positive (+) terminal on your battery.
To open the remote positive (+) terminal box, pull
the tab and open the cover.
5-4
ProCarManuals.com

6. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation.
If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some things
you should know. Positive
(+) will go to positive (+)
and negative (-) will go to negative (-) or a metal
engine part. Don’t connect
(+) to (-) or you’ll get a
short that would damage the battery and maybe other
parts, too.
7. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
5-5
ProCarManuals.com

8. Don’t let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the
positive
(+) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
9. Now connect the black negative (-) cable to the good
battery’s negative
(-) terminal. Don’t
let the other end touch anything
until the next
step. The other end of the negative cable doesn ’t go
to the dead battery. It goes to a heavy unpainted
metal part on
the engine of the vehicle with the dead
battery.
3.1L V6 Engine
5-6
ProCarManuals.com

3800 V6 Engine
10. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just as
good
there, but the chance of sparks getting back to the
battery is much
less.
11. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for
a while.
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. If it
won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
GOOD BATTERY
DEAD BATTERY
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
5-7
ProCarManuals.com

Towing Your Vehicle
J
I
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. The usual towing
equipment
is:
(A) Sling-type tow truck
(B) Wheel-lift tow truck
(C) Car carrier
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn
on the hazard warning
flashers.
5-8
ProCarManuals.com

When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front
0 That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
0 The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
with
sling-type equipment.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
5-9
ProCarManuals.com

When your vehicle is being towed, have the key in the
ignition
in the OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The transaxle
should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake
released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the front wheels,
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don’t go more than
35 mph (56 km/h) or
farther than 50 miles (80 km) or your transaxle will be
damaged. If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
5-10
ProCarManuals.com