1996 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE service

Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km) for any signs of unusual wear.
If unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as soon as
possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When It’s Time for New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information. When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown
here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire
in your
tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the
,. ont and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the
CertificatiodTire label. Make certain that all wheel
nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque” in
the Index.
/
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieTe 1yicsre
uniform wear for
all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after
a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use
a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper
or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
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!n It’s Vew Tires 0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
One way
to tell when it’s
time for new tires
is to
check the treadwear indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
Buyinp Nc - . .? Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the CertificatiodTire label.
You need a new tire if any
of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric. The
tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification
(TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When
you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
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Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
It’s all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only
to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls
of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary
use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters
of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires. While
the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must
also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria
(TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on
a specified government test course. For
example,
a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B,
and C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on
wet pavement
as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete. A tire marked
C may have poor
traction performance.
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Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)
Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with
mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly,
dry with a soft clean towel. A wax
may then be applied.
The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted
surface of your vehicle. Don’t use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes, abrasive cleaners
or
abrasive cleaning brushes on them because you could
damage the surface.
Don’t take your vehicle through an automatic car wasn
that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes. These
brushes can also damage the surface
of these wheels.
Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
I NOTICE:
When applying a tire dressing always take care to
wipe
off any overspray or splash from all painted
surfaces on the body or wheels
of the vehicle.
Petroleum-based products may damage the
paint finish.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your retailer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your retailer’s body and paint shop.
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Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
0 I 11111111 1111 111 111111 111 11111111 IIIIIIIIIIII 1111
SAMPLE4UXTM072675 I
ENGlNE-6 f ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR PLANT
This is the legal identifier for your Oldsmobile. It
appears on a plate in the front corner
of the instrument
panel, on the driver’s side.
You can see it if you look
through the windshield from outside your vehicle.
The VIN also appears on the Vehicle Certification
and Service Parts labels and the certificates of title
and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in your VIN is the engine code.
This code will help you identify your engine,
specifications and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You’ll find this label inside the glove box door. It’s very
helpful
if you ever need to order parts. On this label is:
your VIN,
the model designation,
0 paint information, and
a list of all production options and special
equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
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Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS ‘unction Block Fuse Injector Fuse
You’ll find this fuse under the hood in the ABS junction
block, located next to the remote positive jump
starting terminal.
To open the junction block, press in on both sides of
the cover. This fuse
is located under the hood, on a bracket
just
behind the passenger’s side headlamp. It
is mounted on the
face of the bracket in the position closest to
the passenger’s
side of the vehicle. The fuse services the injectors, fuel
pump, oil pressure sender and fuel pump switch.
To access the fuse, pry back the latch with a screwdliver,
then pull down on
the base of the unit. If you need to replace
the fuse, be sure to use one with the same amperage.
Push
the base of the unit firmly into the cover until the
latch snaps into
the locked position.
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Section 7 Maintenance Schedule
KEEP ENGINE OIL
AT THE PROPER
EVEL
AND CHANGE AS
RECOMMENDED
I
This section covers the maintenance required for your
Oldsmobile. Your vehicle needs these services to retain its
safety, dependability and emission control performance.
I protection
Huve yo~t purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
SLqplements yo~tr new vehicle warranties. See your
Warrfllzni and Owner Assistance booklet, oy your
Oldsnwbile retailer for details.
Introduction
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle
in good working condition, but also helps the
environment.
All recommended maintenance procedures
are important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper fluid
levels or the wrong tire inflation can increase the level
of emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in good
condition, please maintain your vehicle properly.
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IW This Section is Organized
The remainder of this section is divided into five parts:
“Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what to have done and how often. Some of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have
the necessary equipment, you should
let your retailer’s service department or another
qualified service center do these jobs.
r
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can
be dangerous. In trying
to do some jobs, you can
be seriously injured.
Do your own maintenance
work only if you have the required know-how
and the proper tools and equipment for the job.
If you have any doubt, have a qualified
technician do the work.
If you are skilled enough to do some work on your
vehicle, you will probably want
to get the service
information
GM publishes. See “Service and Owner
Publications”
in the Index.
“Part B: Owner Checks and Services” tells you what
should be checked whenever you stop for
fuel. It also
explains what you can easily do
to help keep your
vehicle
in good condition.
“Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections” explains
important inspections that your Oldsmobile retailer’s service department or another qualified service center
should perform.
“Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some products
GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained, These products, or their
equivalents, should be used whether you
do the work
yourself or have
it done.
“Part E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance
is performed, be
sure to write
it down in this part. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition, it is a good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They may be needed to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
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