1996 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE cooling

To close the liftgate, pull down on the handle, then
firmly shut the liftgate. Don’t drive with the liftgate
open, even slightly. See“Engine Exhaust”
in the Index.
A light on your instrument panel will warn you if the
liftgate is not completely closed (see “Liftgate Ajar
Warning Light”
in the Index).
2-
It can be dangerous to drive with the liftgate
open because carbon monoxide
(CO) gas can
come into your vehicle. You can’t see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the liftgate open or if electrical
wiring or other cable connections must
pass through
the seal between the body and the liftgate:
0 Make sure all windows are shut.
lhrn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to
its highest speed with the setting
on BI-LEV (Bi-Level) or
UPPER. That will
force outside air into your vehicle. See
“Comfort Controls” in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
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Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section you’ll find out how to operate the comfort
control and audio systems offered with your Oldsmobile.
Be sure
to read about the particular systems supplied with
your vehicle.
Comfort Controls
This section tells you how to make your air system
work for you. Your comfort control system uses
ozone-friendly
R- 134a refrigerant.
With these systems you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation in your Oldsmobile. Your vehicle also
has a flow-through ventilation system described later in
this section.
rii
BI - LEV I
Your vehicle’s heater and air conditioner will work best
if you keep your windows closed.
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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.
Press the RECIRC button
to get maximum cooling or
quick cool-down on very hot days. It should not be used
for long periods of time because the air may become too
cold and dry.
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 glow).
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>.
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. 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.
T’
Slide the temperature lever to the right to warm the air.
In the LOWER mode, outside air will be brought
in and
sent through
the floor outlets. The heater works best if
you keep your windows closed while using
it.
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If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning
to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to
know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to
a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
I
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a steep downhill slope.
‘ A CA,TIO,/:
I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get
so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the
hll better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads
in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across
the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay
in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones,
a falling rocks area or winding
roads.
Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
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Driving with a Trailer
A -CAUTION:
I
If you have a rear-most window open and you
pull
a trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide
(CO) could come into your vehicle. You can’t see
or smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness or
death. (See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.)
To
maximize your safety when towing a trailer:
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting
on your trip.
0 Keep the rear-most windows closed.
0 If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through a window in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use
RECIRC because it only recirculates the
air inside your vehicle. (See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index.)
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight
of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving
is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before
you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without
a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling
a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important
in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belts, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until
it cools down.
The coolant level should
be at or above the FULL HOT
mark. If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator
hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere
else
in the cooling system.
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A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there
is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
1 parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
~
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see
if the electric engine fan(s) are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fan(s) should be running.
If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Recovery
Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t
at or above the FULL HOT mark, add a 501.50
mixture of den72 water (preferably distilled) and
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, silicate-free) antifreeze
at the coolant recovery tank. (See “Engine Coolant” in
the Index for more information.)
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant
mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL TM antifreeze.
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