1997 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE coolant temperature

To Use the Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood, release the reusable tie-strap and
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 11 0-volt AC outlet.
unwrap the electrical cord.
ON:
I - - I
Plugging
the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least
15 amps.
4. After you’ve used the coolant heater, be sure to
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in?
The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Oldsmobile retailer
in the area where you’ll be
parking your vehicle. The retailer can give you the
best advice
for that particular area.
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Low Traction Light (Option)
If your vehicle has the
traction control system,
there will be a LOW
LOW
TRACTION
TRACTION light on the
instrument panel.
When your anti-lock system is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid
a braking skid, or when your traction
control system is limiting wheel spin,
the LOW
TRACTION light will come on. Slippery road
conditions may exist
if this light comes on, so adjust
your driving accordingly. The light will come on and
stay on for four seconds when your anti-lock system
adjusts brake pressure for less than four seconds or
when your traction control system limits wheel spin
for less than four seconds. Otherwise, the light will go
out as soon as the anti-lock system stops adjusting brake
pressure or the traction control system stops limiting
wheel spin. The
LOW TRACTION
light also comes on briefly, as
a bulb check, when the engine is started. If the light
doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be there
to tell you when the system is active.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the
engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves
into the red area, your
engine is too hot!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
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Engine Temperature Warning Light
This light will come on
when your engine gets
too hot.
If this light comes on, it means that your engine coolant
has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle
under normal driving conditions,
you should pull off the
road, stop your vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon
as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual
shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
Low Coolant Light
If this light comes on,
your system
is low on
coolant and the engine
1+1
may overheat.
To prevent damage to your engine, immediate action .- IS requlred.
See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index and have your
vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
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Heating Ventilation System
Turn
the temperature knob to the right (toward the red
area) 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.
The BI-LEV setting is designed for use on sunny days
when the air is only moderately warm or cool. On days
like these, the sun may adequately warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
For the best results, turn
the temperature control knob to
the middle position, and then adjust it for comfort.
If you have
the optional engine coolant heater and use it
during cold weather, 0°F (- 18 “C) or lower, your heating
system will provide heat more quickly because the
engine coolant is already warmed. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in
the Index. Your
vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into
the vehicle when it is moving. Outside
air will
also enter the vehicle when the fan is running.
Your vehicle has air outlets that allow you to adjust the
direction and amount
of airflow inside the vehicle. Push
the outlet up or down to direct airflow to your
preference. Increase or reduce the amount
of airflow by
opening and closing
the louvers. Opening and closing
the louvers will
also direct airflow from side to side.
The air-flow through the vents can be shut off
completely by turning the thumb-wheel next to each
outlet all the way down.
You can also stop outside air
from entering by turning the fan to OFF and pushing
the RECIRC button.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Oldsmobile’s instrument panel. See “Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage”
in the Index. You also have a low
coolant level light on your instrument panel. See “Low
Coolant Light” in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
Should a low coolant condition exist, an overheat
protection mode which alternates firing groups of three
cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode,
you will notice
a significant loss in power and engine
performance. The low coolant light may come on and
the temperature gage will indicate an overheat condition
exists. This emergency operating mode
allows your
vehicle to be driven to
a safe place in an emergency.
Towing
a trailer in the overheat protection mode should
be avoided.
I NOTICE:
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil
will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause of coolant loss and change the oil. See
“Engine Oil, When to Change” in the Index.
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How to Add Fluid Engine Coolant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in
the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring
the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole
to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one pint
(0.5 L). Don% overfill. We recommend you use only
fluid labeled DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that label
is made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON-111
is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as described under “How to Check.”
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way. The cooling
system in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL
TM (silicate-free) engine coolant. This
coolant
is designed to remain in your vehicle for 5 years
or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your Oldsmobile will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
0 Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they should.
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Radiator Pressure Cap Power Steering Fluid
NOTICE:
Your
radiator cap is a 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed to
prevent coolant
loss and possible engine damage
from overheating. Be sure the arrows on the cap
line up with the overflow tube on the radiator
filler neck.
When you replace your radiator pressure cap, an AC@
cap is recommended.
Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine coolant system. The thermostat stops the
flow
of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches a preset temperature.
When you replace your thermostat, an
AC@ thermostat
is recommended. The power steering fluid reservoir
is located
to the right
of the windshield washer fluid reservoir, at the back of
the engine compartment.
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Driver’s Four-Way Manual Seat .................... 1-2
Driving City
........................................ 4-20
Defensive
.................................... 4-2
Drunken
..................................... 4-3
Freeway
.................................... 4-21
InaBlizzard
................................. 4-27
In Foreign Countries
........................... 6-4
IntheRain
.................................. 4-17
Night
...................................... 4-16
OnCurves
.................................. 4-11
On Grades While Towing a Trailer ............... 4-37
On Hill and Mountain Roads .................... 4-23
On Snow and Ice
............................. 4-25
WetRoads
.................................. 4-17
Winter
...................................... 4-25
With a Trailer
................................ 4-35
Dump and Stow Feature
........................... 1-7
Throughwater
............................... 4-19
Drunken Driving
................................ 4-3
Electrical Equipment. Adding
.................... 2-29
Electrical System
............................... 6-56
Electronic Level Control
......................... 4-29
Engine
........................................ 6-9
Coolant
..................................... 6-20
Coolant Heater
............................... 2-29
Coolant Level Check
.......................... 7-37 Coolant Tenlperature Gage
..................... 2-98
Cooling System
.............................. 6-62
Exhaust
..................................... 2-39
Identification
................................ 6-55
OilLevelCheck
.............................. 7-37
Overheated Protection Operating Mode
........... 5-12
Running While Parked
......................... 2-40
Specifications
................................ 6-63
Starting Your
................................ 2-28
Engine Oil
.............................. 2- 102. 6-10
Additives ................................... 6-14
Checking
................................... 6-11
Used ....................................... 6-14
What
Kind to Use ............................. 6-12
WhentoAdd
................................ 6-11
When
to Change .............................. 6-14
Engine Temperature Warning Light ................. 2-99
Equipment, Adding to the Outside
Of Your Vehicle ..... 6-3
Exhaust, Engine
................................ 2-39
Exit Lighting
.................................. 2-63
Overheating
................................. 5-12
Fabric Cleaning
............................... 6-47
Fan Knob. Climate Control System
.................. 3-2
Filling Your Tank
................................ 6-5
Filter. Air
..................................... 6-15
Filter. Pollen ................................... 6-16
Finishcare
.................................... 6-51
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