1997 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE check engine

The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend
to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out.
Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Oldsmobile retail facilities all across North America.
They’ll be ready and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
0 Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated
to
the recommended‘pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should
you delay your trip a short
time to avoid
a major storm system?
0 Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch
of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on
the road, the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the
wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy.
Don’t let
it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can
leave the road
in less than CI second, and you could
crash and be injured.
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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.
0 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.
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.
I A CAUTION:
~
Coasting d!!!nhill 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 hill 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.
0 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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I A CAUTION:
I
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it
or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just
a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This
will help
keep
CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve
the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But
do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
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Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a different turn signal flasher.
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if
the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when
they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear befure you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and
no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000 lbs.
(454 kg), you may prefer to drive in
THIRD
(3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D)
(or, as
you need to, a lower gear). This will minimize
heat build-up and extend the life of your transaxle.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a
hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet.
Have someone place chocks under
the trailer wheels.
When
the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift
to PARK (P).
Release the regular brakes.
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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;
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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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.
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.
NOTICE:
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start procedure. Put an
automatic transaxle in PARK
(P).
2. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or accessory power outlet. Turn
off all lamps
that aren’t needed as well as radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. In addition, it
could save your radio!
NOTICE:
~~ -
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
3. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
An electric fan 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.
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He r an ra-engine
~
-m
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you
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.
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 fans are running.
If the engine
is overheating, both fans should be running. If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
--overy Tank
lr you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant
level isn’t at or above the
FULL HOT mark, add a
50/50 mixture of clean water (preferably distilled) and
DEX-COOL TM (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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Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Oldsmobile. This section begins with service information, and
then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted
to its appearance care.
6-2
6- 3
6-4
6-5
6-7
6-10 6-15
6-16 6-17
6-20 6- 24
6-25
6-26
6-30 6-30
6-3
1
6-38 Doing
Your Own Service Work
What Kind
of Fuel to Use
Using Fuel in Foreign Countries
Where to Put the Fuel and Filling the Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Checking Your Engine
Oil
Air Cleaner
Pollen Filter
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Where to Fill
the Windshielc 9 Washer Fluic
Important Brake Information
Information on Your Vehicle’s Battery
Tips on Vehicle Storage
Bulb Replacement Procedures
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement 6-40
6-42
6-44
6-47 6-49
6-50
6-52
6-53 6-54
6-55 6-56
6-57
6-62
6-62
6-62 6-63
6-63 How and
When to Check Tire Inflation
When
it is Time to Buy New Tires
Wheel Alignment
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Care of the Safety Belts
Cleaning
the Outside of Your Vehicle
How to Clean Aluminum Wheels
Underbody Maintenance
Recommended Appearance Care Materials
Your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
The Electrical System
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Replacement Bulb Types for Your Vehicle
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Specifications
Vehicle Dimensions
Normal Replacement Parts
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