1997 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE traction control

Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of
us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against
the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels.
If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going
in the same direction. If you’ve ever
tried to steer a vehicle
on wet ice, you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get
in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you’re
in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. Suppose you’re steering
through a sharp curve. Then you
suddenly accelerate. Both control systems
-- steering and
acceleration
-- have to do their work where the tires meet
the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much of those places.
You can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to
go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are
based
on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to
go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do
it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed
so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate
until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
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Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the
three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek
an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited
to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”
those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
Oldsmobile’s
three control systems. In the bralung skid,
your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering
skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
slud, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on
the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
You may not realize the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is sludding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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I
If you have traction control, keep the system on. It will
improve your ability to accelerate when driving on a
slippery road. Even though your vehicle has a traction
control system, you’ll want to slow down and adjust
your driving to the road conditions. See “Traction
Control System” in
the Index.
If you don’t have traction control, accelerate gently. Try
not to break the gentle traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
0
0
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the
sun can’t reach: around
clumps
of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are
on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
What’s
the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow
or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
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NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires.
If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn your traction
control system off. (See “Traction Control System”
in
the Index.) Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while
you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transaxle
is in gear. If that doesn’t get you out
after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you
do need to be towed out, see “Towing
Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
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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
oC 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.
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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.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability
to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade
C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No.
109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by
law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. However, if
you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
Oldsmobile retailer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your retailer will know the kind
of wheel you need.
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/ -.
FUSE USAGE CHART
BREAKERS
ELEC PRNDL RR DEFOG ELC
HEADlAMP
20
10 CRUISE 10 TlSlG 15 SIR 10 IGN 1 10 PSD
10 25
‘a 25
25 PWR OTR VENT RR HVAC FR$~~~~~~w’ SUNROOF HVAC/DRL
10
20 10
PIM WDQ/RR 2 10 M 20 FRT WPR WSHR SWC ACCY MALURADIO/DC RR WPR WSHR BCM PRGRM -- I PWGiAT, I HAZARD 15 STOP LAMP 15
L 20 PWR LOCK RR PWR SCKT ABS MOL BATT 20 10
FRT HVAC HI 20 2 K ABS SOL SWC BACK LIGHT
For More Information, See Owner’s Manual . Printed in 10250877 /
CIRCUIT BREAKERS
FRT HVAC
HI BLWR ......... Blower Motor Resistor
HEADLAMP
...... DRL Control Module,
Headlamp Dimmer Switch and
Headlamp Switch
PWR SEATFSD
... 6-way Power Seat(s) and Rear
Side Door Actuator Motor
PWR WDO/RR VENT
............ Front Power Windows
FUSES
ABS MDL BATT ... Electronic Brake Traction
ABS
SOL ......... LH and RH Front Brake
ABS/TCS
IGN ..... Electronic Brake Control Relay
BCM
PRGRM ..... Body Control Module (BCM)
CIGARDLC
...... Cigarette Lighter and Data
CRUISE
.......... Cruise Control Module, Switch
CTSY LAMP
...... BCM
DRL
............. DRL Control Module
ELC
............. Electronic Level Control (ELC)
Air Compressor and ELC Relay
ELEC PRNDL
..... Instrument Cluster to PRNDL
Indicators Control Module
(EBTCM)
Solenoid Valve
and EBTCM
Link Connector (DLC)
and Release Switch
FRT HVAC
LOW/MED BLWR
. Heater-A/C Control
FRT PWR SCKT
... Front Electric Accessory Plug
Housing
Motor and Switch
FRT
WPR/WSHR
. . Windshield Wiper/Washer
HAZARD
......... Turn Signal Switch
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Low Traction ............................ 2.98. 4.9
Oil Pressure
................................ 2- 102
Safety Belt Reminder ..................... 1.29, 2.93
Service Engine Soon
......................... 2- 100
Traction Control System Warning
........... 2.97. 4.10
Loading Your Vehicle
........................... 4-29
Locks
Automatic Door
............................... 2-6
Cylinders
................................... 7-38
Door
........................................ 2-3
Key Lock Cylinder Service
..................... 7-38
Last Door Closed Locking
....................... 2-6
Lockout Deterrent
............................. 2-7
Power Door
.................................. 2-5
Sliding Door
................................. 2- 14
Sliding Door Child Security
..................... 2-19
Sliding Door Delayed Locking
................... 2-6
Steering Column Park Check
.................... 7-40
Locks and Lighting Choices
...................... 2-41
Loss of Control
................................ 4- 15
Low Coolant Warning Light
................. 2.99. 6.23
Low Fuel Warning Light
........................ 2- 105
Low Oil Level Light ...................... 2.103, 6.10
Low Traction Light
......................... 2.98. 4.9
Lubricants and Fluids
............................ 7-43
Lubrication Service. Body
........................ 7-38
Luggagecarrier
................................ 2-79
Lumbar Control
................................. 1-6 Maintenance.
Normal Replacement Parts
........... 6-63
Maintenance Record
............................ 7-45
Maintenance Schedule
............................ 7-1
How This Section is Organized ................... 7-3
Long Trip/Highway Definition
................... 7-6
Long Trip/Highway Intervals
..................... 7-6
Owner Checks and Services
..................... 7-37
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
............. 7-43
Scheduled Maintenance Services
.................. 7-4
Short Trip/City Definition
....................... 7-5
Short Trip/City Intervals
........................ 7-5
Your Vehicle and the Environment
................ 7-2
Maintenance. Underbody
......................... 6-53
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
................. 4-38
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
..................... 2- 100
Mirrors
....................................... 2-66
Convex Outside
.............................. 2-67
Illuminated Visor Vanity
....................... 2-83
Inside Daymight Rearview
..................... 2-66
Power Remote Control
......................... 2-66
Visor Vanity
................................. 2-83
Periodic Maintenance Inspections
................ 7-41
Matching Transmitters to Your Vehicle
.............. 2-10
Mode Buttons. Climate Control System .............. 3-3
Mode
Knob. Climate Control System ................ 3-2
MountainRoads
................................ 4-23
Multifunction Lever
............................. 2-52
9-7
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