1997 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE turn signal

Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep
to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic
flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway
as a passing lane. At
the entrance,
there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try
to determine where you expect to
blend with the
flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder
as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted
limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave
the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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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.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to
go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to
the left, just move that hand
to
the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to
the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
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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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Hazard Warning Flashers
r-
L
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also
let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and
off.
Your hazard warning
flashers switch is
on top
of the steering column.
Press the button in to turn
on your flashers.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key
is in, and even if the key isn't in.
To turn off the flashers, push the switch down and it will
pop back
up by itself.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals won't work.
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Jump Starting
For jump starting instructions, see “Jump Starting” in
the Index.
Bulb Replacement
For the type of bulbs, see “Replacement Bulbs” in
the Index.
Halogen Bulbs
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb.
You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
Headlamps
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the front parking/turn signal lamp assembly.
See “Front Parking/Turn Signal Lamps” later
in
this section.
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8. Align the pins on the bottom of the headlamp
assembly with
the holes in the lamp support bracket
while placing the holes
in the assembly over the
bolts where the wing nuts attach.
9. Replace and tighten the wing nuts.
10. Replace the parkinghurn signal lamp assembly by
lining up the tabs at the back
of the assembly with
the holes
in the fender.
1 1. Tighten the bolt connecting the parkinghrn signal
lamp assembly. Be sure the tab from the
parkinghurn signal
lamp assembly is inboard of the
tab from the headlamp assembly.
Front Parking/Turn Signal Lamps
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the thumb screw attaching the parkingkurn
signal lamp assembly
to the headlamp assembly.
3. Pull the parkinghurn signal lamp assembly away
from the body.
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4. Unscrew the bulb sockets from the lamp assembly
by pressing the tab while turning counterclockwise.
7. To replace the lamp assembly, line up and insert the
tabs on the back
of the assembly with the slots in the
fender. Engage the lower clip
on the front of the
5. Replace the bulb by pulling the old one out and lamp assembly, keeping the upper tab on the
6. Line up the tabs on the sockets with the gaps in the
gently pushing the
new one into the lamp socket. parkinghm signal lamp assembly inboard of
the
socket holes and screw the bulb sockets back into the 8. To align the parking/turn signal lamp assembly with the
lamp housing until an audible click
is heard (the tab headlamp assembly, lift up the parking/turn signal lamp
popping back out). assembly until the upper
edge is contacting the fender.
headlamp bracket tab.
9. Fasten the parkinghurn signal lamp assembly
to the
headlamp assembly with the thumb screw used in
Step
1.
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Front Sidemarker
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the thumb screw attaching the parking/turn
signal lamp assembly
to the headlamp assembly.
3. Pull the parkinghurn signal lamp assembly away
from the body.
4. Unscrew the bulb sockets from the lamp assembly
by turning counterclockwise.
5. Replace the bulb by pulling the old one out and
gently pushing the new one into the lamp socket.
6. Line up the tabs on the sockets with the gaps in the
socket holes
and screw the bulb sockets back into the
lamp housing.
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