1997 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE wheel

Automatic Transaxle Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
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PARK (P): This position locks your front wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle can’t move easily.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your Oldsmobile has
Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock
(BTSI). You must fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P) when
the ignition key is in the RUN position.
As you step on the brake pedal, while in PARK (P), you
may hear a click from the solenoid of the BTSI. This
ensures that the BTSI
is operating properly.
If you cannot shi.ft out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever
into the gear you wish. See
“Shifting Out
of PARK (P)” in this section.
1 A CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking
brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
I
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REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE
(R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle,
see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
Shifting out of PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly
on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out
of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
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NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly,
or if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with
a transaxle system
sensor.
If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged.
So, if this happens,
have your vehicle serviced right
away. Until then,
you can use SECOND
(2) when you are driving
less than
35 mph (55 kmh) and THIRD (3) for
higher speeds.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than
SECOND (2). You can
use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If
the selector lever is put in FIRST (I), the transaxle
won’t downshift into first gear
until the vehicle is
going
slow enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against
a
solid object. You could damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle.
Use your brakes or shift into PARK (P)
to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
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Side Window Latches
The rear of the side windows swings open.
To open, push the latch
forward to release it, then
swing the window outward.
Press the center of the latch
to secure the window in the
open position.
To close, pull the center of the latch forward and then
close the latch. Press the center
of the latch to secure the
window in the closed
position.
Power Rear Quarter Windows
This button, located in
the Overhead Console
switchbank, is used for
opening and closing the
rear quarter windows.
Press the bottom
of the button to open the windows;
both windows will open. The windows can be opened
fully or only a portion depending on how long the
button
is pushed.
Press the top of the button to close both windows.
Horl
You can sound the horn by pressing the horn symbols
on your steering wheel.
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Tilt Steering Wheel
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering
wheel before you drive.
You can also raise it to the
highest level to give your legs more room when you exit
and enter the vehicle.
To tilt the wheel, hold the
steering wheel and pull the
lever. Move the steering
wheel to a comfortable
level, then release the lever
to
lock the wheel in place.
Turn SignaUMultifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes your:
Turn Signal and Lane Change Indicator,
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer,
0 Windshield Wiper and Washer Control and
0 Cruise Control (Option).
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Rear Window Wiper and Washer
\-
I The rear window wiper
switch
is located in
the Instrument Panel
switchbank.
Push the wiper symbol on the bottom
of the button to
turn on the intermittent wiper. To turn off the wiper,
gently push the top
of the button.
To wash and wipe the rear window, push in the washer
symbol on the top
of the button. Washer fluid will spray
as long as the button is held
in. When the top of the
button is released, the wiper will continue to cycle three
more times.
To wash the rear window when the rear wiper is already on,
push on the top
of the button with the wash symbol on it.
Push in the bottom of the button to continue the intermittent
wiper cycle after the washing cycle is completed.
Cruise Control (Option)
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot
on the accelerator. This can really help
on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 kmh).
When you apply your brakes,
the cruise control
shuts
off.
0 Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at
a steady speed. So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
0 Cruise control can be dangerous on
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If your vehicle is in cruise control when the optional
traction control system begins to
limit wheel spin, the
cruise control will automatically disengage. (See
“Traction Control System” in the Index.) When road
conditions allow you
to safely use it again, you may
turn the cruise control back on.
Setting Cruise Control
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you’re not using cruise, you might hit
a button
and
go into cruise when you don’t want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch
OFF until you
want to use it.
1. Move the cruise control switch to ON.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Push in the SET button at the end of the lever and
release
it.
4. Take your .foot off the accelerator pedal.
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If you are not adjusting either mirror, leave the control
in the center off position. This prevents moving the
mirrors accidentally once
you have them adjusted.
Both outside mirrors can be folded forward or rearward.
In the rearward position, they will fold almost flush with
the vehicle. This feature
is particularly useful in
automatic car washes and when maneuvering your
vehicle
in narrow spaces.
Your mirrors have
a blue tint to reduce glare while
driving at night.
Convex Outside Mirror
Your passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved
so you can see more from the
driver’s seat.
1
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles)
look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
Storage Compartments
Your Silhouette’s large carrying capacity can store many
items.
If you have the long wheelbase version, you can
carry things
as large as a 4‘ x 8‘ piece of plywood. You
can also use the floor pins that are used to attach the
seats, to secure larger loads. This section also describes
storage
areas for specific items like sunglasses and cups.
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