1997 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE stop start

The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape,
a heavy rain
can make
it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge
of the road and even
people walking.
It's wise
to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer tank filled with
washer fluid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on
the windshield, or when strips
of rubber start to separate
from the inserts. Driving
too fast through large water puddles or
even
going through some car washes can cause problems, too.
The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles.
But
if you can't, try to slow down before you hit them.
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won't work
as well in
a quick stop and may cause pulling to
one side. You could lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through
a large puddle of water or
a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work pormally.
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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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NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to brake pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid
expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
11. Don’t try to put
a wheel cover on the compact spare
tire. It won’t fit. Store
the wheel cover securely in
the rear of the vehicle until you have the flat tire
repaired or replaced.
1 NOTICE:
Wheel covers won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover or the spare.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
Storing a jack, a tire or other equlpment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury. In
a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store
all these
in the proper place.
Lay the tire near the rear of the vehicle with the valve
stem down. Slide the cable retainer through the center
of the wheel and start to raise the tire. When the tire is
almost in
the stored position, turn the tire so the valve is
towards the rear of the vehicle. This will help when you
check and maintain tire pressure
in the spare.
Keep raising the wheel
until you hear the hoist
mechanism click twice. This means the wheel is
firmly stored against the underside of the vehicle. Push
against the wheel to be sure it does
not move and is
stored securely.
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