1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE fuse

/I CAL TION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in
a crash.
0 Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
0 Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops
of the seats.
0 Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
0 When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
0 Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
Electronic Level Control (Option)
On vehicles equipped with the optional electronic level
control, the rear of the vehicle is automatically kept
level as you load or unload your vehicle. However, you
should still not exceed the
GVWR or the GAWR.
You may hear the compressor operating when you load
or unload your vehicle, and periodically as the system
self-adjusts. This is normal.
The compressor should operate for brief periods
of time.
If the sound continues for an extended period of time,
your vehicle needs service.
To keep your battery from
being drained, you may want to remove the
ELC fuse in
the fuse control panel until you can have your vehicle
serviced (see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in the Index.)
Using heavier suspension components to get added
durability might not change your weight ratings. Ask
your retailer to help you load your vehicle the right way.
4-32
ProCarManuals.com

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).
3. 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!
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
JTION:
--
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.
Your vehicle has a remote
positive
(+) jump starting
terminal. The terminal is
under a tethered cap at the
front of the underhood fuse
and relay center. Pull up the
cap to access the remote
positive
(+) terminal.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find
the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery. You
should always use
the remote positive (+) terminal
instead
of the positive (+) terminal on your battery.
5-4
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
If you are using car-carrier equipment, you must
pull the Electronic Level Control (ELC) fuse, in
the instrument panel fuse block, before securing
the vehicle.
Damage to the shocks or leveling system
may occur if the Electronic Level Control (ELC)
fuse
is not disabled.
in OFF. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. For front towing, the
transaxle should be in
PARK (P) and the parking brake
released.
For rear towing, the transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake engaged.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle has front-wheel drive; do not have it
towed with the front wheels in contact with the
ground or vehicle damage may occur.
A dolly
must be used under the front wheels when towing
from the rear or the vehicle must be transported
on a flat bed carrier.
5-9
ProCarManuals.com

A tlAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you
try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your retailer before adding equipment to the outside
of
your vehicle.
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM
D48 14 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared
to
other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
87. If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane
or higher and you
hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service. But
don’t worry if
you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and
you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
6-3
ProCarManuals.com

When you lift the hood, you'll see these items:
T
A.
B.
C. Underhood Fuse and
D.
Relay Center E.
Remote Positive (+) Terminal E
Windshield
Washer G.
Fluid Reservoir Radiator
Pressure Cap
H. Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
I. Brake Master Cylinder
Engine
Oil Fill Location J. Air Cleaner
Engine Oil Dipstick
IS. Engine Coolant Reservoir
6-10
ProCarManuals.com

Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield washer fluid, be sure to read
the manufacturer’s instructions before use. If you will
be
operating your vehicle in an area where the temperature
may fall below freezing, use a fluid that has sufficient
protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
The windshield washer
fluid reservoir is located on
the passenger’s side
of the
vehicle, near the fuse and
relay center.
NOTICE:
Open the cap labeled WASHER FLUID ONLY. Add
washer fluid until the tank
is full.
0
0
0
0
When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze and damage your washer fluid tank and
other parts of the washer system.
Also,
water doesn’t clean as well as washer fluid.
Fill your washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it’s very cold.
This allows
for expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank if it is
completely full.
Don’t use engine coolant (antifreeze) in
your windshield washer. It can damage
your washer system and paint.
6-26
ProCarManuals.com

Electrical System
Add-on Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don’t add anything electrical to your vehicle
unless you check with your retailer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn’t be covered
by your
warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working
as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your vehicle, see “Servicing
Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle” in the Index.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring is protected by an internal circuit
breaker in the
I/P fuse panel. An electrical overload will
cause the lamps to
go on and off, or in some cases to
remain off. If this happens, have your headlamp wiring
checked right away.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected by an internal
circuit breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due
to
heavy snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor
cools. If the overload is caused by some electrical
problem, be sure to get it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers in the I/P fuse panel protect the power
windows and other power accessories. When the current
load is too heavy, the circuit breaker opens and closes,
protecting the circuit until the problem is fixed.
6-56
ProCarManuals.com

Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers
and fusible thermal links.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size
and rating.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don’t have a
spare fuse, you can borrow one that has the same
amperage
or use one of the spare fuses in the underhood
fuse and relay center. Just pick some feature of your
vehicle that
you can get along without -- like the radio
or cigarette lighter -- and use its fuse, if it is the right
amperage. Replace it as soon as you can.
There are two fuse blocks in your vehicle: the
instrument panel fuse block and
the underhood fuse and
relay center.
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
The instrument panel fuse
block is to the right of the
glove
box. Pull the door
open to access the
instrument panel fuse block.
ProCarManuals.com