1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE ignition

Theft Parking at Night
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your vehicle has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on it can make it
impossible to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves
-- so
don’t do it.
When you park your Oldsmobile and open the driver’s
door, you’ll hear a chime reminding you to remove your
key from the ignition and take it with you. Always do
this. Your steering wheel will be locked, and so will
your ignition and transaxle. And remember
to lock
the doors. Park
in a lighted spot,
close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out of sight.
Put them in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle, it’s best to lock it
up and take your key.
But what
if you have to leave your key? What if you
have to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
glove box.
Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
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Content Theft-Deterrent (Option)
11 your vehicle has this option, it has a theft-deterrent
alarm system.
A light located on top of your instrument panel (near the
center of the vehicle,
next to the windshield) will flash
slowly to let you know that the system has been armed.
While armed, the doors will not unlock with the power
lock switch. Once armed,
the alarm will go off if
someone tries to
enter the vehicle (without using the remote lock control
transmitter or
a key), breaks a window, tries to damage
the vehicle or turns the ignition on. The horn will sound
and your vehicle’s parking lamps will flash for up to two
minutes. The system will also cut off the fuel supply,
preventing the vehicle from being driven.
When the alarm is armed, the liftgate may be opened
with the remote lock control transmitter or with a key.
Arming with the Power Lock Switch
Your alarm system will arm when you use either power
lock switch to lock the doors while any door or the
liftgate is open and the key is removed from the ignition
(if you would like to turn off power lock switch arming,
see “Locks and Lighting Choices”
in the Index).
The security light flashes quickly to let you know when
the system is ready
to arm with the power door lock
switches. The security light will stop flashing and stay
on, when
you press the rear of the power lock switch, to
let you know the system is arming. After all doors and
the liftgate are closed and locked, the security light will
begin flashing at
a very slow rate to let you know the
system is armed.
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Arming with the Remote Lock
Control Transmitter
Your alarm system will arm when you use your remote
lock control transmitter to lock the doors, if the key is
not in the ignition. The security light will turn on to let
you know the system is arming. After all doors and
the
liftgate are closed and locked, the security light will
begin flashing at a very slow rate to let you know the
system is armed.
Arming with Your Key
Your alarm system will arm when you use your key to
lock the doors. The security light will turn on to let you
know the system is arming. After all doors and the
liftgate are closed and locked, the security light will
begin flashing at a very slow rate to let you know the
system is armed. If you would like your key not
to arm
the system, see “Locks and Lighting Choices” in
the Index.
Arming Confirmation
If remote unlock confirmation is on (see “Locks and
Lighting Choices”
in the Index), your parking lamps
will flash briefly to let you know when your alarm
system has armed.
Disarming with the Remote Lock
Control Transmitter
Your alarm system will disarm when you use your
remote lock control transmitter to unlock the doors. The
security light will stop flashing to let you know the
system is no longer armed.
Disarming with Your Key
Your alarm system will disarm when you use your key
to unlock the doors. The security light will stop flashing
to let you know the system is no longer armed. If you
would like your key not to disarm the alarm system, see
“Locks and Lighting Choices” in the Index.
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Ignition Positions
With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn
the switch to five positions.
C
ACCESSORY (A): This is an on position in which you
can operate your electrical power accessories. Press in
the ignition switch as you turn the top
of it toward you.
LOCK (B): This is the only position in which you can
remove the key. This locks your steering wheel, ignition
and transaxle.
OFF (C): This position unlocks the steering wheel,
ignition and transaxle, but does not send electrical
power to any accessories. Use this position if your
vehicle must be pushed or towed, but never try to
push-start your vehicle.
A warning chime will sound if
you open the driver’s door when the ignition is off and
the key is in the ignition.
RUN (D): This is an on position to which the switch
returns after you start your engine and release the
switch.
The switch stays in RUN when the engine is
running. But
even when the engine is not running, you
can use RUN to operate your electrical power
accessories, and to display some instrument panel
warning lights.
START (E): This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch will
return to RUN for normal driving.
Note that even
if the engine is not running, the positions
ACCESSORY and RUN are positions that allow you to
operate your electrical accessories, such as the radio.
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NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure you are using the correct key; if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key hard. But turn the key only with your hand.
Using
a tool to force it could break the key or the
ignition switch.
If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position
-- that’s a
safety feature. To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL
(N) only.
NOTICE:
Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Oldsmobile
is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to
PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your
ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
I NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can
damage your starter motor.
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Automatic Transaxle Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PRND321
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 vehicle 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 RUN.
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.
I
If you cannot shift 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.
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.
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Parking Brake
To set the parking brake,
hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot
and push down the parking
brake pedal with your
left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will come on. See “Brake System Warning Light” in
the Index.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot while you push down
on the parking brake pedal with your left foot.
(To
release the tension on the parking brake cable, you will
need to apply about the same amount of pressure to the
parking brake pedal as you did when you set the parking
brake.) When you remove your foot from the parking
brake pedal,
it will pop up to the released position.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
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0 Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
~ 4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key
in your
hand,
your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
,g
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the
engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running,
it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and
your
parking brake is fdy set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move the
shift lever away from PARK (P) without first pulling it
toward you.
If you can, it means that the shift lever
wasn’t fully locked into PARK
(P).
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