1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE tires

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some
of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
L
CAUTION:
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope. Coasting downhill
in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes wiU have to
do
all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none
going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and
you can climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across
the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
0 As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled
car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
4-25
ProCarManuals.com

I
Winter Driving Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing,
a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and
reflective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving
under severe conditions, include
a small bag of sand, a
piece of old carpet or a couple
of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these
items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. Most
of the time, those places where your tires
meet the
road probably have good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have
a lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.
I You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle.
ProCarManuals.com

....... .... I -1 F
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction
of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; 0” C) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
If you have traction control, keep the system on. It will
improve your ability to accelerate when driving on a
slippery road. Even though your vehicle has a traction
control system, you’ll want to slow down and adjust
your driving to the road conditions. See “Traction
Control System” in the Index.
If you don’t have traction control, accelerate gently. Try
not to break the gentle traction.
If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
4-27
ProCarManuals.com

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Loading Your Vehicle
GAWR FRT
COLD TIRE PRESSURE
00 n-
SEE %ER’S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. -1
The Certificatioflire label is found on the rear edge of
the driver’s door.
The label shows the size of your original tires and the
inflation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
4-30
ProCarManuals.com

Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when
you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section.
Ask your retailer for advice
and information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and
see your retailer for
important information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later
in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability
and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag
of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably
to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
4-33
ProCarManuals.com

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
0
0
0
0
0
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control
if your trailer will
weigh 2,000 lbs.
(900 kg) or less. You should always
use a sway control if your trailer will weigh more
than
2,000 lbs. (900 kg). You can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle
or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 kmh) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
You should use
THIRD (3) (or as you need to a
lower gear) when towing a trailer. Operating your
vehicle
in THIRD (3) when towing a trailer will
minimize heat build-up and extend the life
of
your transaxle. Three important considerations have
to do with weight:
0 the weight of the trailer,
0 the weight of the trailer tongue
0 and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
1,400 lbs. (630 kg)
with up to six occupants
or more than 2,000 lbs.
(900 kg) with up to two occupants.
If you have the
optional trailer towing package, your vehicle can tow
up
to 2,900 Ibs. (1 300 kg) with up to six occupants or up to
3,500 lbs. (1 575 kg) with up to two occupants. But even
that can
be too heavy.
It depends on how
you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
4-34
ProCarManuals.com

Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
CertificatiordTire label at the rear edge of the driver’s
door or
see “Tire Loading” in the Index. Then be sure
you don’t
go over the GVW limit for your vehicle,
including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more than
2,000 lbs. (900 kg), be sure to use a
properly mounted, weight-carrying hitch and sway
control of the proper size. This equipment is very
important for proper vehicle loading and good
handling when you’re driving.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch?
If you do, then be sure to seal the holes later when
you remove the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly
carbon monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get
into your vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the
Index). Dirt and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches
to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach
to
the bumper.
4-36
ProCarManuals.com

Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you
are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
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.
4-38
ProCarManuals.com