1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE warning light

Tachometer
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R
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The tachometer displays the engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm).
I NOTICE: I
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in
the red area, or engine damage may occur.
Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be
on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one
of your vehicle’s functions. As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they’re working.
If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together
to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
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When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
70 seconds. If the
driver’s belt is already
buckled, neither the chime
nor the light will come on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows a deployed air bag. The system
checks the air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells
you if there is an electrical problem. The
system check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag
module, the wiring and the diagnostic module. For more
information on the air bag system, see “Air Bag” in
the Index.
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system
is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start the
engine or comes
on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
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Charging System Indicator Light
The charging system light
will come on when you turn
on the ignition as a check to
show you it is working. It
will remain on as long as
the engine is not running.
It should go out once the engine is running.
If it stays
on, or comes on while you
are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system. It could indicate that
you have problems with a generator drive belt, or
another electrical problem. Have it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance
with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
Brake System Warning Light
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will come on when you set your parking brake.
The light
will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release fully.
If
it stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it
means you have
a brake problem.
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both
parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
United States Canadian
This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to
RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
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If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing, have
the vehicle towed for service. (See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” and “Towing Your Vehicle” in
the Index
.)
I A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident.
If the light is still on or if the
anti-lock brake system warning light
is flashing
after you’ve pulled
off the road and stopped
carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and it will stay on
for three seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light flashes when you’re driving, you don’t have
anti-lock brakes and there could be a problem with
your
regular brakes. Pull off the road and stop carefully. You
may notice that the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal
may go closer to the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Have the vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your
Vehicle” in the Index.)
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A CAUTION:
Your regular brake system may not be working
properly if the anti-lock brake system warning
light is flashing. Driving with the anti-lock brake
system warning light flashing can lead to an
accident. After you’ve pulled off the road and
stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your engine, turn
the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on
when you’re driving, stop
as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on again
while you’re driving, your vehicle needs service.
If the
light is on but not flashing and the regular brake system
warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but
you
don’t have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there
is a problem.
Traction Control System Warning Light
(Option)
This warning light should
come on briefly as you start
the engine.
If the warning
light doesn’t come on then,
have
it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there’s
a problem.
If it stays
on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be
a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on,
the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
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The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn
off and the warning light will come on. If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on until your brakes cool down.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays
on for an extended period of time when the
system
is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Low Traction Light (Option)
LOW
TRACTION
If your vehicle has the
traction control system,
there will be a
LOW
TRACTION light on the
instrument panel.
When your anti-lock system is adjusting brake pressure
to help avoid a braking skid, or when your traction
control system is limiting wheel spin, the
LOW
TRACTION light will come on. Slippery road
conditions may exist if this light comes on,
so adjust
your driving accordingly. The light will come on and
stay
on for four seconds when your anti-lock system
adjusts brake pressure for less than four seconds or
when your traction control system limits wheel spin for
less than four seconds. Otherwise, the light will
go out
as soon as the anti-lock system
stops adjusting brake
pressure or the traction control system stops limiting
wheel spin.
The
LOW TRACTION light also comes on briefly, as a
bulb check, when the engine is started. If the light
doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be there to
tell you when
the system is active.
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Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States
~~
Canadian
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves into the red area, your
engine
is too hot!
It means that your engine coolant has overheated. If you
have been operating your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull
off the road, stop your
vehicle and turn
off the engine as soon as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual
shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
Engine Temperature Warning Light
b This light will come on
when your engine gets
too
hot.
v
If this light comes on, it means that your engine coolant
has overheated. If
you have been operating your vehicle
under normal driving conditions, you should pull
off the
road, stop your vehicle and turn off the engine
as soon
as possible.
In “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what
to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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Oil Pressure Light
Your vehicle is equipped
with an oil pressure warning
light. Your oil pressure light
lets you know when you
may have a problem with
your engine oil pressure.
When the engine is running and this light comes on, the
engine oil level may be too
low. There may also be
another problem causing low oil pressure.
A c ON:
m
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire.
You or others could be burned.
Check your oil
as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered
by your warranty.
Low Oil Level Light
11 If this light comes on, it
LEVEL
means your engine is low
on oil.
t-
You need to check the oil level right away. Have your
vehicle serviced immediately.
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