1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Owners Manual

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake iluid. There are
only two reasons why the brake fluid level
in the
reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings are put
in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of
the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake
system fixed, since a leak means that sooner
or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at
all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak.
If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when
you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on
the brake hydraulic system.
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine
is hot
enough. You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
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BRAKE
United States Canadian
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See “Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
What to Add
When
you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3
brake fluid -- such as Delco Supreme 1 1 @ (GM Part
No. 12377967). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir. With the wrong kind
of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause
a
crash. “1 Always use the proper brake fluid.
NOTICE:
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0
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
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Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound when the brake
pads are worn and new pads are needed. The sound may
come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is
moving (except when you are pushing
on the brake
pedal firmly).
I A CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied
or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in
the proper sequence
to GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but
if you ever hear
a rear brake rubbing noise, have the
rear brake linings inspected immediately. Also, the rear
brake drums should be removed and inspected each time
the tires are removed for rotation or changing. When
you have the front brake pads replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection’’ in Section
7 under
Part
C “Periodic Maintenance Inspections.”
Brake Pedal Travel
See your retailer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
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Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When you replace parts
of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you have to have new ones put
in -- be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you
don’t, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example,
if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change
-- for the worse. The braking
performance you’ve come to expect can change in many
other ways
if someone puts in the wrong replacement
brake parts.
Battery
Every new Oldsmobile has an ACDelco Freedom@
battery. You never have to add water to one of these.
When it’s time for a new battery, we recommend
an
ACDelco Freedom battery. Get one that has the
replacement number shown on the
original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or more,
remove the black, negative
(-) cable from the battery. This
will help keep your battery from running down.
Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting’’ in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your retailer to learn how to prepare your
vehicle for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Fedwe’’ in the Index.
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Jump Starting
For jump starting instructions, see “Jump Starting” in
the Index.
Bulb Replacement
Halogen Bulbs
I A CAUTWN:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
Headlamps
I NOTICE:
When replacing the headlamp bulb, do not leave
the bulb out for any length
of time. This could
cause nitrogen gas to escape from the lamp. To
minimize nitrogen gas from escaping within the
headlamp, the headlamp must be placed
on a flat
surface with the lens facing down when removing
the bulb.
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the front parkinghurn signal lamp assembly.
See “Front Parking/Turn Signal
Lamps” later in
this section.
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3. Remove the two wing nuts located on top of the
headlamp assembly.
4. Unscrew the black retainer ring that holds the bulb
assembly in place.
5. Pull the bulb assembly straight up from the
lamp housing.
I
6. Unhook the electrical connector by lifting up the
blue tabs and pulling
the bulb out.
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7. Replace the new bulb through the black retainer ring
and into the electrical connector. Push the bulb
firmly enough
so that the blue tabs hook over the tab
on the bulb.
8. Carefully put the bulb assembly back into the lamp
housing and tighten the black retainer ring in place.
Be careful not to damage the bulb on the headlamp
aiming bar.
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9. Align the pins on the bottom of the headlamp
assembly with the holes in the lamp support bracket
while placing the holes in the assembly over the
bolts where the wing nuts attach.
10. Replace and tighten the wing nuts.
11. Replace the parkinghrn signal lamp assembly by
lining up the tabs
at the back of the assembly with
the
holes in the fender.
12. Tighten the bolt connecting the parkinghurn
signal lamp assembly. Be sure the tab from the
parking/turn signal lamp assembly is inboard of the
tab from the headlamp assembly.
Front ParkingTurn Signal Lamps
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the thumb screw attaching the parking/turn
signal lamp assembly to the headlamp assembly.
3. Pull the parkinghrn signal lamp assembly away
from the body.
4. Unscrew the bulb socket from the lamp assembly by
pressing the tab while turning
it to the left.
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