1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE mirror

Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
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2-37 Keys
Door Locks
Remote Lock Control (Option)
Switchbanks
Sliding Door
Power Sliding Door (Option)
Liftgate
Theft
Content Theft-Deterrent (Option)
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater
(If Equipped)
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Parking Brake
Shifting Into PARK
(P)
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
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2-86 2-99 Parking Over Things
That Burn
Engine Exhaust
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
Locks and Lighting Choices
Windows
Turn SignalMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors Storage Compartments
Sun Visors
Accessory Inflator System (Option)
Accessory Power Outlet
Instrument Panel
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Option)
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Battery Saver Power Remote Control Mirrors
Your
vehicle has a feature to help prevent you from
draining the battery,
in case you accidentally leave the
interior
or underhood lamps on. If you leave any of
these lamps on while the ignition is in
LOCK or OFF,
they will automatically turn off after 10 minutes. The
lamps won’t come back on again until you:
turn the ignition to RUN or ACCESSORY,
turn the interior lamps dial all the way to the right,
open (or close and reopen) a door that is closed.
then slightly back
to the left; or
Note that if your vehicle has less than
15 miles (25 km)
on the odometer, the battery saver will turn off the lamps
after only three minutes.
Mirrors
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lights behind you, pull the lever
toward you (to the night position).
To return the mirror
to the day position, push the lever away from you. The
control on the driver’s
door controls both outside
rearview mirrors.
Turn the control
to the left to select the driver’s side
rearview mirror, or to the right to select the passenger’s
side rearview mirror. Then use the control to adjust each
mirror so that you can just see the side of your vehicle
when
you are sitting in a comfortable driving position.
If you are not adjusting either mirror, leave the control
in the center off position. This prevents moving the
mirrors accidentally once you have them adjusted.
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Both outside mirrors can be folded forward or rearward.
In the rearward position, they will fold almost flush with
the vehicle. This feature is particularly useful in
automatic car washes.
Your mirrors have a blue tint to reduce glare while
driving at night.
Convex Outside Mirror
Your passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved
so you can see more from the
driver’s seat.
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over
your shoulder before
changing lanes.
Storage Compartments
Your vehicle’s large carrying capacity can store many
items.
If you have the extended wheelbase version, you
can carry things as large as a
4‘ x 8’ piece of plywood.
You can
also use the floor pins that are used to attach the
seats, to secure larger loads. This section
also describes
storage areas for specific items like sunglasses and cups.
Glove Box
Your vehicle has a glove box below the
instrument panel.
To open the glove box, lift the latch release. Use the key
to lock or unlock the glove box.
The glove box door has a detent to prevent the door
from lowering too far. Open the glove box until the door
is partway open, then pull the door down if you need it
fully open. To close the glove box, the door must be
pushed up past the detent.
In the door of the glove box, you will find a tissue pack
holder and clip for a pen
or pencil.
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NOTICE:
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Don’t put papers and other things that burn into
your ashtrays.
If you do, cigarettes or other
smoking materials could set them on fire,
causing damage.
Side Ashtrays
To open the ashtray, press the left side and turn it open.
To remove the ashtray for cleaning, press the snuffer as
you lift up the bottom of the ashtray.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down the visors. You
can also remove them from the center mount and swing
them to the side.
Visor Vanity Mirrors
Pull down the sun visor. Flip up the cover to expose the
vanity mirror.
Illuminated Visor Vanity Mirrors
(If Equipped)
Pull down the sun visor. Flip up the cover to expose the
vanity mirror. The lamps will come
on when you open
the cover.
Accessory Inflator System (Option)
Your vehicle may be equipped with an air inflator. With
it, you can inflate things like air mattresses and
basketballs, and
you can also use it to bring your tires up
to the proper pressure.
The air inflator is located in the rear compartment on
the
driver’s side. To remove the cover, pull the tab on the
cover and pull it
off.
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0 Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you’re awaiting an opportunity. For one
thing, following too closely reduces your area of
vision, especially if you’re following
a larger
vehicle. Also, you won’t have adequate space if the
vehicle ahead suddenly slows
or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and don’t
get too close. Time your move
so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes
to move into the
other lane.
If the way is clear to pass, you will have a
“running start” that more than makes up for the
distance you would lose
by dropping back. And if
something happens to cause you to cancel your pass,
you need only slow down and drop back again and
wait for another opportunity.
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait
your turn. But take care that someone isn’t trying to
pass you as you pull
out to pass the slow vehicle.
Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are
far enough
ahead
of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. (Remember that
your right outside mirror is convex. The vehicle you
just passed may seem to
be farther away from you
than it really is.)
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps
are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting
to turn.
0 If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
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Loss of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering
and acceleration) don’t have enough friction where the
tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and
constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger.
In
a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving”
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types
of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid,
too
much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer
the way you want the
vehicle to go.
If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide.
You may not realize
the surface is slippery until your
vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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Driving at Nieht Here are some tips on night driving.
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Drive defensively.
Don’t
drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can’t see
as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull
off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night driving is more dangerous
than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely
to be impaired -- by
alcohol or
drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
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Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most
of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. At
the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway.
If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin
to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate
if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then
use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move
to the proper
lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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