1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette fuel

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2-95
Low Coolant Warning Light
United States Canada
If this light comes on, your system is low on coolant and
the engine may overheat.
See ªEngine Coolantº in the Index and have your
vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service
Engine Soon Light in the United States or
Check Engine Light in Canada)
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On
-Board
Diagnostics
-Second Generation) and is intended to assure
that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life of the
vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner environment. The
SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service is
required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may prevent
more serious damage to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.

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NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust or fuel system of your vehicle or the
replacement of the original tires with other than
those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the SERVICE ENGINE SOON or
CHECK ENGINE light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by your warranty. This
may also result in a failure to pass a required
Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:

Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see ªIf
the Light Is On Steadyº following.

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If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere. A
few driving trips with the cap properly installed should
turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. See
ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. It will take a few
driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
ªFuelº in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start
-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.

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2-100 Fuel Gage
United States Canada
When the indicator nears EMPTY (E), you still have a
little fuel left, but you should get more soon.
If your fuel is low, the warning light near the fuel gage
will go on. See ªLow Fuel Warning Lightº later in
this section.Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have
left when the ignition is on.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. All
these things are normal and do not indicate that anything
is wrong with the fuel gage.

At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads FULL (F).

It takes a little more (or less) fuel to fill up than the
gage reads. For example, the gage reads half full, but
it took more (or less) than half of the tank's capacity
to fill it.

The gage pointer may move while cornering, braking
or speeding up.

The gage may not indicate EMPTY (E) when the
ignition is turned off.

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Low Fuel Warning Light
If your fuel is low, the
warning light next to the
fuel gage will go on and
stay on until you add fuel.
If the warning light is still on after adding fuel, you need
to reset the warning light. To reset the warning light,
turn the ignition to OFF then to ON. If the light stays on,
see your dealer for service.
This light will also come on when you turn on the
ignition, but the engine is not running, to show you it is
working. If it doesn't come on as you start your vehicle,
have it fixed right away.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Option)
The DIC will show information about the vehicle and
the surroundings.

E/M (English/Metric Button): You can change the
display to a metric or English reading at any time by
pressing E/M.

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Turn the ignition on and cycle the DIC to the
Compass/Temperature mode. Press both the E/M and
MODE buttons simultaneously for approximately five
seconds. The last entered variance zone number will be
displayed. Press the E/M button until the proper
variance number, as shown on the map, is showing.
Press the MODE button to set the new variance zone
and resume normal operation.
The display will show all the display segments for half a
second to acknowledge the change in zone number.
Automatic Compass Calibration
The compass is self
-calibrating, which eliminates the
need to manually set the compass. When the vehicle is
new, the calibration process may not be complete. In
these cases the calibration symbol, C, will be displayed
where the compass reading is normally displayed.
To calibrate the compass, in an area free from large
metal objects, make three 360
turns. The calibration
symbol will turn off and the compass reading will
be displayed.Manual Compass Calibration
If the compass appears erratic and the calibration
symbol does not appear, you must manually put the
compass into the calibration mode.
Turn the ignition on and cycle the DIC to the
Compass/Temperature mode. Press both the E/M and
MODE buttons simultaneously for at least 10 seconds
until the calibration symbol appears. Release both
buttons and complete three 360
turns in an area free
from large metal objects. The calibration symbol will
turn off and the compass reading will be displayed.
Error Displays

An error of the vehicle's speed sensor or fuel sender
will cause
-E- to be displayed.

In the absence of vehicle communications, a double
dash ª
--º is displayed.
If one of these error messages appear, see your dealer.

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Trip Computer
There are five trip computer displays which may be
stepped through by pushing the MODE button. The
information will appear in the following order:

AVG ECON (Average Fuel Economy): This shows
the average fuel economy since the last reset.

INST ECON (Instantaneous Fuel Economy): This
shows fuel economy for the most recent second
of driving.

RANGE (Trip Range): This shows the estimated
distance that can be traveled with the remaining fuel.
The fuel economy used to calculate range is based on
the last few hours of driving.

FUEL USED (Trip Fuel Used): This shows the
accumulated fuel used since the last reset.

AVG SPEED (Average Speed): This shows the
average speed since the last reset.
Resetting the Trip Computer
Press and hold the MODE and E/M buttons for at least
two seconds. The reset is acknowledged with the display
showing all segments on for a period of half a second. A
reset can only be done in AVG ECON, FUEL USED
and AVG SPEED displays. Resetting affects all three
displays regardless of which display you are in. RANGE
will not be affected.

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DEFOG: This setting directs air to the windshield
and through the floor ducts. This mode is particularly
useful during cold or inclement weather because of your
vehicle's larger windshield area.
DEFROST: This setting directs most of the air to
the windshield and side window vents.
Mode Buttons
RECIRCULATION: Press this button (the light
will glow) to limit the amount of fresh air entering your
vehicle by recirculating much of the air inside your
vehicle. You may use this setting to limit odors entering
your vehicle. Press the OUTSIDE AIR button (the light
on the RECIRCULATION button will go off) to let
outside air circulate into the vehicle.
OUTSIDE AIR: Press this button (the light will
glow) to send outside air into your vehicle. Using this
setting while trying to defrost or defog the windows will
help clear the vents of moisture. Press the
RECIRCULATION button (the light on the
OUTSIDE AIR button will go off) to limit outside air
entering the vehicle. When the DEFOG or DEFROST
setting is selected, the system will automatically go to
OUTSIDE AIR mode.
Air Conditioning
On very hot days, your vehicle will cool down more
quickly and economically if you open the windows long
enough to let hot, inside air escape. For all settings,
adjust the temperature control knob and fan speed
as desired.
To get maximum cooling or a quick cool
-down on very
hot days, press the A/C and RECIRCULATION buttons
(the lights will glow) and turn the temperature knob
counterclockwise (toward the blue area). Adjust the
mode knob to direct the air to the desired location. This
setting should not be used for long periods of time
because the air may become too cold and dry. Push the
A/C button again (the light will go off) to turn off the
air conditioning.
When the air conditioner compressor is on, you may
sometimes notice slight changes in your vehicle's engine
performance and power. This is normal. The system is
designed to help fuel economy while it maintains the
desired cooling level.
The air conditioner removes moisture from the air, so
you may sometimes notice water dripping from under
your vehicle's engine compartment when it is idling or
after it has been turned off. This is normal.