2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette heating

Table of Contents (cont'd)
Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control of a Vehicle
Braking
SteeringDriving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer Heating and Air Conditioning
Setting the Radio Clock
Radio/Cassette Player/CD PlayerRadio Theft-Deterrent Feature
Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped)
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your VehicleEngine Overheating
Changing a Flat Tire
If You're Stuck
Problems on the Road
iii
Section
3
Section
4
Section
5
Your Driving and the Road Comfort Controls and Audio Systems

2-35
Liftgate
To unlock the liftgate from the outside, turn the key
in the cylinder clockwise. To lock the liftgate using the
key, turn the key counterclockwise.
Open the liftgate using the handle located above the
license plate. Once slightly opened, the liftgate will rise
by itself. Lamps in the rear of the vehicle will come on,
illuminating the rear cargo area. See ªInterior Lampsº in
the Index.
NOTICE:
Be sure there are no overhead obstructions, such
as a garage door, before you open the liftgate.
You could slam the liftgate into something and
break the glass.
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the liftgate
open because carbon monoxide (CO) gas can
come into your vehicle. You can't see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the liftgate open or if
electrical wiring or other cable connections
must pass through the seal between the body
and the liftgate:

Make sure all other windows are shut.

Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on bi
-level (outside air button is pressed).
That will force outside air into your vehicle.
See ªComfort Controlsº in the Index.

If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See ªEngine Exhaustº in the Index.

2-49
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): This position is
for normal driving. If you need more power for passing,
and you're:

Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h),
push your accelerator pedal about halfway down.

Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more,
push the accelerator all the way down.
You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly,
or if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with a transaxle
system sensor. If you drive very far that way,
your vehicle can be damaged. So, if this happens,
have your vehicle serviced right away. Until then,
you can use SECOND (2) when you are driving
less than 35 mph (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) for higher speeds.
Warm-Up Shift
Your vehicle has a computer controlled transaxle
designed to warm up the engine faster when the outside
temperature is 35F (2C) or colder. You may notice
that the transaxle will shift at a higher vehicle speed
until the engine is warmed up. This is a normal
condition designed to provide heat to the passenger's
compartment and defrost the windows more quickly.
See ªComfort Controls, Heatingº in the Index for
more information.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving, but it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):

When driving on hilly, winding roads.

When towing a trailer (so there is less shifting
between gears).

When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power, but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and on.

2-103

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.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States Canada
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.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.

2-110 Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Message
United States Canada
This message will come on when your engine gets
too hot.
If this message 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.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
Low Oil Pressure Message
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a low oil pressure
warning message.
Your oil pressure message lets you know when you may
have a problem with your engine oil pressure.
When the engine is running and this message appears,
the engine oil level may be too low. There may also be
another problem causing low oil pressure.

3-2
Comfort Controls
This section tells you how to make your air system
work for you.
With this system, you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation in your vehicle. Your vehicle also has
a flow
-through ventilation system described later in
this section.
Air Conditioning with Temperature Control
Fan Knob
The left knob is the fan knob and is used to select and
determine the force of the air flowing in. Turn the knob
clockwise to increase fan speed and counterclockwise to
decrease fan speed. The fan must be turned on for the
air conditioning compressor to operate.Temperature Knob
The center knob controls the temperature of the air
coming through the system. Turn it clockwise (toward
the red area) for warmer air. Turn it counterclockwise
(toward the blue area) for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob is used to select and determine the
direction of the air flowing into the vehicle.
UPPER: This setting directs outside air through
the instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEVEL: This setting directs outside air into
your vehicle in two ways. Cooler air is directed toward
your upper body through the front instrument panel
outlets, while warmed air is directed through the heater
ducts at your feet.
LOWER: This setting brings in most of the
air through the floor ducts. This setting is also used to
send air to the rear of the vehicle. Keep the area under
the front seats free of objects that could obstruct airflow
to the rear of the vehicle.

3-3
DEFOG: This setting directs air to the windshield
and through the floor ducts. This mode is 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
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 LOWER, DEFOG or DEFROST
setting is selected, the system will automatically go to
OUTSIDE AIR mode.
RECIRCULATION: Press this button
(the light will glow) to limit the amount of outside 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.Operating the Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning
(HVAC) system in the RECIRCULATION mode
may cause fogging of the vehicle's windows when the
weather is cold and damp. To clear the fog, switch the
HVAC system to either the DEFOG or DEFROST
mode and increase the fan speed. To avoid re
-fogging
of the windows, operate the HVAC system in the
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 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.

3-4
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.
Heating
Turn the temperature knob clockwise (toward the
red area) to warm the air.
In the LOWER setting, outside air will be brought in
and sent through the floor outlets. The heater works
best if you keep your windows closed while using it.
The BI
-LEVEL setting is designed for use on sunny
days when the air is only moderately warm or cool.
On days like these, the sun may adequately warm your
upper body, but your lower body may not be warm
enough. For the best results, turn the temperature knob
to the middle position, and then adjust it for comfort.Your vehicle has a computer controlled transaxle
designed to warm up the engine faster when the outside
temperature is 35
F (2
C) or colder. You may notice
that the transaxle will shift at a higher vehicle speed
until the engine is warmed up. This is a normal
condition designed to provide heat to the passenger's
compartment and defrost the windows more quickly.
If you have the optional engine coolant heater and use
it during cold weather, 0
F (
-18
C) or lower, your
heating system will provide heat more quickly because
the engine coolant is already warmed. See ªEngine
Coolant Heaterº in the Index.
Defogging and Defrosting
To rapidly defrost the windshield, turn the temperature
knob all the way clockwise (to the red area) and turn
the mode knob to DEFROST. Adjust the fan to the
highest speed.
To keep the windshield clear and bring in heated air through
the heater ducts, turn the mode knob to DEFOG.
When the temperature outside is above freezing, the air
conditioner compressor will run in these settings to help
remove moisture from the air.