2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette brake fluid

4-24
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can
make your trips safer and more enjoyable.

Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transaxle. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.

Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you
go down a steep or long hill.
CAUTION:
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.

4-42 When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:

start your engine,

shift into a gear, and

release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don't overfill),
engine oil, belts, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you're trailering,
it's a good idea to review these sections before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.

6-
6-1
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-12 Engine Oil
6
-17 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Passenger Compartment Air Filter (If
Equipped)
6
-21 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-26 Engine Coolant
6
-29 Radiator Pressure Cap
6
-30 Power Steering Fluid
6
-31 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-32 Brakes6
-35 Battery
6
-36 Bulb Replacement
6
-43 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-45 Tires
6
-53 Appearance Care
6
-53 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-57 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-60 Underbody Maintenance
6
-60 Chemical Paint Spotting
6
-61 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-62 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-63 Electrical System
6
-71 Replacement Bulbs
6
-71 Capacities and Specifications
6
-72 Air Conditioning Refrigerant Capacity
6
-72 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and others:

Dispense gasoline only into
approved containers.

Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle's trunk, pickup bed
or on any surface other than the ground.

Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.

Don't smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a fire. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.

6-11 Engine Compartment Overview
When you lift the hood, you'll see these items:
A. Underhood Fuse Block
B. Remote Positive (+) Terminal
C. Windshield Washer
Fluid ReservoirD. Radiator Pressure Cap
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap
G. Engine Oil DipstickH. Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
I. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir
J. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
K. Engine Coolant Reservoir

6-22
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180F to 200F
(82C to 93C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50F
(10C). If it's colder than 50F (10C), you may
have to drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:

Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.

With the parking brake applied, place the shift
lever in PARK (P).

With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the
shift lever in PARK (P).

Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The dipstick is located toward the back of the engine
compartment, next to the brake master cylinder reservoir.
The dipstick handle has a bright, red loop design for easy
identification. See ªEngine Compartment Overviewº in
the Index for more information on location.
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag
or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds
and then pull it back out again.

6-32
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is filled with
DOT
-3 brake fluid. See ªEngine Compartment
Overviewº in the Index for the location of the reservoir.
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 ªtop offº 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.
CAUTION:
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. See ªChecking Brake Fluidº
in this section.

6-33
United States Canada
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. See ªBrake System Warning
Lightº in the Index.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT
-3 brake
fluid. Refer to ªRecommended Fluids and Lubricantsº
in the Index. 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.
CAUTION:
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. Always use the proper brake fluid.
NOTICE:

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 ªAppearance Careº in
the Index.