2003 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE battery

Accessory Power Outlets
With accessory power outlets you can plug in electrical equipment such as
a cellular telephone or CB radio.
The front accessory power outlet is located below
the cupholder drawer.
Pull the cover down to use the accessory power outlet.
When not in use, keep the cover on.
The rear accessory power outlet is located in the rear
compartment on the driver’s side next to the air
inflator system.
To remove the cover, pull the tab on the cover and
pull it
off. To put the cover back on, line up the tabs at
the back of the cover and put the cover
in place.
Push down the tab to secure the cover. When not in
use, always cover the rear accessory power outlet with
the protective cap.
Notice: When using an accessory power outlet,
maximum electrical load must not exceed
20 amps.
Always turn
off any electrical equipment when
not
in use. Leaving electrical equipment on for
extended periods will drain your battery. Certain electrical
accessories may not be compatible
with the accessory power outlet and could result
in blown vehicle or adapter fuses. If you experience
a
problem see your dealer for additional information
on accessory power outlets.
Notice: Adding some electrical equipment to your
vehicle can damage
it or keep other things from
working as they should. This wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty. Check with your dealer before
adding electrical equipment, and never use anything
that exceeds the amperage rating.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow
the proper installation instructions included with
the equipment.
Notice: Power outlets are designed for accessory
plugs only.
Do not hang any type of accessory
or accessory bracket from the plug. Improper use
of the power outlet can cause damage not covered
by your warranty.
3-24

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
See
Gasoline Octane on page 5-5. 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.
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need
to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection
if the SERVICE
ENGINE SOON or
CHECK ENGINE light is on or not
working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection
if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving.
If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack of
OBD
system readiness, see your dealer or qualified service
center to prepare the vehicle for inspection.
3-50

Charging System Indicator Message
The charging system
battery symbol will come
on in the message
center when you turn on
the ignition as a check
to show you it is working.
It will remain on as long as the engine is not running.
It should go out once the engine is running.
If it stays on,
or comes on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system. It could indicate that
you have problems with a generator drive belt,
or another electrical problem. Have it checked right
away. Driving while this indicator appears in the
message center could drain your battery.
Low Oil Pressure Message
LOW
OIL
PRESSURE
LL
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.
If you must drive a short distance with the message on,
be certain to turn
off all your accessories, such as
the radio and air conditioner.
3-54

Headphones
The entertainment system includes dual channel,
wireless headphones.
The headphones have
an ON/OFF switch,
a channel
A/B switch
and a volume control.
To use the headphones, turn the switch located on the
left side to ON. An indicator light located on the right
side will illuminate. If the light does not illuminate,
the batteries may need to be replaced. See “Battery
Replacement” later in this section for more information.
Switch the headphones to OFF when not in use. If
you move too far forward, step out of the vehicle or
break the “line of sight” between the headphones
and the display above the video screen, the sound in
the headphones will be degraded
or will cut out entirely.
If the system is shut off, or the headphones are out
of the “line of sight” for more than three minutes,
the headphones will shut
off automatically to preserve
battery life.
If the channel switch located on the right side is on
A,
the headphones will play the DVD or auxiliary device.
See “Stereo RCA Jacks” later in this section for
more information.
If the channel switch is on B, the
headphones will play the rear seat audio system.
See
Rear Seat Audio (RSA) (Without Entertainment
System) on page
3-98 or Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
(With Entertainmenf System) on page 3-100
for more
information.
To adjust the volume on the headphones, use the
volume control located on the right side.
Notice: Do not store the headphones in heat or
direct sunlight. This could damage the headphones
and would not be covered by your warranty.
Keep the headphones stored in a cool place.
3-92

Battery Replacement
To change the batteries, do the following:
1. Slide open the battery door located on the left side
2. Rplace the two AAA batteries in the compartment.
3. Sde the battery door shut.
of
the headphones.
Make sure that they are installed correctly.
If the headphones are to be stored for a long period of
time, remove the batteries and keep them
in a cool,
dry place.
Stereo RCA Jacks
The RCA jacks are located on the faceplate of the DVD
player. They allow you to hook up an auxiliary device
such as a camcorder or a video game unit. You may
require adapter connectors or cables to connect
your auxiliary device to the RCA jacks. Refer to the
manufacturer’s instructions for proper usage.
To use the auxiliary function, connect a camcorder or a
video game unit to the RCA jacks and turn on the
auxiliary device. If you want to view a DVD, insert the
DVD into the DVD player. The system will automatically
switch to DVD and start
to play. To switch between
the auxiliary device and the DVD, press the SOURCE button
on the DVD player or on the remote control.
See “DVD Player” and “Remote Control’’ later in
this section for more information. When the auxiliary
device is the source for the entertainment system,
TRACK
99 will appear on the radio display. This
is normal.
Audio Speakers
Only one audio source can be heard through the
speakers at one time.
Audio from the radio, cassette or
CD player will be
heard through all speakers when the front audio system
is being used and the rear seat audio system is
off.
Sound from the DVD player or an auxiliary device can
be heard through all speakers when the front audio
system and rear seat audio are
off and a DVD or
auxiliary device
is playing.
When the front audio system
is on, to hear the DVD,
auxiliary device or the rear seat audio system you must
use the headphones. With the rear seat audio system
rear speakers are muted.
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The speaker in the overhead console is set at a low
level and is not intended to be heard at a high volume.
3-93

b Fwd/( Rev (Fast Forward/Reverse): Press the
right or left arrow once to fast forward or reverse
the DVD. To resume play, press the button again or
press the Play/Pause button. Pressing and holding an
arrow will fast forward or fast reverse the DVD and play
will resume when the arrow is released. These buttons
may not work when the DVD is playing the copyright
or the previews.
A NexVV Prev (NexVPrevious): Press the up or the
down arrow to select the next or the previous chapter.
These buttons may not work when the DVD is playing
the copyright or the previews.
Menu: Press this button to view the media menu.
The media menu is different on every disc. Use the up
and the down and the right and the left arrow buttons to
move the cursor around the media menu. After making
your selection, press Enter. Some discs may contain a
short skit leading up to the media menu.
Source: Press this button to switch the source for the
(connected to the RCA jacks) and the DVD player.
Pressing this button has no effect when there is
no auxiliary device connected.
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Battery Replacement
To change the batteries, do the following:
1. Remove the screw and open the battery door
located on the back of the remote control.
2. Replace the two AAA batteries in the compartment.
Make sure that they are installed correctly.
3. Replace the battery door and screw.
If the remote control is to be stored for a long period of
time, remove the batteries and keep them in a cool,
dry place.
3-97

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it
go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get
and
it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine
again and repeat this only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as
possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle
and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour
or
so until help comes.
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don’t want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as “rocking” can
help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must
use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high spe ~ ~, ~ rey
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transaxle or other parts
of
the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment fire or other damage.
When you’re stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Don’t spin the wheels above
35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
4-30

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Service ............................................................ 5.3
Doing Your Own Service Work
......................... 5.3
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of
Your Vehicle .............................................. 5-4
Fuel
.............................................................. -5-5
Gasoline Octane
............................................ 5-5
Gasoline Specifications
................................... 5-5
California Fuel
............................................... 5-6
Additives
....................... .... ......... 5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
........... ..... 5-7
Filling Your Tank
............................ ..... 5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
.................... 5-9
Checking Things Under the
Hood .................. -5-1 0
Hood Release .............................................. 5-10
Engine Compartment Overview ....................... 5-12
Engine Oil
................................................... 5-14
Engine Air CleanedFilter
................................ 5-19
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
.............................. 5-20
Radiator Pressure Cap
............................... 5-26
Engine Overheating
.................................... 5-26
Cooling System
............................. , ....... 5-29
Power Steering Fluid .................. , ....... 5-37
Windshield Washer Fluid
................. , ....... 5-38
Brakes
.......................... .... ........ 5-39
r.--.:.-- ---I-.- b CI lyll IC uuvlal I1 4-LU c r)r) .............................................
Battery ........................................................ 5.43
Jump Starting
............................................... 5-44
All-Wheel Drive
.............................................. 5-50
Bulb Replacement .......................................... 5-52
Halogen Bulbs
.............................. ......... 5-52
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Headlamps
...................................... ..... 5-52
Parking Lamps
.............................. ..... 5-54
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5-57
Back-up Lamps
......................................... 5-56
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.............. 5-58
Tires
.............................................................. 5-60
Inflation
- Tire Pressure ................................ 5-61
Tire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5-62
When It
Is Time for New Tires ....................... 5-63
Buying New Tires
......................................... 5-64
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
.......................... 5-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
.................. 5-66
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5-66
Tire Chains
.................................................. 5-67
Accessory Inflator
......................................... 5-68
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................ 5-69
Changing a Flat Tire ..................................... 5-70
Compact Spare Tire ...................................... 5-86
5- 1