2003 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE wheel

Remember, unless you have anti-lock, if you brake
so hard that your wheels stop rolling, you’ll just slide.
Brake so your wheels always keep rolling and you can
still steer.
0 Whatever your braking system, allow greater
following distance on any slippery road.
0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass
may remain icy when the surrounding roads
are clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you,
brake before you are on it.
Try not to brake
while you’re actually
on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay with
your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through the snow.
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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.
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Notice: Spinning your wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transaxle
back and forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
See “Rocking Your Vehicle
To Get It Out.”
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see
Tire Chains on page 5-67.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels.
If your vehicle
has traction control, you should turn your traction
control system
off. See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 4-10.
Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transaxle
is in gear. By slowly spinning your
wheels in the forward and reverse directions, you
will cause a rocking motion that may free your vehicle.
If that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may
need to be towed out. If you do need to be towed out,
see “Towing Your Vehicle” following.
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Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service
if you need to have your disabled vehicle towed.
See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 9-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see ”Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle
- such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly towing”
(towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device know
as a “dolly”). With the proper preparation
and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions
on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll
want to make sure your vehicle is prepared
to be
towed. See
Before Leaving on a Long Trip on
page
4-23.
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Dinghy Towing Dolly Towing
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all of its
wheels on the ground.
If you have a two-wheel-drive
vehicle,
it can be towed with two of its wheels on
the ground. See “Dolly Towing” following.
If you have an
all-wheel-drive vehicle,
it cannot be towed with any of
its wheels on the ground. It can be towed with car carrier
equipment.
Notice: Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground, or even with only two of
its wheels on the ground, will damage drivetrain
components. Don’t tow an all-wheel-drive vehicle if
any
of its wheels will be on the ground. If
you have a two-wheel-drive vehicle, it can be towed
with two
of its wheels on the ground. To dolly tow
your vehicle, do the following:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
If you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, it cannot be
towed with any of its wheels on the ground. It can be
towed with car carrier equipment.
Notice: Towing an all-wheel-drive vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground,
or even with only two of
its wheels on the ground, will damage drivetrain
components. Don’t tow an all-wheel-drive vehicle if
any
of its wheels will be on the ground.
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Towiv a Trailer
=mm
If you don’t use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
-- or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps
in this section. Ask your
dealer for advice and information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
Notice: Pulling a trailer improperly can damage
your vehicle and result
in costly repairs not covered
by your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice
in this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle. Additional rear axle maintenance
is required for a vehicle used to tow a trailer.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity
is for your vehicle, you should
read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, durability and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment
and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section. In
it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many
of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and
under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more,
the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
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rowing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice: Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer
to come in contact with
the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged.
Avoid making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders;
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
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Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have
extra wiring.
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about
to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not.
It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have
to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs more than
1,000 Ibs. (450 kg), you may prefer to drive in THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) (or, as you
need
to, a lower gear). This will minimize heat build-up
and extend the life of your transaxle.
Parking on Hills
I
You really should not park your vehicle, u....~ a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill,
here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
2, Have someone place chocks under the trailer
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
PARK
(P) yet.
wheels. regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift
to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
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