2003 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE engine

Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on
the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of
the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy.
Don’t let
it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can
leave the road in
less than a second, and you could
crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis?
First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
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Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and
to the sides. Check your mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull
off the road into a rest,
service or parking area and take a nap, get some
exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
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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 Ion-
511.
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. Coast
...d downhill in NEUTRA- ,.., or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do
all the work of slowing down. They 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. Always
have your engine running and your vehicle in
gear when you go downhill.
0 Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxle, and you can climb the hill better.
e Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
- As you go over ihe iop oi a hiii, be aieri. There couia
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing
or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or
winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate
action.
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Here are some things to do to summon help and keep
yourself and your passengers safe:
e Turn on your hazard flashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow.
e Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags,
floor mats
- anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
.,. -. . .
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
Snow can trap exhaust gases un,,r your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can’t see
it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in
your vehicle. Clear away snow from around
the base
of your vehicle, especially any that
is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure
snow doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help keep
CO out.
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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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If you put things inside your vehicle - like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else
- they will go as fast
as the vehicle goes.
If you have to stop or turn
quickly, or
if there is a crash, they'll keep going.
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or
in a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your
vehicle.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them
are above the tops
of the seats.
Don't leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
0 When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
i3on.i ieave a seai ioiciea ciown uniess
you need to.
Automatic Level Control
On vehicles equipped with the automatic level control,
the rear of the vehicle is automatically kept level as you
load or unload your vehicle. However, you should still
not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR.
If the engine is running or the ignition key is in
ACCESSORY or when Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
is active, you may hear the compressor operating when
you load or unload your vehicle, and periodically as the
system self-adjusts. This is normal. See "Retained
Accessory Power" under
Ignition Positions on page 2-32.
The compressor should operate for brief periods of time.
If the sound continues for an extended period of
time, your vehicle needs service.
Using heavier suspension components to get added
durability might not change your weight ratings. Ask your
dealer to help you load your vehicle the right away.
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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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If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having
to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for
this information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control
if your trailer will
weigh
2,000 Ibs. (900 kg) or less. You should
always use a sway control
if your trailer will weigh
more than
2,000 Ibs. (900 kg). You can ask a
hitch dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at
all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
e
e Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h)
and don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear
in at
the heavier loads.
You can use THIRD
(3) (or, as you need to, a lower
gear) when towing
a trailer. Operating your vehicle
in THIRD
(3) when towing a trailer will minimize
heat buildup and extend the life
of your transaxle.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
* the weight of the trailer tongue
and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
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If you’re using a weight-carrying or a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue weight
(A) should be 10 percent
to
15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B).
Do not exceed the maximum allowable tongue weight
for your vehicle.
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then
the tongue, separately, to see
if the weights are proper.
If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right simply by
moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on
the Certification/Tire Label at the rear edge of the
driver’s door, or see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-34
Then be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for
your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads
are a few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
The bumpers
on your vehicle are not intended
for hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more than
2,000 Ibs. (900 kg). be sure to
use a properly mounted, weight-carrying hitch and
sway control of the proper size. This equipment
is very important for proper vehicle loading
and good handling when you’re driving.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of
your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch?
If you do, then be sure to seal the holes later when
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust
can get into your vehicle. See
Engine Exhaust
on page
2-43. Dirt and water can, too.
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