
.
The 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette Owner Manual
Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-7
Safety Belts
............................................. 1-22
Child Restraints
....................................... 1-45
Air Bag Systems
...................................... 1-69
Restraint System Check
............................ 1-77
Features and Controls
..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-9
Windows
................................................. 2-24
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................ 2-27
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
........... 2-32
Mirrors
.................................................... 2-45
Onstar@ System
...................................... 2-47
HomeLink@ Transmitter
......................... 2-49
Storage Areas
......................................... 2-54
Vehicle Personalization
............................. 2-62
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
...................................... 3-25
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
......... 3-39
Driver Information Center (DIC)
.................. 3-60
Instrument Panel
............................................. 3-1
Messaye Center 5-3L n r~ .......................................
Audio
System(s) ....................................... 3-63
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
................................................... 4-32
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
............... 5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................ 5-50
Bulb Replacement
.................................... 5-52
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
......... 5-58
Tires
...................................................... 5-60
Appearance Care
..................................... 5-87
Vehicle Identification
................................. 5-95
Electrical System
...................................... 5-96
Capacities and Specifications
................... 5-1 03
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
...... 5-1 05
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information
.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance Information
.................. 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
............................ 7-9
Driving Your Vehicle
....................................... 4-1
Service and Appearance Care
.......................... 5-1
Maintenance Schedule
..................................... 6-1
Index
................................................................ 1

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
Notice: These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice will tell you about something that can damage
your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be
covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different
words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead
of text. Symbols, used on your vehicle,
are shown along with the text describing the operation
or information relating to a specific component, control,
message, gage or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator reference the following
topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

B (LOCK): This is the only position from which you
can remove the key. This position locks your ignition,
steering wheel and transaxle.
Notice: If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you
can’t turn
it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the key hard. Turn the key only with your hand. Using a
tool to force
it could break the key or the ignition
switch. If none
of these works, then your vehicle
needs service.
C (OFF): This position unlocks the ignition, steering
wheel and transaxle but, does not send power to
any accessories. Use this position
if your vehicle
must be pushed or towed, but never try
to push-start
your vehicle.
D (RUN): This is the position to which the switch returns
after you start your engine and release the ignition key.
This is the position for driving. Even when the engine is
not running, you can use RUN to operate your electrical
accessories and
to display some instrument panel
warning lights.
E (START): This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the ignition key. The switch
will return to RUN for normal driving.
If the engine is not running, ACCESSORY and RUN
are positions that allow you to operate your electrical
accessories, such as the radio.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
With RAP, the power windows, power rear quarter
windows, audio system and the automatic level control
will continue to work up to
10 minutes after the
ignition key is turned to
OFF and none of the doors
are opened.
2-33

Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lights behind you, pull the lever
toward you (to the night position). To return the mirror to
the day position, push the lever away from you.
Outside Power Mirrors
The control located on the
driver’s door operates both
outside rearview mirrors. Turn
the control counterclockwise to select the driver’s
side rearview mirror, or clockwise to select the
passenger’s side rearview mirror.
Then use the control to adjust each mirror
so that you
can see a little
of the side of your vehicle and the
area beside and behind your vehicle when you are
sitting in a comfortable driving position.
If you are not adjusting either mirror, leave the control
in the center
off position. This prevents moving the
mirrors accidentally once you have them adjusted.
Both outside mirrors can be folded forward or rearward.
In the rearward position, they will fold almost flush
with the vehicle. This feature
is particularly useful in
automatic car washes.
2-45

Section 3 Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview ........................... 3.4
Hazard Warning Flashers
............................ 3.6
Other Warning Devices
............................... 3.6
Horn
............................................................. 3.7
Tilt Wheel
..................................................... 3-7
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
......................... 3.7
Exterior Lamps
............................................. 3.14
Interior Lamps
.............................................. 3.17
Switchbanks
................................................. 3.21
Instrument Panel Switchbank
.......................... 3-21
Overhead Console Switchbank
....................... 3.21
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA)
............ 3.22
Accessory Power Outlets
............................... 3.24
Climate Controls
............................................ 3.25
Climate Control System
................................. 3.25
Dual Climate Control System
.......................... 3.28
Rear Climate Control System
Rear Climate Control System (With Entertainment System)
...................... -3-34
Passenger Compartment Air Filter
................... 3.37
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
............. 3.39
Instrument Panel Cluster
................................ 3.40
Outlet Adjustment
......................................... 3.31
ilAlM-.nr I+ lZmtnwtq;n-mnt Ctrctnm \VUiLllWUL LIIL~ILUIIiIII~.. . Vy~L~..., .... ....... " "L 4-49
Speedometer and Odometer ........................... 3.41 Safety
Belt Reminder Light
............................. 3.42
Air Bag Readiness Light
................................ 3-43
Brake System Warning Light
.......................... 3-44
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
............. 3-45
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light
...... 3-46
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
.................. 3-47
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
............................. 3-47
Fuel Gage
................................................... 3-51
Message Center
............................................. 3-52
Service Traction System Warning Message
...... 3-52
Traction Active Message
................................ 3-53
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning
Message
.................................................. 3-53
Charging System Indicator Message
................ 3-54
Low Oil Pressure Message
............................ 3-54
Low Engine Oil Level Message
....................... 3-55
Change Engine Oil Message
.......................... 3-56
Power Sliding Door Warning Message
............. 3-56
Rear Hatch Ajar Warning Message
.................. 3-58
PASS-Key@
I II Security Message ................... -3-58
All-Wheel Drive Disable Warning Message
....... 3-59
Low Fuel Warning Message
........................... 3-59
Driver Information Center (DIC)
....................... 3-60
Eee: P, jar '!!s:n?!g !!esss;e .......................... ... Iz-c;7 v .
3- 1

Exterior Lamps
The control to the left of the steering column operates
the exterior lamps.
0 (Off/Auto): Turning the control to this setting will
activate the automatic headlamp control when it is
dark enough outside and turn
off all of the lamps and
lights during the day, except the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL).
?% (Parking Lamps): Turning the control to this
setting turns on the parking lamps together with the
following:
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
Instrument Panel Lights
sD (Headlamps): Turning the control to this setting
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
Lamps on Reminder
If the driver’s door is opened and you turn the ignition
to
OFF or LOCK while leaving the lamps on, you
will hear a warning chime.
3-1 4

Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness
This feature controls the brightness of the instrument
panel lights.
The thumbwheel for this feature is located below the
exterior lamps control.
Turn the thumbwheel to the right to brighten the lights
or to the left to dim them.
Interior Lamps Control
Turn the thumbwheel all the way to the right to turn on
the interior lamps, if the interior lamps override switch
is
off. Turn the thumbwheel to the left to turn the
lamps
off.
Interior Lamps Override
This switch is located in
the overhead console
switchbank.
Pressing the don’t symbol keeps the interior lamps
off
when any door is opened. Pressing the top of the switch
allows the interior lamps to come on when any door
is opened.
Dome Lamp
The dome lamp is located in the headliner and has two
buttons to manually turn on and
off the lamp. The dome
lamp will come on each time you open a door, unless you
turn
on the interior lamps override feature. See “Interior
Lamps Override” earlier
in this section.
3-1 7

Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist
(URPA)
The Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA) system
is designed to help you park, while the vehicle is in
REVERSE (R). It operates only at very low speeds, less
than
3 mph (5 km/h). URPA can help make parking
easier and to help you avoid colliding with objects such as
parked vehicles. The URPA system can detect objects
up to
5 feet (1.5 m) behind the vehicle, and tell you how
close these objects are from your rear bumper.
Your vehicle’s URPA operates when the shift lever is
moved into REVERSE (R) and the vehicle speed is less
than
3 mph (5 km/h). Four ultrasonic sensors located
at the rear bumper are used to detect the distance to the
object. The URPA display is located inside the vehicle,
near the rear window. It has three color-coded lights
used to provide distance and system information to
the driver.
~~ children licj -.%s, or pets arc __ your
vehicle,
RPA won’t tell you they are there.
You could strike them and they could be
injured or killed. Whether or not you are using
URPA, check carefully behind your vehicle and
then watch closely whenever you back
up.
URPA can be turned off by
pressing the rear park aid
disable switch located
in the instrument panel
switchbank. When the
system is disabled
an indicator light will be lit
on the switch. You will
not see any lights on the
rear display
if the switch
is in the
off position.
3-22