2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette brake

Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake ®rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch ®re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is ®rmly set before you leave it. After you
have moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move
the shift lever away from PARK (P) without ®rst pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever
was not fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transaxle into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transaxle. You may ®nd it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of PARK (P). This is called torque lock.
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver's seat. To ®nd out how, see
Shifting Into Park (P)
on page 2-38.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transaxle, so you
can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-40

Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock control
system which locks the shift lever in PARK (P) when the
ignition is in the OFF position. In addition, you must fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK (P) when the ignition is in the RUN position.
See
Automatic Transaxle Operation on page 2-34.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up
into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application.
Then, move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can't
shift out of PARK (P), do the following:
1. Turn the ignition key to the OFF position.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end
of Step 4.
3. Shift the transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the engine and then shift to the gear
you want.
5. Have the system ®xed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Do not
park over papers, leaves, dry grass or other
things that can burn.
2-41

{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under
Engine Exhaust on page 2-42.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the climate control fan is at the highest setting.
One place this can happen is a garage.
Exhaust Ð with CO Ð can come in easily.
NEVER park in a garage with the engine
running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
See
Winter Driving on page 4-26.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, always
set your parking brake and move the shift
lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will not
move. See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 2-38.
If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on
page 4-38.
2-43

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-4
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-6
Other Warning Devices...................................3-7
Horn.............................................................3-7
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-7
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-8
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-16
Interior Lamps..............................................3-18
Switchbanks.................................................3-23
Instrument Panel Switchbank..........................3-23
Overhead Console Switchbank.......................3-24
Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist (URPA)............3-24
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-27
Climate Controls............................................3-28
Climate Control System.................................3-28
Dual Climate Control System..........................3-31
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-34
Rear Climate Control System
(Without Entertainment System)...................3-34
Rear Climate Control System
(With Entertainment System).......................3-36
Passenger Compartment Air Filter...................3-39
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators.............3-41
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-42
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-43Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-44
Air Bag Readiness Light................................3-45
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-46
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-47
Traction Control System (TCS)
Warning Light...........................................3-47
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-48
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-49
Fuel Gage...................................................3-52
Message Center.............................................3-53
Service Traction System
Warning Message......................................3-53
Traction Active Message................................3-54
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Message......................................3-54
Charging System Indicator Message................3-55
Low Oil Pressure Message............................3-55
Change Engine Oil Message..........................3-56
Power Sliding Door Warning Message.............3-57
Door Ajar Warning Message...........................3-57
Rear Hatch Ajar Warning Message..................3-58
PASS-Key
žIII Security Message....................3-58
All-Wheel Drive Disable
Warning Message......................................3-59
Low Fuel Warning Message...........................3-59
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

Cruise Control
Your vehicle may have cruise control. With cruise
control, you can maintain a speed of about 25 mph
(40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control
disengages.
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can not drive safely at a steady speed. So, do
not use your cruise control on winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire
traction can cause needless wheel spinning,
and you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the optional
traction control system begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control will automatically disengage. See
Traction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-8. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may turn
the cruise control back on.
3-12

Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired speed
and then you apply the brake. This, of course, shuts
off the cruise control. But you do not need to reset
it. Once you are going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more,
you can move the cruise control switch from ON to
resume/accelerate (R/A) brie¯y. You will go back up to
your chosen speed and stay there.
If you hold the switch at R/A, the vehicle will keep going
faster until you release the switch or apply the brake.
So unless you want to go faster, do not hold the
switch at R/A.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
To increase your speed while using cruise control,
do one of the following:
·Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher
speed. Press the SET button at the end of the lever,
then release the button and the accelerator pedal.
You will begin to cruise at the higher speed.
·Move the cruise switch from ON to R/A. Hold it
there until you get up to the speed you want,
and then release the switch. To increase your speed
in very small amounts, move the switch to R/A
brie¯y and then release it. Each time you do this,
your vehicle will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
The accelerate feature will work whether or not you have
set an initial cruise control speed.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
To reduce your speed while using cruise control, do one
of the following:
·Press the SET button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
·To slow down in very small amounts, press the SET
button brie¯y. Each time you do this, you will go
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
3-14

Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
To pass another vehicle while using cruise control, use
the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may have to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many
drivers ®nd this to be too much trouble and do not
use cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
To turn off the cruise control, do one of the following:
·Step lightly on the brake pedal.
·Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-15

Daytime Running Lamps/Automatic
Headlamp System
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
®rst sold in Canada.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
DRL work, so be sure it isn't covered. The DRL
system will make your front parking and turn signal
lamps come on in daylight when:
·The ignition is on.
·The exterior lamps control is off.
·The parking brake is released.
When the DRL are on, only your front parking and turn
signal lamps will be on. Your instrument panel will
not be lit up.When it is dark enough outside, the exterior lamps will
come on automatically. When it is bright enough
outside, the exterior lamps will turn off and the DRL will
turn on. Of course, you may still turn on the headlamps
any time you need to.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
control is in the full bright position. See ªInstrument
Panel Brightness Controlº under
Interior Lamps
on page 3-18.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL and automatic
headlamp control off, set the parking brake while the
ignition is in OFF or LOCK. Then start the vehicle.
The DRL and automatic headlamp control will stay off
until you release the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-17