2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette fuel

Fuel Gage
When the indicator nears empty, you still have a little
fuel left, but you should get more soon.
If your fuel is low, the warning message in the message
center will come on. See
Low Fuel Warning Message
on page 3-59.Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have
left when the ignition is on.
Here are four things that some owners ask about.
All these things are normal and do not indicate that
anything is wrong with the fuel gage.
·At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
·It takes a little more (or less) fuel to ®ll up than the
gage reads. For example, the gage reads half full,
but it took more (or less) than half of the tank's
capacity to ®ll it.
·The gage pointer may move while cornering,
braking or speeding up.
·The gage may not indicate empty when the ignition
is turned off. United States
Canada
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All-Wheel Drive Disable Warning
Message
Your vehicle may have this message. If it does, it will
come on when there is a spare tire on the vehicle, or
when the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
or when the rear differential ¯uid is overheating. This
message will go out when the differential ¯uid cools.
The all-wheel drive system will be disabled until the
compact spare tire is replaced by a full-size tire. If the
warning message is still on after putting on the full-size
tire, you need to reset the warning message. To reset the
warning message, turn the ignition off and then back on
again. If the message stays on, see your dealer right
away. See
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System on page 4-10for more information.
Low Fuel Warning Message
If your fuel is low, the warning message will come on
and stay on until you add fuel.
If the warning message is still on after adding fuel,
you need to reset the warning message. To reset the
warning message, turn the ignition off and then back on.
If the message stays on, see your dealer. United StatesCanada
United StatesCanada
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Error Displays
·
An error of the vehicle's speed sensor or fuel
sender will cause -E- to be displayed.
·In the absence of vehicle communications, a dash
ª- -º is displayed.
If one of these error messages appear, see your dealer.
Trip Computer
There are ®ve trip computer displays available by
pushing the MODE button. The information will appear
in the following order:
AVG ECON (Average Fuel Economy):This shows the
average fuel economy since the last reset.
INST ECON (Instant Fuel Economy):This shows fuel
economy for the most recent second of driving.RANGE (Trip Range):This shows the estimated
distance that can be traveled with the remaining fuel.
The fuel economy used to calculate range is based
on the last few hours of driving.
FUEL USED (Trip Fuel Used):This shows the
accumulated fuel used since the last reset.
AVG SPEED (Average Speed):This shows the
average speed since the last reset.Resetting the Trip Computer
Press and hold the MODE and E/M buttons for at least
two seconds. The reset is acknowledged with the
display showing all segments brie¯y. A reset can only
be done in AVG ECON, FUEL USED and AVG SPEED
displays. AVG ECON, FUEL USED and AVG SPEED
can only be reset independently. Only the mode
that is displayed will be reset.
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·Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you checked
all levels?
·Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
·Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all in¯ated
to the recommended pressure?
·Weather Forecasts:What is the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
·Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as ªhighway
hypnosisº? 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.
Do not 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:
·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.
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·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,
¯oor mats Ð 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.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You can not 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 does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.
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.
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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 do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
ªrockingº can help you get out when you are stuck,
but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they 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
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
compartment ®re or other damage. When you
are stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible.
Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
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 ªRocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out.º
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see
Tire Chains on page 5-74.
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 4-8. 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.
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The label shows the size of your original tires and the
in¯ation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight
capacity of your vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel, and cargo.
The Certi®cation/Tire label also tells you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). To ®nd out the actual loads
on your front and rear axles, you need to go to a
weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can
help you with this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the GAWR
for either the front or rear axle.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, and it can change the way your vehicle
handles. These could cause you to lose
control and crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of your vehicle.
Notice:Overloading your vehicle may cause
damage. Repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Do not overload your vehicle.
If you put things inside your vehicle Ð like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else Ð they will go as fast
as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn
quickly, or if there is a crash, they will keep going.
{CAUTION:
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.
·Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
·When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
·Do not leave a seat folded down unless
you need to.
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Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you should
read the information in ªWeight of the Trailerº that
appears later in this section. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, acceleration, braking, durability,
and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That is 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. The
trailer also adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
·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. See ªHitchesº later
in this section.
·Do not tow a trailer at all during the ®rst 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
·During the ®rst 500 miles (800 km) that you tow a
trailer, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and do
not 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.
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