2004 Oldsmobile Silhouette steering wheel

{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any air bag when it in¯ates can be seriously
injured or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither the
vehicle's safety belt system nor its air bag
system is designed for them. Young children
and infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide. Always secure
children properly in your vehicle. To read how,
see the part of this manual called ªOlder
Childrenº or ªInfants and Young Children.º
There is a air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel cluster,
which shows the air
bag symbol.The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See
Air Bag Readiness Light on page 3-45for more information.
Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver's frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.
1-72

The right front passenger's side impact air bag is in the
side of the passenger's seatback closest to the door.
{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an
air bag, the bag might not in¯ate properly or it
might force the object into that person causing
severe injury or even death. The path of an
in¯ating air bag must be kept clear. Don't put
anything between an occupant and an air bag,
and don't attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other air
bag covering. Don't let seat covers block the
in¯ation path of a side impact air bag.
1-74

When Should an Air Bag In¯ate?
The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags
are designed to in¯ate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to in¯ate
only if the impact speed is above the system's
designed ªthreshold level.º
In addition, your vehicle has ªdual stageº frontal air
bags, which adjust the amount of restraint according
to crash severity. For moderate frontal impacts, these
air bags in¯ate at a level less than full deployment.
For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs.
If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall
that doesn't move or deform, the threshold level for
the reduced deployment is about 12 to 18 mph
(19 to 29 km/h), and the threshold level for a full
deployment is about 18 to 24 mph (29 to 38.5 km/h).
The threshold level can vary, however, with speci®c
vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above
or below this range.
If your ehicle strikes something that will move or deform,
such as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher.
The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags
are not designed to in¯ate in rollovers, rear impacts,
or in many side impacts because in¯ation would not help
the occupant.The side impact air bags are designed to in¯ate in
moderate to severe side crashes. A side impact air bag
will in¯ate if the crash severity is above the system's
designed ªthreshold level.º The threshold level can vary
with speci®c vehicle design. Side impact air bags are
not designed to in¯ate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers or rear impacts, because in¯ation would not
help the occupant. A side impact air bag will only deploy
on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have in¯ated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were.For frontal air bags, in¯ation is determined by the
angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle
slows down in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side
impact air bags, in¯ation is determined by the location
and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Air Bag In¯ate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the in¯ator,
which in¯ates the air bag. The in¯ator, the air bag and
related hardware are all part of the air bag modules
inside the steering wheel, the instrument panel, and the
side of the front seatbacks closest to the door.
1-75

How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force
of the impact more evenly over the occupant's
upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually.
But the frontal air bags would not help you in many
types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts,
and many side impacts, primarily because an occupant's
motion is not toward the air bag. Side impact air bags
would not help you in many types of collisions, including
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is
not toward those air bags. Air bags should never
be regarded as anything more than a supplement to
safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal collisions for the driver's and
right front passenger's frontal air bags, and only
in moderate to severe side collisions for the driver's
and right front passenger's side impact air bag.
What Will You See After an Air Bag
In¯ates?
After the air bag in¯ates, it quickly de¯ates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
in¯ated. Some components of the air bag module will be
hot for a short time. These components include the
steering wheel hub for the driver's frontal air bag and
the instrument panel for the right front passenger's
frontal air bag. For vehicles with side impact air bags,
the side of the seatback closest to the driver's and/or
right front passenger's door will be hot. The parts of
the bag that come into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke
and dust coming from the vents in the de¯ated air bags.
Air bag in¯ation does not prevent the driver from
seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it
stop people from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an air bag in¯ates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
CAUTION: (Continued)
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CAUTION: (Continued)
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can't get out of the vehicle after an air bag
in¯ates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment,
you should seek medical attention.
In many crashes severe enough to in¯ate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional
windshield breakage may also occur from the right front
passenger air bag.
·Air bags are designed to in¯ate only once. After an
air bag in¯ates, you'll need some new parts for your
air bag system. If you do not get them, the air bag
system will not be there to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include air bag modules
and possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
·Your vehicle is equipped with two electronic frontal
sensors, which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a moresevere frontal impact. Your vehicle is also equipped
with a crash sensing and diagnostic module, which
records information about the frontal air bag system.
The module records information about the readiness
of the system, when the system commands air bag
in¯ation and driver's safety belt usage at deployment.
The module also records speed, engine rpm, brake
and throttle data.
·Let only quali®ed technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air bag
system will not work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver's
or the right front passenger's air bag, or the air
bag covering on the driver's and right front
passenger's seatback, the bag may not work
properly. You may have to replace the air bag
module in the steering wheel, both the air bag
module and the instrument panel for the right front
passenger's air bag, or both the air bag module
and seatback for the driver's and right front
passenger's side impact air bag. Do not open or
break the air bag coverings.
1-77

Driver Information Center (DIC).......................3-60
Audio System(s).............................................3-63
Setting the Time...........................................3-63
Radio with Cassette and CD..........................3-64
Radio with Six-Disc CD.................................3-74
Entertainment System....................................3-85
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
(Without Entertainment System)...................3-92
Rear Seat Audio (RSA)
(With Entertainment System).......................3-94Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-96
Audio Steering Wheel Controls.......................3-97
DVD Distortion.............................................3-98
Radio Reception...........................................3-98
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player.................3-98
Care of Your CDs and DVDs.........................3-99
Care of Your CD and DVD Player.................3-100
Cleaning Your DVD Player...........................3-100
Cleaning the Video Screen...........................3-100
Fixed Mast Antenna....................................3-100
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-2

A. Side Outlets. SeeOutlet Adjustment on page 3-34.
B. Front Outlets. See
Outlet Adjustment on page 3-34.
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. See
Turn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-8.
D. Hazard Warning Flasher Switch. See
Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
E. Instrument Panel Cluster. See
Instrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-42.
F. Center Outlets. See
Outlet Adjustment on page 3-34.
G. Audio System. See
Audio System(s) on page 3-63.
H. Side Outlets. See
Outlet Adjustment on page 3-34.
I. Exterior Lamps Control. See
Exterior Lamps
on page 3-16.
J. Hood Release. See
Hood Release on page 5-10.
K. Audio Steering Wheel Controls. See
Audio Steering
Wheel Controls on page 3-97.
L. Horn. See
Horn on page 3-7.
M. Ignition Switch. See
Ignition Positions on page 2-31.N. Audio Steering Wheel Controls. See
Audio Steering
Wheel Controls on page 3-97.
O. Climate Controls. See
Climate Control System
on page 3-28orDual Climate Control System
on page 3-31.
P. Rear Fan Controls. See
Rear Climate Control
System (Without Entertainment System) on
page 3-34
orRear Climate Control System
(With Entertainment System) on page 3-36.
Q. Cupholder Tray. See
Cupholder(s) on page 2-52.
R. Accessory Power Outlet. See
Accessory Power
Outlets on page 3-27.
S. Instrument Panel Switchbank. See
Instrument Panel
Switchbank on page 3-23.
T. Glove Box. See
Glove Box on page 2-51.
U. Front Outlets. See
Outlet Adjustment on page 3-34.
V. Instrument Panel Fuse Block. See
Fuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 5-101.
3-5

Other Warning Devices
If you carry re¯ective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Horn
You can sound the horn by pressing the horn symbols
on your steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt wheel allows you to adjust the steering wheel
before you drive. You can raise it to the highest level to
give your legs more room when you exit and enter
the vehicle.
The lever that allows you to tilt the steering wheel is
located on the left side of the steering column.To tilt the wheel, hold
the steering wheel and
pull the lever.
Then move the steering wheel to a comfortable position
and release the lever to lock the wheel in place.
3-7