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Summary of Contents for Oldsmobile 1996 Silhouette

  • Page 3 This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use. Customer Assistance Information This section tells you how to contact Oldsmobile for assistance and how to get service and owner publications. It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-7.
  • Page 4 We reserve the right to make changes in the product after that time without further notice. Please keep this manual in your Oldsmobile, so it will be there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new owner can use it.
  • Page 5: How To Use This Manual

    How to Use this Manual Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you do this, it will help you learn about the features and controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find that pictures and words work together to explain things quickly.
  • Page 6: Vehicle Damage Warnings

    Vehicle Damage Warnings Also in this book you will find these notices: NOTICE: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. In the notice area, we 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.
  • Page 7 Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. For example, These symbols are important these symbols are used on an for you and original battery: your passengers whenever your vehicle is CAUTION driven: POSSIBLE INJURY DOOR LOCK PROTECT...
  • Page 8 NOTES...
  • Page 9: Section 1 Seats And Restraint Systems

    Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Oldsmobile and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
  • Page 10 The driver’s seat can be adjusted four ways. Use the lever on the front of the seat to adjust the seat forward or backward. Pull up on the lever on the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it. make sure the seat is locked into place, release the lever and try to move the seat with your body.
  • Page 11: Reclining Front Seatbacks

    Driver’s 6-Way Power Seat (Option) To adjust the driver’s six-way power seat: Front Control (A): Raise the front of the seat by holding the switch up. Hold the switch down to lower the front of the seat. Center Control (B): Move the seat forward or backward by holding the control to the front or back.
  • Page 12: Head Restraints

    But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts can’t do their job when you’re reclined like this. The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it won’t be against your body.
  • Page 13 Remova Rear Bucket Seats SEAT LOCATION There are three types of rear bucket seats: RIGHT ONLY, CENTER OR LEFT and LEFT ONLY. RIGHT ONLY and LEFT ONLY seats may be equipped with the built-in child restraint option. The rear bucket seats can be removed to provide extra storage.
  • Page 14 Dump and Stow Feature The second and third row bucket seats have been designed to allow them fold fully upward and forward when the seats are anchored in the rear-most position. This design improves both luggagekargo capacity and rear seat entrylexit. To use this feature on RIGHT ONLY seats: Lift the upper lever to fold the seatback forward.
  • Page 15 Entry to Third Row Bucket Seats The RIGHT ONLY seats have a lower lever to tilt the seat forward. To get into third row seats, push back the lower lever on the RIGHT ONLY seat (nearest the sliding door) and tilt the seat forward completely. To return the seat to its normal position, pull the seat back, holding the lower lever back.
  • Page 16 Removing Rear Bucket Seats Removing the [GHT ONLY Seats 1. Lift the upper lever to fold the seatback forward. 2. Push the lower lever back and tilt the entire seat and seatback forward. 3. From behind the seat, support the top portion of the seat with one hand as you squeeze the front release bar toward the crossbar.
  • Page 17 Removing LEFT ONLY and CENTER OR LEFT Seats 2. Push down on the rear release bar (located behind the seat) and tilt the entire seat forward. 1. Lift the upper lever to fold the seatback forward.
  • Page 18 3. From behind the seat, support the top portion of the seat with one hand as you squeeze the front release bar toward the crossbar. The seat will release from the floor pins. 1-10 'ting Rear Seats Each rear seat location has two sets of floor pins. Seats equipped with the built-in child restraint option must be secured in the rear set of floor pins.
  • Page 19 Replacing Rear Bucket Seats CAUTION- TO HELP AVOID PERSONAL INJURY. SECURELY LATCH SEAT IN LocATlON SHOWN. SEE OWNERS MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. Follow the diagram on the back of the seats to replace the seats in their proper location. The LEFT ONLY seats fit only in the left positions. The RIGHT ONLY seats fit only in the right positions.
  • Page 20: Safety Belts: They're For Everyone

    If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is locked. Check to see that you have put the seats into the proper location, according to the label on each seat.
  • Page 21: Why Safety Belts Work

    Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. (See “Safety Belt Reminder Light” in the Index.) In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work. You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
  • Page 22 Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn’t stop. 1-14...
  • Page 23 or the instrument panel The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, could be the windshield 1-15...
  • Page 24: About Safety Belts And The Answers

    or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why safety belts make such good sense. 1-16 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About Safety Belts...
  • Page 25: How To Wear Safety Belts Properly

    Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules children and babies. If a child will be riding in your Oldsmobile, see the k m ) Follow those rules for everyone’s protection.
  • Page 26 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don’t let it get twisted. The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly.
  • Page 27 5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones.
  • Page 28 &= What's wrong with this? The shoulder belt is too loose. It won't give nearly as much protection this way. 1-20 You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury.
  • Page 29 What’s wrong with this? The belt is buckled in the wrong place. You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones.
  • Page 30 &: What's wrong with this? The belt is over an armrest. 1-22 CAUTION,: You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over an armrest like this. The belt would be much too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt. The belt force would then be applied at the abdomen, not at the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries.
  • Page 31 What's wrong with this? The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times. You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury.
  • Page 32 &= What’s wrong with this? The belt is twisted across the body. 1-24 You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you wouldn’t have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your retailer to fix it.
  • Page 33: Supplemental Restraint System (Srs)

    This part explains the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) or air bag system. Your Oldsmobile has an air bag for the driver. Here are the most important things to know about the air bag system: be severely injured or killed in a crash if you aren’t wearing your safety belt...
  • Page 34 Air bags inflate with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. If you’re too close to an inflating air bag, it could seriously injure you. Safety belts help keep in position for an air bag inflation in a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with an air bag, and sit as far back as you can while still maintaining control of your vehicle.
  • Page 35 How the Air Bag SysteL-- W LAUTION Don’t put anything on, or attach anything to, the steering wheel. Also, don’t put anything (such as pets or objects) between the driver and the steering wheel. If something is between an occupant and an air bag, it could affect the performance of the air bag or worse, it could cause injury.
  • Page 36 When should an air bag inflate? The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag will inflate only if the impact speed is above the system’s designed “threshold level.” If your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is about to 15 mph (14 to 24 km/h).
  • Page 37 What will you see after an air bag inflates? After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates. This occurs so quickly that some people may not even realize the air bag inflated. Some components of the air bag module in the steering wheel hub will be hot for part of the bag that comes into contact with you may be warm, but it will never be too hot to touch.
  • Page 38: Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy

    Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Oldsmobile The air bag affects how your Oldsmobile should be serviced. There are Parts of the air bag system in several places around your vehicle. You don’t want the system to inflate while someone is working on your vehicle.
  • Page 39: Right Front Passenger Position

    The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
  • Page 40 1 . Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don’t let it get twisted. The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across You very quickly* If this slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly.
  • Page 41 3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones.
  • Page 42 safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or a crash, Ir if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor. You ca;, de seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury.
  • Page 43: Center Passenger Position

    Center Passenger Position Lap Belt Someone can sit in the center position bucket seat. When you sit in the center position bucket seat, have a lap safety belt which has a retractor. 1. Pick up the latch plate and, in a single motion, pull the belt across you.
  • Page 44 4. Position and release it the same way as the lap part of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn’t long enough, see “Safety Belt Extender” at the end of this section. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
  • Page 45: Smaller Children And Babies

    Children Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! That includes infants and all children smaller than adult size. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle. Smaller Children and Babies CAUTION: every...
  • Page 46 CAUTION: Never hold a baby in your arms while riding in a vehicle. A baby doesn’t weigh much crash. During a crash a baby will become so heavy you can’t hold it. For example, in a crash CAUTION: (Continued) at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12-1b. (5.5 kg) baby will suddenly become a 2404b.
  • Page 47: Built-In Child Restraint (Option)

    Built-in Child Restraint (Option) Each seat that has the built-in child restraint option fits in only one location in your vehicle. To find out where a built-in child restraint must be located in seat that has your vehicle, see “Removable Rear Bucket Seats” in the Index.
  • Page 48 To make sure that the child is tall enough, compare the child’s standing height to the top surface of the bucket seat, which is about 29 inches (74 cm) from the floor. The booster seat can be used by children over 40 lbs. (1 8 kg) or whose shoulders are above the shoulder belt anchorages of the five-point child restraint harness.
  • Page 49 WARNING! FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS ON THE USE OF THIS CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM CAN RESULT IN YOUR CHILD STRIKING THE VEHICLE’S INTERIOR DURING A SUDDEN STOP OR CRASH. SNUGLY ADJUST THE BELTS PROVIDED WITH THIS CHILD RESTRAINT AROUND YOUR CHILD. Just like the other restraint systems in your vehicle, your built-in child restraint needs to be periodically checked and may need to have parts replaced after a crash.
  • Page 50 2. Lower the child restraint cushion. 3. Before placing the child in the child restraint, add slack to the shoulder harness. Pull the black shoulder harness release strap firmly. At the same time pull both shoulder harness straps through the slots in the seatback as shown.
  • Page 51 5. Place the child in the child restraint and put a 4. Separate the halves of the shoulder harness clip. shoulder harness strap over each shoulder. Insert both seat belt latch plates into the buckle and pull up on them to make sure they are firmly latched. sure that the seat belt buckle is free of foreign objects that may prevent you from properly latching the latch plates.
  • Page 52 6. Fasten the two halves of the shoulder harness clip together and put it two to three inches (5 to 8 cm) below the child’s chin. The purpose of the clip is to keep the shoulder harness straps positioned correctly on the shoulders.
  • Page 53: Storing The Built-In Child Restraint

    Storing the Built-in Child Restraint 1. Make sure that the crotch strap is held flush to the child restraint cushion with the fastener strip. Also be sure the shoulder harness adjustment strap (grey) is folded up in the seat. This will allow the cushion to fold completely into the seatback.
  • Page 54 Using as Booster Seat I. Pull the head restraint release strap and raise the head restraint until you hear the latch click. CAUTION: The child head restraint is not for use by an adult. Use of this head restraint by an adult could result in injury in the event of a collision.
  • Page 55 3. Store the five-point child restraint harness behind the removable pad. The pad is held in place by fastener strips. 4. Place the child on the cushion and fasten the vehicle lap-shoulder belt around the child. 5. To release the child from the vehicle lap-shoulder belt, push the red button on the buckle.
  • Page 56: Child Restraints

    Child Restraints Be sure the child restraint is designed to be vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Then follow the instructions for the restraint. find these instructions on the restraint booklet, or both.
  • Page 57 If you need to have an anchor bracket installed for any additional passenger seat position, you can ask your Oldsmobile retailer to put it in for you. If you want to install an anchor bracket yourself, your retailer can tell you how to do it.
  • Page 58 Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed. If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child’s face or neck, put it behind the child restraint. 1-50 4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
  • Page 59 5 . To tighten the belt, pull up on the shoulder belt while you push down on the child restraint. 6. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let go back all the way.
  • Page 60 3. Pull the lap belt all the way out without stopping. 4. While holding out, run the belt through or around the child restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. 1-52 5 . Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
  • Page 61: Larger Children

    6. To tighten the belt, feed it back into the retractor while you push down on the child restraint. 7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the safety belt and let it go back all the way.
  • Page 62 Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear seat. But they need to use the safety belts properly. Children who aren’t buckled up can be thrown out in a crash. Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other people who are.
  • Page 63 CAUTION: Never do this. Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind the child. If the child wears the belt in this way, in a crash the child might slide under the belt. The belt’s force would then be applied right on the child’s abdomen.
  • Page 64: Safety Belt Extender

    Safety Belt Extender If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your retailer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be long enough for you.
  • Page 65: Section 2 Features And Controls

    Section 2 Features and Controls Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your Oldsmobile, and information on starting, shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is working properly -- and what to do if you have a problem.
  • Page 66 If you lose your keys, you'll be able to have new ones made easily using these plugs. NOTICE: Your Oldsmobile has a number of new features that can help prevent theft. But you can have a lot of trouble getting into your vehicle if you ever lock your keys inside.
  • Page 67: Front Doors

    Front Doors Pay attention when you open or close these doors from the outside. Stay clear of the upper rear corner to avoid hitting your head.
  • Page 68: Door Locks

    Door Locks Unlocked doors can be dangerous. Passengers especially children open the doors and fall out. When a door is locked, the inside handle won’t open it. Outsiders can easily enter through an unlocked door when you slow down or stop your vehicle. This may not be so obvious: You increase the chance of being thrown out of the vehicle in a crash if the doors aren’t locked.
  • Page 69 Power Door Locks (Option) From the inside, press the front of the power door lock switch (on either front door), to unlock all doors and the liftgate. You can lock all doors and the liftgate from the inside, by pressing the rear of the power lock switch on either front door.
  • Page 70 latic Do01 ,ocks (Option) With this feature, you can unlock all of the doors from the outside by holding the key in the unlock position for one second. To unlock only the driver’s or passenger’s door, turn the key to the unlock position and release. From the inside, when the ignition is on and the driver’s door is closed, all doors will lock each time you move the shift lever out of PARK (P).
  • Page 71: Leaving Your Vehicle

    Unlock the Driver’s Door Only: To program the automatic door locks system to unlock only the driver’s door when the shift lever is returned to PARK (P), press the unlock symbol on your remote transmitter once. The driver’s door will unlock, indicating that this mode has been successfully programmed.
  • Page 72: Remote Lock Control (Option)

    Remote Lock Control (Option) If your Oldsmobile has this option, you can lock and unlock your doors and liftgate from up to 30 feet (9 m) away using the key chain transmitter supplied with your vehicle. Your Remote Lock Control operates on a radio frequency subject to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Rules.
  • Page 73: Operation

    Operation The driver’s door will unlock and the interior lamps will go on when the unlock symbol is pressed (see “Illuminated Entry System” later in this section). If pressed again within five seconds, all doors and the liftgate will unlock. All doors and the liftgate will lock when the lock symbol is pressed.
  • Page 74 If you have the optional power sliding door (see “Power Sliding Door” later in this section), your remote transmitter will have a third button that has a van symbol on it. Press it to open or close the sliding door. If the sliding door is locked, first press the unlock symbol twice to unlock all doors, then press the van symbol to open the sliding door.
  • Page 75 Replacing the Battery in the Remote Transmitter 1. Insert a coin into the slot in the back of the transmitter, and turn it counterclockwise to open the cover. 2. Remove the cover. 3. Remove and replace the 3-volt battery (CR2032). 4.
  • Page 76 ding Door To open the sliding door from outside the vehicle, pull the front of the latch release out and then toward the rear. If you slide the door all the way back, in the open position. To move the door forward, you must first pull the inside or outside latch release out and then forward, or the door will remain latched in the open position.
  • Page 77: Sliding Door Lock

    Sliding Door Lock Lock the sliding door from the inside by sliding the manual locking lever down. Unlock it by sliding the lever up. If you have the optional power door locks, the sliding door lock has a delay feature. See “Power Door Locks” or “Automatic Door Locks”...
  • Page 78 Leaving young children or pets unattended in your vehicle can be dangerous. They could operate the power sliding door. A child or others could be injured. Do not leave children or pets unattended in your vehicle. To operate the power sliding door, the power sliding door ON/OFF switch must be in the ON position.
  • Page 79 When the key is in the ignition in the the power sliding door will only open if the transaxle PARK (P). The transaxle does PARK (P) to close the door. If the ON/OFF switch is in the ON position and the power sliding door is open or in the process of closing when you shift out tone will sound and the power sliding door warning light your instrument panel will flash (see “Power Sliding...
  • Page 80 You or others could be injured if caught in the path of the sliding door. Make sure the door path is clear before closing the door. Objects caught in the path of the sliding door may be damaged. Make sure the door path is clear before closing the door.
  • Page 81 To manually close the power sliding door when the sliding door ON/OFF switch is in the ON position, pull the inside or outside latch release or the edge of the door. Move the door about 4 inches (10 cm) toward the closed position and release.
  • Page 82: Sliding Door Security Lock

    Step 7, repeat Steps 7 and 8 again. If the door still does not operate correctly, see your retailer for service. Sliding Door Security Lock Your Oldsmobile is equipped with a sliding door security lock that helps prevent passengers from opening the sliding door from the inside.
  • Page 83 If you want to open the sliding door when the security lock is on, unlock the sliding door from the inside and open the door from the outslde. If you have the optional power sliding door, slide the power sliding door ON/OFF switch to the ON position. Press either PWR DOOR switch.
  • Page 84 To close the liftgate, pull down on the handle, then firmly shut the liftgate. Don’t drive with the liftgate open, even slightly. See“Engine Exhaust” in the Index. A light on your instrument panel will warn you if the liftgate is not completely closed (see “Liftgate Ajar Warning Light”...
  • Page 85: Liftgate Lock

    -- so don’t do it. When you park your Oldsmobile and open the driver’s door, you’ll hear a chime reminding you to remove your key from the ignition and take it with you. Always do this.
  • Page 86: Parking Lots

    Then take the door key with you. 2-22 New Vehicle “Break-In” NOTICE: Your modern Oldsmobile doesn’t need an elaborate “break-in.” But it will perform better in the long run if you follow these guidelines: Don’t drive at any one speed for the first 500 miles (804 km).
  • Page 87: Ignition Positions

    Ignition Positions With the ignition key in the ignition switch, you can turn the switch to five positions. ACCESSORY (A): An on position operate your electrical power accessories. Press in the ignition switch as you turn the top of LOCK (B): This is the only position in which you can remove the key.
  • Page 88: Starting Your Engine

    To restart when you’re already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. NOTICE: Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your Oldsmobile is moving. If you do, you could damage the transaxle. Shift to PARK (P) only when your vehicle is stopped.
  • Page 89 NOTICE: Holding your key in START for longer than 15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be drained much sooner. And the excessive heat can damage your starter motor. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in START.
  • Page 90 In very cold weather, 0°F 18°C) or colder, the engine coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle. To use the coolant heater: 1.
  • Page 91: Automatic Transaxle Operation

    Instead of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact your Oldsmobile retailer in the area where you’ll be parking your vehicle. The retailer can give you the best advice for that particular area.
  • Page 92 CAUTION: It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
  • Page 93 NOTICE: Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty. Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is dangerous.
  • Page 94 SECOND (2): This position gives you more power, but lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills. your It can help control speed as you mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. NOTICE: Don’t drive in SECOND (2) for more than (41 km), or at speeds over 55 mph (88...
  • Page 95 FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power (but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the selector lever is put in FlRST (l), the transaxle won’t shift into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
  • Page 96: Shifting Into Park (P)

    release the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal down with your right foot while you push down on the parking brake pedal with your left foot. (To release the tension on the parking brake cable, you will need to apply about the same amount of pressure to the parking brake pedal as you did when you set the parking brake.) When you remove your foot from the parking brake pedal, it will pop up to the release position.
  • Page 97 2. Move the shift lever into the PARK (P) position like this: Move the lever up as far as it will go. Pull the lever toward you. 3. Move the ignition key to the LOCK position. 4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
  • Page 98 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 firmly set. And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could overheat and even catch fire.
  • Page 99: Shifting Out Of Park (P)

    Shifting Out of PARK (P) Your Oldsmobile has Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock (BTSI). You have to fully apply your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P), when the ignition is in the RUN position. See “Automatic Transaxle Operation” in the Index.
  • Page 100: Engine Exhaust

    Engine Exhaust Engine exhaust can kill. It contains the gas carbon monoxide (CO), which you can’t see or smell. It can cause unconsciousness and death. You might have exhaust coming in if: Your exhaust system sounds strange or different. Your vehicle gets rusty underneath. Your vehicle was damaged in Your vehicle was damaged when driving over high...
  • Page 101: Manual Windows

    CAUTION: It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in PARK parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is running unless you have to. If you’ve left the engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
  • Page 102 If you have power windows, the switches on the driver's door armrest control the front windows (when the ignition is on). The left switch controls the driver's window. The right switch controls the passenger's window. The driver's power window switch has two down positions.
  • Page 103: Tilt Steering Wheel

    Tilt Steering Wheel A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering wheel before you drive. You can also raise it to the highest level to give your legs more room when you exit and enter the vehicle. To tilt the wheel, hold the steering wheel and pull the lever.
  • Page 104 Ttrrn Signal and Lane Change Indicator The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you to signal a turn or a lane change. To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down. When the turn is finished, the lever will return automatically.
  • Page 105 WindsL'-.'3 Wipers The windshield wiper and washer controls are located to the right of the instrument cluster. For a single wiper cycle: Press the switch marked MIST and release. For more cycles, press and hold the switch. For pulse delay wiper cycles: The pulse delay cycle system allows you to set the wiper speed as slow as 20 seconds between cycles, or faster.
  • Page 106 Windshie To wash your windshield, press and hold the windshield washer switch. The washers and wipers will operate. When you release the switch, the washers will stop, and the wipers will continue to operate for two cycles, unless your wipers had already been on. In that case, the wipers will resume the wiper speed you had selected earlier.
  • Page 107 Rear Win To use your rear wiper, slide the lower control to the rear window wiper symbol. For a delayed wiper cycle, slide the lower control to wash the rear window, slide the lower control to the rear window washer symbol and hold it. The washer and wiper will operate only as long as the control is held in that position.
  • Page 108: Cruise Control

    Cruise Control (0 With cruise control, you rnalnrain a speed of about 25 mph (40 k m h ) or more without keeping your the accelerator. This can really help on long trips. Cruise control does not work at speeds below about 25 mph (40 k d h ) .
  • Page 109 OFF ON RESUME 1 . Move the cruise control switch to ON 2. Get up to the speed you want. OFF ON RESUME 3. Push in the SET button at the end of the lever and release it. 4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal. ACCEL CRUISE...
  • Page 110 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 don’t need to reset it. Once you’re going about 25 mph (40 krn/h) move the cruise control switch from RESUME/ACCEL (WA) for about half a second.
  • Page 111 Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control Push in the button at the end of the lever until you reach the lower speed want, then release it. To slow down in very small amounts, push the button for less than half a second. Each time you do this, you’ll go 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
  • Page 112: Lamps On Reminder

    Lamps Headlamps 2-48 Push this switch to turn on: Parking Lamps Sidemarker Lamps Taillamps Instrument Panel Lights Pull the switch to turn off the lamps. -:g-: Push this switch to turn on the headlamps, together with: Parking Lamps Sidemarker Lamps Taillamps Instrument Panel Lights Pull the switch to turn off the lamps.
  • Page 113: Interior Lamps

    Fog Lamps Slide the lower lever on the lights control panel up to turn on the fog lamps, down to turn them off. An indicator light next to the control will glow when the fog lamps are on. Your headlamps must be on for your fog lamps to go on. Although your fog lamps will go off when your high beams are on, high beams are not recommended for driving in fog.
  • Page 114: Overhead Console Reading Lamps

    Illuminated Entry System (Option) This option comes with the optional Remote Lock Control system. When you open the driver’s door (by itself or in combination with any passenger door or the liftgate) the interior lamps will come on and then gradually dim to off 10 seconds after the last door is closed.
  • Page 115: Rear Interior Lamps

    Rear Interior Lamps The rear dome lamp also has two reading lamps. The dome lamp will go on each time you open the doors, unless you turn the interior lights override switch in the center instrument panel console to OFF. To turn on either reading lamp, press the switch next to it.
  • Page 116: Power Remote Control Mirrors

    Mirrors Inside Daymight 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. 2-52 Power Remote Control Mirrors The control on the driver's door controls both outside rearview mirrors.
  • Page 117: Convex Outside Mirror

    Both outside mirrors can be folded forward or rearward. In the rearward position, they will fold flush with the vehicle. This feature particularly useful in automatic car washes and when maneuvering your vehicle in narrow spaces. Convex Outside Mirror Your passenger’s side mirror is convex. A convex mirror’s surface is curved so you can see more from the driver’s seat.
  • Page 118 Garage Door Opener Compartment You can store your garage door opener in the front compartment of your overhead console, and operate from this position. To install your garage door opener, follow these instructions: 1. Open the compartment by pressing the latch forward. Remove the piece of self-sticking Velcro@'.
  • Page 119 4. Once the opener is installed, use the pegs inside the compartment door to make sure the button on the compartment door will contact the control button on your garage door opener when pressed. 5. Add one peg at a time until your garage door opener operates with the compartment door closed when you press the button.
  • Page 120 Turn the display on or off by pressing the ON/OFF switch. Display the temperature in either degrees Fahrenheit (English) Celsius (metric) by pressing the USMET switch. If the vehicle has been shut off for less than four hours, the display will show the temperature reading at the time the vehicle was turned off.
  • Page 121: Compact Overhead Console

    Press and hold both the ON/OFF and the US/MET switches. The display will go off. After five seconds, VAR CAL will appear on the display. When it does, release both buttons. Press US/MET until your zone number appears on the display. Press ON/OFF to enter your zone number.
  • Page 122 Two cupholders, an ashtray and a lighter are located in the center instrument panel console. The foam cupholder liners can be removed for cleaning. Should the liners ever become damaged, see your retailer for replacements. the ashtray, lift the lid. To remove the ashtray for cleaning, close the lid, then grasp the rear edge of the ashtray with your fingertips and pull up and out, in a rocking motion.
  • Page 123 Side To open the ashtray, press the right side and turn it open. To remove the ashtray for cleaning, press the snuffer as lift up the bottom of the ashtray. If you have the optional rear climate control, your side ashtray will have a flip-up cover.
  • Page 124 To replace the bin, set the hinge pins (one on each side of the bin, at the bottom) into the hinge guides (one at each side of the console opening, at the base), then close the bin. If the hinge pins are placed properly i n the guides, the bin will close easily.
  • Page 125 Your vehicle will have an open storage compartment and cupholder on either side of the third row. onve--'en Net (Optic-- The optional convenience net is designed to help keep small loads, like grocery bags, from falling over during sharp turns or quick stops and starts. Install the convenience net at the rear of your vehicle, just inside the liftgate.
  • Page 126: Luggage Carrier (Option)

    Luggage Carrier (Option) CAUTION: If you try to carry something on top of your vehicle that is longer or wider than the luggage carrier like paneling, plywood, a mattress, and so forth the wind can catch it as you drive along.
  • Page 127 You can then tie it down. Don’t exceed the maximum vehicle capacity when loading your Oldsmobile. For more information on vehicle capacity and loading, see “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index.
  • Page 128 Your luggage carrier has release knobs set in the ends Turn the release knobs counterclockwise to unlock the crossrails. Slide the crossrails forward or back, as needed, to accommodate loads of varying size. After repositioning the crossrails, be sure to tighten the release knobs by turning them clockwise, locking the crossrails in place.
  • Page 129: Visor Vanity Mirrors

    If you wish to attach the luggage tiedowns or other equipment, you will need to remove the outboard bumper strips to access the tapped plates on the crossbar. After the tiedowns or other equipment is removed, be sure to reinstall the bumper strips. Visors To block out glare, you can swing down the visors.
  • Page 130 Act-.:- -1ry Power Outlet The power outlet is located in the rear compartment on the driver’s side. open, slide the latch down and remove the cover. The power outlet can be used to plug in electrical equipment such as a cellular telephone, CB radio, etc. Follow the proper installation instructions that are included with any electrical equipment you install.
  • Page 131 The air inflator kit is stored in a pouch in the glove box. (6 m) It includes a 20-foot hose with an air pressure gage and nozzle adapters. Inflating something too much can make it explode, and you or others could sure to read the inflator instructions, and inflate any object only to its recommended pressure.
  • Page 132 The Instrument Panel Your Information System 2-68...
  • Page 133 Your instrument panel is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You’ll know how fast you’re going, how much fuel you’re using, and many other things you’ll need to drive safely and economically. Refer to the accompanying diagram panel to locate the components listed below.
  • Page 134: Instrument Panel Cluster

    Instrument Panel Cluster Your cluster includes indicator warning lights and gages that are explained on the following pages. 2-70...
  • Page 135 (used in the United States) or kilometers (used in Canada). Your Oldsmobile has a tamper resistant odometer. If you see silver lines between the numbers, you’ll know that someone has probably tried to turn it back, so the numbers may not be true.
  • Page 136: Warning Lights, Gages And Indicators

    R i p Odometer UNLEADED FUEL ONLY The trip odometer can tell you how far your vehicle has been driven since you last set to zero. To set it to zero, push the reset button located above the fuel gage. Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators This part describes the warning lights and gages that may be on your vehicle.
  • Page 137: Safety Belt Reminder Light

    Safety Belt Reminder Light When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will come on for about eight seconds to remind people to fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is already buckled. The safety belt light will also come on and stay on until the driver’s belt is buckled.
  • Page 138: Brake System Warning Light

    (with the engine speed, etc.), but readings between the red warning zones indicate the normal operating range. Readings in either red zone indicate a possible problem with your charging system. Have your Oldsmobile serviced immediately. When the engine is not running, but the ignition is on (in the RUN position), the display measures the voltage output of your battery.
  • Page 139: Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light

    Your brake system may not be working properly if the brake system warning light is on. Driving with the brake system warning light on can lead to an accident. If the light is still on or if the anti-lock brake system warning light is flashing after you’ve pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed for service.
  • Page 140: Engine Coolant Temperature Gage

    Then start the engine again to reset the system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again while you’re driving, your Oldsmobile needs service. If the light is on but not flashing and the regular brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but...
  • Page 141: Service Engine Soon

    See “Engine Coolant” in the Index and have your vehicle serviced as soon as possible. Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine Soon Light) Your Oldsmobile is equipped with a computer which monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and SERVICE emission control systems.
  • Page 142 NOTICE: If you keep driving your vehicle with this light on, after a while, your emission controls work as well, your fuel economy may not be as good and your engine may not run This could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered by your warranty.
  • Page 143 Light Is On Steady may be able to correct the emission system I O U malfunction by considering the following: Did you just put fuel into your vehicle? reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install the cap. The diagnostic system cap has been left off or improperly installed.
  • Page 144: Oil Pressure Indicator

    Oil Pressure Indicator Your vehicle is equipped with an oil pressure indicator. Your oil pressure indicator lets you know when you may have a problem with your engine oil pressure. When the engine is running, readings within the white area indicate the normal operating range. Readings in or below the red area indicate that the engine's oil level may be dangerously low, or there may be another problem causing low oil pressure.
  • Page 145 Low OilLi If this light comes on, it means your engine is low on oil. You need to check the oil level right away. Driving your vehicle without enough oil can cause extensive engine damage. Have your vehicle serviced immediately. Power Sliding Door Warning Light With the optional power sliding door, the sliding...
  • Page 146 If you shift the transaxle out of PARK (P) and accelerate before the power sliding door latches closed, the door may reverse to the open position. A child or others could fall out of the vehicle and be injured. Always make sure the power sliding door is closed and latched before you drive away.
  • Page 147 Fuel Gage l / 2 FUEL Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have left (when the ignition is on). When the gage first indicates EMPTY (E), you still have a little fuel left, but you should get more soon. Here are four things that some owners ask about.
  • Page 148: Low Fuel Warning Light

    Low Fuel Warning Light ‘ When there is between gallons (1 1 L) and 0.5 gallon (1.8 L) of fuel left in the tank, the warning light next to the fuel symbol will go on. This light will also come on when you turn on the ignition, but the engine is not running, to show you it is working.
  • Page 149: Section 3 Comfort Controls And Audio Systems

    Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems In this section you’ll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your Oldsmobile. Be sure read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle. Comfort Controls This section tells you how to make your air system work for you.
  • Page 150 LOWER: This setting brings in most of the air through the floor ducts and some through the defroster vents. DEFOG: This mode is particularly useful during cola or inclement weather, because of your Oldsmobile Silhouette’s larger windshield area. Press this button to all air direct air to the windshield and through the floor ducts.
  • Page 151 On very hot days, your vehicle will cool down more quickly and economically if you open the windows long enough to let hot, inside air escape. For all settings, adjust the temperature control lever and fan speed as desired. Press the RECIRC button to get maximum cooling or quick cool-down on very hot days.
  • Page 152 BI-LEV setting is designed for use on when the air is only moderately warm or cool. On days like these, the sun may adequately warm your upper body, but your lower body may not be warm enough. For the best results, slide the temperature control lever to the middle position, and then adjust it for comfort.
  • Page 153 Please keep the area around the base of the center instrument panel console and the area between and under the front seats free of objects that could obstruct airflow to the rear. The control for the rear fan is located below the audio system.
  • Page 154 If you have this option, you will have a master control for the rear fan on the center instrument panel console, and a rear control next to the second row seat, on the driver’s side the vehicle. maintain a comfortable temperature in the rear, use either rear control to adjust the force of air coming through the rear outlets.
  • Page 155 Rear Air Vents: To maximize airflow through the rear heater outlet, place the left bucket seat in the second row in the forward position (see “Adjusting Rear Seats” in the Index). The vent forward of the rear heater outlet is the cold air return vent.
  • Page 156: Defogging And Defrosting

    REAR FAN Rear Fan Rear Control: This feature allows passengers riding in the rear seats to control the flow of air to the rear area of the vehicle. The rear control is located on the armrest next to the second row seat, left position. The rear fan master control on the instrument panel must be in the REAR position for the rear control to operate.
  • Page 157: Rear Window Defogger

    Rear Window Defogger Press R. (Rear Defog) warm the defogger grid on the rear window. The indicator light will glow while the rear window defogger is operating. The rear window defogger will turn off automatically after about 10 minutes of use. If you turn it on again, the defogger will operate for about five minutes only.
  • Page 158 AM-FM Stereo Playing the Radio VOL: Turn this knob clockwise to increase volume. Turn it counterclockwise to decrease volume. RECALL: Press this button briefly to recall the station being played or to display the clock. 3-10 Finding a Station AM-FM: Press this button to get AM or FM. TUNE: Turn this knob to choose radio stations.
  • Page 159: Am-Fm Stereo With Cassette Tape Player (Option)

    In addition to the four stations set as above, up to three additional stations may be preset on each band by pressing two adjoining buttons at the same time. Just: 1. Tune in the desired station. 2. Press SET. (The SET indicator will appear on the display.) 3.
  • Page 160 Finding a Station AM-FM: Press the lower knob to get AM, FM 1 or FM2. The display shows your selection. TUNE: Turn the lower knob to choose radio stations. SEEK: Press the up or down arrow to go to the next higher or lower station.
  • Page 161 Adjusting the Speakers BAL: Turn the control behind the upper knob to move the sound the left or right speakers. The middle position is a detent and balances the speakers. FADE: Turn the control behind the lower knob to move the sound to the front or rear speakers.
  • Page 162 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player (Option) Playing the Radio PWR: Press this button to turn the radio on. VOL: Turn the upper knob clockwise to increase volume and counterclockwise to decrease volume. VOL graphics will show on the display. M U T E : Press the upper knob to mute tape player.
  • Page 163 Setting the Tone BASS: Press this button up to increase bass and down to decrease it. Press the center of the control to get the factory preset midpoint. TREB: Press this button up to increase treble and down to decrease it. If a station is weak or noisy, press the button down to reduce the noise.
  • Page 164 PREV: Press the SEEK left arrow to search for the previous selection on the tape. A four-second quiet interval must be present for the tape to stop. The tape will also stop when PROG or the SEEK right arrow is pressed. NEXT Press the SEEK right arrow to search for the next selection...
  • Page 165 Finding Station AM-FM: Press this button to get AM or FM. Your selection will show on the display. stereo, ST will show on the display. Your radio has AMAX. With an AMAX-certified receiver, your radio can produce quality AM sound comparable to FM stereo.
  • Page 166 mess POWER to turn the radio into the slot, label side up. The player will pull it in. The disc should begin playing. If you’re driving on a very rough road or if it’s very hot, the disc may not play and may come back out of the slot.
  • Page 167 the Disc Player Turn the power off or turn the ignition key off. The disc stays in the player and will resume playing at the point where it stopped. ST-PL: Press this button to stop playing the disc and switch to the radio. Press it again to restart the disc at the point where it stopped.
  • Page 168 6. Press SEEK to make the second and third digits of your code appear. 7. Press AM-FM and 000 will appear on the display again. Now you are ready to enter the last three digits your code. 8. Press SEEK to make the fourth digit of your code appear.
  • Page 169 Disabling the Theft-Deterrent Feature Turn the ignition on. Turn the radio off. Press the PREV and FF buttons together. Hold them down until SEC shows on the display. Press and 000 will appear on the display. Press SCAN to make the first digit of your code appear.
  • Page 170 Steering Wheel Controls (Option) your vehicle has this feature, you can control certain radio functions using the buttons on your steering wheel. SEEK: Press this button to tune to a higher or lower radio station. The sound will be muted while seeking. When playing a cassette tape or compact disc, press SEEK to hear the next selection.
  • Page 171: Understanding Radio Reception

    Understanding Radio Reception FM Stereo FM stereo will give you the best sound. But FM signals will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to come and go. The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night.
  • Page 172: Care Of Your Cassette Tape Player

    Cleaning may be done with a scrubbing action, non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. A scrubbing action cleaning cassette is available through your Oldsmobile retailer. 3-24 You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type...
  • Page 173: Integrated Roof Antenna

    Integrated Roof Antenna ‘Your state-of-the-art integrated roof antenna is not visible. It is located between the roof and headliner your vehicle, covering the entire roof area from the rear edge the front doors to the liftgate. NOTICE: Don’t mount anything to your roof or headliner, such as an antenna or a luggage carrier.
  • Page 174 NOTES...
  • Page 175: Defensive Driving

    The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your Oldsmobile: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts” in the Index.) Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads or freeways, “always expect the unexpected.”...
  • Page 176 -runken Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving national tragedy. It’s the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every year. Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: Judgment Muscular Coordination Vision Attentiveness.
  • Page 177 It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat lower BAC level.
  • Page 178 The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. “I’ll be careful” isn’t the right answer. What if there’s an emergency, a need to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street? A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
  • Page 179: Control Of A Vehicle

    Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at the places where the tires meet the road. Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires and road can provide.
  • Page 180: Anti-Lock Brakes

    Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts heavy acceleration followed by heavy rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a braking mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking.
  • Page 181 Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet. You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with ABS. A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the rear wheels.
  • Page 182: Braking In Emergencies

    Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance. If get too close to the vehicle in front of you, won’t have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops.
  • Page 183: Steering In Emergencies

    But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room. That’s the time for evasive action the problem. Your Oldsmobile can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in Emergencies” earlier in this section.) It is better to...
  • Page 184: Off-Road Recovery

    An emergency like this requires close attention and quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object.
  • Page 185 Passing driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver? Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds.
  • Page 186: Loss Of Control

    But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your Oldsmobile’s three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force.
  • Page 187: Driving At Night

    If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid if it occurs.
  • Page 188 Here are some tips on night driving. Drive defensively. Don’t drink and drive. Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps behind you. Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles.
  • Page 189: Driving In Rain And On Wet Roads

    Driving i n Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road, you can’t stop, accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as good as on dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll get even less traction.
  • Page 190 Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit them. Wet brakes can cause accidents.
  • Page 191: Driving Through Deep Standing Water

    Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. much water can build up under your tires that they can actually ride on the This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road. Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often.
  • Page 192 City Drivi One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to traffic signals. Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving: Know the best way to get to where you are going.
  • Page 193 Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules. The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers are driving.
  • Page 194: Before Leaving On A Long Trip

    If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you’ll find experienced and able service experts in Oldsmobile retail facilities all across North America. They’ll be ready and willing to help if you need it. 4-20...
  • Page 195: Highway Hypnosis

    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.
  • Page 196 If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re planning visit there, here are some tips that can 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.
  • Page 197: Winter Driving

    Winter Driving Here are some tips for winter driving: Have your Oldsmobile in good shape for winter. You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle. Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a suppl of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and couple of reflective warning triangles.
  • Page 198 What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about freezing (32°F;...
  • Page 199 If You’re Caught in a Blizz; passengers safe: Turn on your hazard flashers. Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that you’ve been stopped by the snow. You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
  • Page 200 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’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.
  • Page 201: Loading Your Vehicle

    Loading Your Vehicle MFD BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP GVWR GAWR FRT THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL. APPLICABLE MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS IN EFFECT ON OF MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE. NUMBER SERIAL MODEL: SPEED SIZE MPBY TIRE RTC. SEE OWNERS MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The Certification/Tire label is found on the rear edge of the driver’s door.
  • Page 202 Electronic Level Control (Option) On vehicles equipped with the optional electronic 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. may hear the compressor operating when you load or unload your vehicle, and periodically as the system self-adjusts.
  • Page 203 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 Oldsmobile retailer for important information about towing a trailer with your vehicle.
  • Page 204 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.
  • Page 205: Weight Of The Trailer

    And, it can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle. You can ask your retailer for our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at: Oldsmobile Customer Assistance P.O. Box 30095 Lansing, MI 48909 In Canada, write to:...
  • Page 206: Weight Of The Trailer Tongue

    Weight of the Trailer Tongue The tongue load (A) any trailer weight to measure because it affects the total or gross weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle.
  • Page 207: Safety Chains

    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.
  • Page 208: Driving With A Trailer

    Driving with a Trailer -CAUTION: If you have a rear-most window open and you pull a trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide (CO) could come into your vehicle. You can’t see or smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness or death. (See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.) To maximize your safety when towing a trailer: Have your exhaust system inspected for leaks, and make necessary repairs before...
  • Page 209: Turn Signals When Towing A Trailer

    Passing You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane. Backing Up Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand to the left.
  • Page 210: Driving On Grades

    Driving On Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your brakes so much that they would get hot and no longer work well. long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
  • Page 211: When You Are Ready To Leave After Parking On A Hill

    When You Are Ready to Leave After Parking on a Hill 1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you: Start your engine; Shift into a gear; and Release the parking brake. 2. Let up on the brake pedal. 3.
  • Page 212 NOTES 4-38...
  • Page 213: Section 5 Problems On The Road

    Section 5 Problems on the Road Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road. Hazard Warning Flashers Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They also let police know you have a problem. Your front and rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
  • Page 214: Other Warning Devices

    If your battery has run down, you may want to use another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your Oldsmobile. But please use the following steps listed to do it safely. On vehicles equipped with the optional power sliding door, a low voltage battery or replacing a battery may cause the system to become inoperative.
  • Page 215 If they are, it could cause a ground connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to start your Oldsmobile, and the bad grounding could damage the electrical systems. NOTICE: burn you.
  • Page 216 5 . Find the positive each battery. Your Oldsmobile has a remote positive (+)jump starting terminal. The terminal is in the red box on the same side of the engine compartment as your battery. You should always use the remote positive terminal on your battery.
  • Page 217 & ! , CAWTION: Using a match near a battery can cause battery gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this, and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight if you need more light. Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t need to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery (or batteries) installed in every new GM vehicle.
  • Page 218 8. Don’t let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the positive terminal of the good battery. Use a remote positive the vehicle has one. 9. Now connect the black negative the good battery’s negative Don’t let the other end touch anything until the next step.
  • Page 219: Towing Your Vehicle

    13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch each other or any other metal. A. Heavy Metal Engine Part B. Good Battery C. Dead Battery Towing Your Vehicle Try to have a GM retailer or a professional towing service tow your Silhouette.
  • Page 220 CAUTION: help avoid injury to you or others: ‘1‘0 Never let passengers ride in being towed. Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds. Never tow with damaged parts not fully secured. Never get under your vehicle after it has been lifted by the tow truck.
  • Page 221: Front Towing

    Front Towing NOTICE: Do not tow with sling-type equipment or fascia damage will occur. Use wheel-lift or car-carrier equipment. Additional ramping may be required for car-carrier equipment. Use safety chains and wheel straps. Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could damage a vehicle.
  • Page 222 Attach T-hook chains on both sides, in the slotted holes in the bottom of the frame rails behind the front wheels. These slots are to be used when loading and securing to car-carrier equipment. Attach a separate safety chain around the outboard end of each control arm.
  • Page 223 Rear 'low1 TOW Limits mph (88 kwdh.) -- 500 miles (800 km) / / / / I Attach T-hook chains on both sides, in the slotted holes in the frame rails, just ahead of the rear wheels. lnese slots are to be used when using sling type equipment or when loading and securing to car-carrier equipment.
  • Page 224 5-12 Engir Overheating You will find a coolant temperature gage Oldsmobile’s instrument panel. See “Engine Coolant Temperature Gage” in the Index. You also have a low coolant level light on your instrument panel. See “Low Coolant Light” in the Index.
  • Page 225: If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine

    / 1 1 CA JTILV: Steam from an overheated engine can burn you badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away from the engine if you see or hear steam coming off and get everyone away from it. Just turn from the vehicle until it cools down.
  • Page 226 If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back drive normally. If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your vehicle right away. If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if the warning stops.
  • Page 227 An electric fan under the hood can start up even when the engine is not running and can injure you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any underhood electric fan. If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling, don’t do anything else until it cools down.
  • Page 228 CAUTION: Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them. If you do, you can be burned. Don’t run the engine if there is a leak. If you run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
  • Page 229 NOTICE: In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts. Use the recommended coolant and the proper coolant mix. You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol and it will burn if the engine parts are hot enough.
  • Page 230 Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling system can blow out and burn you badly. They are under pressure, and if you turn the radiator even a little pressure cap they can come out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap, is hot.
  • Page 231: How To Add Coolant To The Radiator

    How to Add Coolant to the Radiator 2. Then keep turning the pressure cap, but now push down as you turn it. Remove the pressure cap. I . You can remove the radiator pressure cap when the cooling system, including the radiator pressure cap and upper radiator hose, is no longer hot.
  • Page 232 3. Fill the radiator with the proper mix, up to the base of the filler neck. 5-20 4. Then fill the coolant recovery tank to the FULL HOT mark. Put the cap back on the coolant recovery tank, but leave the radiator pressure cap off.
  • Page 233 6. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the engine fans. 7. By this time the coolant level inside the radiator filler neck may be lower. If the level is lower, add more of the proper mix through the filler neck until the level reaches the base of the filler neck.
  • Page 234: If A Tire Goes Flat

    If a Tire Goes Flat It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving, especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly. But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few tips about what to expect and what to do: If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that pulls the vehicle toward that side.
  • Page 235: Removing The Spare Tire And Tools

    Removing the Spare Tire and Tools The equipment you’ll need in the storage compartment at the rear of the vehicle, on the passenger’s side. Open the jack storage compartment by sliding the latch down and removing the compartment cover. 5-23...
  • Page 236 Remove the jack and jacking tools by loosening the wing nut and retainer bar. Separate the plastic pouch from the jack and remove the jacking tools (folding wrench and shaft) from the pouch. The compact spare tire is located under the vehicle, behind the rear bumper.
  • Page 237 The tools you'll be using include the jack (A), folding wrench (B) and shaft (C). Slide the cable retainer through the center of the spare, then place the compact spare tire near the flat tire.
  • Page 238 Spar , , - 2. Loosen the wheel nuts but do not remove them -- using the folding wrench. 1. Each wheel nut is covered with a nylon cap. Use the folding wrench to remove the nylon caps from the wheel nuts before you loosen the nuts.
  • Page 239 3. Attach the folding wrench to the jack, and rotate the wrench clockwise to raise the jack head a few inches. 4. Near each wheel, there is a notch in the vehicle’s frame. Position the jack and raise the jack head until it fits firmly into the notch in the vehicle’s frame (nearest the flat tire).
  • Page 240 Getting under vehicle when it is jacked up is dangerous. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you could be badly injured or killed. Never get under vehicle when it is supported only by a jack. NOTICE: Raising your vehicle with the jack improperly positioned will damage the vehicle or may allow the vehicle to fall off the jack.
  • Page 241 7. Remove any rust or dirt from the wheel bolts, mounting surfaces and spare wheel. F T A TION: Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts become loose after a time. The wheel could come off and cause an accident.
  • Page 242 10. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in a crisscross sequence as shown. Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose 9. Lower the vehicle by attaching the folding and even come off. This could lead to an accident. wrench to the jack and rotating the wrench Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts.
  • Page 243 NOTICE: Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to brake pulsation and rotor damage. expensive brake repairs, evenly tighten the wheel nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper torque specification. Don’t try to put wheel cover on the compact spare tire. It won’t fit.
  • Page 244: Compact Spare Tire

    Replace all jacking tools as they were stored in the storage compartment and replace the compartment ’ cover. Be sure to also store the nylon nut caps. When you replace the compact spare tire with a full-size tire, replace the nylon nut caps over the wheel nuts. Tighten them “hand tight”...
  • Page 245: If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice Or Snow

    Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles. And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare tire and its wheel together. NOTICE: Tire chains won’t fit your Cbmpact spare. Using them can damage your vehicle and can damage the chains too.
  • Page 246 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. For information about using tire chains on your vehicle, see “Tire Chains”...
  • Page 247: Section 6 Service And Appearance Care

    If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll want to get the proper Oldsmobile Service Manual. It tells you much more about how to service your Oldsmobile than this manual can. To order the proper service manual, see “Service and Owner Publications” in the Index.
  • Page 248 If this occurs, return to your authorized Oldsmobile retailer for diagnosis to determine the cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the cause of the condition is the type of...
  • Page 249: Fuels In Foreign Countries

    If this happens, return to your authorized Oldsmobile retailer for service. To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States are now required to contain additives that will help prevent...
  • Page 250: Filling Your Tank

    Filling Your Tank The cap is behind a hinged door on the driver’s side of your vehicle. You will notice that on the inside of the hinged door there is a place to hold the gas cap while you are adding fuel. ‘...
  • Page 251 Be careful not to spill gasoline. Clean gasoline from painted surfaces as soon as possible. See “Cleaning the Outside of Your Oldsmobile” in the Index. When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right until you hear at least three the cap.
  • Page 252 NOTICE: If you need new cap, be sure to get the right type. Your retailer can get one for you. If you get the wrong type, it may not fit or have proper venting, and your fuel tank and emissions system might be damaged.
  • Page 253 To open the hood, first pull the hood release handle inside the vehicle. Next, go to the front of the vehicle and pull up on the underhood release. Lift the hood. The hood prop rod may be hot due to increased engine temperatures under the hood, so be careful when handling it.
  • Page 254 A. Coolant Recovery Tank B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir C. Engine Oil Fill D. Engine Oil Dipstick E. Transaxle Fluid Dipstick E Brake Master Cylinder G. Air Cleaner H. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir I. Battery...
  • Page 255: Underhood Lamp

    Pull forward on the hood prop to release storage clip. Put the end of the hood prop into the slot in the underside of the hood. Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on properly. Lift the hood to relieve the pressure on the hood prop.
  • Page 256: Checking Engine Oil

    Checking Engine Oil Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again, keeping the tip down, and check the level. 6-10 When to Add Oil If the oil is at or below the ADD mark, then you’ll need to add some oil.
  • Page 257: What Kind Of Oil To Use

    The engine oil fill cap is located just behind the engine oil dipstick. Just fill enough to put the level somewhere in the proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way back in when you’re through. What Kind of Oil to Use Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identified by looking for the “Starburst”...
  • Page 258: Engine Oil Additives

    GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for your vehicle. Engine Oil Additives Don’t add anyhng to your oil. Your Oldsmobile retailer is ready to advise if you think something should be added. 5W-30 is best for your 1OW-30 if it’s going...
  • Page 259: When To Change Engine Oil

    When to Change Engine Oil See if any one of these is true for you: Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km). This is particularly important when outside temperatures are below freezing. Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent driving in stop-and-go traffic).
  • Page 260 L *r C 1 mer The air cleaner is located at the front of the engine compartment (on the driver’s side of the vehicle), to the left of the windshield washer fluid reservoir. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to replace the air filter and the crankcase ventilation filter.
  • Page 261: Automatic Transaxle Fluid

    Checking or Replacing the Air Cleaner 1. Loosen the four wing nuts. 2. Pull the top of the air cleaner toward the fro t of the vehicle and remove the air cleaner filter. 3. Be sure to install the air cleaner filter, replace the cover and tighten the wing nuts securely.
  • Page 262: How To Check

    'be a little difficult, you may this choose to have done at your Oldsmobile retail facility Service Department. If you do it yourself, be sure to follow here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
  • Page 263 Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps: 1. The dipstick is located toward the back of the engine compartment, near the center. The dipstick handle has a bright red loop design for easier identification. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with paper towel.
  • Page 264 “Engine Overheating” in the Index. A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for your Oldsmobile will: Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C). Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C). Protect against rust and corrosion.
  • Page 265 NOTICE: when adding coolant it is important that you use DEX-COOL (orange-colored, silicate-free) coolant meeting GM Specification If’silicated coolant is added to the system, premature engine, heater core or radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine coolant will require change sooner 30,000 miles (50 000 km) or whichever occurs first.
  • Page 266: Checking Coolant

    NOTICE: If you use an improper coolant mix, your engine could overheat and be badly damaged. The repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your warranty. Too much water in the mix can freeze and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
  • Page 267 If this light comes on, means you’re low on engine coolant. Adding Coolant If you need more coolant, add the proper mix at the coolant recovery tank. Turning the radiator pressure cap when the engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly.
  • Page 268: Radiator Pressure Cap

    Radiator Pressure Cap NOTICE: Your radiator cap is a 15 psi (105 kPa) pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed to prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage from overheating. Be sure the arrows on the cap line up with the overflow tube on the radiator filler neck.
  • Page 269: Windshield Washer Fluid

    When to Check Power Steering Fluid It is not necessary to regularly check power steering fluid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected and repaired.
  • Page 270 The windshield washer fluid reservoir is located on the driver’s side of the vehicle, toward the front of the engine compartment. Open the cap labeled WASHER FLUID ONLY. Add washer fluid until the tank is full. NOTICE: When using concentrated washer fluid, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for adding water.
  • Page 271 rkes IF id brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled rour with DOT-3 brake fluid. There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal brake lining wear.
  • Page 272 When your brake fluid falls low level, your brake warning light will come See “Brake System Warning BRAKE What to Add When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake fluid such as Delco Supreme 11 No. 1052535). Use new brake fluid from a sealed container only, and always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap before removing it.
  • Page 273: Brake Wear

    Brake Wear Your Oldsmobile has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a high-pitched warning sound when the brake worn pads are and new pads are needed. The sound may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
  • Page 274: Brake Pedal Travel

    Vehicles we design and test have top-quality GM brake parts in them, as your Oldsmobile does when it is new. When you replace parts of your braking system -- for...
  • Page 275: Bulb Replacement

    For jump starting instructions, see “Jump Starting” in the Index. Bulb Replacement For the type of bulb, see “Replacement Bulbs” in the Index. Halogen Bulbs Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or others could be injured.
  • Page 276: Front Sidemarker

    3. Twist the L-shaped bulb assembly counterclockwise one-sixth of a turn until the flanges align with the slots in the retainer ring. 4. Pull out the bulb assembly. 5. Disconnect the bulb wiring harness from the bulb assembly by lifting the plastic locking tab. 6-30 6.
  • Page 277: License Plate Lamp

    License Plate Lamp 1. Remove the two screws from the lamp lens. Remove the lamp lens from the liftgate. 3. Twist the lamp socket counterclockwise to remove it from the lamp lens. 4. Replace with the new bulb and twist the lamp socket clockwise in the lamp lens.
  • Page 278 Cen r mgn-lvlo tted Stoplar---- 1. Remove the two screws from the lamp assembly. 4. Reinstall the lamp assembly into the liftgate and secure with the screws. 2. Pull the assembly out and away from the liftgate. 3. Remove the bulbs from the lamp socket. 6-32...
  • Page 279 For the type of bulb, see “Replacement Bulbs” in the Index. 1. Open the rear side windows and liftgate. 2. Remove the two screws from the taillamp housing. 3. Undo the spring clips under the weatherstrip at the rear of the side window. 4.
  • Page 280: Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement

    10. Close the rear side windows and liftgate. 11. Test the bulbs by using your t u r n signals and taillamps. For any bulb changing procedure not listed in this section, contact your Oldsmobile retailer service department. 6-34 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Replacement blades for your vehicle are 24 inches (61 cm) in length.
  • Page 281 Tires We don’t make tires. Your new Oldsmobile comes with high-quality tires made by a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see your Oldsmobile Warranty booklet for details. / ! 1...
  • Page 282: Tire Pressure

    Inflation Tire Pressure The CertificationlTire label, which is on the rear edge the driver’s door, shows the correct inflation pressures for your tires when they’re cold. “Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
  • Page 283: Tire Inspection And Rotation

    Tire Inspection and Rotation Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles (10 000 to 13 000 km) for any signs of unusual wear. If unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or wheels.
  • Page 284 Vew Tires It’s One way to tell when it’s time for new tires is to check the treadwear indicators, which will appear when your tires have only 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or less of tread remaining. You need a new tire if any of the following statements are true: You can see the indicators at three or more places around the tire.
  • Page 285: Uniform Tire Quality Grading

    Mixing tires could cause you to lose control while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not handle properly, and you could have a crash. Using tires of different sizes may also cause damage to your vehicle.
  • Page 286: Wheel Alignment And Tire Balance

    (except some aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your Oldsmobile retailer if any of these conditions exist. Your retailer will know the kind of wheel you need. Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the same way as the one it replaces.
  • Page 287 GM original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your Oldsmobile model. Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
  • Page 288: Tire Chains

    Some are dangerous if you breathe their fumes in a closed space. When you use anything from a container to clean your Oldsmobile, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s 6-42 warnings and instructions. And always open your doors or windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
  • Page 289: Cleaning The Inside Of Your Oldsmobile

    Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth. Your Oldsmobile retailer has two GM cleaners, a solvent-type spot lifter and a foam-type powdered cleaner. They will clean normal spots and stains very well.
  • Page 290 Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on Fabric First, see if you have to use solvent-type cleaner at all. Some spots and stains will clean off better with just water and mild soap. If you need to use a solvent: Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material with a clean, dull knife or scraper.
  • Page 291: Cleaning The Built-In Child Restraint Pad

    Cleaning Vinyl Use warm water and clean cloth. Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You may have to do it more than once. Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if you don’t get them off quickly. Use a clean cloth and Vinylkeather Cleaner or equivalent product.
  • Page 292: Cleaning The Outside Of The Windshield, Backglass And Wiper Blades

    During very cold, damp weather more frequent application may be required. (See “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.) Cleaning the Outside of Your Oldsmobile The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth of color, gloss retention and durability. Washing Your Vehicle The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep...
  • Page 293: Finish Care

    Finish Care Occasional waxing or mild polishing of your Oldsmobile by hand may be necessary to remove residue from the paint finish. You can get GM-approved cleaning products from your retailer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials” in the Index.) Your Oldsmobile has a “basecoat/clearcoat”...
  • Page 294: Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped)

    Aluminum Wheels (If So Equipped) Keep your wheels clean using a soft clean cloth with mild soap and water. Rinse with clean water. After rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft clean towel. A wax may then be applied. The surface of these wheels is similar to the painted surface of your vehicle.
  • Page 295: Underbody Maintenance

    Although no defect in the paint job causes this, Oldsmobile will repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase, whichever occurs first.
  • Page 296: Appearance Care Materials Chart

    Appearance Care Materials Chart 6-50...
  • Page 297: Vehicle Identification Number (Vin)

    ENGl N E-6 CODE MODEL YEAR This is the legal identifier for your Oldsmobile. It appears on a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the driver’s side. You can see it if you look through the windshield from outside your vehicle.
  • Page 298: Headlamp Wiring

    NOTICE: Don’t add anything electrical to your Oldsmobile unless you check with your retailer first. Some electrical equipment can damage your vehicle and the damage-wouldn’t be covered by your warranty. Some add-on electrical equipment can keep other components from working as they should.
  • Page 299: Fuses And Circuit Breakers

    Fuses and Circuit Breakers The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers and fusible thermal links. This greatly reduces the chance of damages caused by electrical problems. Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the band is broken or melted, replace the fuse.
  • Page 300 Fuse Usage CTSY Automatic Door Lock Module, Dome Lamps, Courtesy Lamps, Power Door Lock Switches, Glove Box Lamp, Power Mirrors, Remote Lock Control Receiver Electronic Level Control, Air Inflator, Underhood Lamp 6-54 Fuse Usage Horns, Horn Relay, Safety Belt HORN Buzzer, Lamps On Reminder, Key in the Ignition Warning STOP HAZ...
  • Page 301 Fuse Usage GAUGES/AC A/C Compressor Relay, ABS, Electronic Level Control Height Sensor, Instrument Panel Cluster, Power Sliding Door Controller Interior Lamps Dimming, Rear Climate Control Blower, Door Lock Switches, Temperature and Compass Display, Headlamp and Instrument Panel Dimmer Switch, Heater-A/C Control, Instrument Panel Cluster, Illumination for Power Sliding Door Switches...
  • Page 302 Circuit Breakermelay Panel Circuit breakers and relays are located in the circuit breakerhelay panel. This is located belund the panel under the glove box, near the passenger’s door. 6-56 Circuit Breakers Usage Hazard Flashers Automatic Transaxle, Evaporative (fuse) Emission (EVAP) Canister Purge Solenoid Valve, Evaporative Emissions Canister Purge Vacuum Diagnostic Switch, Linear Exhaust Gas Recirculation...
  • Page 303 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS ‘unction Block Fuse You’ll find this fuse under the hood in the ABS junction block, located next to the remote positive jump starting terminal. To open the junction block, press in on both sides the cover. Injector Fuse This fuse is located under the hood, on a bracket just behind the passenger’s side headlamp.
  • Page 304: Replacement Bulbs

    Replacement Bulbs OUTSIDE ......Back-up Lamps Center High-Mounted Stoplamp Front Parkingmurn Signal Lamps ..... . . License Plate Lamp Halogen Headlamps .
  • Page 305: Capacities And Specifications

    ......your Oldsmobile retailez For additional information, booklet.
  • Page 306: Engine Specifications

    Engine Specifications ......VIN Engine Code ........Type .
  • Page 307: Section 7 Maintenance Schedule

    AT THE PROPER EVEL AND CHANGE AS RECOMMENDED This section covers the maintenance required for your Oldsmobile. Your vehicle needs these services to retain its safety, dependability and emission control performance. protection purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan Huve y o ~ t new vehicle warranties.
  • Page 308 “Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections” explains important inspections that your Oldsmobile retailer’s service department or another qualified service center should perform. “Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists...
  • Page 309: Using Your Maintenance Schedule

    If you have any questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition, see your Oldsmobile retailer. This part tells you the maintenance services you should have done and when you should schedule them. If you go to your retailer for your service needs, you’ll know...
  • Page 310: Short Trip/City Intervals

    Maintenance Schedule Short Trip/City Definition Follow the Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule if any one of these conditions is true for your vehicle: Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km). This is particularly important when outside temperatures are below freezing.
  • Page 311: Long Tripmighway Intervals

    Maintenance Schedule Long Tripmighway Definition Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the conditions from the Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule is true. Driving vehicle with fidly wnrnzed engine under lziglzwny conditions causes engine oil to brecrk down slowe~ Long Tripmighway Intervals Every 7,500 Miles (12 Change (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first).
  • Page 312 Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles (1 66 000 km) should be performed after 100,000 miles 166 000 km) at the same intervals. Footnotes The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board has determined that the failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to the completion of the vehicle’s useful life.
  • Page 313: Short Tripkity Maintenance Schedule

    Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 6 months, whichever occurs first). Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation”...
  • Page 314 Short Wip/City Maintenance Schedule 12,000 Miles (20 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 6 months, whichever occurs first). DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE 15,000 Miles (25 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
  • Page 315 Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule 18,000 Miles (30 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 6 months, whchever occurs first). Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation”...
  • Page 316 Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule 24,000 Miles (40 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 6 months, whichever occurs first). 7-10 2 7,000 Miles (45 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
  • Page 317 Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule 30,000 Miles (50 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 6 months, whichever occurs first). Replace air cleaner filter. An Emission Control Service.
  • Page 318 Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule 39,000 Miles (65 000 km) 36,000 Miles (60 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. An Emission Control Service.
  • Page 319 Short TriplCity Maintenance Schedule 42,000 Miles (70 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 6 months, whichever occurs first). Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation”...
  • Page 320 Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule 48.000 Miles (80 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 6 months, whichever occurs first). DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE 7-14 50,000 Miles (83 000 kn Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter...
  • Page 321 Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule 51,000 Miles (85 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE 54,000 Miles (90 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
  • Page 322 Short TripfCity Maintenance Schedule 57,000 Miles (95 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. 7-16 60,000 Miles (100 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). AII Elnissior.7 Control Service.
  • Page 323 Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule 63,000 Miles (105 000 krn) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE 66,000 Miles (110 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
  • Page 324 Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule 69,000 Miles (115 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Sewice. DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE 7-18 72,000 Miles (120 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
  • Page 325 Short TripKity Maintenance Schedu’? L O O 0 Miles (125 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Inspect air cleaner filter if you are driving in dusty conditions. Replace filter if necessary.
  • Page 326 84,000 Miles (140 000 km) 81,000 Miles (135 000 km) Change engine oil and.filter (or every Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Sewice. Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components;...
  • Page 327: Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule

    Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule 87,000 Miles (145 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). A n Emission Control Service. DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE 90,000 Miles (150 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
  • Page 328 Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule 93,000 Miles (155 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE 96,000 Miles (160 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first).
  • Page 329 Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule 99,000 Miles (165 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 3 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. ACTUAL MILEAGE 100,000 Miles (166 000 km) Drain, flush and refill cooling system (or every 60 months since last service, whichever occurs first).
  • Page 330 Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule 1,000 Miles (166 000 km) (Cont ued) Replace spark plugs. An Emission Control Service. Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these conditions: In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly reaches 90 (32°C) or higher.
  • Page 331: Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule

    Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles (166 000 k m ) should be performed after 100,000 miles k m ) 166 000 at the same intervals. Footnotes The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the California Air Resources Board has determined that the failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify ’...
  • Page 332 Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule ” 15,000 Miles (25 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE 7-26 22,500 Miles (37 500 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every...
  • Page 333 Long Trip/Highway Maintenance Schedule ’ 30,000 Miles (50 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). Replace air cleaner filter. An Emission Control Service.
  • Page 334 Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule 45,000 Miles (75 000 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). DATE ACTUALMILEAGE 7-28 50,000 Miles (83 000 km) Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or...
  • Page 335 Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule 52,500 Miles (87 500 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation”...
  • Page 336 Long TripMighway Maintenance. Schedule 67,500 Miles (112 500 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis Components; see footnote (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation”...
  • Page 337 Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule 82,500 Miles (137 500 km) Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and Rotation”...
  • Page 338 ‘ : , q n g Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule 97,500 Miles (162 Change engine oil and filter (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). An Emission Control Service. Lubricate chassis components; see footnote (or every 12 months, whichever occurs first). Rotate tires.
  • Page 339 Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule Replace spark plugs. An Emission Control Service. Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these conditions: In heavy city traffic where me outside temperature regularly reaches 90 (32°C) or higher.
  • Page 340: At Each Fuel Fill

    Part B: Owner Checks and Services Listed below are owner checks and services which should be performed at the intervals specified to help ensure the safety, dependability and emission control performance of your vehicle. Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once. Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown in Part D.
  • Page 341: At Least Once A Year

    At Least N i c e a Year Restraint System Check Make sure the safety belt rem’ mder light and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and anchorages are working properly. If your vehicle has a built-in child restraint, also periodically make sure the harness straps, latch plates, buckle, clip, child head restraint and anchorages are working properly.
  • Page 342 Starter Switch Check When you are doing this check, the vehicle could move suddenly. If it does, you or others could be injured. Follow the steps below. Before you start, be sure you have enough room around the vehicle. Firmly apply both the parking brake (see “Parking Brake”...
  • Page 343 Steering Column Lock Check While parked, and with the parking brake set, try to turn the key to LOCK in each shift lever position. The key should turn to LOCK only when the lever is in PARK (P). The key should come out only in LOCK. Parking Brake and Automatic Transaxle PARK (P) lism Check When you...
  • Page 344 Make sure any necessary repairs are completed at once. Proper procedures to perform these services may be found in an Oldsmobile Service Manual. See “Service and Owner Publications’’ in the Index. Steering, Suspension and Front-Wheel-Drive Axle Boot and Seal Inspection...
  • Page 345 Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants NOTE: Fluids and lubricants identified below by name, part number or specification may be obtained from your GM retailer. USAGE FLUIDLUBRICANT Engine Oil Engine oil with the American Petroleum Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines “Starburst” symbol of the proper viscosity.
  • Page 346 FLUIDLUBRICANT USAGE Chassis Chassis lubricant (GM Part No. 1052497 or equivalent) or Lubrication lubricant meeting requirements of NLGI Grade 2, Category LB or GC-LB. GM Optikleen@ Washer Solvent Windshield (GM Part No. 1051515) Washer Solvent or equivalent. Hood Latch Lubriplate lubricant aerosol (GM Part No.
  • Page 347 Part E: Maintenance Record After the scheduled services are performed, record the date, odometer reading and who performed the service in the boxes provided after the maintenance interval. Any additional information from “Owner Checks and ODOMETER DATE READING Services” or “Periodic Maintenance’’ can be added on the following record pages.
  • Page 348 Maintenance Record ODOMETER SERVICED BY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED .7-42...
  • Page 349: Section 8 Customer Assistance Information

    Section 8 Customer Assistance Information Here you will find out how to contact Oldsmobile if you need assistance. This section also tells you how to obtain service publications and how to report any safety defects. This section includes information on:...
  • Page 350 Your retailer has the facility, trained technicians, special tools and up-to-date information to promptly address any issue which may arise. Oldsmobile has empowered its retailers to make decisions and repair vehicles, and they are eager to resolve your concern to your complete satisfaction. If...
  • Page 351: Customer Assistance For Text Telephone (Tty) Users

    Telephone (TTY) Users To assist customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired and who use Text Telephones (TTYs), Oldsmobile has TTY equipment available at its give your inquiry Customer Assistance Center. Any TTY user can communicate with Oldsmobile by dialing: 1 -800-833-OLDS.
  • Page 352: Oldsmobile Roadside Assistance Program Features And Benefits

    24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Who Is Covered? Oldsrnobile Roadside Assistance covers all 1996 Oldsmobile vehicles. Coverage is for the Oldsmobile vehicle, regardless o f the driver, and is concurrent with the Bumper to Bumper warranty period. 24 hours a day,...
  • Page 353: Courtesy Transportation

    Courtesy Transportation We’re here to help. That’s why whenever your Oldsmobile is undergoing any Bumper to Bumper Warranty service, we’ll make sure you don’t end up stranded at the retail facility. It’s called Courtesy Transportation and it’s our way to make sure you’re able to get out even when your car is in.
  • Page 354: Gm Participation In Bbb Auto Line -- Alternative Dispute Resolution Program

    General Motors reserves the right to change eligibility limitations and/or to discontinue its participation in this program. Both Oldsmobile and your Oldsmobile retailer are committed to making sure you are completely satisfied with your new vehicle. Our experience has shown that, if a...
  • Page 355: Reporting Safety Defects To The United States Government

    Some state laws may require you to use this program before filing a claim with a state-run arbitration program or in the courts. For further information, contact the BBB at 1-800-955-5 100 or the Oldsmobile Customer Assistance Network 1-800-442-6537. REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS...
  • Page 356: Reporting Safety Defects To The Canadian Government

    In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada) in a situation like this, we certainly hope you’ll notify us. Please call us at 1-800-442-6537 or write: Oldsmobile Customer Assistance Network P.O. Box 30095 Lansing, MI 48909 In Canada, please call us at 1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French).
  • Page 357: Service And Owner Publications

    Service and Owner Publications Service manuals, service bulletins, owner’s manuals and other service literature are available for purchase for current and many past model General Motors vehicles. Toll-free telephone numbers for ordering information: ..1-800-55 United States .
  • Page 358: Service Bulletins

    Service Bulletins Service bulletins covering various subjects are regularly sent to all General Motors retail facilities. GM monitors product performance in the field. When service methods are found which promote better service on GM vehicles, bulletins are created to help the technician perform better service.
  • Page 359 Section 9 Index Accessory Power Outlet Adjusting Rear Seats ........AirBag How Does it Restrain How it Works...
  • Page 361 ..... . Inside of Your Oldsmobile ......
  • Page 362 Driver Position Driving ........City .
  • Page 363 ........FogLamps ......Foreign Countries.
  • Page 364 Inspections ....... . Brakesystem ......Exhaust Systems .
  • Page 365 ........LockDelay ......Locking Storage Bin .
  • Page 366 ......Opener. GarageDoor ......Overhead Console Overheating Engine .
  • Page 367 ......Reclining Front Seatbacks ......Recovery Tank.
  • Page 368 9- 10...
  • Page 369 ....Stuck: In Sand. Mud. Ice or Snow Sunvisors Sunglasses Storage Supplemental Restraint System Symbols. Vehicle Tachometer Taillamp Bulb Replacement TapePlayerCare ....Temperature and Compass Display Temperature Control, Climate Control System Theft...
  • Page 370 underbody Flushing Service ......Underbody Maintenance Used Replacement Wheel Vehicle ........Control Damagewarnings .

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