cooling OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1999 Owners Manual

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2-14
Trunk
CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to drive with the trunk lid
open because carbon monoxide (CO) gas can
come into your vehicle. You can't see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the trunk lid open or if
electrical wiring or other cable connections must
pass through the seal between the body and the
trunk lid:

Make sure all other windows are shut.

Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on any airflow selection except RECIRC.
That will force outside air into your vehicle.
See ªComfort Controlsº in the Index.

If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See ªEngine Exhaustº in the Index.
Trunk Lock Release
To unlock the trunk from the outside, insert the door key
and turn it.
Remote Trunk Release
Press the TRUNK release
button located to the right of
the steering column to
release the trunk lid. The
trunk release lockout switch
must be ON.
The system also works with the remote lock control.
The trunk will unlock when the trunk button is pressed
while the vehicle is in any gear.
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3-6 Air Conditioning
The air conditioner cools, dehumidifies and filters the
air for the inside of the vehicle.
The air conditioning compressor is enabled in all modes
unless the A/C ON button is in the off position (the
indicator light will not be illuminated). However, the air
conditioning compressor will not operate when the
outside temperature is below 42
F (7
C). When the air
conditioner is on, you may sometimes notice slight
changes in your vehicle's engine speed and power. This
is normal, because the system is designed to cycle the
compressor on and off to keep the desired cooling and
help fuel economy.
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to let
the hot air out. This reduces the time required to cool the
interior of the vehicle to a comfortable level. If the
system is in the automatic mode (AUTO
-PUSH knob
indicator light is on), during very hot days the system
will automatically go to the RECIRC ON mode and the
temperature door will be positioned at the full cold
position for maximum cooling. You can choose the
extreme comfort setting of 60
F (16
C), but the
system will not cool any faster by choosing the extreme
comfort setting.
Heating
In cold weather, if the automatic mode is selected
(AUTO
-PUSH knob indicator light is on), the system
will automatically direct the airflow out of the lower
floor outlets and the temperature door will be positioned
at the full hot position. You can choose the extreme
comfort setting of 90
F (32
C), but the system will not
warm up any faster by selecting the extreme
comfort setting.
In cold weather, the system will delay turning on the fan
to avoid blowing cold air. The length of the delay
depends on the engine coolant temperature and the
outside temperature. The fan speed will increase as the
temperature of the engine coolant increases. Turning the
AUTO FAN knob will override this delay by turning off
the automatic fan control mode and changing the
fan speed.
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3-9
Turn the control between the rear outlets up to direct air
through the upper outlets. Turn the control down to
direct air through the lower outlets. Adjust the direction
of airflow from side to side with the controls in
each outlet.Ventilation Tips

Keep the hood and front air inlet area between the
base of the windshield and the hood free of ice,
snow, or any other obstruction (such as leaves). The
defroster and heater will work far better, reducing
the chance of fogging the inside of your windows if
this area is clear.

Keep the air path under the front seats clear of
objects. This helps air to circulate throughout
your vehicle.
Steering Wheel Controls for
Climate Control
Some heating and cooling
controls can be adjusted at
the steering wheel. Other
touch controls also operate
some audio controls. See
ªAudio Steering Wheel
Controlsº later in
this section.
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4-24
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
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. These parts can work hard on
mountain roads.

Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
CAUTION:
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will
have to do all the work of slowing down. They
could get so hot that they wouldn't work well.
You would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Always have
your engine running and your vehicle in gear
when you go downhill.

Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest
gear possible.

In hilly terrain, you may want to switch to the
POWER mode for better performance.

Stay in your own lane when driving on two
-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.

As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something in your lane, like a stalled car
or an accident.
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4-38 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. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don't overfill),
engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you're trailering, it's
a good idea to review this information before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index.
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5-
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5-1
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5
-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5
-3 Other Warning Devices
5
-3 Jump Starting
5
-8 Towing Your Vehicle
5
-9 Engine Overheating
5
-12 Cooling System5
-18 If a Tire Goes Flat
5
-19 Changing a Flat Tire
5
-27 Compact Spare Tire
5
-29 If You're Stuck In: Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
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5-12
Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
A. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
B. Two Electric Engine Cooling Fans
CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling 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 surge tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down.
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5-13
A low coolant level should be indicated by a CHECK
COOLANT LEVEL message on the Driver Information
Center. If it is, you may have a leak in the radiator
hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere
else in the cooling system.
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.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn't covered by your warranty.
See ªOverheated Engine Protection Operating
Modeº in the Index.
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5-14
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you use
only DEX
-COOL
(silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to the
system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the use
of coolant other than DEX
-COOL
is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running. If
they aren't, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven't found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn't at FULL COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX
-COOL
coolant at the
coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool
before you do it. (See ªEngine Coolantº in the Index for
more information.)
CAUTION:
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 coolant surge
tank pressure cap
-- even a little -- they can come
out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the coolant surge tank
pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system
and coolant surge tank pressure cap to cool if you
ever have to turn the pressure cap.
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5-15
CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle's coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn't
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL
coolant.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts. So
use the recommended coolant.
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