traction control Oldsmobile Bravada 2003 Owner's Manuals

Cruise Control
I (On): Move the switch to this position to turn the
cruise control system on.
‘r (Resume/Accelerate): Move the switch to this
position
to resume a set speed or to accelerate.
(Set): Press this button, located at the end
of the
lever,
to set a speed.
0 (Off): This position turns the cruise control system
off and cancels memory of a set speed.
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed
of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can really help on long trips. Cruise
control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph
(40 km/h).
If you apply your brakes, the cruise control will shut off.
Cruise control can be dangerous where
you can’t drive safely
at a steady speed.
So, don’t use your cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause needless wheel spinning, and you could
lose control. Don’t use cruise control on
slippery roads.
If you leavc our cruise control on wher
- ou’re
not using cruise, you might hit a button and go into cruise when you don’t want to. You could
be startled and even lose control. Keep the
cruise control switch
off until you want to use
cruise control.
3-1 1

Section Driving Your Vehicle
Your
Driving. the Road. and Your Vehicle .......... 4-2
Defensive Driving
........................................... 4.2
Drunken Driving
........................... ....... 4.2
Control
of a Vehicle ...................... ....... 4.5
Braking
......................................................... 4.6
Traction Assist System (TAS)
........................... 4.9
Locking Rear Axle
........................................ 4.10
Steering
...................................................... 4.10
Off-Road Recovery
....................................... 4-12
Passing
....................................................... 4. 1 3
Loss of Control ............................................. 4-14
Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
Off
Paved Roads ............................................ 4-15
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
.............. 4-28
Driving at Night
............................................ 4-27 City
Driving
.................................................. 4-31
Freeway Driving
........................................... 4-32
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
....................... 4-33
Highway Hypnosis
........................................ 4-34
Hill and Mountain Roads
................................ 4-34
Winter Driving
.............................................. 4-36
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
.............................................. 4-40
Towing Your Vehicle
..................................... 4-41
Recreational Vehicle Towing
........................... 4-41
Loading Your Vehicle
.................................... 4-41
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment
....... 4-44
Towing a Trailer
........................................... 4-45
Towing .......................................................... 4-41
4- 1

There’s something else about drinking and driving that
many people don’t know. Medical research shows
that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash
injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal
cord or heart. This means that when anyone who
has been drinking
- driver or passenger - is in a
crash, that person’s chance
of being killed or
permanently disabled is higher than
if the person had
not been drinking.
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reflexes, perceptions, attentiveness and
judgement can be affected by even a small
, amount of alcohol. You can have a serious-or
~ even fatal-collision if you drive after drinking.
Please don’t drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a
cab; or
if you’re with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
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. That means you can lose
control
of your vehicle. Also see Traction Assist System
(TAS) on page 4-9.
4-5

Traction Assist System (TAS)
Your vehicle has a Traction Assist System (TAS) that
limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only
if it senses
that one or both of the rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
The LOW TRAC light next
to the button will come
on when the TAS is limiting wheel spin. You may feel or
hear the system working, but this is normal.
The Traction Assist System may operate on dry roads
under some conditions. When this happens, you
may notice a reduction in acceleration. This is normal
and doesn’t mean there’s a problem with your vehicle.
Examples of these conditions include a hard
acceleration in a turn, an abrupt upshift or downshift
of
the transmission or driving on rough roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the TAS begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See
Cruise Control Light on page 3-40. When the TRAC
OFF light on the button is on, the TAS is off and will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. The TRAC
OFF light
on the button will come on under
the following conditions:
0 The Traction Assist System is turned off, either by
pressing the TAS on/off button or by turning
off
the automatic engagement feature of the TAS.
The transmission is in FIRST (1) gear; TAS will not
operate in this gear. This is normal.
0 The vehicle is driven on an extremely rough road.
When the vehicle leaves the rough surface,
slows
down or stops, the light will go off and TAS will
be on again. This is normal.
A Traction Assist System, Anti-Lock Brake System
or engine-related problem has been detected and
the vehicle needs service.
The Traction Assist System, as delivered from the factory, will automatically come on whenever you start
your vehicle. To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, you should always leave the
system on. But you can turn the TAS
off if you ever need
to. You shouid turn the TAS
off if your vehicle ever
gets stuck in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle
is required.
4.- 9

Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner] each of us is subject
to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle
to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor you can
control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you
suddenly accelerate. Both control systems
- steering
and acceleration
- have to do their work where the tires
meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can
demand
too much of those places. You can lose control.
See
Traction Assist System (TAS) on page 4-9.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want
it to go, and slow down. Speed limit signs near curves
warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds
are based on good weather and road conditions. Under
less favorable conditions you’ll want
to go slower.
If you need
to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve,
do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try
to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait
to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective
than braking. For example, you come over a hill and find
a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls
out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You
can avoid these problems by braking
- if you can stop
in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t room.
That’s the time for evasive action
- steering around the
problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes.
See
Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much
speed as you can from a possible collision. Then
steer around the problem,
to the left or right depending
on the space available.
4-1 1

Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far
enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front
in your inside mirror, activate your right lane
change signal and move back into the right lane.
(Remember that your right outside mirror is convex.
The vehicle you just passed may seem to be
farther away from you than it really is.)
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the
next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not flashing, it
may be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you
can ease a little to the right.
LOSS of Control
Let’s review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems (brakes,
steering and acceleration) don’t have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has
asked.
In any emergency, don’t give
up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not
“overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’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. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
If you have the Traction Assist System, remember: It
helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If you do not have
this system, or
if the system is off, then an acceleration
skid
is also best handled by easing your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
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.
4-1 4

Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material
is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want to slow down and adjust your driving
to these
conditions.
It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best
to avoid sudden steering, acceleration
or braking (including engine braking by shifting
to a
lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery
until your vehicle is skidding. Learn
to recognize warning
clues
- such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road
to make a “mirrored surface” - and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive
Vehicle
Off Paved Roads
Many of the same design features that help make your
vehicle responsive on paved roads during poor
weather conditions
- features like the locking rear axle
and all-wheel drive
- help make it much better suited
for off-road use than a conventional passenger
car. Its higher ground clearance also helps your vehicle
step over some off-road obstacles. But your vehicle
doesn’t have features like special underbody shielding and a transfer case low gear range, things that are
usually thought necessary for extended or severe
off-road service. This guide is for operating your vehicle
off paved roads.
Also, see
Braking on page 4-6.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some definite hazards. The greatest
of these is
the terrain itself.
“Off-roading” means you’ve left the
North American road
system behind. Traffic lanes aren’t marked. Curves
aren’t banked. There are no road signs. Surfaces can
be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In short, you’ve
gone right back
to nature.
Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that’s
why it’s very important that you read this guide.
You’ll find many driving tips and suggestions. These will
help make your off-road driving safer and more
enjoyable.
4-1 5

Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road
driving. One of the best ways to control your vehicle
is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep
in mind. At higher speeds:
you approach things faster and you have less time
to scan the terrain for obstacles.
you have less time to react.
you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over
obstacles.
you’ll need more distance for braking, especially
since you’re on an unpaved surface.
I
When you’re driving off-road, bouncing and
quick changes in direction can easily throw
you out of position. This could cause you to
lose control and crash.
So, whether you’re
driving on
or off the road, you and your
passengers should wear safety belts.
Scanning the Terrain
Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of
terrain.
You need to be familiar with the terrain and its
many different features. Here are some things to
consider.
Surface Conditions: Off-roading can take you over
hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow
or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering,
acceleration and braking of your vehicle in different ways.
Depending upon the kind of surface you are on, you may
experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning, delayed
acceleration, poor traction and longer braking distances.
Surface Obstacles: Unseen or hidden obstacles can
be hazardous.
A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle
you
if you’re not prepared for them. Often these
obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even
the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some
things
to consider:
Is the path ahead clear?
Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead?
Does the travel take you uphill or downhill?
(There’s more discussion of these subjects later.)
Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction
quickly?

Getting out on the downhill (low) side ot a
vehicle stopped across an incline
is
dangerous. If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get out on the uphill (high)
side of the vehicle and stay well
clear of the rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow or sand, your wheels
won’t get good traction. You can’t accelerate as quickly,
turning is more difficult, and you’ll need longer braking
distances.
It’s best to use a low gear when you’re in mud
- the
deeper the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep mud,
the idea
is to keep your vehicle moving so you don’t
get stuck. When you drive on sand, you”ll sense a change
in
wheel traction. But
it will depend upon how loosely
packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand (as
on beaches or sand dunes) your tires will tend to sink
into the sand. This has an effect
on steering,
accelerating and braking. Drive at a reduced speed and
avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it’s very east to lose control. On
wet ice, for example, the traction is
so poor that you will
have difficulty accelerating. And
if you do get moving,
poor steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide
out
of control.
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds or rivers can be
dangerous. Underwater springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the
ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and
you and your passengers could drown. Drive
your vehicle on safe surfaces only.
4-25

Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certificationnire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue
to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS” (for
mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires. Mixi-.,
--:es could cause
, - . o 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. Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels.
If you
--e bias-pi, ;ires c.. yo^. Jehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
5-56