towing Oldsmobile Alero 2003 s User Guide

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-31.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle
- such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly
towing” (towing your vehicle with two wheels on
the ground and two wheels up on a device known
as a i’dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following. Here
are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity
of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll
want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be
towed. See
Before Leaving on a Long Trip on
page
4-22.
4-31

Dinghy Towing
To tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground,
follow these steps:
I
L
m
1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.
2. Turn the ignition switch to OFF.
3. Set the parking brake
4. To prevent your battery from draining while the
vehicle is being towed, remove the following
fuses from the left side instrument panel fuse block:
WIPER, PCM ACC and IPC/BFC ACC. See
“Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Driver’s Side)” under
Fuses and Circuit Breakers on page 5-81 for the
location
of these fuses.
5. Turn the ignition switch to ACCESSORY.
6. Shift your transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
7. Release the parking brake.
Remember to reinstall the fuses once you reach your
destination. To reinstall a fuse do the following:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3. Put the fuse back in
4-32

Notice: Make sure that the towing speed does not
exceed
65 mph (1 10 km/h), or your vehicle could
be badly damaged.
Dolly Towing
To tow your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
a dolly, do the following:
Notice:
Do not tow your vehicle from the rear. Your
vehicle could be badly damaged and the repairs
!?!!X!d !?e! he Pn~!PlPc! by ;mL!r wsrrsnty.
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P) for automatic transaxles
and NEUTRAL for manual transaxles.
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
(For manual transaxle vehicles, the shift lever
must be in REVERSE
(R) before removing the key.)
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
4-33

Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct equ,pment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
-- or even
at all.
You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. You may also damage your
vehicle; the resulting repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Pull a trailer only
if
you have followed all the steps in this section.
Ask your dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with your vehicle. Your
vehicle can tow a trailer
if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. 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.
Successful, safe trailering takes correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of
these are important for your safety and that of your
passengers.
So please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine
is required to operate at relatively higher speeds and
under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more,
the trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
4-36

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having
to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you’ll be driving. A good source for
this information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your
engine, axle or other parts could be damaged.
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h)
and don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at
the heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers, or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h),
to save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
ihree important considerations have to do with weight:
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that L’W
the weight of the trailer,
- the weight of the traiier tongue
0 and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 Ibs. (450 kg). But
even that can be
too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. And,
it can also depend
on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information
or advice, or you can write us at:
Oldsmobile Customer Assistance
P.O. Box 33171
Detroit, MI 48232-51 71
In Canada, write
to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre, 163-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario LIH 8P7
4-37

Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
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. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice: Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
4-40

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your dealer. The arrows on your instrument
panel will flash whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are stiil working.
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.
On a 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.
P; ‘ting on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill.
If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) for an automatic transaxle or into a
gear for a manual transaxle, yet. When parking
uphill, turn your wheels away from the curb. When
parking downhill, turn your wheels into the curb.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
1/:!?ee!s.
3. When the chocks are in place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake and shift into PARK (P) for an
automatic transaxle or
REVERSE (R) for a manual
transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
4-4 1

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
Engine Overheating on
page
5-26.
4-42

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
It is not necessary to check the transaxle fluid level. A
transaxle fluid leak is the only reason for fluid
loss.
If a leak occurs, take the vehicle to the dealership
service department and have it repaired as soon as
possible. You may also have your fluid level checked by
your dealer or service center when you have your
oil
changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
Notice: We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRQN@-Ill, because fluid with that label
is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused
by fluid other than DEXRON@-Ill is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Manual Transaxle Fluid
It is not necessary to check the transaxle fluid level. A
transaxle fluid leak is the only reason for fluid
loss.
If a leak occurs, take the vehicle to the dealership
service department and have it repaired as soon as
possible. You may also have your fluid level checked by
your dealer or service center when you have your oil
changed. See
Part D: Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
on page 6-15 for the proper fluid to use.
Hydraulic Clutch
The hydraulic clutch linkage in your vehicle is
self-adjusting. The clutch master cylinder reservoir is
filled with hydraulic clutch fluid.
It is not necessary to regularly check clutch fluid unless
you suspect there is a leak in the system. Adding
fluid won’t correct a leak.
A fluid
loss in this system could indicate a problem.
Have the system inspected and repaired.
5-22

50,000 Miles (83 000 km)
0 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°F (32°C) or
higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
52,500 Miles (87 500 km)
c3 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page
5-55 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
60,000 Miles (100 000 km)
0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page
5-55 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
0 Replace engine air cleaner filter. An Emission
Control Service.
67,500 Miles (1 12 500 km)
0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page
5-55 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
75,000 Miles (125 000 km)
LI Inspect engine air cleaner filter if you are driving in
dusty conditions. Replace filter
if necessary. An
Emission Control Service. (See footnote
f.)
0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page
5-55 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
U Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page
5-55 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
6-7