tires OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1995 User Guide

Towing a Trailer
NOTICE:
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 Aurora
retailer for important information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
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. 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.
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Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because
it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle. The capacity weight includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry
in
it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle”
in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
B A
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded trailer weight
(B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 12% of the total loaded trailer
weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see
if the weights are
proper.
If they aren’t, YOLI may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around
in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the
recommended pressure for cold tires. You’ll find these
numbers on the Certification label at the rear edge of the
driver’s door or see “Loading Your Vehicle”
in the
Index. Then be sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit
for your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer
tongue.
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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,
lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by Imnd 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 lights 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 yo~~r
hand to the right. Always back
up slowly and, if
possible. have someone guide you.
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Towing Your Vehicle
I
Try to have a GM retailer or a professional towing
service tow your Aurora. The usual towing equipment
is:
A. Sling-type tow truck
B. Wheel-lift tow truck
C. Car carrier
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new
by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting, or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may
not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn
on the hazard warning
flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
0
0
0
e
0
That your vehicle can only be towed with certain
equipment, as described later
in this section.
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still n~ove the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
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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 fdils, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls
the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake to a
stop well out
of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go.
It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop, well off the road
if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
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The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
The equipment you’ll need is
in the trunk.
Instructions for changing your tires are on the inside of
the tire cover.
You can rest the cover near you for easy
reference while
you change the tire.
1. Turn the center retainer
bolt on the spare tire
cover counterclockwise
to remove
it, then lift the
tire cover.
2. The jack container is labeled PRESS SIDES LIFT
TOP. Do this, then remove the jack and wrench.
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Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare was fully inflated when
your vehicle
was new, it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation pressure regularly.
It should be 60 psi
(420 kPa). After installing the compact spare on your
vehicle, you should stop
as soon as possible and make
sure your spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact
spare is made
to perform well at posted speed limits for
distances up to
3,000 miles (5 000 km), so you can
finish your trip and have your full-size tire repaired or
replaced where you want. Of course, it’s best
to replace
your spare with
a full-size tire as soon as you can. Your
spare will last longer and be in good shape in case you
need
it again.
NOTICE:
Don’t take your compact spare through an
automatic car wash with guide rails. The
compact spare can get caught on the rails. That
can damage the tire and wheel, and maybe other
parts
of your vehicle. Don‘t
use your compact spare
on some other vehicle.
And don’t mix your compact spare or wheel
with other
wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare and its
wheel together.
I NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them will damage your vehicle and destroy the
chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your compact
spare.
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If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow I 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. What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fdst. The method known
as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains’’
in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. You should turn
your traction control system
off. (See ”Traction Control
System”
in the Index.) Then shift back and forth
between REVERSE
(R) and a forward gear, spinning the
wheels
as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator
pedal when the transaxle
is in gear. If that doesn’t get
you out after
a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
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Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has the composite headlamp system. These
headlamps have horizontal and vertical aim indicators.
The
aim has been pre-set at the hctory and should need
no further adjustment.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident and the
headlamp aim seems to be affected, see your Aurora
retailer. Headlamps
on damaged vehicles may require
recalibration
of the horizontal aim by your Aurora
retailer.
To check the aim, the vehicle should be properly
prepared as follows:
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice, or mud
attached
to it.
0 There should not be any cargo or loading of vehicle,
except
it should have a full tank of gas and one
person or
160 Ibs. (75 kg) on the driver's seat.
Tires should be properly inflated.
I NOTICE:
To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before
beginning. Failure to
follow these instructions
could cause damage to headlamp parts.
State inspection stations will allow a vertical reading of
plus
0.76 degrees or minus 0.76 degrees from the center
of the bubble.
It is recolnmended that the upper limit not exceed plus
0.4 degrees from the center of the bubble. Other drivers
may flash their bright lights at you
if your adjustment is
much above plus 0.4 degrees.
If you find that the headlamp aiming needs adjustment,
follow these steps:
Start with the vertical headlamp aim. Don't try to adjust
the horizontal aim first. Adjustment screws can be
turned
with an E8 Torx@socket or T1S TorxB
screwdriver.
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
I
Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed
in different ways. Here’s how to remove the
type with
a release hole:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from the
windshield.
2. Insert a small screwdriver into the hole (A) and pull
the blade assembly off the wiper arm (B).
3. Push the new wiper blade securely on the wiper arm.
Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new vehicle comes with high
quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. These
tires are warranted by the tire manufacturers and their
warranties are delivered with every new Aurora.
If your
spare tire is a different brand than your road tires,
you
will have a tire warranty folder from each of these
manufacturers.
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