tow OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1995 Owner's Manual

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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Making Turns
I 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.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a
different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green
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 green 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 still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear h4for-c 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.
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Parking 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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and
then shift to PARK (P).
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
I. 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 LIP 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, belt, cooling system, and brake adjustment.
Each of these
is covered in this manual, and ;he Index will
help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it‘s a good
idea to review these sections before you stat your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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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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When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be
in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake release.
Don’t
have your vehicle towed on the front wheels.
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don’t
go more than 35 mph (56 kdh) or
farther than SO miles (80 km) or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported
on a dolly.
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Towing from the Front-Vehicle Hook up
Before hoolung up to a tow truck, be sure to read all the
information under “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in this
section.
1. Attach T-hook chains into the bottom slots in the
cradle behind the front
wheels, on both sides.
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.
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NOTICE:
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment.
To
help avoid damage, install a towing dolly and
raise the vehicle until adequate clearance is
obtained between the ground and/or wheel-lift
equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components when using car carrier
equipment.
Always use T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook slots.
2. Attach a separate safety
chain wound the
outboard end
of each
control arln.
Towing from the Rear-Vehicle Hook up
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be sure to read all the
information under "Towing Your Vehicle" earlier
in this
section.
I. Attach T-hook chains on both sides in the slotted
holes
in the floor pan support rails .just ahead of the
rear wheels.
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Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Aurora’s instrunlent panel. Your information center
will
also display messages about engine overheating. See
“Coolant Temperature Gage“
in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
Should a low coolant condition exist and the message
HOT STOP ENGINE display, an overheat protection
mode which alternates firing groups of four cylinders
helps prevent engine damage. This operating mode
allows
YOLIP vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an
emergency; you may drive
up to 50 miles (80 km).
Towing a trailer in the overheat protection lnode should
be avoided.
NOTICE:
After driving in the “Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode,” to avoid engine
damage, allow the engine to cool before
attempting any repair. The engine oil may be
severely degraded. Change the oil and reset the
oil life indicator. See “Engine Oil, When to
Change” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
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NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered
by your warranty. See “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” in the Index.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot
when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you‘re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while driving --
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@) or THIRD (3).
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
on, you can 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. But then,
if you still have the
warning,
turf? ofthe engine and get everyone out qf the
vehicle until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously
in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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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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