brake OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1995 Owner's Guide

What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard
to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because
it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s
about freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to
fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice
until salt and sand
crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
Keep your traction control system on.
It improves your
ability to accelerate when driving on
a slippery road.
Even though your vehicle has a traction control system,
you‘ll want
to slow down and adjust your driving to the
road conditions. See “Traction Control System”
in the
Index. Your
anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make
a
hard stop on a slippery road. Even though you have the
anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to begin stopping
sooner than you would
on dry pavement. See
“Anti-Lock”
in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery
road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can‘t reach: around
clumps
of trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see
a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on
it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
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Hitches Safety Chains
You should
always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under
the tongue
ol'the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by
the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer's recommendation for attaching safety
chains and
do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And. never allow safety chains
to drag on the ground.
It's
important
to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are
a
few reasons why you'll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
0 Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install
a trailer hitch'? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when
you remove
the hitch.
If you don't seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see "Carbon Monoxide"
in the Index). Dirt
and water can. too.
0 The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitclxs. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches
to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
Trailer Brakes
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into
your vehicle's brake system.
If you do, both brake
systems won't work well,
or at all.
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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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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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NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to
your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
Trying
to start your Aurora by pushing or pulling
it won’t
work, and it could damage your vehicle.
To Jump Start Your Aurora:
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a I2-volt
battery
with a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be s~lre the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are,
it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able
to
start your Aurora, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured
if the vehicle rolls. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transaxle in PARK (P) or a manual
transaxle
in NEUTRAL (N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lights that aren’t needed, and radios. This
will avoid
sparks and help
save both batteries. And it could
save your radio!
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
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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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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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4.0L V8 Engine (Code C)
P P P
\
When you open the hood, you’ll see:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Windshield Wdsher Fluid Reservoir
Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
Brake Fluid Reservoir
Engine Coolant Surge Tank
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
(behind air cleaner)
Engine Oil Dipstick
Engine Oil Fill Cap
Remote Positive Battery Terminal
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Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level
if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which
is 180°F to 200°F (82°C
to 93
"C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may have
to drive longer.
To check the fluid level
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
0 With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds
in each range. Then, position the shift
lever
in PARK (P).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these
steps:
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
paper towel.
2. Push
it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull
it back out again.
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