service OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1995 Owner's Guide

Engine Coolant
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when
it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in the
Index.
The proper coolant for your Aurora will:
0 Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C)
0 Give boiling protection up to 262°F (128°C).
0 Protect against rust and corrosion.
0 Help keep the proper engine temperature.
0 Let the warning lights work as they should.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half c.lt.crr~ wwtor (preferably
distilled) and one-half antifreeze that meets “GM
Specification 182S-M,” which won‘t damage aluminum
parts.
You call also use a recycled coolant conforming to
GM Specification 1825-M
with a complete coolant tlush
and refill. Use GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer)
with any cotnplete coolant flush and refill. If you use
this mixture, you don‘t need to add anything else.
A
special procedure is required for adding sealer; see the
ALI~o~~ Service Manual. (To order a service 1nanual. see
”Service Publications“
in the Index.)
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have
too much air (overinflation),
you can get:
Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more,
Don’t forget your compact spare tire.
It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. Simply looking
at the tires will not tell you the
pressure, especially
if you have radial tires -- which
may look properly inflated even
if they’re underinflated.
If your tires have valve caps, be sure to put them back
on. They help prevent leaks
by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
( 10 000 to 13 000 km) for any signs of unusual wear. If
unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as soon as
possible and check wheel alignment.
Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When it’s Time for New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later
in this section for
more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is
to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services’’
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
6-36
ProCarManuals.com

When it’s Time for New Tires
I
You need a new tire if: One
way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which
will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch ( I .6 trim) or
less
of tread remaining.
a
a
a
a
0
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the tire’s
rubber.
The tread or sidewall
is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fcbric.
The tire has
a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has
a puncture, cut, or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because
of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Inforrnation label.
The tires installed
on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
nu~nber 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 yo~~r 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 origiml tires.
6-38
ProCarManuals.com

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed
by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold
in the United States.)
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating base(
the wear rate of
the tire when tested under control
conditions on
a specified government test course.
j on
led
For
example, a tire gkded
150 would wear one and a half
( I 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B,
and G. They represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based
on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
ProCarManuals.com

Tires
To clean your tires, use a stiff brush with a tire cleaner.
When applying a tire dressing always take care
to wipe
off any overspray or splash from painted surfaces.
Petroleum-based products may damage the paint finish.
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material
to the parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the finish
should be repaired right away. Bare metal
will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your retailer or other service
outlets. Larger areas
of finish damage can be corrected
in your retailer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect
on the underbody. If these are not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, floor pan, and
exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring,
flush these materials from the
underbody
with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and other debris can collect. Dirt packed
in closed areas
of the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your retailer or an underbody vehicle washing system
can do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect
in the paint job causes this,
Oldsmobile will repair, at no charge to the owner, the
surfaces of new vehicles damaged by this fallout
condition
within 12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km)
of purchase, whichever comes first.
6-49
ProCarManuals.com

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
I. I
ENGINE A95 7 ASSEMBLY
CODE MODEL YEAR
PLANT
This is the legal identifier for your Aurora. It appears on
a plate in the front corner of the instrument panel, on the
driver's side. You can see
it if you look through the
windshield from outside your vehicle. The VIN also
appears on the Vehicle Certification and Service Parts
labels and the certificates of title and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in your VIN is the engine code.
This code will help you identify your engine,
specifications, and replacement parts.
Service Parts Identification Label
You'll find this label inside the trunk on the side trim
near the power antenna. It's very helpful
if you ever
need
to order parts. On this label is:
your VIN,
0 the model designation,
0 paint information, and
0 a list of all production options and special
equipment.
Be sure that this label is not removed from the vehicle.
6-51
ProCarManuals.com

How This Section is Organized
The remainder of this section is divided into five parts:
“Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services” shows
what to have done and how often. Some of these
services can be complex,
so unless you are technically
qualified and have the necessary equipment, you should
let your retailer’s service department or another
qualified service center do these jobs.
If you are skilled enough to do some work on your
vehicle,
you will probably want to get the service
information
GM publishes. See “Service Publications”
in the Index.
“Part B: Owner Checks and Services” tells you what
should be checked whenever you stop for
fuel. It also
explains what you can easily
do to help keep your
vehicle
in good condition.
“Part C: Periodic Maintenance Inspections” explains
important inspections that your Aurora retailer’s service
department or another qualified service center should
perform.
“Part D: Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” lists
some products
GM recommends to help keep your
vehicle properly maintained. These products, or their
equivalents, should be used whether you do the work
yourself or have it done.
“Part E: Maintenance Record” provides a place for
you to record the maintenance performed
on your
vehicle. Whenever any maintenance
is performed, be
sure to write
it down in this part. This will help you
determine when your next maintenance should be done.
In addition,
it is a good idea to keep your maintenance
receipts. They may be needed
to qualify your vehicle for
warranty repairs.
7-2
ProCarManuals.com

Part A: Scheduled Maintenance
Services
Using Your Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle
in good working condition. But we don’t know
exactly how
you’ll drive it. You may drive very short
distances only
a few times a week. Or you may drive
long distances all the time in very hot, dusty weather.
You may use your vehicle
in making deliveries. Or you
may drive it
to work, to do errands or in many other
ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their GM
vehicles, maintenance needs vary.
You may even need
more frequent checks and replacements than you’ll find
in the schedules in this section. So please read this
section and note how you drive.
If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle
in good
condition, see your Aurora retailer.
This part tells you the maintenance services you should
have done and when you should schedule them. If you
go to your retailer for your service needs, you’ll know
that GM-trained and supported service people will
perform the work using genuine
GM parts. The
proper fluids and lubricants
to use are listed in
Part
D. Make sure whoever services your vehicle uses
these. All parts should be replaced and all necessary
repairs done before you
or anyone else drives the
vehicle.
These schedules are for vehicles that:
0
0
0
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will find these limits on your vehicle’s
Tire-Loading Information label. See “Loading Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
are driven
on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
use the recommended unleaded fuel. See “Fuel” in
the Index.
Selecting the Right Schedule
First you’ll need to decide which of the two schedules is
right for your vehicle. Here’s how to decide which
schedule
to follow:
7-3
ProCarManuals.com

Maintenance Schedule
I Schedule I Definition I
Follow Maintenance Schedule I if any one of these is
true for your vehicle:
0 Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving
in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
0 You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
Schedule
I should also be followed if the vehicle is used
for delivery service, police, taxi, or other commercial
application.
Schedule I Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km) or 3 Months,
Whichever Occurs First
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) or 6 Months,
Whichever Occurs First
Chassis Lubrication
At 6,000 Miles (10 000 km) - Then Every
12,000 Miles
(25 000 km)
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
Engine Oil and Filter Change
Tire Rotation Air Cleaner
Filter Inspection, if driving in dusty
conditions
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km)
Air Cleaner Filter Replacement
Spark Plug Wire Inspection
Fuel Tank. Cap and Lines Inspection
Engine Accessory Drive Belt Inspection (or every
24 months, whichever occurs first)
Cooling System Service (or every 24 months,
whichever occurs first)
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km)
Every 100,000 Miles
(166 000 km)
Automatic Transaxle Service (severe conditions only)
Spark Plug Replacement
ProCarManuals.com

Maintenance Schedule
Follow Schedule I1 orziy if none of the conditions from
Schedule
I is true.
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km)
Engine Oil and Filter Chanp (or every 12 months,
Chassis Lubrication (or every
12 months, whichever
whichever
occurs first)
occurs first)
At 7,500 Miles (12 500 km) - Then Every
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000
km)
Tire Rotation
Engine Accessory Drive Belt Inspection (or every
24 months, whichever occurs first)
Cooling System Service (or every
24 months.
whichever occurs first)
Spark Plug Wire Inspection
Air Cleaner Filter Replacement
Fuel Tank. Cap
and Lines Inspection
Autotnatic Tr-ansaxle Service (se1:el-e conditions only)
Spark Plug Replacement
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km)
Every 100,000 Miles
(166 000 km)
ProCarManuals.com