check engine OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1996 User Guide

Hignway nypnws
Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road with the
same scenery, along with the hum
of the tires on the road,
the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the wind against
the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it happen
to you!
If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less
than a second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
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Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan
the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency. Driving
on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat
or rolling terrain.
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I. .
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check alkfluid
levels and
also the brakes, tires., cooling system and
transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain
roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know
is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing down.
Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a
hill. You could crash.. Shift down to let your
engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill
slope.
L
a
a
a
a
a
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to
go uphill. Shift down to THIRD (3).
This will help cool your engine and transaxle, and
you can climb the hill better.
In hilly terrain, you-may want to switch to the
POWER mode for better performance. '
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at.speeds that
let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing
zones, a falling rocks area or winding
roads.
Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
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0 Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
. you’ve been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anytbmg you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under
your clothing to keep warm.
A CAUTION: I
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
Thiscan cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you.
You can’t see it or smell it, so you might not
know
it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This
will help
keep
CO out.
You can
run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.

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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1.
2.
3.
4.
Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
Let up on the brake pedal.
Drive slowly until the trailer
is clear of the chocks.
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 the Index
will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
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Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use
a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery
has enough water. You don’t
need to add water
to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that first.
If you don’t, explosive gas could be
present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get
it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
1 water and get medical help immediately.
6. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before
you connect the cables, here are some things
you should know. Positive
(+) will go to positive (+)
and negative (-) will go to negative (-) or a metal
engine part. Don’t connect positive
(+) to negative (-)
or you’ll get a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts too.
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.
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The coolant level should be indicated by a CHECK
COOLANT
LEVEL message on the Driver Information
Center.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator
hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere
else in the cooling system.
A C,’ UT’O’‘:
~ Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is a leak.
If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage if you keep running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” in the Index.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fan(s) are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fan(s) should be running.
If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
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may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Aurora retailer for diagnosis to determine the
cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause
of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
Some Canadian gasolines contain an octane enhancing
additive called methlycyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT).
If such fuels are used, your
emission control system performance may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your
authorized Aurora retailer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that will help prevent deposits from
forming in your engine and fuel system, allowing your
emission control system to function properly. Therefore,
you should not have to add anything to the fuel. In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers
and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that you use these gasolines if they
comply with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Lf you plan on driving in another country outside the United
States or Canada, the proper fuel may
be hard to find.
Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not recommended
in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs caused by use
of improper
fuel wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
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Check'-g Thiry Under the Hood
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
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Things that burn can L on hot engine parts and
start
a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber.
You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto
a hot engine.
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The following sections tell you how to check fluids,
lubricants and important parts underhood.
Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull
the hood release handle
inside the vehicle, located to
the left
of the steering wheel
under the instrument panel.
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Engine Oil
OIL
If the CHECK OIL
LEVEL message or
the oil warning light on the instrument
panel comes on, it
means you need to
check your engine
oil level right away.
For more information,
see “Check Oil Level Message” or
“Oil Pressure Warning Light” in the Index. You should
check your engine
oil level regularly; this is an added
reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get
an accurate reading, the oil must
be
warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan.
If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove
it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
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Air Cleaner
To Check or Replace the Air Filter:
1. Remove hose from resonator channel.
2. Release tension of the wing screw clamp on the air
intake duct where
it attaches to the air cleaner cover
near the top
of the engine. Just turn the wing screw
counterclockwise, then detach the duct from the air
cleaner cover.
3. Push the duct and resonator assembly rearward and
up, and hold out
of the way.
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