brakes OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1996 Owners Manual

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I nese are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
These symbols have to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
RUNNING
* 0
DAYTIME -
LAMPS .**
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
t
LIGHTER -
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL e3
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Automatic Transaxle Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your front wheels. It’s the best
position to use when
you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily. It
is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly
set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer”
in the Index.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in the PARK (P)
range before starting the engine. Your Aurora has a
brake-transaxle shift interlock. You have to fully
apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in the
RUN position. If you
cannot shift out of PARK
(P), ease pressure on the shift
lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into PARK (P)
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AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@): This position is
for normal driving. If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
0 Going less than approximately 35 mph (56 km/h),
push your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
0 Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
accelerator all the
way down.
THIRD
(3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(@).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a):
0 When driving on hilly, winding roads
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
0 When going down a steep hill
between gears SECOND
(2): This position gives
you more power but
lower fuel economy.
You can use SECOND (2) on hills.
It can help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to use
your brakes off and
on.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power (but
lower fuel economy)
than SECOND (2). You can use it on
very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the selector
lever is put in FIRST
(l), the transaxle won’t shift into
FIRST
(1) until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if
you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against
a solid
object.
You could damage your transaxle.
Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes or shift into PARK
(P)
to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
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Releasing the parking brake:You will need to use the
PUSH TO RELEASE parking brake pedal. Hold the
regular brake down and push the parking brake pedal with your left foot. This will unlock the pedal. When
you lift your left foot, the parking brake pedal will
follow it to the released position.
If you try to drive off with the parking brake
on, the parking brake indicator light stays
on. The
PARK BRAKE
SET message will appear in the Driver
Information Center, and a chime will sound until you
release the parking brake or recycle the ignition.
rNOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking
on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That part shows
what to
do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into PARK (Ph
I
A CAT TTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could’be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
J
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
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Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control
shuts off.
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at
a steady speed. So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
Cruise control can be dangerous on If
your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. (See “Traction
Control System” in the Index.) When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again,
you may turn the cruise
control back on.
Setting Cruise Control
If you leave your cruise control switch on when
you’re not using cruise, you might hit
a button
and go into cruise when you don’t want to.
You
could be startled and even lose control. Keep
the cruise control switch
OFF until you want
to use it.
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Parking Brake Indicator Light
PARK
Vehicles with hydraulic
brakes have a parking brake
indicator light. When the ignition
is on, this light will
come
on when you set your
parking brake. The light will
stay on if your
parking brake
doesn’t release fully. If you
try to drive
off with the
parking brake set, a chime will also come on until you
release the parking brake.
This light should also come on when you turn the
ignition key to START. If it doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed
so it will be ready to remind you if the parking
brake hasn’t released fully.
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
LOCK
ANT‘- (@)
With the anti-lock brake system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on for
several seconds. That’s
normal.
If the light stays on,
turn the ignition off. Or, if the light comes
on when you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn
the ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again while
you’re driving, your Aurora needs service.
If the regular
brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, \
but you don’t have anti-lock brakes.
If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes
and there’s a problem with your regular brakes. See “Brake
System Warning Light” earlier
in this part.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
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Traction Control System Warning Light
This warning light should
come on briefly as you start
the engine. If the warning
I TRACTION I
light doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
OFF
ready to warn you if there’s
a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with your traction control system and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly. The
traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
0
0
0
If you turn the system off by pressing the
TRACTION CONTROL button located on the
center console, the warning light will come on and
stay on. To turn the system back on, press the
button again. The warning light should go
off.
(See “Traction Control System” in the Index for
more information.)
If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come
on. If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will turn
off and the warning light will come
on until your brakes cool down.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
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Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to
go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time.
First,’ you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s
only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two
or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play
a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph (100 h/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And,
of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition
of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; and the condition of your brakes.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
4-5
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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts -- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is
a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot
of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following
distances, you will eliminate a lot
of unnecessary
braking. That means better braking and longer
brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If
you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down.
If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent
a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on, and you may even notice that your brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
LOCK
ANT‘- (e)
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
4-6
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Here’s how anti-lock works. Let’s say the road is wet.
You’re driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps
out in
front
of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here’s what happens with
ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the
rear wheels. The
anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer is programmed to make the most
of available tire and road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
4-7
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