light Oldsmobile Aurora 1997 s Manual PDF

Hazard Warning Flashers
I
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and
off.
The HAZARD light on the
instrument panel will also
come on.
Your hazard flashers work
your key
is in, and even if
the key isn't in. HAZARD A no matter what position
To turn off the flashers, press the button down again.
When the flashers are on, your turn signals won't work.
5-2

2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure 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.
To avoid the possibility
of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic transaxle
in
PARK (P) before setting the parking brake.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or accessory power outlet.
Turn off all lamps
that aren’t needed as well as radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. In addition, it
could save your radio.
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the other vehicle’s battery
and the Aurora’s remote positive
(+) jump starting
terminal in the box on the passenger side
of the
engine compartment.
(Your Aurora’s battery isn’t
under the hood.)
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tsols away from any underhood
electric fan.
5-4

5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery or remote terminal. You should always
use the remote positive
(+) terminal instead of the
positive
(+) terminal on your battery.
To open the remote positive (+) terminal box, pull
the tab and open the cover.
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 how. 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.
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 fier 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
water and get medical help immediately. Fans
or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.
5-5

If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
I ,A CAUTION: I
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transaxle or other parts
of the vehicle
can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels
as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
I NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle
as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels.
You should turn
your traction control system off. (See “Traction Control
System”
in the Index.) Then shift back and forth
between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the
wheels
as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transaxle is in gear. If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, see “Towing Your
Vehicle”
in the Index.
5-35

Engine Oil
73
OIL
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. If the CHECK OIL LEVEL
message or the
oil warnkg
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.
6-11

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level
is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid
to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to
the proper level.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant. This coolant
is designed
to remain
in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL@ extended life coolant.
Lx
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one pint The following explains
Your cooling system and how to
(0.5 L). Don’t overjill. add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
NOTICE: A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL’
coolant will:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON’III, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON@III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature,
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.

There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might go down. The first
is that the brake fluid
goes down to
an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake
system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top ofi?’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak.
If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on
the brake hydraulic system. When
your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on.
A chime will sound if you
try
to drive with this warning light on. See “Brake
System Warning Light”
in the Index.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 1 I @ (GM Part
No. 12377967). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing
it. This will help keep
dirt from entering
the reservoir.
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on the
engine. The fluid will burn
if the engine is hot
enough.
You or others could be burned, and your
vehicle could be damaged. Add brake fluid only
when work is done on the brake hydraulic system. With the wronb -4nd
of fluid in your
brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause
a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.

Brake Ad-iustment
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to GM specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection”
in Section 7 of this manual
under
Part C “Periodic Maintenance Inspections.”
Brake Pedal Travel
See your retailer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign
of brake trouble. Every
time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When you replace parts
of your braking
system
-- for example, when your brake linings wear
down and
you have to have new ones put in -- be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you
don’t, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can
change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways
if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.

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.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply
to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect
to these
grades, they must also conform
to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions
on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 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
C, and 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 (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
6-49

Don’t use any of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage
your vehicle:
Alcohol
Laundry Soap
Bleach
Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of Your Aurora
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your Aurora retailer has two cleaners, a solvent-type
spot lifter and a foam-type powdered cleaner. They will
clean normal spots and stains very well. Do not use
them on vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
Clean
up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean
area often. A soft brush may be used
if stains
are stubborn.
Use solvent-type cleaners in
a well-ventilated area
only. If
you use them, don’t saturate the stained area.
5. If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it will set.
Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask
surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the
directions on the container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge. Don’t
saturate the material and don’t rub
it roughly.
As soon
as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge
to remove the suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly damp paper towel
or cloth.
Dry it immediately with a blow dryer.
Wipe with a clean cloth.