cooling Oldsmobile Aurora 1997 Owner's Manuals

It can be dangerous to drive with the trunk lid
open because carbon monoxide (CO)
gas can
come into your vehicle.
You can’t see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the trunk lid open or if
electrical wiring or other cable connections must
pass through the seal between the body and the
trunk lid:
Make sure all windows are shut.
Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on any airflow selection except RECIRC.
That will force outside air into your vehicle.
See “Comfort Controls” in the Index.
If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them
all the way.
See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
Theft
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
Although your Aurora has a number of theft-deterrent
features, we know that nothing we put on
it can make it
impossible
to steal. However, there are ways you
can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves
-- so
don’t do it.
With the ignition
OFF and the driver’s door open, you’ll
hear a chime reminding you to remove your key from
the ignition and take it with you. Always do this. Your
steering wheel will be locked, and
so will your ignition
and transaxle. And remember
to lock the doors.
Parking at Night
Park in a lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables out
of sight.
Put them in a storage area, or take them with you.
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Operating the RECIRC mode in cold temperatures or
under high humidity conditions may cause moisture
to
form on the inside of the windshield. If this condition
occurs, deselect the RECIRC button.
A/C ON: Press this button to turn the air conditioning
on and
off. If the system is operating in the automatic
mode, the A/C
ON indicator light will automatically
illuminate. In the auto mode, the A/C compressor will
only operate when the system determines
it is needed.
OFF: Rotate the AUTO-PUSH knob to OFF. Turning
the system off will cause the fan to turn off and the
airflow to be directed
out the lower floor outlets. The
system will still try to keep the interior of the vehicle at
the previously chosen comfort setting. The outside
temperature will show in the display when the system is set to
OFF.
Air Conditioning
The air conditioner cools, dehumidifies and filters the
air for the inside of the vehicle.
The air conditioning compressor is enabled in all modes
unless the A/C
ON button is in the off position
(indicator light will not be illuminated). However, the
air conditioning compressor will not operate when the
outside temperature is below
44°F (7°C). When the air
conditioner is on,
you may sometimes notice slight
changes in your vehicle's engine speed and power. This
is normal, because the system is designed
to cycle the
compressor on and off to keep the desired cooling and
help
fuel economy.
On very
hot days, open the windows long enough to let
the hot air out. This reduces the time required to cool the
interior
of the vehicle to a comfortable level. If the
system
is in the automatic mode (AUTO-PUSH knob
indicator light is
on), during very hot days the system
will automatically
go to the RECIRC mode and the
temperature door will be positioned
at the full cold
position for maximum cooling. You can choose
the
extreme comfort setting of 60°F (16"C), but the
system
will not cool any faster by choosing the extreme
comfort setting.

1 NOTICE: I
Don’t use a razor blade or something else sharp
on the inside
of the rear window. If you do, you
could cut or damage the warming grid, and the
repairs wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
Passenger Temperature Control
With this feature, the right
front seat passenger can
control the comfort setting
for their own zone. To use
this feature, adjust the
control on the passenger’s side armrest to the desired
comfort level.
Steering Wheel Controls for Climate
Control
The passenger’s temperature control on the passenger’s
armrest will illuminate only if
the headlamps or parking
lamps are on. Some
heating and cooling
controls can be adjusted at
the steering wheel. Other
touch controls also operate
some audio controls. See
“Steering Wheel Controls
for Audio System” later in
this section.
Press the upper part of the fan symbol button to override
the automatic fan control and increase the fan speed.
Press the lower part of the fan symbol button to override
the automatic fan control and reduce the fan speed.
Press either arrow on the
TEMP button once to display
your current comfort setting in the digital display. Press
the upper part of the TEMP button again to provide a
warmer comfort setting or press the lower part of the
TEMP button again to provide
a cooler comfort setting.
3-10

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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 all fluid
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.
I
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will
have to
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.
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0
0
0
0
Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest gear possible.
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.

But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
5. Release the regular brakes.
brake,
and then shift to PARK
(P).
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 Release the parking brake.
2. Let up 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 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.
4-38

When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll
see:
A. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
B. Two Electric Engine Cooling Fans
I A CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down.
5-17

If it isn’t, the coolant level should be indicated by a
CHECK
COOLANT LEVEL message on the Driver
Information Center. If it
is, you may have a leak in the
radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water
pump or
somewhere else in the cooling system.
.
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.
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 fans are running.
If the engine
is overheating, both fans should be running. If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
5-18

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
FULL COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water
(preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL@ coolant at
the coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool
before you do it. (See “Engine Coolant’’ in the Index
for
more information.)
Steam and scalding liquids from
a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the coolant
surge tank pressure cap
-- even a little -- they
can come out at
high speed. Never turn the
cap when the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and coolant surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn the
pressure cap.
I

A CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water
or the wrong mix, your engine could
get
too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use a
50/50 mix of clean
water and DEX-COOL@ coolant.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
So
use the recommended coolant.
~~ ~ ~
You
can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on
a hot engine.
5-20

1. You can remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap
when the cooling system,-including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap and upper radiator hose, is
no
longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly about
one-quarter
turn to the left and then stop.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and
remove it.
5-21