maintenance Oldsmobile Aurora 1997 Owner's Manuals

@ The 1997 Aurora Owner’s Manual
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Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SRS” system,
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your Aurora.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Aurora running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Oldsmobile for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page
8-8.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.
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Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Aurora
Air bags affect how your Aurora should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system
in several places
around your vehicle. You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
Aurora retailer and the Aurora Service Manual have
information about servicing your vehicle and the air bag
system. To purchase
a service manual, see “Service and
Owner Publications”
in the Index.
For up to
10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an
air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with yellow tape
or yellow connectors. They are probably part of
the air bag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person performing work for you is qualified to do
so.
Rear Seat Passengers
It’s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up!
Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear
seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who
are
wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted can be thrown
out of the vehicle
in a crash. And they can strike others
in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
~~~
’he air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The positions next to the
wmaows nave lap-snouraer
belts. Here’s how to wear one properly.
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Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should
use it.
But if a safety belt isn’t long enough
to fasten, your
retailer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you
go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so
the extender will be long enough for you. The extender
will be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle
that you choose. Don’t let someone else use it, and use it
only for the seat it
is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect
you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt is
torn or frayed, get a new one right’away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
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When the remaining oil life or transaxle fluid life is low,
the system will alert you with a message:
CHANGE OIL SOON
or CHANGE TRNS
FLUID SOON
When the oil or transaxle fluid life is down to zero, you
will receive
the message:
CHANGE OIL NOW or CHANGE TRNS
FLUID NOW
To reset the OIL LIFE reminder after an oil change or
the TRNS FLUID LIFE reminder after a transaxle
fluid change:
1. With the ignition on, press the ENG button so the
OIL LIFE percentage or the TRNS LIFE percentage
is displayed.
2. Press RESET and hold for five seconds. The word
RESET will appear, then OIL LIFE 100% or TRNS
FLUID 100%.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE or TRNS
FLUID yourself after each oil or transaxle fluid change.
It will not reset itself. Also, be careful not to reset the
OIL LIFE or TRNS FLUID accidentally at any time
other than when the oil or transaxle fluid has just been
changed. It can’t be reset accurately until the next oil or
transaxle fluid change. The
DIC does
not replace the need to maintain your
vehicle
as recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in
this manual.
Also, the oil change reminder will not
detect dusty conditions or engine malfunctions that may
affect the oil.
If you drive in dusty areas, change your oil
after every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or three months,
whichever occurs first, unless the DIC instructs you to
do so sooner. Also, the oil change reminder does not
measure how much oil you have in your engine.
So, be
sure to check your oil level often. See “Engine Oil” in
the Index.
Check Oil Level Warning
When CHECK OIL LEVEL appears, it indicates that the
engine oil level is
1 to 1 1/2 quarts (0.9 L to 1.4 L) low.
The message will appear only if the engine is running
and it’s been at least eight minutes since the engine was
last running. If the message appears, check the oil
dipstick level. If it reads low, your oil level should be
brought up
to the proper level (see “Engine Oil” in the
Index). After bringing the oil
to the proper level, the
ignition must be off for eight minutes to allow
the
majority of oil to drain into the oil pan.

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.
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@ Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Aurora. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
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6-52 Service
Fuel
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Headlamp Aiming
Tires
Appearance Care 6-53
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6-74
6-74 Cleaning the
Inside
of Your Aurora
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Aurora
Underbody Maintenance Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Engine Specifications
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
Vehicle Dimensions
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Service Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your
own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Aurora” in the Index.
You should keep a record with
all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
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You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you
try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall
off. You could be hurt.
Your Aurora retailer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you’ll
go to your
retailer for all your service needs. You’ll get genuine
GM parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one
of these marks:
....
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Aurora Service Manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your Aurora than
this manual can.
To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications”
in the Index.
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Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your Aurora retailer is
ready to advise
if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short trip/city
maintenance schedule:
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Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such
as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application. Driving under
these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner.
If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need
to change your oil and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first. (See “Change Oil Message’’ in the Index.)
If
the CHANGE OIL NOW message appears in the Driver
Information Center, you should change your oil.
If none of them is
true, use the long triphighway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles ( 12 500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a
fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
(See “Change Oil Message” in the Index.) Always reset
the engine oil life to 100% after every oil change.
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6. Remove the air filter. 5. Unsnap the two clamps by pushing down on
the top
of the air cleaner cover and pushing in on the
clamps toward the center
of the cover. Then remove
the cover. 7. Install the new air filter and reverse all steps to
reinstall the cover, electrical wires, duct and clamp.
Be sure
the tabs of the air cleaner cover fit into the
slots
of the air cleaner housing. Then make sure both
clamps are
fully engaged.
Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
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Operating the engine with the air cleaner off can
cause you or others to be burned. The air cleaner
not only cleans the air, it stops flame if the engine
backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the engine
backfires, you could be burned. Don’t drive with
it off, and be careful working on the engine with
the air cleaner
off.
NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90 OF (32 O C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
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