OLDSMOBILE AURORA 2003 Owners Manual

Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and
no longer work well.
r-Irking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on
a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged. But
if you
ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
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 brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
4-42
ProCarManuals.com

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
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, drive belt, cooling system
and brake system.
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 this information before you
start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See
Engine Overheating on
page
5-28.
4-43
ProCarManuals.com

P P
P
ProCarManuals.com

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Service ............................................................ 5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work
........................ -5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle
...................................................... 5-4
Fuel
................................................................ 5-5
Gasoline Octane
............................................ 5-5
Gasoline Specifications
.................................... 5-5
California Fuel
............................................... 5-6
Additives
......................................... ...... 5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
........................... 5-7
Filling Your Tank
........................................ 5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
..... . 5-11
the Hood
.................................................... 5-12
Hood Release
.............................................. 5-13
Engine Compartment Overview
....................... 5-14
Engine Oil
................................................... 5-15
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
................................ 5-21
P,L!tSrn2.tlC Tr2!ns2x!n !=!!lid ............................. .- E;-33 --
Engine Coolant ............................................. 5-24
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
.................. 5-28
Engine Overheating
....................................... 5-28
Cooling System
............................................ 5-31
.W indshieid .Washer Fiuid 5-36
Checking Things Under
Power Steering Fluid
..................................... 5-37 ~ ................................
Brakes ........................................................ 5.39
Battery
........................................................ 5.42
Jump Starting
............................................... 5-44
Headlamp Aiming
.............................. ...... 5-50
Bulb Replacement ......................................... -5-54
Halogen Bulbs
............................................. -5-54
Headlamps
................................................. -5-55
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps
.......... 5-57
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps
..................................... 5-58
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5-58
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.............. 5-59
Tires
.............................................................. 5-60
Inflation
-- Tire Pressure ................................ 5-60
Check Tire Pressure System
.......................... 5-62
Tire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5-63
When It Is Time for New Tires
....................... 5-65
Buying New Tires
......................................... 5-66
UIIIIUIIII I Ilt: Uudllly uldullly d-UI
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance .................. 5-68
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5-68
Tire Chains
................................................. -5-70
If a Tire Goes Flat ........................................ 5-70
Changing a Flat Tire
..................................... 5-71
Compact Spare Tire
5-81
I I.-:+- T. n . ._I.&. . n.-- -I:__ _. re7 ..........................
- ......................................
5- 1
ProCarManuals.com

Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
Appearance Care ......................................
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle ...............
Weatherstrips .............................................
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle ............
Sheet Metal Damage ...................................
Finish Damage ...........................................
Underbody Maintenance ..............................
Chemical Paint Spotting ...............................
GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials .........
Care of Safety Belts ....................................
-5-82
. 5.82
. 5.84
. 5.84
. 5.85
. 5.87
. 5.87
. 5.87
-5-87
. 5.88
Vehicle Identification ...................................... 5.90
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
................. 5-90
Service Parts Identification Label
.................... 5-90
Electrical System
........................................... 5-91
Add-on Electrical Equipment
......................... 5-91
Windshield Wiper Fuses
................................ 5-91
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
........................... 5-92
Removing the Rear Seat Cushion ................... 5-95
Capacities and Specifications
........................ 5-100
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ......... 5-101
Headlamp
Wiring
.......................................... 5-91
Power Windows and Other Power Options
....... 5-91
5-2
ProCarManuals.com

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your dealer
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:
5-3
ProCarManuals.com

Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want
to use the proper service manual. It tells you
much more about how to service your vehicle than this
manual can.
To order the proper service manual,
see
Service Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-9.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page
1-54.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See
Part E: Maintenance Record on page 6- 16.
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.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind
noise and affect windshield washer performance. Check
with your dealer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle.
5-4
ProCarManuals.com

Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of
87 or higher. However, for best performance and for
trailer towing, you may wish to use middle grade
or premium unleaded gasoline.
If the octane is less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when you
drive.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane
or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might
damage your engine.
Gasoline Specifications
It is recommended that gasoline meet specifications
which were developed by the American Automobile
Manufacturers Association and endorsed by the
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association for better
vehicle performance and engine protection. Gasoline
meeting these specifications could provide improved
driveability and emission control system performance
compared to other gasoline.
In Canada, look for the
“Auto Makers’ Choice”
label on the pump.
Canada Only
5-5
ProCarManuals.com

California Fuel Additives
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may
turn on (see
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-39 )
and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. If this
occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
diagnosis.
If it is determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered
by your warranty. To
provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required
to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming,
allowing your emission control system to work
properly. You should not have to add anything to your
fuel. Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as
ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available in your area to contribute to clean air.
General Motors recommends that you use these
gasolines, particularly
if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
Notice: Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage wouldn’t be covered under your
warranty.
5-6
ProCarManuals.com

Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use
of such gasolines. Fuels
containing
MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If 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.
Filling Your Tank
Fuel vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don’t smoke
if you’re near fuel or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from fuel.
?2 check the !!x! 2xi!2bi!i?;, 2:sk 2R 2ztc C!k, cr
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
5-7
ProCarManuals.com