brake OLDSMOBILE AURORA 2003 Service Manual

A. Engine Compartment Fuse Block
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
C. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
D. Remote Positive (+) Battery Terminal
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
F. Passenger Compartment Air Filter
G. Remote Negative (-) Terminal
H. Engine Oil Fill Cap
I. Engine Oil Dipstick
J. Brake Fluid Reservoir
K. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
L. Engine Air CleanedFilter
.
If the CHECK OIL LEVEL message appears on the
instnJment chster, it me;lns yn~~ need to check
your engine oil level right away. For more information,
see
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-50.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
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Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK
(P).
e With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
Then, without shutting
off the engine, follow these steps:
The automatic transaxle fluid dipstick is located near
the front of the engine compartment on the driver’s side
of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page
5-74 for more information on location.
1. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it with a clean rag or
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
paper towel.
then pull
it back out again.
I
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must be in the cross-hatched
area.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
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Brakes
Brake Fluid
1
A DOT3
b
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
off’ 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 don
- In the brake hydraulic sys’- -n
Your master cylinder reservoir is on the driver’s side of
the engine compartment. It is filled with DOT-3 brake
fluid. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-14
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
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.
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 on
page 3-35.
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What to Add Notice:
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid. Refer
to Part D: Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page
6-75. 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 enteri-- the reservoir.
With the wrong kind 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.
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system
parts
so badly that they’ll have to be replaced.
Don’t let someone put in the wrong kind of fluid.
9 If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint finish can
be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake fluid on your vehicle.
If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
“Appearance Care” in the Index.
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Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes won’t work well. That could
lead to an accident. When you hear the brake
wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notices 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 tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to
GM torque specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See
Brake System Inspection on page 6- 14.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer 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.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.
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Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a 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 need 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.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco@ battery. When it’s time for a new battery, get
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery’s label. We recommend an ACDelco
battery.
Warning: Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling. The
battery is located under the rear seat cushion. To
access the battery, see
Removing the Rear Seat
Cushion on page 5-95. You don’t need to access the
battery to jump start your vehicle. See
Jump Starting on
page 5-44.
- - ~ttery -.~t isn’t properly vented can let
sulfuric acid fumes into the area under the rear
seat cushion. These fumes can damage your
rear seat safety belt systems. You may not be
able to see this damage, and the safety belts
might not provide the protection needed in a
crash. If a replacement battery is ever needed,
it must be vented in the same manner as the
original battery. Always make sure that the
vent hose
is properly reattached before
reinstalling the seat cushion.
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Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to follow the steps below to
d t safely.
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
d gerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or
They contain enough electricity to
ignite.
burn you.
1 If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some
~ or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice: Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling
it
won’t work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice: If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can be
damaged.
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 vehicle, 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) or a manual transaxle in
NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake.
Notice: If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlet. Turn
off
the radio and all lamps that aren’t needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save your radio!
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Check Tire Pressure System
The check tire pressure system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure of one tire. The system won’t
alert you before you drive that a tire is low or flat.
You must begin driving before the system will work
properly.
The
LOW TIRE PRESSURE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC)
if pressure difference
(low pressure) is detected in one tire. The check tire
pressure system may not alert you
if:
more than one tire is low,
the vehicle is moving faster than 65 mph (105 km/h),
the system is not yet calibrated,
the tire treadwear is uneven,
the compact spare tire is installed,
tire chains are being used, or
the vehicle is being driven on a rough or
frozen road.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your dealer for service.
Also, see
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-36.
The check tire pressure system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in tire
pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
- but it doesn’t replace normal tire maintenance.
See
Tires on page 5-60.
When the LOW TIRE PRESSURE message appears on
the Driver Information Center, you should stop as
soon as you can and check all your tires for damage. If
a tire is flat, see
If a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-70.
Also check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as
you can. See
Inflation -- Tire Pressure on page 5-60.
Any time you adjust a tire’s pressure or have one
or more tires repaired or replaced, you’ll need to reset
(calibrate) the check tire pressure system. You’ll
also need to reset the system whenever you rotate the
tires, buy new tires and install or remove the compact
spare.
Don’t reset the check tire pressure system without first
correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires.
If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect,
the check tire pressure system will not work properly
and may not alert you when a tire is low or high.
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If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous.
It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be
injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
Notice: The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
ociometer caiibration, neaaiamp aim, bumper neigh,
vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire chain
clearance to the body and chassis.
Used Rep'-cement '"'heels
--
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can't know how it's been used
or how far it's been driven. It could fail
suddenly and cause a crash.
If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new
GM original
equipment wheel.
See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-71 for more
information.
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Tire Chains
If your vehicle has P235/55R17 size tires, don’t
use tire chains, there’s not enough clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the proper amount of clearance can cause damage
to the brakes, suspension or other vehicle
parts. The area damaged by the tire chains
could cause you to lose control of your vehicle
and you or others may be injured
in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends
it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the device if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices that will fit,
install them on the front tires.
Notice: If your vehicle has a tire size other than
P235/55R17 size tires, use tire chains only where
legal and only when you must. Use only
SAE Class
”S” type chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them
on the front tires and tighten them
as tightly as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive
slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them. If the contact continues, slow down until
it stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels with
chains on will damage your vehicle.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air
goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out
slowly. But
if you should ever have a “blowout”, here are
a few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
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