service OLDSMOBILE AURORA 2003 Service Manual

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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10. Connect the other end
of the negative
(-)
cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from
the dead battery, but
not near engine
parts that move.
The electrical connection is just as good there, and the
chance of sparks getting back to the battery is much less.
Use a remote negative
(-) terminal if the vehicle has
one. Your vehicle has a remote negative
(-) terminal
marked
“G N D .”
11. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for
a while.
12. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If
it won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Notice: Damage to your vehicle may result from
electrical shorting
if jumper cables are removed
incorrectly.
To prevent electrical shorting, take care
that the cables don’t touch each other or any
other metal. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
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Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has a visual optical headlamp aiming
system equipped with horizontal aim indicators. The aim
has been preset at the factory and should need no
further adjustment. This is true even though your
horizontal aim indicators may not fall exactly on the
“0 (zero) marks on their scales.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the low beam
may be necessary
if it is difficult to see lane markers (for
horizontal aim),
or if oncoming drivers flash their high
beams at you (for vertical aim).
If you believe your
headlamps need to be re-aimed, we recommend that
you take your vehicle to your dealer for service.
However, it is possible for you to re-aim your headlamps
as described
in the following procedure.
Notice: To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before beginning.
Failure to follow these instructions could cause
damage to headlamp parts.
The vehicle should be properly prepared as follows:
The vehicle should be placed so the headlamps are
25 ft. (7.6 m) from a light colored wall or other flat
surface.
The vehicle must have all four tires on a perfectly
level surface which is level all the way to the wall
or other flat surface.
The vehicle should be placed so it is perpendicular
to the wall or other flat surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
full tank of fuel and one person or 160
Ibs (75 kg) on
the driver’s seat.
The vehicle should be normally loaded with a
Tires should be properly inflated.
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See “Wiper Blade
Cheek” under
Pari B: Owner Checks and Services on
page 6-9 for more information.
To replace the wiper blade assembly do the following:
1. Lift the wiper up from the windshield and set it
into the vertically-locked position.
2. Push the tab on the wiper blade assembly and pull
the assembly down enough to release it from the
“U” hooked end of the wiper arm. Slide the
assembly away from the arm.
3. Remove the blade.
4. To reinstall the wiper blade assembly, slide it over
the wiper arm to engage the
“U” hooked end on the
wiper blade assembly. Pull up on the assembly
to lock it into place.
For the proper windshield wiper blade assembly
replacement length and type, see
Normal Maintenance
Replacement Pan‘s on page
5- 101.
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Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service,
see your Oldsmobile Warranty booklet for details.
Poorly
IT ._...____ ined and ir--,-- -9erly L-3d tires
are dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause overheating as a result of too much
friction. You could have an air-out and a
serious accident. See “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
CAUTION: (Continued) Overinflated tires
are more lik
_I to be cut,
punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
If
your tread is badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace them.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the rear
edge
of the driver’s door, shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they’re cold. “Cold” means
your vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours
or driven no more than
1 mile (1.6 km).
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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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To reset (calibrate) the system:
1. Turn the ignition switch to ON.
2. Press the SELECT right arrow on the DIC until you
enter the GAGE mode. Then press the SELECT
down arrow until TIRE PRESSURE appears on the
display.
3. Press and hold the DIC RESET button for about
five seconds. After five seconds, the display will
show TIRE PRESSURE RESET. If TIRE
PRESSURE RESET does not appear on the
display after about five seconds, see your dealer for
service. After you release the DIC RESET button,
TIRE PRESSURE NORMAL will appear on the
display.
The system completes the calibration process during
driving. Calibration time can take
45 to 90 minutes,
depending on your driving habits. After the system has
been calibrated, the system will alert the driver that
a tire is low, up to a maximum speed of
65 mph
(1 05 km/h).
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles (1 2 500 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. See
When It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-65 and Wheel Replacement
on page
5-68 for more information.
The purpose
of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. See “Part A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,” in Section
6, for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
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Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire's sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
"MS" (for
mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires.
IL....; tires could cause yo^ .o lose control
while driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes may also cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels.
It's all right to drive with your
compact spare, though.
It was developed for
use on your vehicle.
If you use bias-ply tires
a lr vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles
of driving. A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
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Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
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
(1.5) 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 - AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades 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 straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration, cornering, hydroplaninGr or peak traction characteristics.
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Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Original manufacturer replacement parts will provide the
corrosion protection while maintaining the warranty.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the
finish should be repaired right away. Bare metal
will corrode quickly and may develop into major repair
expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials avaliable from your dealer or other service
outlets. Larger areas of finish damage can be corrected
in your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on
the underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame! floor pan
and exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection. At
least every spring, flush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and debris can collect. Dirt packed in close areas of
the frame should be loosened before being flushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms; blotchy, ringlet-shaped
discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into
the paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint
job causes this, GM will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs first.
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