brake fluid OLDSMOBILE AURORA 2003 Owners Manual

Driver Information Center (DIG) To turn off messages on the DIC (except LOW OIL
PRESSURE, LOW BRAKE FLUID, PARK BRAKE SET,
STARTING DISABLED and the HOT
... STOP ENGINE
warning), press the RESET button.
Pressing the SELECT right arrow button will allow you
to access the following modes, DATE/ET, FUEL, ECON,
OIL and GAGE. While
in any sf these modes, warning
messages can interrupt and take over the display
until you acknowledge the message, or the condition
causing the problem goes away.
English/Metric
The DIC can display information in either English or
metric. To change the display, press and hold the
ON/OFF button for about three seconds. This will also
change the digital screen for the climate control
system between English and metric.
Date/Elapsed Time
The DIC has different display modes which can be
accessed by pressing the four buttons on the DIC. Pressing the SELECT down arrow while in BATE/ET
arrow, SELECT down arrow and RESET. The functions
These bcttsns s)?!!sFF, SELECT rinht I'LJ',L mode will allow vou to choose between the date and the
elapsed time menus.
of these buttons is explained in the following sections.
Turn the system
on or off by pressing the ON/OFF
button once. When you turn on the ignition, the DIC will
turned
off.
be in the mode last displayed ?..lhen the engine \":as
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DIC Warnings and Messages
Other messages or warnings may appear in the DIC
display.
For Canadian drivers, in addition to the
DIC message your DIC will display EXP with
a number
after it which reflects the following messages:
EXP
(Export ID)
Warning Message
1 AIR BAG PROBLEM
3 CHECK CHARGE SYSTEM
4
CHANGE OIL SOON
I 5 I CHECK OIL LEVEL I I
6 I TRANS HOT ... IDLE ENG
I 7 I CONFIRM TIME & DATE I
8
ENGINE HOT
... A/C OFF
9 DRIVERS DOOR AJAR
10 HOT
... STOP ENGINE * 11 HOT
... REDUCE ENG RPM
I 12 I THEFT SYSTEM
FAULT I I
13 I LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR
I (ExE% ID) I Warning Message
18
LOW WASHER FLUID
19 LOW TIRE PRESSURE
20 PASSENGER DOOR AJAR
21 PARK BRAKE SET*
RIGHT REAR DOOR AJAR
22
23
TURN SIGNAL
ON? 24 SERVICE VEHICLE
SOON
I 25 I THEFT ATTEMPTED I I
26 [ SERV STABILITY SYS
I 27 I HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED I
28
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
29 TRUNK AJAR
32 STARTING DISABLED*
33 HOT
... IDLE ENGINE
36
42 CHECKGASCAP
STABILITY ACTIVE
The EXP codes are used to make translation from English to other languages easier.
Pressing the RESET button will remove the above
messages or warnings from the DIC display, unless
noted by an asterisk
(*).
I 17 I LOW OIL PRESSURE * I
3-50
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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. Coasting
dc nh in NE1 .L (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
Know how to go down hills. The most important
would then have poor braking or even none
thing to know
is this: let your engine do some of
going down a hill. You could crash. Always
the slowing down. Shift
to a lower gear when you go
have your engine running and your vehicle in
down a steep or long
hill. gear when you go downhill.
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
downhill slope.
~QI-I~ engine zssis, y~~r hr~kes sn 2 Sben I-
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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.
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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
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Checking Things Under
the Hood
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing and tools away
from any underhood electric fan.
I I
/t CAUTION:
I
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start a fire. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that will burn onto a hot engine.
5-1 2
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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.
5-1 5
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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.
5-40
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