tow OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1994 User Guide

Features & Controh
62
Headlights
Push the switch marked pe to turn on:
Parking Lights
Side Marker Lights
Taillights
Instrument Panel Lights
II I II I LIGHTS
Push the -:Q- switch to turn on the
headlights, together with:
Parking Lights
Side Marker Lights
Taillights
Instrument Panel Lights
Pull the switch or press
OFF to turn off
the lights.
Lights on Reminder
If you open the door while leaving the
lights
on, you will hear a warning tone.
Headlight High-Low Beam
To change the headlights from low
beam to high
or high to low, pull the
turn signal lever all the way toward
you.
Then release it.
When the high beams are on,
a blue
light
on the instrument panel also will
be on.
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.. ...... .... --
Sun Visors
To block out glare, you can swing down
the visors.
You can also remove them
from the center mount and swing them
to the side, while the auxiliary sunshade
remains to block glare from the front.
To extend the visors at the sides, pull
out the sunshade.
Lighted Visor Vanity Mirrors
Open the
covers to expose the vanity
mirror.
The lights come on when you open the
cover. These can even be used for
reading.
hide DaylNight Rearview Mirror
To reduce glare from lights behind you,
pull the lever toward you to the night
position.
For information on this mirror's reading
lights, see the
Index under Front
Reading Lights.
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Ashtrays and Lighter
The front ashtray is located below the
radio. To use the ashtray, pull it toward
you.
To remove the ashtray for cleaning,
press down on the front edge of the
ashtray and pull the entire ashtray out
of the instrument panel.
t
1
To use the lighter, push it in all the way
md let go. When it’s ready, it will pop
lack by itself.
NOTICE:
Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in
with your hand while it is heating.
If you do, it won’t be able to back
away
from the heating element
when it’s ready. That can make
it
overheat, damaging the lighter and
the heating element.
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Features & Controk
88
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
pcmoNIc CLUSTER)
This gage has bars that show the engine
coolant temperature.
A box around the temperature symbol
will flash when your engine
is too hot.
It means that your engine coolant has
overheated. If you have been operating
your vehicle under normal driving
conditions, you should pull
off the road,
stop your vehicle and turn
off the
engine as soon as possible.
HOT COOLANT
CAN BURN YOU
BADLY!
In ProbZems on the Road, this manual
shows what to do. See the
Index under
Engine Overheating.
~
Brake System Warning Light
Your Oldsmobile’s hydraulic brake
system is divided into two parts.
If one
part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good
braking, though, you need both parts
working well.
If the warning light comes on, there
could be a brake problem. Have your
brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on as you start
the vehicle. If it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn
you
if there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are
driving, pull off the road and stop
carefully.
You may notice that the pedal
is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer
to the floor. It may take longer to
stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See
Towing
Your Truck in the Index.)
The brake system warning light will also
come on when you set your parking
brake, and it will stay on
if your parking
brake doesn’t release fully. If it stays
on
after your parking brake is fully released,
it means you have a brake problem.
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Comfort Cont'rok &Audio Systems
LO HI
Climate Control System
Your vehicle's heater and air
conditioner work best
if you keep your
windows closed. Your vehicle also has
flow-through ventilation, described later
in this section, to bring outside air into
your vehicle.
3f Fan Lever: The lever at the top has
four positions. Move it toward
HI to
increase the air flow. To decrease the
air flow, move it toward
LO.
Temperature Lever: Slide the lever on
the left to control the temperature of the
air flow into the vehicle. Move the lever
up for warmer air, down for cooler air.
Function Lever: Slide the lever on the
right to select the function desired. The
air conditioner compressor will operate
in all settings except
VENT and HTR
(Heater) when the outside temperature
is above freezing. When the air
conditioner compressor cycles
on, you
may sometimes notice slight changes in
your vehicle's engine performance and
power. This is normal, because the
system is designed to keep the desired
cooling level and help fuel economy. There are
three air conditioning
settings:
MAX A/C, NORM A/C, and
BI-LEV A/C. On very hot days, your
vehicle will cool down more quickly and
economically in any of these settings
if
you open the windows long enough to
let hot inside air escape. For all settings,
adjust the temperature control lever and
fan speed as desired.
MAX A/C: Select this setting to get
maximum cooling or quick cool-down
on very hot days. This setting
recirculates much of the air inside your
vehicle. It should not be used for long
periods
of time because the air may
become too cold and dry.
Also slide the temperature control lever
down to the coolest setting and adjust
the fan speed as desired.
NORM A/C: Use this setting for
normal cooling on hot days. This setting
cools outside air and directs it through
the instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEV A/C: Use on cool but sunny
days. This setting brings in outside air,
but directs it two ways-through the
instrument panel outlets and the heater
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ducts at your feet. At times this
temperature difference may be more
apparent than others.
VENT: The vent setting brings in
outside air through the instrument
panel outlets and at your front side
windows.
HTR The heater setting brings in most
heated air through the heater ducts, and
some through the defroster vents.
If you have the optional engine coolant
heater and use it during cold weather,
20°F (-8°C) or lower, your heating
system will more quickly provide heat
because the engine coolant is already
warmed. See the
Index under Engine
Coolant Heater.
most of the warmed air to the
windshield and side windows. Some
will also
go to the floor vents.
The air conditioner will also run in this
setting to remove moisture from the air
when the temperature is above
40°F
(4°C). Adjust the temperature control
as desired.
(Defrost): This setting directs
Defogging and Defrosting
To rapidly defrost the windshield, slide
the temperature control lever all the
way up and select the
(j@ setting.
Adjust the fan to the highest speed.
To rapidly defog the side windows,
select the
BI-LEV AfC setting and
adjust the fan to the highest speed. Aim
the side vents toward the side windows.
For increased air flow to the side vents,
close the center vents.
r
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Here you’ll find information about
driving on different kinds
of roads
and in varying weather conditions
.
We’ve also included many other
useful tips
on driving .
Part 4
Your Driving and the Road
Defensive Driving .. ............................................... ................................................... 106 . ..
Drunken Driving ........................................................................\
............................. 106
Control of a Vehicle
What
Is All-Wheel Drive? ........................................................................\
........... 108
Braking ........................................................................\
......................................... 109
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
........................................................................\
............. 110
Braking in Emergencies
........................................................................\
............... 111
Steering ........................................................................\
........................................ 111
Steering in Emergencies ........................................................................\
.............. 112
Passing ........................................................................\
......................................... 113
Driving Guidelines ........................................................................\
.......................... 115
Operating Your Bravada
Off Paved Roads ............................................................ 115
Driving at Night
........................................................................\
.............................. 124
Driving
in the Rain ........................................................................\
.......................... 125
City Driving
........................................................................\
..................................... 126
Freeway Driving ........................................................................\
.............................. 127
Hill and Mountain Roads ........................................................................\
................ 129
Winter Driving
........................................................................\
................................. 130
Towing a Trailer ........................................................................\
.............................. 132
..
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Your Driving and the Road
Towinga Trailer
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. To pull a trailer correctly,
follow the advice in this section,
and see your Oldsmobile dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with your vehicle. Every Bravada is ready for some trailer
towing. If it was built with trailering
options, as many are, it’s ready for
heavier trailers. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling,
durability, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment,
and it has to be used properly.
That’s thereason for this section. In it are
many time-tested, important trailering
tips and safety rules. Many
of these are
important for your safety and that of your
passengers.
So please read this section
carefully before you pull a trailer.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
There are many different laws having
to do with trailering. Make sure your
rig will be legal, not only where you
live but
also where you’ll be driving. A
good source for this information can
be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control if your
trailer will weigh
2,000 pounds (900
kg) or less. You should always use a
sway control if your trailer will weigh
more than
2,000 pounds (900 kg). You
can ask
a hitch dealer about sway
controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the
first
500 miles (800 lun) your new
vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or
other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800
km) that you tow a trailer, don’t drive
over
50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t
make starts at full throttle. This helps
your engine and other parts of your
vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
Three important considerations have
to
do with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
5,250
pounds (2 380 kg). But even that can be
too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your
rig. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also
depend on any special equipment that
you have on your vehicle.
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You can ask your dealer for our
trailering information or advice, or you
can write
us at:
Network
Oldsmobile
Customer Assistance
P.O. Box 30095
Lansing,
MI 48909
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center 1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an
important weight to measure because it
affects the total or gross weight of your
vehicle. The
gross vehicle weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight of the
vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it,
and the people who
will be riding in the
vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer,
you must add the tongue load to the
GVW because your vehicle will be
carrying that weight, too. See
Loading
Your Vehicle in the Index for more
information about your vehicle’s
maximum load capacity.
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch,
the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh
10% of the total loaded trailer weight
(B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch,
the trailer tongue
(A) should
weigh 12% of the total loaded trailer
weight
(B) .
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh
the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be able
to get them right simply by moving
some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s
Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated
to the limit for cold tires. You’ll find
these numbers
on the Certification label
at the rear edge
of the driver’s door or
see
Tire Loading in the Index. Then be
sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit
for your vehicle.
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Your Driving and the Road
134
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few
reasons why you’ll need the right hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when
loaded, will weigh more than
2,000
pounds (900 kg), be sure to use a
properly mounted, weight-distributing
hitch and sway control
of the proper
size. This equipment is very important
for proper vehicle loading and good
handling when you’re driving.
Will you have to make any holes in
the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, then
be sure to seal the holes later when
you remove the hitch. If you don’t
seal them, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into
your vehicle (see
Carbon Monoxide in
the
Index). Dirt and water can, too.
. The bumpers on your vehicle are not
intended for hitches. Do not attach
rental hitches or other bumper-type
hitches to them. Use only a frame-
mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper. If
your vehicle has
a deadweight hitch
and a tailgate-mounted spare tire, and
your trailer has a winch or tongue jack,
you could have interference between
them.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue
will not drop to the road if it becomes
separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave
just enough slack
so you can turn with
your rig. And, never allow safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000
pounds (450 kg) loaded, then it needs
its own brakes
- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the trailer brakes
so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly. Don’t
tap into your vehicle’s brake
system
if the trailer’s brake system will
use more than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc)
of fluid from your vehicle’s master
cylinder. If it does, both braking
systems won’t work well. You could
even lose your brakes.
Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000
psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not,
the trailer brake system must not be
used with your vehicle.
If everything checks out this far, then
make the brake fluid tap at the port
on the master cylinder that sends
fluid to the rear brakes. But don’t use
copper tubing for this. If
you do, it
will bend and finally break off. Use
steel brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting
out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself
with the feel of handling and braking
with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the
vehicle you are driving is now a good
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