parking brake OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1996 User Guide

Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light
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You may have this light on
the instrument panel.
It goes on whenever the
DRL are on, the ignition is
on, the headlamp switch is
off and the parking brake
is released.
Check Gages Light
CHECK
GAGES
The CHECK GAGES light
will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
If the light comes on and
stays on while you are
driving, check your coolant
temperature and engine oil
pressure gages
to see if they
are in the warning zones.
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Q.’ What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
A: If this happens, there are some things you should
to stall, and I can’t make it up the hill?
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do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here’s what you
should do:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
it
from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE
(R).
If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to
restart
it. With the brake pedal depressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then, shift
to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill as straight as possible
in
REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position. This
way, you’ll be able to tell
if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It’s best that you
back down the
hill with your wheels straight rather
than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel
too far to the
left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover. Here are some things
you
must not do if you stall, or are
about
to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL
(N) to “rev-up7’ the engine and regain
forward momentum. This won’t work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you could go
out
of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the
vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall
when going up a
hill. If the hill is steep enough to
stall your vehicle, it’s steep enough to cause you to
roll over
if you turn around. If you can’t make it up
the hill, you must back straight down the hill.
Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill
and decide
I just can’t do it. What should I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) and
turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would
take if it rolled downhill.
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&: Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
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it happens going downhill, here’s what to do.
Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes.
Apply the parking brake.
Shift to PARK
(P) and, while still braking, restart
the engine.
Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake,
and drive straight down.
If
the engine won’t start, get out and get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across
the incline of a hill.
If this happens, you have to decide
whether
to try to drive across the incline. Here are some
things
to consider:
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A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be
too steep to drive across. When you
go straight up or
down a hill,
the length of the wheel base (the
distance
from the front wheels to the rear wheels)
reduces the likelihood the vehicle will tumble end
over end.
But when you drive across an incline, the
much more narrow track width (the distance between
the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle
from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving across an
incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels.
This could cause a downhill slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive
across a hill. Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet
grass can cause your tires to slip sideways, downhill.
If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something
that
will trip it (a rock, a rut, etc.) and roll over.
Hidden obstacles can make the steepness
of the
incline even worse. If you drive across a rock with
the uphill wheels, or
if the downhill wheels drop into
a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more.
4-22 . . .~
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When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel
will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
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.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
You should use THIRD (3) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle
in THIRD (3) when towing a
trailer will minimize heat buildup and extend
the life of
your transmission.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on
a hill. Tf 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. Then turn your wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if facing uphill.
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 shift into PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
4-50
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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;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 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 transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine
oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. 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 these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to
see that all hitch nuts and
bolts are tight.
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Trailer Wiring Harness
The light duty trailer wiring is a six-wire harness
assembly. The optional heavy duty trailer wiring is an
eight-wire harness assembly. The harnesses are stored
under the vehicle, on the driver’s side corner frame
crossmember. The heavy duty trailer wiring
has a
30-amp feed wire with an inline fuse located by the
junction block. See “Fuses and Circuit Breakers”
in the
Index. Both harnesses have no connector and should be
wired by a qualified electrical technician. The technician
can use the following color code chart when connecting
the wiring harness to your trailer.
0 DARK BLUE: Use for electric trailer brakes or
auxiliary wiring.
0 RED: Use for battery charging; it connects to the
starter solenoid (eight-wire harness only).
0 LIGHT GREEN: Back-up lamps (eight-wire
harness only).
BROWN: Taillamps and parking lamps.
YELLOW: Left stoplamp and turn signal.
DARK GREEN: Right stoplamp and turn signal.
WHITE (Heavy Gage): Ground wire.
WHITE (Light Gage): Auxiliary stoplamp.
Securely attach the harness to the trailer, then tape or
strap
it to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you leave it
loose enough
so the wiring doesn’t bend or break, but
not
so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the
harness
in its original place. Wrap the harness together
and tie
it neatly so it won’t be damaged.
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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.
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transmission
in PARK (P) or a manual
transmission in NEUTRAL
(N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter, or accessory power outlets. Turn
off all
lamps that aren’t needed as well as radios. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. In
addition, it could save your radio!
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repair wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4 CAUTION:
--I
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
5-3
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1 A CAUTION:
I
~ To help avoid injury to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not fully
Never get under your vehicle after it has
Always use separate safety chains on each
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being
towed.
secured.
been lifted by the tow truck. side when towing a vehicle. I
A CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it
is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They
will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned to the
OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped
in a straight-ahead position with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The transmission
should be
in NEUTRAL (N). The parking brake should
be released.
5-7
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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.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a
stop -- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a
flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
ur
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire.
To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire
on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
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Checking Transmission Fluid Hot
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), drive the
vehicle in THIRD
(3) until the engine temperature gage
moves and then remains steady for
10 minutes. Then
follow the hot check procedures.
Checking Transmission Fluid Cold
A cold check is made after the vehicle has been sitting
for eight hours or more with the engine off and
is used
only
as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for
five minutes
if outside temperatures are 50°F (10°C)
or more. If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may have
to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low
during a cold check, you must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give
you a more accurate
reading of
the fluid level.
Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
0 Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the
engine running.
0 With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK
(P).
0 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 minutes or more.
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