warning OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1996 User Guide

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on
for several seconds.
That‘s normal.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the
gage pointer moves into the
red area, your engine is
too hot!
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving,
your Oldsmobile needs service. If the regular brake
system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but
you don’t have anti-lock brakes.
If the regular brake
system warning light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock
brakes and there’s a problem with your regular brakes.
See “Brake System Warning Light” earlier in this part.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn
the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem. It
means that your engine coolant has overheated.
Tf 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.
In “Problems on the Road,”
this manual shows you what
to do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light
:::o 0.0
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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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster
if you
do
a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a
lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that
will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself.
You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there’s a problem
with the
anti-lock brake system, this warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light”
in
the Index.
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A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your
vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you’ll
want
to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on
a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to
a lower
gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide.
You may not realize the surfxe is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make
a “mirrored surface” -- and slow
down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving Guidelines
This multipurpose passenger vehicle is defined as a
utility vehicle in Consumer Information Regulations
issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
(NHTSA) of the United States
Department
of Transportation. Utility vehicles have
higher ground clearance and
a narrower track to make
them capable
of performing in a wide variety of off-road
applications. Specific design characteristics give them a
higher center of gravity than ordinary cars.
An
advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better
view of the road allowing you to anticipate problems.
They are not designed for cornering at the same speeds
as conventional two-wheel-drive vehicles any more than
low-slung sports cars are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions.
If at all
possible, avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers.
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate
this vehicle correctly may result
in loss of control or
vehicle rollover.
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City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out
for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals. Here
are ways to increase your safety
in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part
of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities.
You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough to
need
it. When a light turns green, and just before you
start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection
or may be running the
red light.
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your Oldsmobile in good shape for winter.
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle. Include an ice
scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing,
a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple of reflective warning triangles.
And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include
a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or
a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a lot less traction or “grip”.and will need to be
very careful.
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1 Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll filld what to do about some problems that
can occur
on the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal
lamps will flash on and off.
Press the button on top of
the steering column all the
way down
to make your
front and rear turn signal
lamps flash on and
off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is
in, and even if the key isn't in.
To turn off the flashers, press the button until the first
click and release.
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When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals won’t work. The flashers will stop if you step on
the brake.
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side
of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use another
vehicle and
some jumper cables to start your vehicle. But
please use the following steps
to do it safely.
I NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
Do not try to start your vehicle by pushing or
pulling it. This could damage your vehicle and
it won’t start that way. Batteries can hurt
you. They can be
dangerous because:
0 They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
0 They contain enough electricity to
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
burn
you.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
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12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM retailer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. See “Roadside Assistance” in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was
factory-new by adding things like fog lamps, aero
skirting, or special tires and wheels, these instructions
may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn
on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle has all-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can move the shift lever for
the transmission.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains these towing
instructions. The operator may want to
see them.
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If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
0 Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for
a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@) or
THIRD
(3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you
can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, push the accelerator until
the engine speed is about twice as fast as normal idle
speed. Bring the engine speed back to normal idle speed
after two or three minutes. Now see
if the warning stops.
But then, if you still have the warning,
turn off the
engine
and get everyone out of the vehicle until it
cools down.
You may decide not to
lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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