tires OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1996 Owner's Manual

Driving with a Trailer
A CAUTION:
If you have a rear-most window open and you
pull
a trailer with your vehicle, carbon monoxide
(CO) could come into your vehicle. You can’t see
or smell CO. It can cause unconsciousness or
death. (See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.)
To
maximize your safety when towing a trailer:
a
a
a
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting on your trip.
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through
a window in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main
heating or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use
MAX A/C because.it only recirculates the
air inside your vehicle. (See “Comfort
Controls” in the Index.)
L
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 yaurself 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 deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
’
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets-you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the ,lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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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 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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Return the jack, wheel wrench and wheel blocks to the
proper location
in your vehicle’s rear area. Secure the
items and replace the
jack cover.
L
A. Retainer E Wheel Blocks
B. Rubber Band G. Hub Cap
(Some Models) Removal
Tool
C.
Work Gloves H. Wheel Wrench
D. Mat I. Jack
E. Jack Storage Cover J. Jacking Instructions
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
r vehicle is stuck is What you don’t want to do wne
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transmission or other parts
of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 kmh) as shown
on the speedometer.
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I NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires.
If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. Or, you can use your recovery hooks if
your vehicle has them.
If you do need to be towed out,
see “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Using the Recovery Hooks
Your vehicle is equipped with recovery hooks. The
recovery hooks are provided at the front
of your vehicle.
You may need to use them if you’re stuck off-road
and need
to be pulled to some place where you can
continue driving.
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1 NOTICE:
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.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but
if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the rear
brake linings inspected. Also, the rear brake drums
should be removed and inspected each time the tires are
removed for rotation or changing. When you have
the
front brakes replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your retailer 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 make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
If your brake pedal goes down farther than normal, your
rear drum brakes may need adjustment. Adjust them by
backing up and firmly applying the brakes a few times.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality
GM brake
parts
in them, as your Oldsmobile does when it is new.
When you replace parts
of your braking system -- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and
you
have to have new ones put in -- be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes
may no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change
in many other ways
someone puts
in the wrong replacement brake parts. if
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6. Put the blade assembly pivot in the wiper arm hook.
Pull up until the pivot locking tab locks
in the
hook slot.
7. Carefully lower the wiper arm and blade assembly
onto the windshield.
Backglass Wiper Blade Replacement
See “Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement” in this
section for instructions
on how to change the backglass
wiper blade. The backglass wiper blade
will not lock
in
a vertical position like the windshield wiper blade,
so care should be used when pulling it away from
the vehicle.
Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new Oldsmobile 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 maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
0
0
0
0
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.
Overinflated tires are more likely 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.
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Inflation -- Tire Pressure . ..
The Certificatioflire label; which is on the driver’s
door edge, above the door latch,
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).
NOTICE:
~~
.Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation
is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough
air (underinflation), you can
get the following:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
0 Bad wear ’ ,
0 , Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy.
NOTICE: (Continued)
,. ..

.N,OTICE:’ (Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride .
0 Needless damage from road hazards.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check the
tire pressure
of the spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell
if your tires are. properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps,back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out
dirt and moisture.
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Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be inspected every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(I 0 000 to 13 000 km) for any signs of unusual wear.
If unusual wear is present, rotate your tires as soon
as
possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When It’s Time for New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later
in this section 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 “Scheduled
Maintenance Services”
in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals. When rotating your tires,
always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the CertificatiodTire
label. Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly
tightened. See “Wheel Nut Torque”
in the Index.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change
a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use
a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper
or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. (See
“Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index.)
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When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for
new tires is to
check the treadwear indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire
if any of the following statements
are true:
0 You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certificationnire 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.
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