weight OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1996 Owners Manual

Q
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
T“-lgi-- - Yunning
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure to firmly set your parking brake and
shift into PARK (P) before you leave
it. After you’ve
moved the shift lever into the PARK (P) position, hold
the regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move
the shift lever away from PARK (P) without first pulling
it toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever
wasn’t
fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may
put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK
(P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before
you leave the
driver’s seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
When
you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need
to have another
vehicle push yours a
little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the transmission,
so you can pull the shift
lever out of PARK
(P).
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To slide the crossrails to where you want them, push up
on the lever under each side of the crossrail. This will
release the crossrail and allow you
to slide it. When the
crossrail
is where you want it, push down on the lever to
lock.it into place.
NOTICE:
Loading cargo that weighs more than 200 lbs.
(91 kg) on the luggage qrrier may damage
your, vehicle.
When you carry cargo on the luggage carrier of
a
proper size and weight, put it on the slats, as far
against the rear of the load, to help keep it from
moving.
You can then tie it down.
I forward as you can. Then slide the crossrail up
Don’t exceed the maximum vehicle capacity when
loading your vehicle. For more information on vehicle
capacity.and loading, see “Loading Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo as you’re driving,.
check now and then to make sure the luggage carrier
is
locked and cargo is ‘still securely fastened.
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
To use the lighter, press it in all the way, &d let go.
When it’s ready, it will pop back by itself.
NOTICE:
Don’t hold a cigarette lighter in with your hand
while’ it is heating..p you do, it won’t be able to
back away from the heating element when it’s
ready. That can make it overload, damaging the
lighter and the heating element.
The front-ashtray must be completely gulled out to the
open position before the ashtray cover opens and smoking material can be deposited.
NOTICE:
,.
Don’t put papers and other things that burn
into your ashtray.
If you’ do, cigarettes or other
causing damage.
’ smoking materials could set them on fire,
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Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It’s
the number one contributor to
the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive
a vehicle:
Judgment
0 Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result
of someone who was drinking
and driving.
In recent years, some 18,000 annual motor
vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than
300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates? nearly half the
adult population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so
they never drive after drinking. For persons under 2 1,
it’s against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws. The
obvious way to solve
this highway safety problem
is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But
what if people do? How much is “too much” if the
driver plans to drive? It’s a lot less than many might
think. Although it depends on each person and situation,
here
is some general information on the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
0 The amount of alcohol consumed
0 The drinker’s body weight
0 The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
0 The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
According to the American Medical Association, a
180-lb. (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC
of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4-ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks
if each had 1 - 1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
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It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if
the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces
or
90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s
BAC would be close to
0.12 percent. A person who
consumes food just before or during drinking will have a
somewhat lower BAC level.
There is a gender difference, ,too. Women generally have
a lower relative percentage of body water than men. Since alcohol is carried in
body water, this means that a
woman generally will reach
a higher BAC level than a
man of her same body weight when each has the same
number
of drinks.
The law in many
U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC
of
0.10 percent. In a growing number of U.S. ‘states, and
throughout Canada, the limit is
0.08 percent. In some
other countries, it’s even lower. The BAC limit for all
commercial drivers in the United States is
0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over
0.10 percent after three to six
drinks (in one hour).
Of course, as we’ve seen, it
depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how
quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of
0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of
many people are impaired at a BAC approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All
drivers are impaired at BAC levels above
0.05 percent.
Statistics show that the chance
of being in a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At a BAC level of
0.10 percent, the chance of
this driver having a collision is
12 times greater; at a
level of
0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
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&: Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A: It’s much more likely to happen going uphill. But if
0
0
0
0
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:
0
0
0
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.
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Loading Your Vehicle
GVWR GAWR FRT GAWR RR A IU
II 111
1
I
< SEE OWNER’S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL - INFORMA TlON
The CertificatiodTire label is found on the driver’s door
edge, above the door latch. The label shows the size of
your original tires and the inflation pressures needed
to
obtain the gross weight capacity of your vehicle. This is
called the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The
GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel, cargo and trailer tongue weight, if pulling a trailer.
The CertificatiodTire label also tells you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). To find out the actual loads on
your front and rear axles, you need to go to a weigh
station and weigh your vehicle. Your retailer can help
you with this. Be sure to spread out your load equally on
both sides of the centerline. Never exceed
the GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle.
If you do have a heavy load, you should spread it out.
Similar appearing vehicles may have different GVWR’s
and payloads. Please note your vehicle’s
Certificatioflire label or consult your retailer for
additional details.
I A CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can break,
or it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could
cause you to lose control. Also,
overloading can shorten the life of your vehicle.
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Using heavier suspension components to get added
durability might not change your weight ratings. Ask
your retailer to help you load your vehicle the right way.
NOTICE:
I
I
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that
fail because of overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle
-- like suitcases,
tools, packages
or anything else -- they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or
turn quickly, or
if there is a crash, they’ll keep going. Things
you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in
a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases, Try to spread the weight evenly.
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever
you can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.
There’s also important loading information
for off-road
driving in this manual. See “Loading Your Vehicle” in
the Index.
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Payload
The payload capacity is shown on the CertificatiodTire
label. This
is the maximum load capacity that your
vehicle can carry. Be sure to include the weight of the
occupants as part
of your load. If you added any
accessories or equipment after your vehicle
left the
factory, remember to subtract the weight
of these things
from the payload. Your retailer can help you with this.
Add-on Equipment
When you carry removable items, you may need to put a
limit on how many people
you carry inside your vehicle.
Be sure to weigh your vehicle before you buy and install
the new equipment.
Your warranty doesn’t cover parts or
components that fail because of overloading.
Towing a Trailer
CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example,
if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull a trailer only
if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your Oldsmobile retailer
for advice and information about towing a trailer with your vehicle.
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Three important considerations have to do with weight:
0 the weight of the trailer,
0 the weight of the trailer tongue
0 and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 5,000 lbs. (2 270 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. You
can
ask your retailer for our trailering information
or advice, or you can write
us at:
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
L1 H 8P7
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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.
A 6
If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you’re using a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should.weigh 12 percent 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/Tire label on the driver’s door edge, above
the door latch or see “Tire Loading”
in the Index. Then
be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for your
vehicle, including the weight of
the trailer tongue.
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:
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