OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1997 Owners Manual

What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive
on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because
it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there. Whatever
the condition -- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break
the fragile traction. If
you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish
the surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make
a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See ”Anti-Lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the
sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
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If You're Caught in a Blizzard
A
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation. You should probably stay
with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help
and you
can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to
do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
0 Turn on your hazard flashers.
0 Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you've been stopped by the snow.
0 Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap
bags, rags , floor
mats -- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can
run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
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Know can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it,
so you might not
know it
is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little
on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you
run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less
fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged.
You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold.
But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
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Loading Your Vehicle
The Certification/Tire 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
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The
GVWR includes the weight
of the vehicle, all occupants,
fuel, cargo and trailer tongue weight,
if pulling a trailer.
The Certification/Tire 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
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
Certificationflire label or consult your retailer
for
additional details.
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.
I NOTICE:
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.
There’s
also important loading information for off-road
driving in this manual. See “Loading Your Vehicle’’ in
the Index.
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or in a crash.
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Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
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.
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Payload
The payload capacity is shown on the Certificationrnire
label. This is the maximum load capacity that your
j vehicle can carry. Be sure to include the weight of the
1 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.
I
1 NOTICE:
I Your warranty doesn't cover parts or i
I
components that fail because of overloading.
Towing a Trailer
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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I 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 part, and see your Oldsmobile
retailer for important information about towing
a trailer with
your vehicle.
Every Bravada is ready for some trailer towing. If yours
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 the reason for this part.
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:
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, 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
Ibs. (900 kg) or less. You should always
use
a sway control if your trailer will weigh more
than 2,000 lbs. (900 kg). You can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(800 kln) your new vehicle
is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800
kin) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over SO mph (80 kdh) and
don‘t make starts at
full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear
in at the
heavier loads.
You should use THIRD
(3) (or, as you need to, a
lower gear) 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.
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Three importmt considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
the weight of the trailer tongue
* 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 Communication Centre
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario LlH
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.
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A B
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 upper
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:
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more than 2,000 Ibs. (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 relnove 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.
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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
manufxturer’s recommendation for attaching
safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack so you can turn with yot~l. rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 Ibs. (450 kg)
loaded, then it needs its own brakes -- and they IINIS~ be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, acl.jtlst and
maintain them properly. Your
trailer’s brake system can tap into the vehicle’s
hydraulic brake system only if:
0 The trailer parts can withstand 3,000 psi
(20 650 kPa) of pressure.
0 The trailer’s brake system will use less than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc) of tluid from your vehicle’s
master cylinder. Otherwise, both braking systems
won’t work well.
You could even lose your brakes.
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.
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