jump cable OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1997 Owners Manual

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.
1 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.
~~
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
Batteries can
hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to burn
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
you.
1. Check the
other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE:
5-3
ProCarManuals.com

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). Put a
manual transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
I unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter, or accessory power outlets, if you have this
option. Turn
off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help to save
both batteries. In addition, it could save your radio!
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repair wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
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.
I ‘ 5-4
ProCarManuals.com

4. Open both hoods and locate the batteries. Find
the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight
if‘
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You
don’t need to add water to the Delco Freedom@
battery installed in every new
GM vehicle. But
if a battery has filler caps, be sure the right
amount of fluid is there.
If it is low, add water
to take care
of that first. If you don’t, explosive
gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you.
If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation.
If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things
you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) and negative (-) will go to an unpainted
metal engine part
or a body metal surfice. Don’t
connect positive
(+) to negative (-j or you’ll get a
short that would damage the battery and maybe other
parts too. And don‘t connect the negative
(-) to
negative
(-).
6. Connect the I-ed
positive
(+) cable to the
positive
(+) terminal
of the vehicle with the
dead battery.
5-5
ProCarManuals.com

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 if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new Oldsmobile has a Delco Freedom@ battery.
You never have to add water to one of these. When it‘s
time for a new battery, we recommend
a Delco Freedom
battery. Get one that has the replacement number shown
on the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days or
more, take off the black, negative
(-) cable from the
battery. This will help keep your battery
from
running down.
Batteries have acid that can Durn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Contact your retailer to learn how to prepare your
vehicle for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see “Theft-Deterrent
Feature”
in the Index.
ProCarManuals.com