four wheel drive OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1998 Owners Manual

Locking Rear Axle
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If’ you’ve left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index. Your
locking rear axle can give you additional traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel.
It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when one of the rear
wheels has no traction and the other does, this feature
will allow the wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
All- Wheel Drive
Your engine’s driving power is sent to all four wheels
for extra traction. All-wheel drive is like four-wheel
drive, but there is no lever
or switch to engage or
disengage the front axle. It
is fully automatic and
adjusts itself
as needed for road conditions.
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Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance and
service work done. Check to make sure all underbody
shields
(if so equipped) are properly attached. Be
sure you read all the information about your
four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual.
Is there
enough fuel?
Is the spare tire fully inflated? Are the
fluid levels up where they should be? What are the
local laws that apply to off-roading where you’ll be
driving? If you don’t know, you should check with
law enforcement people
in the area. Will you be on
someone’s private land?
If so, be sure to get the
necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.
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Cargo on the load floor piled higher than
the seatbacks can be thrown forward
during a sudden stop. You or your
passengers could be injured. Keep cargo
below the top of the seatbacks,
Unsecured cargo on the load floor can be
tossed about when driving over rough
terrain. You or your passengers can be
struck by flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly.
Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s
center of gravity, making it more likely to
roll over.
You can be seriously or fatally
injured if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy
loads inside the cargo
area, not on the roof.
Keep cargo in the cargo area
as far forward
and low as possible.
You’ll find other important information
in this manual.
See “Vehicle Loading,” “Luggage Carrier” and “Tires”
in the Index.
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NOTICE:
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Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid on your vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake
pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are worn
and new pads are needed. The sound may come and go or
be heard
all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you are pushing
on the brake pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
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1 NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
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