parking brake OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1998 Owners Manual

a Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are
the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2-2
2-4
2-6
2-9
2-
10
2-1 1
2- 12 2- 12
2- 14
2- 15
2-16
2- 19
2-20
2-22
2-22
2-23
2-23
2- 24 Keys
Door Locks
Keyless Entry System
Liftgate
Theft Passlock
TM
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater
(If Equipped)
Automatic Transmission Operation
Parking Brake
Shifting Into PARK
(P)
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Parking Over Things That Burn
Engine Exhaust
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
Locking Rear Axle 2-24
2-25
2-25
2-26
2-26
2-32 2-34
2-35
2-37 2-44
2-44
2-45
2-45 2-46
2-50
2-5
1
2-53 All-Wheel Drive
Windows Horn
Tilt Wheel
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
Sun Visors
Accessory Power Outlets
Sunroof (If Equipped)
Universal Transmitter Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Cluster
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Transmission Operation
P
R
N
0
3
2
1
There are several
different positions for
your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle
can‘t move easily.
r
It is 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 have 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).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
ProCarManuals.com

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down
with your right foot. Push down the parking brake
pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light
will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the reg~dar brake
pedal down.
I NOTICE:
~
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts
of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and you must park on a hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer fl-om moving.
Pull the BRAKE RELEASE lever. It is located on the
bottom
of the instrument panel on the driver‘s side.
2-19
ProCarManuals.com

Shifting Into PARK (P)
c
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.
If
you have 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, use the steps that
follow. If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
!. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position like this:
P
a
Hold in the button on the lever.
Push the lever all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and t,&e it with you. If you can leave
your vehicle
with the key, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
2-20
ProCarManuals.com

Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine
Running
4 CAUTION:
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 your vehicle is
in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave
it. After
you‘ve moved the shift lever into PARK (P), 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 (or pressing the button on a console shift
lever).
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) bqjot-e 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
f1-0111 the parking pawl in the transmission, so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-21
ProCarManuals.com

Shifting Out Of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock
(BTSI).
You have to fully apply your regular brake
before
you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is
in
RUN. See “Automatic Transmission Operation” in
the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK
(P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then press
the shift lever button and move the shift lever into the
gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift
out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
I I
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that
can burn.
2-22
ProCarManuals.com

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.
2-24
ProCarManuals.com

To idle your vehicle with the automatic headlamp
system off, set the parking brake while the ignition is
off. Then start your vehicle. The automatic headlamp
system
will stay off until you release the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need
it.
Lamps On Reminder
A reminder tone will sound when your headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned on and your ignition
is
in OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY. To turn the tone off, turn
the knob all the way to the left.
In the automatic mode, the
headlamps
turn off once the ignition key is in OF.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful
in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will
make your headlamps come on at
reduced brightness when:
the ignition is on,
the headlamp switch is in automatic headlamp mode and
0 the parking brake is released. When the
DRL are on, only your headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won't be on.
The instrument panel won't be
lit up either.
When
it begins to get dark, the headlamps will
automatically switch from DRL
to the regular headlamps.
When you turn the headlamp switch off, the regular lamps
will go off, and your headlamps will change to the reduced
brightness of DRL provided
it is not dark outside.
To idle your vehicle with the DRL off, set the parking
brake. The DRL will stay off
until you release the
parking brake.
As with any vehicle. you should turn on the regular
headlamp system
when you need it.
Fog Lamps
Use your fog lamps for better vision in foggy or misty
conditions. Your low-beam headlamps must be
on for
your fog lamps to work.
The fog lamp switch is
on the instrument panel under
the lamps switch. Press the switch to turn the fog lamps
on. Press the switch again to turn them off.
A light will
glow
in the switch when the fog lamps are on.
Fog lamps will go off whenever your high-beam
headlamps come on. When the high beams go off, the
fog lamps
will come on again.
ProCarManuals.com

Brake System Warning Light
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will come on when you set your parking brake. The light
will stay on
if your parking brake doesn’t release fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it
means you have a brake problem.
Your vehicle‘s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts.
If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though. you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
This light should come on
BRAKE
-
briefly when you turn the
ignition key to
RUN. If it
doesn’t come on then,
have
it fixed so it will be
re.ady to warn you
if
there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully.
You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have. the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle“
in the Index.)
I CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
1 with the brake system warning light on can lead
~ to an accident. If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
2-56
ProCarManuals.com

Turning or driving across steep hills can be Driving
to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can
dangerous. You could lose traction, slide cause
an accident. There could be a drop-off,
sideways, and possibly roll over. You could be embankment,
cliff, or even another vehicle. You
seriously injured or killed. When driving up hills, could
be seriously injured or killed.
As you near
always
try to go straight up. the top
of a hill, slow down and stay alert.
0
0
0
0
Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of
the hill.
Attach a flag to the vehicle to make you more visible
to approaching traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill to
let opposing traffic know you’re there.
Use your headlamps even during the day. They make
you more visible to oncoming traffic.
What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about
to stall, and
I can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do.
First, here’s what you
should do:
0 Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it
from rolling backwards.
Also, apply the parking brake.
0 If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in
REVERSE (R).
4-21
ProCarManuals.com