warning OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1998 Owners Manual

About Driving Your Vehicle
As with other vehicles of this type, failure to operate
this vehicle correctly may result
in loss of control or
an accident. Be sure to read the “on-pavement” and
“off-road” driving guidelines
in this manual. (See
“Driving Guidelines” and ”Operating Your Vehicle
Off Paved Roads”
in the Index.)
How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this,
it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle.
In this manual, you‘ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of what’s in
the manual, and the page number where you‘ll find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safcty cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could
hurt you if you were to i, wore
the warning.
IN:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce
the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If YOLI don‘t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t
do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
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Vehicle
Also in this
Damage Warnings In the notice area, we tell you about something that can
damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would
book you will find these notices: not be covered by your warranty, and it could be costly.
t I But the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid
NOTICE:
the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
These mean there is something that could
damage
your vehicle. I
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
I I You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
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Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on
an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD
x
BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols
are important
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
for
you and
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
These symbols
have
to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS 9
TURN
RUNNING
' 0
DAYTIME .
LAMPS **
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
CS 0b
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VEN TlLATlNG
FAN
These symbols are
used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
n
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
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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.
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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
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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.
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Driver Information System
This system displays the outside air temperature,
compass direction and trip information in the
overhead console.
USMET The US/MET (United Statedmetric) button
allows you to switch the display between the English
and metric system.
MODE: The MODE button can be used to toggle
between three modes
of operation: OFF, COMP/TEMP
and TRIP.
OFF: This turns the system off.
COMP/TEMP: The display provides the outside
temperature and one of eight compass readings to
indicate the direction the vehicle is facing.
Before you turn on the ignition and move the vehicle,
the temperature indicated will be the last outside temperature recorded
with the ignition on. If the outside
temperature is
37 OF (3 O C) or lower, the display will
toggle between the word ICE and
the current
temperature every eight seconds. This is a warning to
the driver that road conditions may be icy, and that
appropriate precautions should be taken.
The compass is self-calibrating,
so it does not need to be
manually set. However, if C (Calibration) is displayed,
the compass will need to be calibrated.
You may also
place the compass in a noncalibrated mode by pressing
and holding the MODE and USMET buttons
simultaneously while in the COMPREMP mode. After
about
10 seconds, the compass will display C and you
can release
the buttons. Drive the vehicle in a complete
360" circle three times at a speed of less than 5 mph
(8 km/h), and the compass will function normally. Once
the calibration is complete, the display will return to a
compass reading.
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Speedometer and Odometer
Your speedometer lets you see your speed in both miles
per hour (mph) and kilometers per hour (km/h).
Your odometer shows how far your vehicle
has been
driven, in miles.
You may wonder what happens
if your vehicle needs a
new odometer installed.
If the new one can be set to the
mileage total of the old odometer, then
it must be. But if
it can’t, then it’s set at zero, and a label must be put on
the driver’s door to show the old mileage reading when
the new odometer was installed.
Trip Odometer
The trip odometer can tell you how fa- your vehicle has
been driven since you last set the trip odometer to zero.
To view
the trip odometer, press the button near the
readout.
To reset the trip odometer, press the button
until it clears.
Tachometer
The tachometer displays the engine speed in revolutions
per minute (rpm). Each
tachometer has a different
limit depending on the
powertrain
in your vehicle. The tachometer has three
areas: normal operating range, red warning range and
red danger range.
The normal operating range shows your engine speed
during normal driving conditions. For example, when
the needle points to
2, it means the engine is running at
2,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). The tachometer
needle will vary all the time that the engine is running.
The shaded red warning range tells you that your engine
speed is reaching its upper limits. Don’t drive very long
with the tachometer in the red warning range. Lift your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
The solid red danger range tells you that your engine
speed
is at its upper limits. You should immediately shift
to
a higher gear, or lift your foot off the accelerator pedal.
I NOTICE:
Do not operate the engine with the tachometer in
the red range,
or engine damage will occur.
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Warning Lights, Gages
and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on
your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before
it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair
or replacement. Paying, attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come
on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you
will see
in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they’re working.
If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one
of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s
a problem with your vehicle. When
one
of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when
you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow
this manual’s advice.
Waiting
to do repairs can be costly -- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Your vehicle also has
a driver information system that
works along with the warning lights and gages. See
“Driver Information System”
in the Index.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds, then it
will flash for about 55
seconds. If the driver’s belt
is already buckled, neither
the chime nor the light will
come on.
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Voltmeter Gage
When your engine is not
running, but the ignition is
on
(in the RUN position),
this gage shows your
battery's state of charge
in
DC volts.
When the engine is running, the gage shows the
condition
of the charging system. Readings between the
low and high warning zones indicate the normal
operating range. Readings
in the
low warning zone may occur when a
large number of electrical accessories are operating
in
the vehicle and the engine is left at an idle for an
extended period. This condition
is normal since the
charging system
is not able to provide full power at
engine idle.
As engine speeds are increased. this
condition should correct itself as higher engine speeds
allow the charging system to create maximum power.
You can only drive for a short time with the reading in
either warning zone. If you must drive, turn off all
unnecessary accessories.
Readings
in either warning zone indicate a possible
problem
in the electrical system. Have the vehicle
serviced
as soon as possible.
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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.
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