warning light Oldsmobile Bravada 2003 s User Guide

Gate Ajar Light
‘1
United States Canada
If this light comes on, your liftgate or liftglass is ajar. Try
closing the liftgate or liftglass again. Never drive with
the liftgate or liftglass even partially open.
Fuel Gage
a
When the ignition is on, the fuel gage tells you about
how much fuel you have remaining.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the gas station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads full.
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but
it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to
fill the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
The gage doesn’t go back to empty when you turn
speed up.
off the
ignition.
Low Fuel Warning Light
The light next to the fuel gage will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
This light comes on when the fuel tank is low on fuel.
To turn it
off, add fuel to the fuel tank. See Fuel on
page 5-5.
United States Canada
3-42

Personalization
You can program certain features to a preferred setting
for up to two people. Press the personalization button
to scroll through the following personalization features.
All of the personalization options may not be available
on your vehicle. Only the options available will be
displayed on your DIC.
ALARM WARNING TYPE
AUTOMATIC LOCKING
AUTOMATIC UNLOCKING
SEAT POSITION RECALL
PERIMETER LIGHTING
REMOTE LOCK FEEDBACK
REMOTE UNLOCK FEEDBACK
HEADLAMPS ON AT EXIT
MIRROR CURB VIEW ASSIST
EASY EXIT DRIVER SEAT
DISPLAY UNITS (E/M)
DISPLAY LANGUAGE
The driver’s preferences are recalled by pressing the
unlock button on the remote keyless entry transmitter or
by pressing the appropriate memory button
1 or 2
located on the driver’s door.
Alarm Warning Type
Press the personalization button until ALARM
WARNING TYPE appears in the display. To select your
personalization for alarm warning type, press the
select button while ALARM WARNING TYPE is
displayed on the DIC. Pressing the select button will
scroll through the following choices:
ALARM WARNING: BOTH (default)
ALARM WARNING: OFF
ALARM WARNING: HORN
ALARM WARNING: LAMPS
If you choose BOTH, the headlamps will flash and the
horn will chirp when the alarm is active.
If you choose OFF, there will be no alarm warning on
activation.
If you choose HORN, the horn will chirp when the alarm
is active.
If you choose LAMPS, the headlamps will flash when
the alarm is active.
Choose one of the four options and press the
personalization button while it is displayed
on the DIC to
select it and move on to the next feature. For more
information on alarm warning type, see
Content
Theft-Deterrent on page
2- 16.
3-46

Anti-lock Brake System
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with
~ the anti-lock brake system,
~ this warning light will
stay on. See
Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light
on page 3-34.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there’s a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights will come on
accompanied by a IO-second chime. The lights
and chime will come on each time the ignition
is turned
on until the problem is repaired. See your dealer for
service. Let’s say the
road is wet and you’re driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here’s what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
4-7

Hydroplaning C ‘vir T’ lough --
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the
water. This can happen
if the road is wet enough and
you’re going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if
your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in
one or more is low.
It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see reflections
from trees, telephone poles or other vehicles, and
raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t
a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice
is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come
in
through your engine’s air intake and badly damage
your engine. Never drive through water that is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle.
If
you can’t avoid deep puddles or standing water,
drive through them very slowly.
owing W
-
:er
-
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces.
If you try to drive through flowing
water, as you might
at a low water crossing,
your vehicle can be carried away.
As little as
six inches of flowing water can carry away
a
smaller vehicle. If this happens, you and other
vehicle occupants could drown. Don’t ignore police warning signs, and otherwise be very
cautious about trying to drive through flowing
water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared
to have your
view restricted by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires
on page 5-52.
4-30

City Driving One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount
of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety
in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
most large cities. You’ll save time and energy.
See
Freeway Driving on page 4-32.
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough
to need it. When a light turns green, and just before
you start to move, check both ways for vehicles
that have not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.
e Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
4-31

Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle. Include
an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter
outer clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red
cloth and reflective warning triangles. And,
if you will be
driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or
a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet
the road probably have good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation.
You’ll have a
lot less traction or “grip” and will need to
very careful.
4-36

How to Reset the CHANGE ENG OIL Light
The GM Oil Life System calculates when to change
your engine oil and filter based on vehicle use. Anytime
your oil is changed, reset the system
so it can
calculate when the next oil change is required. If a
situation occurs where you change your oil prior to a
CHANGE ENG OIL light being turned on, reset the
system.
To reset the CHANGE ENG OIL light, do the following:
1. Turn the ignition key to RUN with the
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three
engine
off.
times within five seconds.
For vehicles with the Driver Information Center, see
Driver Information Center (DE) on page 3-43 to reset
the system.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Don’t let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer’s
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products. Used oil can be a threat
to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
filter before disposal. Never dispose
of oil by putting it
in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers, or into
streams
or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it by
taking it to a place that collects used oil. If you have a
problem properly disposing
of your used oil, ask
your dealer, a service station or a local recycling center
for help.
Engine Air CleanedFilter
The engine air cleanedfilter
is located toward the front
of the engine compartment
on the passenger’s side
of the vehicle.
See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12 for
more information on engine air cleaner filter location.
5-1 8

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission fluid
to use. See Part D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6- 17.
Add fluid only after checking the transmission fluid while
it is hot.
(A cold check is used only as a reference.) If
the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper fluid
to bring the level up
to the HOT area for a hot check.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one
pint (0.5 L).
Don’t overfill.
Notice: We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@
-111, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON@
-111 is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How
to Check”.
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way; then flip the handle
down
to lock the dipstick in place.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL@ engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add
only DEX-COOL@ extended life coolant. The following explains
your cooling system and how
to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see
Engine Overheating on
page 5-24.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice: When adding coolant, it is important that
you use only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL@ is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner
-- at 30,000 miles
(50,000 km) or 24 months, whichever occurs first.
Damage caused by the
use of coolant other
than DEX-COOL@
is not covered by your new
vehicle warranty.
5-22

Brake Pedal Travel
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.
Notice: Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary
to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence
to GM torque specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See
Brake System Inspection on page 6-16.
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or
if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a 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. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts
of your braking
system
- for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in
- be sure
you get new approved 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.
5-37

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only
to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply
to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches
(25 to
30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect
to these
grades, they must also conform
to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half
(1 5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction - AA, A, 9, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned
to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-57