tow Oldsmobile Bravada 2003 s Owner's Guide

Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as
soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
Notice: Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Change Engine Oil Light
CHANGE ENG
I OIL
United States Canada
This light is displayed when the engine oil needs to be
changed. Once the engine oil has been changed, the CHANGE
ENG OIL light
must be reset. Until it is reset, the light will
be displayed when the engine is on.
Security Light
United States Canada
This light will come on briefly when you turn the key
toward START. The light will stay on until the engine
starts.
If the light flashes, the Passlock@ system has entered a
tamper mode. If the vehicle fails to start, see
Passlock@
on page
2- 1 7.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays on, there may be a problem with the Passlock@
system. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock@
,
and you should see your dealer.
Also, see
Content Theft-Deterrent on page 2- 16 for
additional information regarding the SECURITY light.
3-39

AUTO EQ (Automatic Equalizer): Press this button to
choose bass, midrange and treble equalization
settings designed for country, jazz, talk, pop, rock and
classical program types.
To return to the manual mode, press the AUTO EQ
button until MANUAL appears on the display. Then you
will be able
to manually adjust the bass, midrange
and treble using the AUDIO button.
If your vehicle has the Bose radio, your audio system
allows you to choose from five different equalization
settings: talk, driver, normal, spatial, and auto eq normal.
These settings can be used while listening to the
radio or the
CD player. Press the AUTO EQ button to
select your choice.
TALK: This setting makes spoken words sound very
clear. When listening
to non-musical material such
as news, talk shows, sports broadcasts and books
on tape.
DRIVER: This setting gives the driver the best sound
quality.
NORMAL: This setting enhances the stereo effects.
AUTO EQ NORMAL (Automatic Equalization): This
setting will provide the best overall Bose performance.
The radio will save separate AUTO EQ settings for each
preset and source.
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
AUDIO: To adjust the balance between the right
and the left speakers, press and release the AUDIO
button until BAL appears on the display. Press the knob
above the AUDIO button to extend it, then turn the
knob
to move the sound toward the left or the right
speakers.
To adjust the fade between the front and the rear
speakers, press and release the AUDIO button until
FAD appears on the display. Press the knob above the
AUDIO button to extend it, then turn the knob
to
move the sound toward the front or the rear speakers.
Pressing and holding the AUDIO button for at least
two seconds will return all tone settings, including bass
and treble to flat.
SPATIAL: This setting makes the listening space seem
larger.
3-59

Setting the Tone (BassTTreble)
AUDIO: Push the AUDIO knob until BASS, MID or
TREB appears on the display. Turn the knob to increase
or
to decrease. If a station is weak or noisy, you may
want to decrease the treble.
To adjust bass, midrange or treble
to the middle
position, select BASS, MID or TREB and push and hold
the AUDIO knob. The radio will produce one beep
and adjust the display level to zero.
To adjust all tone and speaker controls
to the middle
position, push and hold the AUDIO knob when no tone
or speaker control is displayed. The radio will produce
one beep and CENTERED will appear on the display.
AUTO EQ (Automatic Equalization): Press this button
to choose between bass, midrange and treble
equalization settings designed for country, jazz, talk,
pop, rock and classical program types.
To return
to the manual mode (CUSTOM), press the
AUTO EQ button until CUSTOM appears on the display
Then you will be able to manually adjust the bass,
midrange and treble using the AUDIO knob.
Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade)
AUDIO: To adjust the balance between the right
and the left speakers, push the AUDIO knob until BAL
appears on the display. Turn the knob
to move the
sound toward the left or the right speakers.
To adjust the fade between the front and rear speakers,
push and hold the AUDIO knob until FAD appears on
the display. Turn the knob to move the sound toward the
front or the rear speakers.
To adjust the balance and the fade to the middle
position, select balance or fade and push and hold the
AUDIO knob. The radio will beep once and will
adjust the display level to the middle position.
To adjust all tone and speaker controls to the middle
position, push and hold the AUDIO knob when no tone
or speaker controls are displayed. The radio will
produce one beep and CENTERED will appear on the
display.
3-68

Problem
When I return to the DVD
from the system menu,
sometimes it plays from
the beginning and
sometimes from where it
left
off.
The fast forward, fast reverse, previous and
next functions do not
work.
Recommended Action
If the STOP button was
pressed once, it resumes
play from where it left
off.
If the STOP button was
pressed twice, it will start
at the beginning of the
DVD.
However,
if a change was
made to the menu, the
DVD will start from the
beginning, even
if the
STOP button was only
pressed once.
Some commands that do
one thing for DVDs will
not always work or
perform the same function
for audio, CDs or games.
- Problem
My disc is stuck in the
player. The EJECT/LOAD
button does not work.
Recommended Action
Press the EJECT/LOAD
button on the remote, or
the STOP/EJECT button
on the DVD player.
Turn the power
off, then
on again.
Do not attempt
to forcibly
remove the disc from the
player.
I lost the remote and/or
Pour some isopropyl or
What
is the best way
to
assistance.
the
headphones. See
your dealer for
clean the screen?
rubbing alcohol on
a clean
Sometimes the wireless
This could be caused by
headphone audio cuts out interference from cell
or buzzes for a moment
towers or by using your
then it comes back.
cell Dhone in the vehicle.
cloth and
wipe.
3-86

Section Driving Your Vehicle
Your
Driving. the Road. and Your Vehicle .......... 4-2
Defensive Driving
........................................... 4.2
Drunken Driving
........................... ....... 4.2
Control
of a Vehicle ...................... ....... 4.5
Braking
......................................................... 4.6
Traction Assist System (TAS)
........................... 4.9
Locking Rear Axle
........................................ 4.10
Steering
...................................................... 4.10
Off-Road Recovery
....................................... 4-12
Passing
....................................................... 4. 1 3
Loss of Control ............................................. 4-14
Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
Off
Paved Roads ............................................ 4-15
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
.............. 4-28
Driving at Night
............................................ 4-27 City
Driving
.................................................. 4-31
Freeway Driving
........................................... 4-32
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
....................... 4-33
Highway Hypnosis
........................................ 4-34
Hill and Mountain Roads
................................ 4-34
Winter Driving
.............................................. 4-36
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
.............................................. 4-40
Towing Your Vehicle
..................................... 4-41
Recreational Vehicle Towing
........................... 4-41
Loading Your Vehicle
.................................... 4-41
Adding a Snow Plow or Similar Equipment
....... 4-44
Towing a Trailer
........................................... 4-45
Towing .......................................................... 4-41
4- 1

Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all
the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and
repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable from
the cold. But do
it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel
as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or
Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don’t want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as “rocking” can
help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must
use caution.
If
,-u let yo^. -..,s spin a’. ..igh speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be injured. And, the transmission or other parts
of
the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine compartment fire or other damage.
CAUTION: (Continued)
I 1
When you’re stuc , sp : wneels as little as
possible. Don’t spin the wheels above
35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
Notice: Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, see
Tire Chains on page 5-60.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission
is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle.
If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, see Towing Your
Vehicle on page 4-4 1.
4-40

Towing Loading Your Vehicle
Towing
Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle
- such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly towing”
(towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any
OJ
its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be
towed, see “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in this section. The
Certificationflire label is found on the driver’s door
edge, above the door latch. The label shows the
size of your original tires and the inflation pressures
needed to obtain the gross weight capacity of your
vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel, cargo and trailer tongue
weight,
if pulling a trailer.

Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull
a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
-- or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps in this section. Ask your
dealer for advice and information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
Notice: Pulling a trailer improperly can damage
your vehicle and result
in costly repairs not covered
by your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in
this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle. Additional rear axle maintenance
is required for a vehicle used to tow a trailer. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services’’
in the Index.
To identify the trailering capacity of your vehicle,
you should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer’’
that appears later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by
itself. Trailering means changes in handling, durability
and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In
it are many time-testea,
important trailering
tips and safety rules. Many of
these are important for your safety and that of your
passengers.
So please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
4-45

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having
to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for
this information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control
if your trailer will
weigh
4,000 Ibs. (1 816 kg) or less. You should
always use a sway control
if your trailer will weigh
more than
4,000 Ibs. (1 816 kg). You can ask a
hitch dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h)
and don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in
at
the heavier loads.
With an automatic transmission, you can
tow in
DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission
to
THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear
selection
if the transmission shifts too often e.g.
under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
Three important considerations have to
do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
the weight of the trailer tongue
@ and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
4-46

Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight
to measure because it affects the total or gross weight
of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you
may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in
the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must add
the tongue load
to the GVW because your vehicle will be
carrying that weight, too. See
Loading Your Vehicle
on page 4-41 for more information about your vehicle’s
maximum load capacity.
A B
If you’re using a weight-carrying or a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue weight (A) should be
10 percent
to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B).
Do not exceed the maximum allowable tongue weight
for your vehicle.
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then
the tongue, separately,
to see if the weights are proper. If
they aren’t, you may be able to get them right simply by
moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper limit
for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
Certification label at the rear edge of the driver’s door.
Then be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for
your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
4-48