wheel Oldsmobile Bravada 2003 s Workshop Manual

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

Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. But please use the following steps
to do it
safely.
can be dangerous
* They contain acid that can burn you.
0 They contain gas that can explode or
* They contain enough electricity to
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some
Notice: Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling
it
won’t work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with
a negative ground system.
Notice: If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in
PARK (P) or a manual transmission
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brake. If
you have a four- wheel-drive vehicle, be sure
the transfer case is not in NEUTRAL.
Notice: If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or accessory power outlets (if equipped).
Turn
off the radio and all lamps that aren’t needed.
This will avoid sparks and help
to save both
batteries. And it could save your radio!
5-39

All-Wheel Drive
Lubricant checks in this section also apply to these
vehicles. However, there are
two additional systems that
need lubrication.
Transfer Case
When to Check Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant. See
Part C: Periodic
Maintenance Inspections on page
6- 15.
How to Check Lubricant
To get an accurate
reading, the vehicle should
be on a level surface.
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need
to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level
to the bottom of the filler plug hole.
Use care not to overtighten the plug.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of lubricant to use. See Part D: Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page
6- 17.
Front Axle
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change it.
5-44

Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certificationnire label, which is on the driver’s door
edge, above the door latch, shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they’re cold. “Cold” means
your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours
or driven no more than
1 mile (1.6 km).
Notice: Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation
or overinflation
is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can get
the following:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
0 Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you
can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the spare tire.
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure
to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping
out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles (12 500 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment.
Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. See When It Is Time
for New Tires
on page 5-55 and Wheel Replacement
on page 5-58 for more information.
Make sure the spare tire
is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try
to rotate or turn the tire. If it moves,
use the wheel wrench to tighten the cable. See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-62.
5-53

The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first rotation
is the most important. See “Part A: Scheduled
Maintenance Services,” in Section
6, for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the
Certificationnire label. Make certain that
all wheel nuts
are properly tightened. See “Wheel
Nut Torque”
under
Capacities and Specifications on page 5-93.
Rust c. dirt or. - wheel, or on the parts to
which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts
become loose after a time.
The wheel could
come
off and cause an accident. When you
change a wheel, remove any rust
or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to the vehicle.
In an emergency, you can use a cloth or
a
paper towel to do this; but be sure to use a
scraper
or wire brush later, if you need to, to
get
all the rust or dirt off. See “Changing a Flat
Tire” in the Index.
5-54

Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Certificationnire label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue
to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS” (for
mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires. Mixi-.,
--:es could cause
, - . o lose control
while driving. If you mix tires
of different sizes
or types (radial and bias-belted tires) the
vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires
of different
sizes may also cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same size and type tires on
all wheels.
If you
--e bias-pi, ;ires c.. yo^. Jehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after many miles of driving.
A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
5-56

Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability
to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade
C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory
to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need
to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need
to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace
it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer
if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted
the same way as the one it replaces.
5-58

If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new
GM
original equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to
have the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your vehicle.
Lb CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous.
It could affect the braking and
handling
of your vehicle, make your tires lose
air and make you lose control. You could have
a collision in which you or others could be injured. Always use the correct wheel, wheel
bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
Notice: The wrong wheel can also cause problems
with bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height,
vehicle ground clearance and tire clearance to the body and chassis.
See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-62 for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
Putting a used wheel on 1 lr vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used
or how far
it’s been driven. It could fail
suddenly and cause a crash. If you have to replace a wheel, use a new
GM original
equipment wheel.
5-59

lire Chains
Accessory Inflator
I^
Do.. - use tire ch-..ls. There’s no- _.__ugh
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle without
the proper amount of clearance can cause
damage to the brakes, suspension or other
vehicle parts. The area damaged by the tire
chains could cause you to lose control of your
vehicle and you or others may be injured
in a
crash. Use another type of traction device only if
its manufacturer recommends it for use on
your vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s instructions.
To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the device
if it’s contacting your vehicle, and don’t
spin your wheels.
If you do find traction devices
that will fit, install them on the rear tires. Your
vehicle may be equipped with an air inflator
system. You can inflate things like basketballs and
bicycle tires.
Also, you can use it to bring your tire
pressure up to the proper pressure. It is not designed to
inflate large objects which will require more than five
minutes to inflate, such as an air mattress.
To remove the cover, pull the two tabs on the cover and
pull
it off.
The air inflator kit may be located in the glove
compartment. The kit includes a
22 ft (6.7 m) hose with
three nozzle adapters.
5-60

To use the air inflator attach the appropriate nozzle
adapter to the end of the hose
if required. Then attach
that end of the hose to the object you wish to inflate.
Attach the other end of the hose to the outlet.
Press and release the switch to turn the air inflator on.
The indicator light will remain on when the inflator is
running.
The system has an internal clock to prevent overheating.
The system will allow about five minutes of running
time, then the compressor will stop. The indicator light
will then begin to flash. When the indicator is off,
the inflator can be started again by pressing the switch.
If the compressor is still hot,
it may only run for a
short time before shutting off again.
Press and release the switch to turn the inflator off.
Place the inflator kit
tools in the pouch and store
it properly. Remove the inflator hose from the outlet
during loading and unloading. Load leveling will
not function with the inflator hose attached
to the inflator
outlet. See ”Electronically Controlled Air Suspension
System” in the Index.
To reinstall the cover, line up the tabs at the back of the
cover, put it in place and latch the tabs.
A continuous flashing indicator light may also indicate a
malfunction in the air suspension system. See
“Electronically Controlled Air Suspension System” in the
Index.
Inllarlllg something too m,.-h can make it
explode, and you or others could be injured.
Be sure to read the inflator instructions, and
inflate any object only to its recommended
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blowout” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But
if you should ever have a “blowout”, here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
5-61