towing Oldsmobile Bravada 2003 Owner's Manuals

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice: Your vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But
it will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less for
the first
500 miles (805 km).
Don’t drive at any one speed -fast or slow
- for
the first
500 miles (805 km). Don’t make
full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time your new brake
linings aren’t yet broken in. Hard stops with new
linings can mean premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow
this breaking-in guideline
every time you get new brake linings.
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in. See “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index for more information.
Ignition Positions
C
Use the key to turn the ignition switch to four different
positions.
A (LOCK): This position locks the ignition and
transmission. It’s a theft-deterrent feature. You will only
be able to remove the key when the ignition is turned
to LOCK.
2-1 8

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever
PARK (P): This position locks the rear wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start the engine because your vehicle can’t move easily.
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. Ensure
the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transmission
shift lock control system. You have to fully apply the
regular brakes before you can shift from PARK
(P) when
the ignition key is in RUN. If you cannot shift out of
PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever, press the
button on the shift lever and push the shift lever all
the way into PARK (P) as you maintain brake
application. Move the shift lever into the gear you wish.
See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-27.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
Notice: Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission,
see
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page
4-40.
2-22

NEUTRAL (N): In this position, the engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re already
moving, use N ITRAL
(N) only.
1 ifting into c _. 2 gear w e your engine is
“racing” (running at high speed) is dangerous.
Unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit people or objects.
Don’t shift into a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Nofice: Damage to your transmission caused by
shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with
the engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
On cold days, approximately 32°F (OOC) or colder, your
transmission is designed
to shift differently until the
engine reaches normal operating temperature. This is
intended
to improve heater performance.
DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
0 Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
You’ll shift down
to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying
a heavy load, driving on steep hills or for off-road driving.
You may want
to shift the transmission to THIRD (3)
or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts
too often.
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving,
however it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use
SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but then you
would also want to use the brakes
off and on.
You can also use SECOND (2) for starting the vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
2-23

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right
foot and pull up on the parking
brake lever. If the ignition is on, the brake system
warning light will come on.
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
cause your parking brake 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 on page 4-45. That section
shows what
to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into Park (P)
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press in the button at the end
of the lever. Hold the
button in as you move the parking brake lever all the
way down.
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.
2-25

Running Your Engine While You
Are Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
eve- to, here are some
things to know.
Idling the engine with the climate control
system
off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under
“Engine Exhaust.”
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan
is at the highest setting. One place this
can happen is a garage. Exhaust - with
CO - can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard. See
“Winter Driving” in the Index.
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) on page 2-25.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer on
page
4-45.
2-29

If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you signal
a turn, check the fuse. See
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
on page 5-86 and check for burned-out bulbs.
If you have a trailer towing option with added wiring for
the trailer lamps, a different turn signal flasher is
used. With this flasher installed, the signal indicator will
flash even
if a turn signal bulb is burned out. Check
the front and rear turn signal lamps regularly
to make
sure they are working.
Turn Signal On Chime
If your turn signal is left on for more than 3/4 of a mile
(1.2 km), a chime will sound at each flash of the
turn signal.
To turn off the chime, move the turn signal
lever to the off position.
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low to high beam, push
the lever toward the instrument panel. To return
to
low-beam headlamps, pull the multifunction lever toward
you. Then release it.
-1 When the high beams are
on, this indicator light on
the instrument panel
cluster will also be on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps to
signal a driver in front of you that you want to pass.
It works even if your headlamps are in the automatic
position.
To use it, pull the turn signal lever toward you, then
release it.
If your headlamps are in the automatic position or on
low beam, your high-beam headlamps will turn on.
They’ll stay on as long as you hold the lever toward you.
The high-beam indicator on the instrument panel
cluster will come on. Release the lever to return
to
normal operation.
3-8

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
on page 4-41.
. ,UT brake sl ,,em m,, not be WOL ... ng
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving 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.
I
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on for
several seconds. That’s
normal.
A chime may also
sound when the light
comes on.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving,
your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake
system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but
you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake
system warning light is also on, you don’t have anti-lock
brakes and there’s a problem with your regular
brakes. See
Brake System Warning Light on page 3-33
earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
RUN. If
the light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
3-34

This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK
ENGINE light comes on and a chime will sound
to
indicate that there is a problem and service is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage
to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice: If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after a while, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered by your warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs
not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.
3-36
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is
not running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
0 Light Flashing - A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center
diagnosis and service may be required.
Light On Steady - An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady’’ following.

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