1994 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA stop start

Try to use the freeways that rim and
crisscross most large cities. You'll
save time and energy. (See the next
section,
Freeway Driving.)
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.
Treat a green light as a warning
Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways (also called
thruways, parkways, expressways,
turnpikes, or superhighways) are the
safest of all roads. But they have their
own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway
driving
is: Keep up with traffic and keep
to the right. Drive at the same speed
most of the other drivers are driving.
Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a
smooth traffic flow. Treat the left lane
on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance there is usually a ramp
that leads to the freeway.
If you have a
clear view of the freeway as you drive
along the entrance ramp,
you should begin
to check traffic. Try to determine
where you expect to blend with the
flow. Try to merge into the gap at close
to the prevailing speed. Switch
on your
turn signal, check your mirrors and
glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with
the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust
your speed to the posted limit or to the
prevailing rate if it's slower. Stay
in the
right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your
mirrors. Then use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance
quicldy over your shoulder to make sure
there isn't another vehicle in your
"blind" spot.
Once you are moving
on the freeway,
make certain you allow a reasonable
following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway,
move to the proper lane well in
advance.
If you miss your exit do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back
up. Drive
on to the next exit.
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If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you
could be in a serious situation.
You
should probably stay with your vehicle
unless you know for sure that you are
near help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do to
su~nmon help and keep yourself and
your passengers safe: Turn on your
hazard flashers. Tie a red cloth to your
vehicle to alert police that you’ve been
stopped by the snow. Put on extra
clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If
you have no blankets or extra clothing,
make body insulators from newspapers,
burlap bags, rags, floor mats
- anything
you can wrap around yourself or tuck
under
your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm,
but be careful.
~ .--- . . .. . . .. ~ ~ ~, L
Run your engine only as long as you
must. This saves fuel. When
you run the
engine, make
it go a little faster than just
idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat
that you get and it keeps the battery
charged.
You will need a well-charged
battery to restart the vehicle, and
possibly for signaling later on with your
headlights. Let the heater run for awhile.
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.
3
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Your Driving and the Road
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher
and extra wiring. The green arrows on
your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lights will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change
lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think
drivers behind you are seeing your
signal when they are not, It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the
trailer bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you
might have to use your brakes
so much
that they would get hot and no longer
work well. On
a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed
to around 45 mph
(70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transmission overheating.
If you are towing a trailer that weighs
more than
3,000 pounds (1 350 kg), it’s
best to drive in
D instead of Overdrive
(or, as you need to, a lower gear). This
will minimize heat build-up and extend
the life of your transmission.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle,
with a trailer attached, on a hill.
If
something goes wrong, your rig could
start to move. People can be injured,
and both your vehicle and the trailer
can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on
a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t
shift into
P (Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under
the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place,
release the regular brakes until the
chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then
apply your parking brake and then
shift to
P (Park).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave
After Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold
the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
of
the chocks.
store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you’re pulling a trailer. See
the Maintenance Schedule for more on
this. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are
automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt,
cooling system, and brake adjustment.
Each of these is covered in this manual,
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Problems on the Rod
148
When the coolant in the coolant
recovery tank is at or above the
FULL
HOT mark, start your vehicle.
If the overheat warning continues,
there’s one more thing you can try.
You
can add the proper coolant mix directly
to the radiator, but be sure the cooling
system is cool before you do it.
How to Add Coolant to the
Radiator:
1. You can remove the radiator pressur(
cap when the cooling system,
including the radiator pressure cap
and upper radiator hose, is no longer
hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly to
the left until it first stops. (Don’t
press down while turning the
pressure cap.) If you hear a hiss, wail
for that to stop.
A hiss means there i:
still some pressure left.
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Engine Fan Noise
This vehicle has a clutched engine
cooling fan. When the clutch is engaged,
the fan spins faster to provide more air
to cool the engine. In most everyday
driving conditions the clutch is not
engaged. This improves fuel economy
and reduces fan noise. Under heavy
vehicle loading, trailer towing and/or
high outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases when the clutch engages.
So
you may hear an increase in fan noise.
This is normal and should not be
mistaken as the transmission slipping or
making extra shifts. It is merely the
cooling system functioning properly.
The fan will slow down when additional
cooling is not required and the clutch
disengages. You may also hear this fan
noise when you start the engine. It will
go away
as the fan clutch disengages.
I Ifa Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out”
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, then gently brake to a stop
well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve,
acts much like a skid and may require
the same correction you’d use in a skid.
In any rear blowout, remove your foot
from the accelerator pedal. Get the
vehicle under control by steering the
way you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well
off the road if possible.
If a tire goes
flat, the next section shows
how to use your jacking equipment to
change a flat tire safely.
I Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and
wheel damage by driving slowly to a
level place. Turn
on your hazard
warning flashers.
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