1994 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA trailer

Features & Controls
50
Forward Gears
ID1 (Automatic Overdrive): This
position is for normal driving.
If you
need more power for passing, and
you’re:
Going less than 35 mph (56 km/h),
push your accelerator pedal about
halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 ltm/h) or
more, push the accelerator pedal all
the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and
have more power.
D (Third Gear): This position is like
(Dl, but you never go into Overdrive.
Here are some times you might choose
D instead of [D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less
When going down a steep hill.
2 (Second Gear): This position gives
you more power but lower fuel
economy.
You can use 2 on hills. It can
help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you
would also want to use your brakes off
and on.
1 (First Gear): This position gives you
even more power (but lower fuel
economy) than
2. You can use it on
very steep hills, or in deep snow or
mud.
If the shift lever is put in 1, the
transmission won’t shift into first gear
until the vehicle
is going slowly enough.
shifting between gears.
NOTICE:
If
your rear wheels can’t rotate,
don’t try to drive. This might
happen if you were
stuck in very
deep sand or mud or were up
against a solid object.
You could
damage your transmission or
transfer case or both. Also, if you
stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the
accelerator pedal. This could
overheat and damage the
transmission.
Use your brakes or
shift into P (Park) to hold your
vehicle in position on
a hill.
Locking Rear Axle
Your rear axle can give you additional
traction on snow, mud, ice, sand or
gravel. It works like a standard axle
most
of the time, but when one of the
rear wheels has no traction and the
other does, the locking feature will
allow the wheel with traction to move
the vehicle.
ProCarManuals.com

[-:......,*>+ . .,, :z :. ; .. * ; e.. .: . ...
,.. ,,:... ',',::.::-: ,..:..'*,..::;;;.L L. ... , .#. .eL r
Parking Brake
ro Set the Parking Brake:
Hold the regular brake pedal down with
your right foot. Push down the parking
xalte pedal with your left foot.
If the
ignition is on, the brake system warning
ight will come on.
:.::.:,.'r:..:::::.:::
To Release the Parking Brake:
Hold the regular brake pedal down. Pull
the BRAKE RELEASE lever.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on
can cause your rear brakes 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 Are
Parking on
a Hill:
See the Index under Towing a Trailer.
That section shows what to do first to
keep the trailer from moving.
Shiftins Into P (Park)
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your
right foot and set the parking brake.
51
ProCarManuals.com

Features & Controk
54
Running Your Engine While You’re Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine
running. But if you ever have to, here
are some things to know.
Follow the proper steps to be sure your
vehicle won’t move.
See Shifting Into P
(Park) in the Index.
If you are parking on a hill and pulling
a trailer, also see
Towing a Trailer in
the
Index.
Horn
You can sound the horn by pressing the
horn symbol on your steering wheel.
ProCarManuals.com

If the green arrows don’t go on at all
when
you signal a turn, check the fuse
(see the
Index under Fuses G Circuit
Breakers) and for burned-out bulbs.
If you have a trailer towing option with
added wiring for the trailer lights, 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 lights regularly to make
sure they are working.
Windshield Wipers
You control the windshield wipers by
turning the band marked WIPER.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band
to
MIST. Hold it there until the wipers
start, then let go. The wipers will stop
after one cycle. If you want more cycles,
hold the band on
MIST longer. You
can set the wiper speed for a long
or short delay between wipes. This can
be very useful in light rain or snow.
Turn the band to choose the delay time.
The closer to
LO, the shorter the delay.
For steady wiping at low speed, turn the
band away from you
to the LO position.
For high speed wiping, turn the band
further, to
HI. To stop the wipers, move
the band to
OFF.
Remember that damaged wiper blades
may prevent you from seeing well enough
to drive safely.
To avoid damage, be sure
to clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them.
If they’re
frozen
to the windshield, carefully loosen
or thaw them.
If your blades do become
damaged, get new blades or blade inserts.
57
ProCarManuals.com

Here you’ll find information about
driving on different kinds
of roads
and in varying weather conditions
.
We’ve also included many other
useful tips
on driving .
Part 4
Your Driving and the Road
Defensive Driving .. ............................................... ................................................... 106 . ..
Drunken Driving ........................................................................\
............................. 106
Control of a Vehicle
What
Is All-Wheel Drive? ........................................................................\
........... 108
Braking ........................................................................\
......................................... 109
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
........................................................................\
............. 110
Braking in Emergencies
........................................................................\
............... 111
Steering ........................................................................\
........................................ 111
Steering in Emergencies ........................................................................\
.............. 112
Passing ........................................................................\
......................................... 113
Driving Guidelines ........................................................................\
.......................... 115
Operating Your Bravada
Off Paved Roads ............................................................ 115
Driving at Night
........................................................................\
.............................. 124
Driving
in the Rain ........................................................................\
.......................... 125
City Driving
........................................................................\
..................................... 126
Freeway Driving ........................................................................\
.............................. 127
Hill and Mountain Roads ........................................................................\
................ 129
Winter Driving
........................................................................\
................................. 130
Towing a Trailer ........................................................................\
.............................. 132
..
105
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
Towinga Trailer
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 section,
and see your Oldsmobile dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with your vehicle. Every Bravada is ready for some trailer
towing. If it was built with trailering
options, as many are, it’s ready for
heavier trailers. But 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 thereason for this section. In it are
many time-tested, 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.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
There are many different laws 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
2,000 pounds (900
kg) or less. You should always use a
sway control if your trailer will weigh
more than
2,000 pounds (900 kg). You
can ask
a hitch dealer about sway
controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the
first
500 miles (800 lun) 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.
Three important considerations have
to
do with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
5,250
pounds (2 380 kg). But even that can be
too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your
rig. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also
depend on any special equipment that
you have on your vehicle.
ProCarManuals.com

You can ask your dealer for our
trailering information or advice, or you
can write
us at:
Network
Oldsmobile
Customer Assistance
P.O. Box 30095
Lansing,
MI 48909
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Assistance Center 1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
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 in the Index for more
information about your vehicle’s
maximum load capacity.
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch,
the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh
10% of the total loaded trailer weight
(B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch,
the trailer tongue
(A) should
weigh 12% of the total loaded trailer
weight
(B) .
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 limit for cold tires. You’ll find
these numbers
on the Certification label
at the rear edge
of the driver’s door or
see
Tire Loading in the Index. Then be
sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit
for your vehicle.
C
133
ProCarManuals.com

Your Driving and the Road
134
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch
equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks
going by, and rough roads are a few
reasons why you’ll need the right hitch.
Here are some rules to follow:
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when
loaded, will weigh more than
2,000
pounds (900 kg), be sure to use a
properly mounted, weight-distributing
hitch and sway control
of the proper
size. This equipment is very important
for proper vehicle loading and good
handling when you’re driving.
Will you have to make any holes in
the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, then
be sure to seal the holes later when
you remove the hitch. If you don’t
seal them, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into
your vehicle (see
Carbon Monoxide in
the
Index). Dirt and water can, too.
. The bumpers on your vehicle are not
intended for hitches. Do not attach
rental hitches or other bumper-type
hitches to them. Use only a frame-
mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper. If
your vehicle has
a deadweight hitch
and a tailgate-mounted spare tire, and
your trailer has a winch or tongue jack,
you could have interference between
them.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue
will not drop to the road if it becomes
separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave
just enough slack
so you can turn with
your rig. And, never allow safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000
pounds (450 kg) loaded, then it needs
its own brakes
- and they must be
adequate. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the trailer brakes
so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly. Don’t
tap into your vehicle’s brake
system
if the trailer’s brake system will
use more than
0.02 cubic inch (0.3 cc)
of fluid from your vehicle’s master
cylinder. If it does, both braking
systems won’t work well. You could
even lose your brakes.
Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000
psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not,
the trailer brake system must not be
used with your vehicle.
If everything checks out this far, then
make the brake fluid tap at the port
on the master cylinder that sends
fluid to the rear brakes. But don’t use
copper tubing for this. If
you do, it
will bend and finally break off. Use
steel brake tubing.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting
out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself
with the feel of handling and braking
with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the
vehicle you are driving is now a good
ProCarManuals.com