1995 OLDSMOBILE AURORA tow

When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be
in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake release.
Don’t
have your vehicle towed on the front wheels.
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
front wheels, don’t
go more than 35 mph (56 kdh) or
farther than SO miles (80 km) or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the
front wheels have to be supported
on a dolly.
5-9
ProCarManuals.com

Towing from the Front-Vehicle Hook up
Before hoolung up to a tow truck, be sure to read all the
information under “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in this
section.
1. Attach T-hook chains into the bottom slots in the
cradle behind the front
wheels, on both sides.
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or fascia.
damage will occur. Use wheel-lift or car carrier
equipment. Additional ramping may be required
for car carrier equipment. Use safety chains and
wheel straps.
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
Towing a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment.
To
help avoid damage, install a towing dolly and
raise the vehicle until adequate clearance is
obtained between the ground and/or wheel-lift
equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components when using car carrier
equipment.
Always use T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook slots.
2. Attach a separate safety
chain wound the
outboard end
of each
control arln.
Towing from the Rear-Vehicle Hook up
Before hooking up to a tow truck, be sure to read all the
information under "Towing Your Vehicle" earlier
in this
section.
I. Attach T-hook chains on both sides in the slotted
holes
in the floor pan support rails .just ahead of the
rear wheels.
5-11
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Aurora’s instrunlent panel. Your information center
will
also display messages about engine overheating. See
“Coolant Temperature Gage“
in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
Should a low coolant condition exist and the message
HOT STOP ENGINE display, an overheat protection
mode which alternates firing groups of four cylinders
helps prevent engine damage. This operating mode
allows
YOLIP vehicle to be driven to a safe place in an
emergency; you may drive
up to 50 miles (80 km).
Towing a trailer in the overheat protection lnode should
be avoided.
NOTICE:
After driving in the “Overheated Engine
Protection Operating Mode,” to avoid engine
damage, allow the engine to cool before
attempting any repair. The engine oil may be
severely degraded. Change the oil and reset the
oil life indicator. See “Engine Oil, When to
Change” in the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
5-13
ProCarManuals.com

NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered
by your warranty. See “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” in the Index.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot
when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you‘re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while driving --
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@) or THIRD (3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back
on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there‘s still no sign
of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then,
if you still have the
warning,
turf? ofthe engine and get everyone out qf the
vehicle until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously
in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
ProCarManuals.com

If a 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 fdils, 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 part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change
a flat tire safely.
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.
5-21
ProCarManuals.com

13. Replace the
wheel
nuts with the
rounded end of the
nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten
each nut by hand
until the wheel is
held against the
hub.
14. Lower the vehicle by rotating the wheel wrench
counterclockwise on the jack. Lower the jack
completely. 15. In
a crisscross sequence,
tighten the wheel nuts
firmly.
5-27
ProCarManuals.com

If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow I 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 transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle. What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fdst. The method known
as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains’’
in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. You should turn
your traction control system
off. (See ”Traction Control
System”
in the Index.) 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 transaxle
is in gear. 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”
in the Index.
5-30
ProCarManuals.com