1996 OLDSMOBILE AURORA ESP

Safety Chains Driving with a Trailer
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 and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes?
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into
your vehicle’s brake system.
If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at all. 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 deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
4-35
ProCarManuals.com

When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1.
2.
3.
4.
Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
Let up on the brake pedal.
Drive slowly until the trailer
is clear of the chocks.
Stop and have someone pick up and 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 transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts are
tight.
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 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.
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.
I /d CAUTIO,
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people.
You and they could be badly injured.
Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks
at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle, at the opposite end.
ProCarManuals.com

Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if
you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32 " C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180°F to
200" F
(82°C to 93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about
15 miles
(24
km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may have
to drive longer.
Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK
(P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK
(P).
Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.
Then, without shutting off the engine, follow
these steps:
1. Pull out the
dipstick and wipe
it with a clean rag
or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
ProCarManuals.com

44
How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1.
L.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the
lower level. The fluid level must be in the
cross-hatched area.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
0
0
Pull out the dipstick.
Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level. It doesn’t
take much fluid, generally less than a pint
(0.5 L).
Don’t overfill. We recommend you use only fluid
labeled DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that
label is made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON@-I11
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under
“How to Check.”
When
the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
ProCarManuals.com

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system
does not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B,
and C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
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
6-45
ProCarManuals.com

Accessory Power Outlet ......................... 2-54
AirBag
....................................... 1-18
How Does it Restrain
........................... 1-22
How it Works
................................ 1-20
Location
.................................... 1-20
Readiness Light ......................... 1 . 19, 2-64
Servicing
................................... 1-23
What Makes it Inflate
.......................... 1-21
What Will
You See After it Inflates ............... 1-22
When Should it Inflate
......................... 1-21
Air Cleaner
.................................... 6-14
Air Conditioning
................................ 3-5
Air Conditioning Refrigerants ..................... 6-69
Air Control. Climate Control System
............. 3.3. 3.4
Alarm. Universal Theft-Deterrent .................. 2- 15
Alignment and Balance. Tire
...................... 6-46
Aluminum Wheels. Cleaning
...................... 6-53
Antenna. Power
................................ 3-28
Antifreeze
...................................... 6-20
Anti-Lock
Brakes
...................................... 4-6
Brake System Warning Light
................ 2.66. 4.6
Anti-LockoutFeature
............................ 2-7
Anti.Theft. Radio
.............................. 3-23
Appearance Care
................................ 6-48
Appearance Care Materials
....................... 6-55
Arbitration Program
............................... 8-6 Ashtrays
....................................... 2-52
Audio Equipment, Adding
........................ 3-26
Audio Systems
................................. 3-10
Automatic
DoorLocks
................................... 2-4
Electronic Climate Control
...................... 3-1
Overdrive
................................... 2-25
Check
...................................... 7-39
Fluid
....................................... 6-17
Operation
................................... 2-23
Park Mechanism Check
........................ 7-41
Auto-Push Knob, Climate Control
.................. 3-2
Averagespeed
................................. 2-76
Battery
........................ : ............. 6-30
Jump Starting ................................. 5-2
Replacement
.................................. 2-11
Saver
...................................... 2-47
Audio
Controls, Steering Wheel Touch Control
....... 3-25
Automatic Transaxle
WarningLight
............................... 2-64
Warnings
................................ 5-2, 5-5
Belt, Engine Accessory
.......................... 6-70
Battery
Voltage Message
......................... 2-76
BBB Auto Line
................................. 8-6
Better Business Bureau Mediation
................... 8-6
9-1
ProCarManuals.com