1996 OLDSMOBILE AURORA Owners Manual

When It’s Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires
is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less of tread remaining. You
need a new tire if any
of the following statements
are true:
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You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
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Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by an
“MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires. Mixing tires could cause
you to lose control while
driving. If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size
and type tires on all four wheels.
It’s
all right to drive with your compact spare,
though. It was developed for use on your vehicle.
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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
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Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give
you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
In most cases,
you will not need to have your wheels
aligned again. However, if you notice unusual tire wear
or your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset.
If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel
nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum wneels, which
can sometimes be repaired). See
your
Aurora retailer if any of these conditions exist.
Your retailer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for your
Aurora model.
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Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
It could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have
a collision in which
you or others could be injured. Always use the
correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for replacement.
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NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, headlamp aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance and tire or tire chain clearance
to the body and chassis.
See
“Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for more
information.
Used Replacement Wheels
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’ A CAUTION: I
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how many miles it’s been driven. It could
fail
suddenly and cause an accident. If you have to
replace
a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where legal and only when
you must. Use only
SAE Class ccS” type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install
them on the front tires and tighten them
as
tightly as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them.
If the contact continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels
with chains on will damage your vehicle.
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Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into flame if you strike a
match or get them on a hot part of
the vehicle. Some are
dangerous if you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When you use anything from a container to clean your
Aurora, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings and instructions. And always open your doors or
windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
Benzene
Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
0 Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too. Don’t use any of these unless this manual says
you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
Alcohol
0 Laundry Soap
0 Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
CIeaning the Inside of Your Aurora
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of dust and loose
dirt. Wipe vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your Aurora retailer has two GM cleaners, a
solvent-type spot lifter and a foam-type powdered
cleaner. They
will clean normal spots and stains very
well.
Do not use them on vinyl or leather.
Here are some cleaning tips:
Always read the instructions on the cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can -- before they set.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and change to a clean area
often. A soft brush may be used
if stains are stubborn.
only.
If you use them, don’t saturate the stained area.
Use solvent-type cleaners in a well-ventilated area
If a ring forms after spot cleaning, clean the entire
area immediately or it will set.
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Using Foam-Type Cleaner on Fabric
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Vacuum and brush the area to remove any loose dirt.
Always clean a whole trim panel or section. Mask
surrounding trim along stitch or welt lines.
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner following the directions on the container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean sponge.
Don’t saturate
the material.
Don’t rub it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section, use a sponge
to remove the suds.
Rinse the section with a clean, wet sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly damp paper towel
or cloth.
Then dry it immediately with a blow dryer.
Wipe with a clean cloth.
Using Solvent-Type Cleaner on Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type cleaner at all.
Some spots and stains will clean off better with just
water and mild soap.
If you need to use a solvent:
0 Gently scrape excess soil from the trim material with
a clean, dull knife or scraper. Use very little cleaner,
light pressure and clean cloths (preferably
cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at the outside
of
the stain, “feathering” toward the center. Keep
changing to a clean section of the cloth.
0 When you clean a stain from fabric, immediately
dry the area with a blow dryer to help prevent a
cleaning ring.
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Special Cleaning Problems
Greasy or Oily Stains
Stains caused by grease, oil, butter, margarine, shoe
polish, coffee with cream, chewing gum, cosmetic
creams, vegetable oils, wax crayon, tar and asphalt can
be removed as follows:
Carefully scrape off excess stain.
Follow the solvent-type instructions described earlier.
0 Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and asphalt will stain
if left on a vehicle’s seat fabric. They should be
removed as soon as possible. Be careful, because
the cleaner will dissolve them and may cause them
to spread.
Non-Greasy Stains
Stains caused by catsup, coffee (black), egg, fruit, fruit
juice, milk, soft drinks, wine, vomit, urine and blood can
be removed as follows:
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain, then sponge the
soiled area with cool water.
If a stain remains, follow the foam-type instructions
described earlier.
If an odor lingers after cleaning vomit or urine,
treat the area with a waterbaking soda solution:
1 teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to 1 cup (250 ml)
of lukewarm water.
0 If needed, clean lightly with solvent-type cleaner.
Combination Stains
Stains caused by candy, ice cream, mayonnaise, chili
sauce and unknown stains can be removed as follows:
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then clean with
cool water and allow to dry.
0 If a stain remains, clean it with solvent-type cleaner.
Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You
may have to do it more than once.
Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain if
you don’t get them off quickly. Use a clean cloth and
a
GM Vinylbeather Cleaner or equivalent product.
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