1996 OLDSMOBILE AURORA oil dipstick

When the remaining oil life or transaxle fluid life is low,
the system will alert you with a message:
CHANGE OIL SOON or
CHANGE TRNS
FLUID SOON
When the oil or transaxle fluid life is down to zero, you
will receive the message:
CHANGE
OIL NOW or
CHANGE TRNS FLUID NOW
To reset the
OIL LIFE reminder after an oil change
or the
TRNS FLUID LIFE reminder after a transaxle
fluid change:
With the ignition on, press the ENG button
so the OIL
LIFE percentage or the TRNS LIFE percentage is
displayed.
Press RESET and hold for five seconds. The word
RESET will appear, then OIL LIFE 100% or TRNS
FLUID 100%.
Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE or TRNS
FLUID yourself after each oil or transaxle fluid change.
It will not reset itself. Also, be careful not to reset the
OIL LIFE or TRNS FLUID accidentally at any time
other than when the oil or transaxle fluid
has just been changed.
It can’t be reset accurately until the next oil or
transaxle fluid change.
The Driver Information Center does not replace the need
to maintain your vehicle as recommended in the
Maintenance Schedule in this manual. Also, the oil
change reminder will not detect dusty conditions or
engine malfunctions that may affect the oil.
If you drive
in dusty areas, change your oil after every
3,000 miles
(5 000 km) or three months, whichever occurs first,
unless the DIC instructs you to do
so sooner. Also, the
oil change reminder does not measure how much oil you
have in your engine.
So, be sure to check your oil level
often. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
Check Oil Level Warning
When CHECK OIL LEVEL appears, it indicates that the
engine oil level is
1 to 1 1/2 quarts (0.9 L to 1.4 L) low.
The message will appear only if the engine is running
and it’s been at least eight minutes since the engine was
last running. If the message appears, check the oil
dipstick level. If
it reads low, your oil level should be
brought up to the proper level (see “Engine Oil” in the
Index). After bringing the oil to the proper level, the
ignition must be off for eight minutes to allow the
majority of oil to drain into the oil pan.
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When you open the hood, you’li see:
A. Remote Positive Battery Terminal
B. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
C. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
D. Engine Oil Fill Cap
E. Engine Oil Dipstick
E Brake Fluid Reservoir
G. Automatic Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
(behind air cleaner)
H. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
I. Air Cleaner
6-9
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Engine Oil
OIL
If the CHECK OIL
LEVEL message or
the oil warning light on the instrument
panel comes on, it
means you need to
check your engine
oil level right away.
For more information,
see “Check Oil Level Message” or
“Oil Pressure Warning Light” in the Index. You should
check your engine
oil level regularly; this is an added
reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get
an accurate reading, the oil must
be
warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes to
drain back into the oil pan.
If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.
Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove
it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
7
6-10
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When to Add Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD line, then you’ll need to
add some oil. But you must use the right kind.
This part
explains what
kind of oil to use. For crankcase capacity,
see “Capacities and Specifications”
in the Index.
NOTICE:
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the upper
mark that shows the proper operating range,
your engine could be damaged.
Just fill it enough to put the level somewhere in the
proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when you’re through.
What Kind of Oil to Use
Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identified by
looking for the “Starburst” symbol. This symbol
indicates that the oil has been certified by the American
Petroleum Institute
(API). Do not use any oil which
does not carry this Starburst symbol.
If you change your
own oil, be sure you
use
oil that has the
Starburst symbol on
the front of the oil
container. If you have
your oil changed for
you, be sure the oil put
into your engine is
American Petroleum
Institute certified for
gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil
for your
vehicle,
as shown in the following chart:
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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level
is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches
90 OF (32 O C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at your Aurora retailer
Service Department.
If
you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or
you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
I NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle.
Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be sure to
get an accurate reading
if you check your
transaxle fluid.
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