1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA air condition

When should an air bag inflate?
The air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.”
If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is
about
14 to 18 mph (23 to 29 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such
as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The
air bag is
not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to
a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of
the impact and
the vehicle’s deceleration. Vehicle damage is only one
indication of
this.
The air bag system is designed to work properly under a
wide range of conditions, including off-road usage.
Observe safe driving speeds, especially
on rough terrain.
As always, wear your safety belt. See “Off-Road
Driving”
in the Index for more tips on off-road driving.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity,
the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle is
suddenly stopping as
a result of a crash. The sensing
system triggers
a chemical reaction of the sodium azide
sealed
in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen
gas, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and
related hardware are all part
of the air bag module
packed inside the steering wheel.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel.
The air bag supplements the protection provided by
safety belts.
Air bags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. But air bags would not
help you
in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily
because an occupant’s motion
is not toward the air bag.
Air bags should never be regarded as anything more
than
a supplement to safety belts, and then only in
moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
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Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR
BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag module,
the wiring and the diagnostic module. For more information on the air bag system, see “Air Bag” in
the Index.
AIR
BAG
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to RUN
or START. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
Charging System Indicator Light
The charging system light
will come on briefly when
you
turn on the ignition,
but the engine is not
running, as
a check to
show you
it is working.
It should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while you
are driving, you may have a
problem with the charging system. It could indicate that
you have problems with a generator drive belt, or
another electrical problem. Have
it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
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Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Service Engine
Soon Light)
SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
Your Oldsmobile is
equipped with a computer
which monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition and
emission control systems.
This system is called OBD
I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The SERVICE ENGINE
SOON light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent, which may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
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NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
0
vehicle. Retailer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Retailer
or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
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Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently
as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding
fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure
to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands
of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run
as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this
as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine
is warmed up.)
This will be detected by
the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience this condition, change the fuel brand
you use.
It will require at least one full tank of the
proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your retailer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your retailer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools
to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
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Temperature Knob
The upper knob regulates the temperature of the air
coming through the system. Turn the knob clockwise
for warmer air. Turn the knob counterclockwise for
cooler air.
Mode Knob
The lower knob allows you to choose the direction of
air delivery.
OFF: This setting turns the system off. Some outside air
will still enter the vehicle whenever the vehicle is
moving forward.
MAX A/C: This setting provides maximum cooling
with the least amount
of work. MAX A/C recirculates
much
of the air inside your vehicle so it cools quickly.
A/C: This setting cools the air entering your vehicle and
directs
it through the instrument panel outlets.
+fl BI-LEVEL A/C: Air is delivered through
the heater floor outlets
as well as the instrument
panel outlets.
fl VENT This setting directs airflow through the
instrument panel outlets. The air conditioning
compressor is not working when
VENT is selected.
+.
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+’ HEATER: This setting directs warmed air through
the heater floor outlets and windshield defroster outlets.
+fl BLEND: Airflow is divided equally between the
heater floor outlet
and the windshield defroster outlets.
9 DEFROST This setting directs most air through
the windshield defroster outlets and some through the
heater outlets.
w.
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Air Conditioning Heating
On hot
days, open the windows long enough to let hot
inside air escape. This reduces the time it takes for your
vehicle to cool down. Then keep your windows closed
for the air conditioner to work its best.
For quick cool-down
on very hot days, use MAX A/C
with the temperature knob turned counterclockwise.
This setting should be used to keep odors and/or dust
from entering the vehicle. For normal cooling on hot
days, use A/C with the temperature knob turned
counterclockwise.
On cool but sunny days, use
BI-LEVEL A/C to deliver
warm air to the floor and cooler air to the instrument
panel outlets.
When the air conditioner is on, you may sometimes
notice slight changes in your vehicle’s engine speed
and power.
This is normal because the system is
designed to cycle the compressor on and off to keep
the desired temperature. The
heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using it. On cold days, use HEATER with the
temperature knob turned clockwise.
BLEND is useful in
cool weather when you have fog or ice on the
windshield or side windows.
If you use the optional engine coolant heater before
starting your engine, your heating system will produce
warmer air faster to heat the passenger compartment in
cold weather. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in the Index.
Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use VENT to direct outside air
through your vehicle. Airflow is through the instrument
panel outlets.
Your vehicle’s ventilation system supplies outside air to
the inside
of your vehicle when it is moving. When the
vehicle is not moving, you can get outside air to flow
through by selecting any mode and any fan speed.
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Ventilation Tips
You will find air outlets in the center and on the sides of
your instrument panel.
You can move
the outlets to direct the flow of air, or
close the outlets altogether. When you close an outlet,
it
will increase the flow of air coming out of any outlets
that are open.
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0 Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or
any other obstruction (such as leaves). The heater
and defroster will work
far better, reducing the
chance
of fogging the inside of your windows.
When you enter a vehicle
in cold weather, move the
blower control to
HI for a few moments before
driving off. This helps clear the intake ducts of snow
and moisture, and reduces the chance of fogging the
inside of your windows.
Keep the air path under the front seats clear of
objects. This helps air
to circulate throughout
your vehicle.
Defogging and Defrosting
On cool, humid, days use BLEND to keep the
windshield and side windows clear.
Use
DEFROST to remove fog or ice from the
windshield quickly
in extreme humid or cold conditions.
Turn the temperature knob clockwise and move the fan
control toward
HI.
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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.
0 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, push the accelerator until
the engine speed is about twice as fast as normal idle
speed. Bring the engine speed back to normal idle speed
after two or three minutes. Now see
if the warning stops.
But then, if you still have the warning,
turn off the
engine
and get everyone out of the vehicle until it
cools down.
You may decide not to
lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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