1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA steering wheel

After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
Driving at Night
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust system
for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some drivers are
likely to be impaired -- by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fdtigue.
ProCarManuals.com

What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.’’ Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard
to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the
least traction of all.. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can get there. Whatever
the condition -- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow -- drive
with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try
not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish
the surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when
you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even
though you have an anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. See “Anti-Lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
0 Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you
hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on
it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
ProCarManuals.com

Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re
a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer
to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could
be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (included
in
the optional trailering package).
The green arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal
a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes
or stop.
ProCarManuals.com

1 A CAUTION:
I
~ To help avoid injury to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not fully
Never get under your vehicle after it has
Always use separate safety chains on each
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being
towed.
secured.
been lifted by the tow truck. side when towing a vehicle. I
A CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it
is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They
will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned to the
OFF position. 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 transmission
should be
in NEUTRAL (N). The parking brake should
be released.
5-7
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.
ur
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

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 transmission back
and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
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. 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 transmission is in gear. If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. Or, you can use your recovery hooks if
your vehicle has them.
If you do need to be towed out,
see “Towing Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Using the Recovery Hooks
Your vehicle is equipped with recovery hooks. The
recovery hooks are provided at the front
of your vehicle.
You may need to use them if you’re stuck off-road
and need
to be pulled to some place where you can
continue driving.
ProCarManuals.com

Part C: Periodic Maintenance
Inspections
Listed below are inspections and services which should
be performed at least twice
a year (for instance, each
spring and fall).
You should let your GM retailer’s
service department or other qualified service center do
these jobs. Make sure any necessary repairs are
completed at
once.
Proper procedures to perform these services may be
found in an Oldsmobile Service Manual. See “Service
and Owner Publications’’ in the Index.
Steering, Suspension and Front- Wheel-Drive
Ax . Boot and Seal Inspection
Inspect the front and rear suspension and steering
system for damaged,
loose or missing parts, signs of
wear or lack
of lubrication. Inspect the power steering
lines and hoses for proper hook-up, binding, leaks,
cracks, chafing, etc. Clean and then inspect the drive
axle boot seals for damage, tears or leakage. Replace
seals if necessary.
Exhaust System Inspection
Inspect the complete exhaust system. Inspect the body
near the exhaust system.
Look for broken, damaged,
missing or out-of-position parts as well as open seams,
holes, loose connections or other conditions which
could cause a
heat build-up in the floor pan or could let
exhaust fumes into the vehicle. See “Engine Exhaust”
in
the Index.
Radiator and Heater Hose Inspection
Inspect the hoses and have them replaced if they are
cracked, swollen or deteriorated. Inspect all pipes,
fittings and clamps; replace as needed.
Throttle Linkage Inspection
Inspect the throttle linkage for interference or binding,
and for damage or missing parts. Replace parts as
needed. Replace any cables that have high effort or
excessive wear.
Do not lubricate accelerator and cruise
control cables.
7-43
ProCarManuals.com

Ordering Publications ............................ 8-9
Outside Mirrors
................................ 2-34
Overdrive. Automatic Transmission
................ 2- 16
Overhead Console .............................. 2-35
Overheating Engine
............................. 5- 1 1
Owner Checks and Services ....................... 7-39
Paint Spotting. Chemical
........................ 6-50
Park
......................................... 2-14
Shifting Into
................................. 2- 18
Shifting Out
of ............................... 2-20
AtNight
..................................... 2-9
Brake
...................................... 2-17
Brake Mechanism Check
....................... 7-42
On Hills with
a Trailer ......................... 4-50
Over Things That Burn
........................ 2-20
Passing
....................................... 4-11
Payload
....................................... 4-43
Periodic Maintenance Inspections
.................. 7-43
Power
Accessory Outlet
............................. 2-43
Remote Control Mirror
........................ 2-34
Steering Fluid
................................ 6-23
Windows
................................... 2-22
Parking
Lots
........................................ 2-9
DoorLocks
................................... 2-4
Steering
..................................... 4-8 PowerSeat
..................................... 1-1
Pregnancy.
Use of Safety Belts .................... 1-22
Problems on the Road
............................
Radiator. Adding Coolant ....................... 5-17
Radiator Pressure Cap ........................... 6-23
Radio Reception
................................ 3-13
Radios
........................................ 3-6
Rain. Driving
.................................. 4-29
Rear
Axle
....................................... 6-19
Door Security Locks
........................... 2-4
Safety Belt Comfort Guides
..................... 1-26
Seatpassengers
.............................. 1-23
Seats
........................................ 1-4
Towing
..................................... 5-10
Window Defogger
............................. 3-5
Window WasherIWiper
........................ 2-27
Rearview Mirror
................................ 2-33
Reclining Front Seatbacks
......................... 1-2
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
.......... 6-58. 7-45
Recovery Hooks
................................ 5-30
Recovery Tank. Coolant
.......................... 5-13
Replacement Bulbs
...................................... 6-56
Parts ....................................... 6-57
Wheel
...................................... 6-42
Reporting Safety Defects
.......................... 8-7
9-7
ProCarManuals.com