1996 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA service

The coolant level should be at the ADD mark. If it
isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses, heater
hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere else in the
cooling system.
1 A CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do, you can
be burned.
Don’t run the engine if there is
a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I I
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered
by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, start the engine again. See
if the fan speed increases when idle speed
is doubled by
pushing the accelerator pedal down.
If it doesn’t, your
vehicle needs service. Turn
off the engine.
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1 Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
I
Here you will find information about the care of your
Oldsmobile. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then it shows how to check important fluid
and lubricant levels. There is also technical information
about your vehicle, and a part devoted to
its appearance care.
Service
Your Oldsmobile retailer knows your vehicle best and
wants you to be happy with
it. We hope you’ll go to
your retailer for all your service needs. You’ll get
genuine GM parts and GM-trained and supported
service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine
GM parts have one of these marks:
n
Delco
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Oldsmobile Service Manual.
It tells you much more about how
to service your
Oldsmobile than this manual can.
To order the proper
service manual, see “Service and Owner Publications”
in the Index.
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Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Oldsmobile” in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and
list the mileage and the date of any service work
you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you
try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
0 Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
’
parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused. If
you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher. At a minimum,
it should meet specifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and
CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane is at least 87.
If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive.
If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry
if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up
a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
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If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated
on the underhood tune-up label), it
is designed to operate
on fuels that meet California
specifications. If such fuels are not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp
on
your instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return
to your
authorized Oldsmobile retailer for diagnosis to
determine the cause of failure. In the event
it is
determined that the cause
of the condition is the type of-
fuels used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive called
MMT. If you use such fuels, your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on. If this happens, return
to your
authorized Oldsmobile retailer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that will help prevent deposits from
forming
in your engine and fuel system, allowing your
emission control system to function properly. Therefore,
you should
not have to add anything to the fuel. In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates, such as
ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may
be available in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recommends that you use these gasolines
if
they comply with the specifications described earlier.
I NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your
fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
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When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
0
0
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 'miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures.are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
You operate your vehicle
in dusty areas or
off-road frequently.
You frequently tow
a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle
is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
~~ ,. -: . 1 Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
down sooner.
If any one of these is true for your
then you need to change your oil and filter
miles
(5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
ccurs first.
f none of them is true, change the oil and filter every
ccurs first. Driving a vehicle with
a fully warmed
., (12 500 lun) or 12 months -- whichever
highway conditions causes engine oil to
. . . -, I break down slower. '.
. -. . .. .. : .. ._ . . .., ,
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don't let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer's warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment.
If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don't ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies
of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used oil.
If ,
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil, '
ask your retailer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
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4ir Cleaner
To remove the air cleaner,
open both clamps and push
the rear of the air cleaner
toward the rear
of the
engine compartment.
Insert
a new filter. Then replace the air cleaner
assembly, making certain the
PVC air tube is properly
seated
in the left hand valve cover and the clamps are
securely fastened.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
to determine when to
replace the air filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
I
Operating the engine with the air cleaner off
can cause you
or others to be burned. The air
cleaner not only cleans the air, it stops flame if
the engine backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the
engine backfires, you could be burned. Don’t
drive with it off, and be careful working on the
engine with the air cleaner off.
I NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
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Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission 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°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
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 Oldsmobile retail
facility 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:
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Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
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
transmission fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level
if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
0 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).
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What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
Front Axle
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change
it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
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If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom
of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
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