1997 Oldsmobile Aurora ESP

5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure
cap is tight.
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.
5-23

How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Aurora 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.
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).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about
15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50°F
(10°C). If it's colder than 50°F (lO"C), you may have
to drive longer.
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.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
fluid level if
you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90 OF (32 O C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
Checking the Fluid Level
Park your vehicle on a level place. keep the
engine running.
With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK
(P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three to five minutes.

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
If the fluid level
is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid
to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on
the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to
the proper level.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant. This coolant
is designed
to remain
in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL@ extended life coolant.
Lx
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one pint The following explains
Your cooling system and how to
(0.5 L). Don’t overjill. add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
NOTICE: A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL’
coolant will:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON’III, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON@III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature,
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.

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.
6-49

Temperature -- A, B, C Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
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
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. The
wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. 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
wheels, 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.
6-50

Index @ Section 9
Accessory Power Outlet ......................... 2-59
AirBag
....................................... 1-19
How Does it Restrain
.......................... 1-23
How it Works
................................ 1-21
Location
.................................... 1-21
Readiness Light
......................... 1-20, 2-69
Servicing
................................... 1-25
What Makes it Inflate
.......................... 1-23
What Will
You See After it Inflates ............... 1-23
When Should it Inflate
......................... 1-22
Aircleaner
.................................... 6-15
Air Conditioning
................................ 3-6
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
..................... 6-74
Air Control, Climate Control System
............. 3-3, 3-5
Alarm, Universal Theft-Deterrent
.................. 2- 17
Alignment and Balance, Tire
...................... 6-50
Aluminum or Chrome Wheels, Cleaning
............. 6-58
Antenna, Power
................................ 3-31
Antifreeze
..................................... 6-21
Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning Light
................ 2-72, 4-7
Brakes
...................................... 4-7
Anti-Lockout Feature
............................ 2-8
Anti-Theft, Radio
.............................. 3-25
Appearance Care
............................... 6-52
Appearance Care Materials
....................... 6-60
Arbitration Program .............................. 8-7
Ashtrays
...................................... 2-57 Audio Controls. Steering
Wheel
................... 3-28
Audio Equipment. Adding
........................ 3-29
Audio Systems
................................. 3-11
Automatic DoorLocks
................................... 2-5
Electronic Climate Control
...................... 3-2
Overdrive
................................... 2-27
Check
...................................... 7-40
Fluid
....................................... 6-18
Operation
................................... 2-25
Park Mechanism Check
........................ 7-42
Auto-Push Knob. Climate Control
.................. 3-2
Averagespeed
................................. 2-82
Automatic Transaxle
Back-up Lamps Bulb Replacement
............... 6-41
Battery
....................................... 6-32
Jump Starting
................................. 5-3
Saver
...................................... 2-50
Warning Light
............................... 2-70
Warnings
................................ 5-3. 5-5
Battery Voltage Message
......................... 2-82
BBB Auto Line
................................. 8-7
Belt. Engine Accessory
.......................... 6-75
Better Business Bureau Mediation
................... 8-7
Blizzard
...................................... 4-28
Replacement. Remote Lock Control
.............. 2-13
9-1