1997 Oldsmobile Aurora brakes

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example, these symbols are used on
an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
SPARK OR
,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
These symbols have to
do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e e
TURN
WARNING
A
HAZARD
FLASHER
RUNNING
* 0
DAYTIME - a
LAMPS .**
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
VENTILATING FAN
(
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE t
COOLANT - t-
TEMP -
CHARGING BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER n
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL m

Ensure the shift lever is fully in the PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your Aurora has a
brake-transaxle shift interlock. You have to fully
apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition key is in RUN. If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift lever -- push the
shift lever all the way into PARK
(P) and also release
the shift lever button on floor shift console models as
you maintain brake application. Then move the shift
lever into the gear you wish. (Press
the shift lever button
before moving the shift lever on floor shift console
models.) See “Shifting Out
of PARK (P)” in this section.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and
forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck:
In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine
doesn’t connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use NEUTRAL
(N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
Shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly.
You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
2-26

AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (a): This position is for
normal driving.
If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
e Going less than approximately 35 mph (56 km/h),
push your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
0 Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You’ll shift down to the next gear and have more power.
THIRD
(3): This position is also used for normal
driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel
economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(a). Here
are some times you might choose THIRD
(3) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(a):
When driving on hilly, winding roads,
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears,
or
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND
(2): This position gives you more power
but lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE
(@) or THIRD (3). You can use
SECOND
(2) on hills. It can help control your speed as
you
go down steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want
to use your brakes off and on. FIRST
(1): This
position gives you even more power
but lower
fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use
it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the
selector lever is put in FIRST
(l), the transaxle
won’t shift into FIRST
(1) until the vehicle is going
slowly enough.
I NOTICE:
If your front wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against
a solid
object.
You could damage your transaxle.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transaxle. Use your brakes or shift into PARK
(P)
to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
2-27

If you try to drive with the parking brake on, the parkin
brake indicator light stays
on. The PARK BRAKE SET
message will appear in the Driver Information Center,
and a chime will sound until you release the parking
brake or recycle the ignition.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause
your rear brakes to overheat.
You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other
parts of your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
see “Towing a Trailer” in the Index. That part shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly.
You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see
“Towing
a Trailer’’ in the Index.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake by pushing down the parking
brake pedal with your left
foot.
2-29

Windshield Washer
The lever on the right side of your steering column also
controls your windshield washer.
To spray washer fluid
on the windshield, pull the lever toward you. The wipers
will clear the window and then either stop or return to
your preset speed. For more washer cycles, pull and
hold the lever.
If the fluid level in the windshield washer bottle is low,
the message
LOW WASHER FLUID will appear in the
Driver Information Center. See “Windshield Washer
Fluid” in the Index.
/d CAUTldN:
In freezing weather, don’t use your washer until
the windshield
is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the windshield, blocking
your vision.
Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator.
This can really help on long trips.
Cruise control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph (40 km/h).
When you apply your brakes, the cruise control shuts off.
m
A CAUT1b.J:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at a steady speed. So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
2-40

Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
LOCK
ANT‘- (e)
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on for
several seconds.
That’s normal.
Traction Control System Warning Light
TRACTION
OFF
This warning light should
come on briefly as you start
the engine. If the warning
light doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you
if there’s
a problem.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as
possible
and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system.
If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving, your Aurora needs
service.
If the regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock
brakes.
If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a
problem with your regular brakes. See “Brake System
Warning Light” earlier
in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should
COITIC?
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
If it stays on, or comes on when you’re driving, there
may be a problem with your traction control system
and
your vehicle may need service. When this warning light
is on, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
2-72

The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
0
0
0 If you turn the system off by pressing the
TRACTION
CONTROL button located on the
center console, the warning light will come on
and
stay on. To turn the system back on, press the button
again. The warning light should
go off. (See
“Traction Control System” in the Index for
more information.)
If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn
off and the warning light will come on. If
your brakes begin
to overheat, the traction control
system will turn
off and the warning light will come
on until your brakes cool down.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn
off and
the warning light will come
on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period
of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Traction Control System Active Light
TRACTION
ACTIVE
When your traction control
system is limiting wheel
spin, this light will come on.
Slippery road conditions
may exist
if the traction
control system active light
comes on,
so adjust your
driving accordingly.
The light will stay on for a few seconds after the traction
control system stops limiting wheel spin.
2-73

Control of a Vehicle Braking
You
have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road. Braking action involves perception
time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency,
so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet,
dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
4-6
c