1997 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA Owners Manual

NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic
car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t
mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow
What YOU don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuc
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known
as
:k is
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and
you or others could be injured.
And, the transmission or other parts
of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
I
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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.
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I A CAUTION:
-
The recovery hooks, when used, are under a lot of
force. Always pull the vehicle straight out. Never
pull on the hooks at a sideways angle. The hooks could break
off and you or others could be
injured from the chain or cable snapping back.
NOTICE:
-
Never use the recovery hooks to tow the vehicle.
Your Bravada could be damaged and it would
not
be covered by warranty.
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Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
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.
6-
2
6- 3
6-4
6-5
6-6
6-9
6- 14
6-20
6- 24
6-25
6-29
6-29
6-30
6-34
6-37 Doing
Your Own Service Work
What Kind of Fuel to Use
Using Fuel
in Foreign Countries
Where to Put the Fuel and Filling
the Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Checking Your Engine Oil
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Engine Coolant
Where to Fill
the Windshield Washer Fluid
Important Brake Information
Information
on Your Vehicle’s Battery
Tips
on Vehicle Storage
Bulb Replacement Procedures
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement How and When
to Check Tire Inflation 6-39
6-42
6-44
6-47
6-48
6-50
6-5
1
6-52
6-53
6-54
6-55 6-59
6-60
6-60
6-6
I
When it is Time to Buy New Tires
Wheel Alignment
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Oldsmobile
Care
of the Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Oldsmobile
How to Clean Aluminum Wheels
Underbody Maintenance
Recommended Appearance Care Materials
Your Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN)
The Electrical System
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Replacement Bulb Types for Your Vehicle
Capacities and Specifications
Normal Replacement Parts
Air Conditioning Specifications
6-1
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Service
Your Oldsrnobile 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:
[AC] L
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- Bravada
than this manual can.
To order the proper service
manual, see “Service and Owner Publications”
in
the Index. Your
vehicle has an air
bag system. Before att.emptin,g 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, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
0 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.
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Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Oldsmobile
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around
it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your Oldsmobile retailer before adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
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
(MA) 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.
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.
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Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadlenyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines.
If fuels containing MMT are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
Oldsmobile retailer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines
in the United States
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.
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.
~~
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the United
States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to find. Never
use leaded gasoline or any other
fuel not recommended in the
previous text
on fuel. Costly repairs caused by use of
improper fuel wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact
a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell
us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation,
North American Export Sales (NAES)
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
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