1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA lock

Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0°F (-18°C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help.
You’ll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged
in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is located
on the driver’s side of the engine
compartment, behind the underhood fuse block.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong
kind
of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated
for
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store
the cord as it was before to keep it away from moving
engine parts.
If you don’t, it could be damaged.
How
long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in?
The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind
of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here. we ask that you contact
your retailer
in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The retailer can give
yo11 the best advice for that
particular area.
ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Transmission Operation
P
R
N
0
3
2
1
There are several
different positions for
your shift lever.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle
can‘t move easily.
r
It is 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.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. 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, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling
a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
ProCarManuals.com

EIISLW the shift lever is f~~lly in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has
a
Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI). 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 -- press the button on the shift lever and
push the shift lever
all the way into PARK (P) as you
maintain brake application. Then move the shift lever
into the gear you wish. See ”Shifting Out of PARK (P)”
in the Index.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
NOTICE:
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your
transmission. 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 transmission, 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.
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 transmission caused by shifting
out of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
ProCarManuals.com

Shifting Into PARK (P)
c
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.
!. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position like this:
P
a
Hold in the button on the lever.
Push the lever all the way toward the front of
the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and t,&e it with you. If you can leave
your vehicle
with the key, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
2-20
ProCarManuals.com

Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine
Running
4 CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with the
engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is
in PARK (P) and your
parking brake is firmly set before you leave
it. After
you‘ve moved the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see
if you can move the
shift lever away from PARK (P) without first pulling it
toward you (or pressing the button on a console shift
lever).
If you can, it means that the shift lever wasn’t
fully locked into PARK (P).
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may
put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This
is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
When you are ready
to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK
(P) bqjot-e you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little
uphill to take some of the
pressure
f1-0111 the parking pawl in the transmission, so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
2-21
ProCarManuals.com

Shifting Out Of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock
(BTSI).
You have to fully apply your regular brake
before
you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is
in
RUN. See “Automatic Transmission Operation” in
the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK
(P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then press
the shift lever button and move the shift lever into the
gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift
out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the vehicle fixed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
I I
Things that can burn could touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things that
can burn.
2-22
ProCarManuals.com

Locking Rear Axle
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.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If’ you’ve 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, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index. Your
locking rear axle can give you additional traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel.
It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when one of the rear
wheels has no traction and the other does, this feature
will allow the wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
All- Wheel Drive
Your engine’s driving power is sent to all four wheels
for extra traction. All-wheel drive is like four-wheel
drive, but there is no lever
or switch to engage or
disengage the front axle. It
is fully automatic and
adjusts itself
as needed for road conditions.
2-24
ProCarManuals.com

Windows
Power Windows
The power windows controls are on each of the side
doors. With power windows, the switches control the
windows when the ignition is on or when Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) is present. (See "Retained
Accessory Power"
in the Index.') The driver's door has
a switch for the passenger windows as well. There
are individual controls
on each of the side doors.
Press the side of the switch with the down arrow to
lower a window. Press the side of the switch with the up
arrow
to raise a window.
Express-Down Window
The driver's window switch has an express-down
feature
that allows you to lower it without holding the
window switch. Hold the driver's window switch down
,for more than half a second to activate the express-down
feature. Lightly tap the switch
to open the window
slightly. The express-dawn feature can be interrupted
at any time by pressing the up arrow end of the switch.
Lockout Switch
Your vehicle has a lockout feature to prevent passengers
fro111 operating the power windows. Press LOCK to
activate this feature. Press NORM and the windows
return
to norrnal operation.
Horn
To sound the horn. press the center pad on the
steering wheel.
2-25
ProCarManuals.com