2003 OLDSMOBILE AURORA maintenance

Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want
to use the proper service manual. It tells you
much more about how to service your vehicle than this
manual can.
To order the proper service manual,
see
Service Publications Ordering Information on
page 7-9.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle on page
1-54.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work you
perform. See
Part E: Maintenance Record on page 6- 16.
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.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, 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.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
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 dealer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle.
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Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of
87 or higher. However, for best performance and for
trailer towing, you may wish to use middle grade
or premium unleaded gasoline.
If the octane is less than
87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when you
drive.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane
or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might
damage your engine.
Gasoline Specifications
It is recommended that gasoline meet specifications
which were developed by the American Automobile
Manufacturers Association and endorsed by the
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association for better
vehicle performance and engine protection. Gasoline
meeting these specifications could provide improved
driveability and emission control system performance
compared to other gasoline.
In Canada, look for the
“Auto Makers’ Choice”
label on the pump.
Canada Only
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Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 4. Install a new engine air cleanedfilter if needed.
5. Reverse Steps 1 and 2 to reinstall the cover.
Be sure the tabs of the cover fit into the slots of the
housing.
See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page 6-4 to determine when to replace the air filter.
The engine air cleanedfilter
is in the engine
compartment on the driver's side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-14 for more
information on location.
I o check or replace the englne air cleaner/tilter do the
following:
1. Unscrew the two wing screws on the outboard side
2. Remove the cover.
3. Remove the engine air cleanedfilter.
of
the housing cover.
I
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/filter
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 cleanedfilter
off.
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cause a damaging engine fire. And, dirt can
easily get into your engine, which will damage
it.
Always have the air cleanerfiilter in place when
you're driving.
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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle 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
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the fluid and filter at
100,000 miles
(1 66 000 km).
service.
See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on
page
6-4 for automatic transaxle fluid change intervals.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership 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.
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 or
exhaust system parts, starting a fire.
Too little fluid
could cause the transaxle to overheat.
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:
When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic - especially in hot weather.
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).
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.
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How to Add Fluid Engine Coolant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See
Part D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-15.
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.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than one
pint
(0.5 L). Don’t overfill.
Notice: We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-Ill, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON@-Ill is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check,” earlier in this
section. The
cooling system 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 extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is
low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see
Engine Overheating on
page
5-28.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant will:
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.
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
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Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together
if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system
- for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in
- be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If
you don’t, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example,
if someone puts in brake linings that are
wrong for your vehicle, the balance between your front
and rear brakes can change
- for the worse. The
braking performance you’ve come to expect can change
in many other ways
if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco@ battery. When it’s time for a new battery, get
one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery’s label. We recommend an ACDelco
battery.
Warning: Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling. The
battery is located under the rear seat cushion. To
access the battery, see
Removing the Rear Seat
Cushion on page 5-95. You don’t need to access the
battery to jump start your vehicle. See
Jump Starting on
page 5-44.
- - ~ttery -.~t isn’t properly vented can let
sulfuric acid fumes into the area under the rear
seat cushion. These fumes can damage your
rear seat safety belt systems. You may not be
able to see this damage, and the safety belts
might not provide the protection needed in a
crash. If a replacement battery is ever needed,
it must be vented in the same manner as the
original battery. Always make sure that the
vent hose
is properly reattached before
reinstalling the seat cushion.
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Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be inspected at least
twice a year for wear or cracking. See “Wiper Blade
Cheek” under
Pari B: Owner Checks and Services on
page 6-9 for more information.
To replace the wiper blade assembly do the following:
1. Lift the wiper up from the windshield and set it
into the vertically-locked position.
2. Push the tab on the wiper blade assembly and pull
the assembly down enough to release it from the
“U” hooked end of the wiper arm. Slide the
assembly away from the arm.
3. Remove the blade.
4. To reinstall the wiper blade assembly, slide it over
the wiper arm to engage the
“U” hooked end on the
wiper blade assembly. Pull up on the assembly
to lock it into place.
For the proper windshield wiper blade assembly
replacement length and type, see
Normal Maintenance
Replacement Pan‘s on page
5- 101.
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Check Tire Pressure System
The check tire pressure system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure of one tire. The system won’t
alert you before you drive that a tire is low or flat.
You must begin driving before the system will work
properly.
The
LOW TIRE PRESSURE message will appear on
the Driver Information Center (DIC)
if pressure difference
(low pressure) is detected in one tire. The check tire
pressure system may not alert you
if:
more than one tire is low,
the vehicle is moving faster than 65 mph (105 km/h),
the system is not yet calibrated,
the tire treadwear is uneven,
the compact spare tire is installed,
tire chains are being used, or
the vehicle is being driven on a rough or
frozen road.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light comes on,
the check tire pressure system may not be working
properly. See your dealer for service.
Also, see
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-36.
The check tire pressure system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in tire
pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
- but it doesn’t replace normal tire maintenance.
See
Tires on page 5-60.
When the LOW TIRE PRESSURE message appears on
the Driver Information Center, you should stop as
soon as you can and check all your tires for damage. If
a tire is flat, see
If a Tire Goes Flat on page 5-70.
Also check the tire pressure in all four tires as soon as
you can. See
Inflation -- Tire Pressure on page 5-60.
Any time you adjust a tire’s pressure or have one
or more tires repaired or replaced, you’ll need to reset
(calibrate) the check tire pressure system. You’ll
also need to reset the system whenever you rotate the
tires, buy new tires and install or remove the compact
spare.
Don’t reset the check tire pressure system without first
correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires.
If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect,
the check tire pressure system will not work properly
and may not alert you when a tire is low or high.
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