2003 Oldsmobile Bravada engine

When starting your engine in very cold weather (below
0°F or -18"C), do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START and hold it there up to
15 seconds. When the engine starts, let go of
the key.
2. If your engine still won't start
(or starts but then
stops), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. When the engine
starts, let go
of the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then stops again, do the same thing, but this time keep the pedal down
for five or six seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Notice: Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer.
If you don't, your engine
might not perform properly.
Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may have this feature. 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. At temperatures
above 32°F (OOC), use of the coolant heater
is not
required.
2-20

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 battery.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 IO-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
CAUTION: (Continued) three-prong 110-volt
AC
o-.-.et. If the cc. -
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 dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
2-2 I

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever
PARK (P): This position locks the rear wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start the engine because your vehicle can’t move easily.
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. Ensure
the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transmission
shift lock control system. You have to fully apply the
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. Move the shift lever into the gear you wish.
See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-27.
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
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page
4-40.
2-22

NEUTRAL (N): In this position, the engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels. To restart when you’re already
moving, use N ITRAL
(N) only.
1 ifting into c _. 2 gear w e 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 into a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Nofice: Damage to your transmission caused by
shifting out
of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with
the engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
On cold days, approximately 32°F (OOC) or colder, your
transmission is designed
to shift differently until the
engine reaches normal operating temperature. This is
intended
to improve heater performance.
DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
0 Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
You’ll shift down
to the next gear and have more power.
DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying
a heavy load, driving on steep hills or for off-road driving.
You may want
to shift the transmission to THIRD (3)
or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts
too often.
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving,
however it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but
lower fuel economy than 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 the brakes
off and on.
You can also use SECOND (2) for starting the vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
2-23

Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right
foot and pull up on the parking
brake lever. If the ignition is on, the brake system
warning light will come on.
Notice: Driving with the parking brake on can
cause your parking brake 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
you must park on a hill,
see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-45. That section
shows what
to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into Park (P)
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the parking brake lever up until you can
press in the button at the end
of the lever. Hold the
button in as you move the parking brake lever all the
way down.
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.
2-25

2. Move the shift lever
into PARK (P) like this:
Press and 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 take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the key, your vehicle is in
PARK
(P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
It can be dangerous ,I leave your vehicle --ith
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.
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
pressing the button on the console shift lever. If you can,
it means that the shift lever wasn’t fully locked into
PARK (P).
2-26

Parking Over Things That Burn Engine Exhaust
Things &..At can burn
cc,.d touch hot exhaust
parts under your vehicle and ignite. Don’t park
over papers, leaves, dry grass or other things
that can burn. Engine exhaust can ki
It c tains the gas
carbon monoxide
(CO), which you can’t see or
smell.
It can cause unconsciousness and
death.
You might have exhaust coming in
if:
Your exhaust system sounds strange or
Your vehicle gets rusty underneath.
Your vehicle was damaged in a collision.
Your vehicle was damaged when driving over high points on the road or over road
debris.
different.
Repairs weren’t done correctly.
Your vehicle or exhaust system had been
modified improperly.
If you ever suspect exhaust is coming into
your vehicle:
Drive it only with all the windows down to
Have your vehicle fixed immediately.
blow out any
CO; and
2-28

Running Your Engine While You
Are Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if you
eve- to, here are some
things to know.
Idling the engine with the climate control
system
off could allow dangerous exhaust into
your vehicle. See the earlier Caution under
“Engine Exhaust.”
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide (CO) into your vehicle even if
the fan
is at the highest setting. One place this
can happen is a garage. Exhaust - with
CO - can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard. See
“Winter Driving” in the Index.
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) on page 2-25.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see Towing a Trailer on
page
4-45.
2-29