2003 Oldsmobile Bravada engine oil

OIL PRESSURE LOW/STOP ENGINE
If low oil pressure levels occur, this message will
be displayed on the DIC. Stop the vehicle as soon as
safely possible and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been corrected. Check your
oil as soon as possible and have your vehicle
serviced.
BATTERY NOT CHARGING
If the battery is not charging during operation, this
message will appear on the DIC. Driving with this
problem could drain your battery. Have the electrical
system checked as soon as possible. Pressing the
select button will acknowledge this message and clear it
from the DIC display.
SERVICE AIR BAG
If there is a problem with the air bag system this
message will be displayed on the DIC. Have a qualified
technician inspect the system for problems. Pressing
the select button will acknowledge this message
and clear it from the DIC display.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
If a problem occurs with the brake system this message
will appear on the DIC. If this message appears, stop
as soon as possible and turn
off the vehicle. Restart the
vehicle and check for the message
on the DIC display.
If the message is still displayed, or appears again when
you begin driving, the brake system needs service.
TURN SIGNAL ON
If a turn signal is left on for 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km), this
message will appear on the display and you will
hear a chime. Move the turn signaVmultifunction lever to
the
off position. Pressing the select button will
acknowledge this message and clear it from the DIC
display.
REARACCESSOPEN
If the liftgate or liftglass is open while the ignition is in
RUN, this message will appear on the DIC and you will
hear a chime. Turn
off the vehicle and check the
liftgate and liftglass. Restart the vehicle and check for
the message on the DIC display. Pressing the select
button will acknowledge this message and clear it from
the DIC display.
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Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to
move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance.
If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are
going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
- such as after a day’s
work
- don’t plan to make too many miles that first
part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes
you can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts
in dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help
if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservior full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a
short time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then,
to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and,
if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice: Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to
come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal. Do this
so your trailer won’t strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop. When towing a trailer,
the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
You can tow in DRIVE
(D). You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD
(3) or a lower gear, under heavy
loads or hilly conditions.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn your
engine
off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating, To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a
few minutes before turning the engine
off. If you do get
the overheat warning, see
Engine Overheating on
page 5-24.
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Par1 . on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached,
on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your
rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a
Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet. When parking uphill, turn your wheels
away from the curb. When parking downhill, turn
your wheels into the curb.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
regular brakes until
the chocks absorb the load.
parking brake, and then shift into PARK
(P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system and
brake system. Each
of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you find them quickly.
If
you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these sections
before you start your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
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Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
............................................................ Service 5.3
Doing Your Own Service Work
......................... 5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle 5.4
Fuel 5.5
......................................................
................................................................
Gasoline Octane ............................................ 5.5
Gasoline Specifications
.................................... 5.5
California Fuel
............................................... 5.6
Filling Your lank
............................................ 5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
....................... 5-9
Checking Things Under the Hood .................... 5-10
Hood Release
.............................................. 5-10
Engine Compartment Overview
....................... 5-12
Engine
Oil ................................................... 5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
............................... 5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid
......................... 5-20
Engine Coolant
............................................. 5-22
Radiator Pressure Cap
.................................. 5-24
Engine Overheating
....................................... 5-24
Cooling System
............................................ 5-26
Engine Fan Noise
.................................. 5-32
Power Steering Fluid
.................... ..... 5-33
....................................................... Additives 5.6
Fuels in Foreign Countries
............................... 5-6 Windshield
Washer Fluid
................................ 5-33
Brakes
........................................................ 5-34
Battery
........................................................ 5-38
Jump Starting
.......... ............................. 5-39
All-Wheel Drive ............. ......................... 5-44
Rear Axle ....................................................... 5-46
Bulb Replacement .......................................... 5.47
Taillamps and Turn Signal Lamps
................... 5.47
Replacement Bulbs
....................................... 5.48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement .............. 5.49
.............................................................. Tires 5.52
Inflation
.. lire Pressure ................................ 5.53
lire Inspection and Rotation
........................... 5.53
Buying New Tires
......................................... 5.56
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
.......................... 5.57
Wheel Replacement
...................................... 5.58
lire Chains
.................................................. 5.60
Accessory Inflator
......................................... 5.60
If a lire Goes Flat ........................................ 5.61
When It
Is Time
for New Tires ....................... 5-55
Wheel Alignment and lire Balance
.................. 5-58
Changing a Flat lire
..................................... 5-62
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California Fuel
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (see the underhood emission control label), it
is designed
to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications. If this fuel is 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 may
turn on (see
Malfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-35 )
and your vehicle may fail a smog-check test. If this
occurs, return
to your authorized GM dealer for
diagnosis. If it is determined that the condition is caused
by the type of fuel used, repairs may not
be covered
by your warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required
to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming,
allowing your emission control system
to work
properly. You should not have
to add anything to your
fuel. Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as
ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be
available in your area
to contribute to clean air.
General Motors recommends
that you use these
gasolines, particularly
if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
5-6
Notice: Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts.
That damage wouldn’t be covered under your
warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains
MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use
of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.
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 the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.

Checking Things Under the Hood
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start
a fire. These include liquids like fuel,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or
others could be burned. Be careful not to drop
or spill things that
will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
To open the hood, first
pull the handle located
inside the vehicle
on the lower driver’s side
of the instrument
panel.
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A. Coolant Recovery Tank
B. Engine Air CleanedFilter
C. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir
D. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter Indicator (If Equipped)
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
F. Automatic Transmission Dipstick
G. Engine Oil Dipstick
H. Radiator Pressure Cap
I. Engine Oil Fill Cap
J. Remote Negative (-) Terminal Marked “GND”
K. Brake Master Cylinder
L. Battery
M. Engine Compartment Fuse Block Before closing
the hood, be sure all filler caps are on
properly. Then lift the hood to relieve pressure on
the hood prop. Remove the hood prop from its slot in
the hood and return the prop to its retainer. Then pull the
hood down firmly to close. It will latch when dropped
from
6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) without pressing on
the hood.
Engine Oil
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
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