2003 Oldsmobile Bravada tires

Towing Loading Your Vehicle
Towing
Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-5.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your vehicle
behind another vehicle
- such as behind a motorhome.
The two most common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as “dinghy towing” (towing your vehicle
with all four wheels on the ground) and “dolly towing”
(towing your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with any
OJ
its wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be
towed, see “Towing Your Vehicle” earlier in this section. The
Certificationflire label is found on the driver’s door
edge, above the door latch. The label shows the
size of your original tires and the inflation pressures
needed to obtain the gross weight capacity of your
vehicle. This is called the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel, cargo and trailer tongue
weight,
if pulling a trailer.

If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having
to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live
but also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for
this information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control
if your trailer will
weigh
4,000 Ibs. (1 816 kg) or less. You should
always use a sway control
if your trailer will weigh
more than
4,000 Ibs. (1 816 kg). You can ask a
hitch dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h)
and don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in
at
the heavier loads.
With an automatic transmission, you can
tow in
DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission
to
THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear
selection
if the transmission shifts too often e.g.
under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.
Three important considerations have to
do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
the weight of the trailer tongue
@ and the weight on your vehicle’s tires.
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Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight
to measure because it affects the total or gross weight
of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you
may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in
the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must add
the tongue load
to the GVW because your vehicle will be
carrying that weight, too. See
Loading Your Vehicle
on page 4-41 for more information about your vehicle’s
maximum load capacity.
A B
If you’re using a weight-carrying or a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue weight (A) should be
10 percent
to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B).
Do not exceed the maximum allowable tongue weight
for your vehicle.
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and then
the tongue, separately,
to see if the weights are proper. If
they aren’t, you may be able to get them right simply by
moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper limit
for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
Certification label at the rear edge of the driver’s door.
Then be sure you don’t go over the GVW limit for
your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
4-48

Driving with a ‘railer
I..
If you have a rear-most window open and you
pull a trailer with your vehicle, carbon
monoxide
(CO) could come into your vehicle.
You can’t see or smell CO.
It can cause
unconsciousness
or death. See “Engine
Exhaust” in the Index.
To maximize your safety
when towing a trailer:
Have your exhaust system inspected for
leaks, and make necessary repairs before
starting on your trip.
Keep the rear-most windows closed.
If exhaust does come into your vehicle
through a window
in the rear or another
opening, drive with your front, main heating
or cooling system on and with the
fan on any speed. This will bring fresh,
outside air into your vehicle.
Do not use
the climate control setting for maximum air because
it only recirculates the air inside
your vehicle. See “Climate Controls”
in the
Index. Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you
start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes,
start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand
to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as
you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that require
heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need
to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
4-50

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
5-
1

Brake Pedal Travel
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes won’t work well. That could
lead to an accident. When you hear the brake
wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice: Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary
to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence
to GM torque specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See
Brake System Inspection on page 6-16.
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or
if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a brake stop, your disc brakes
adjust for wear.
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.
5-37

Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see your Oldsmobile Warranty booklet for details.
I
Poorly maintained and imprope -
are dangerous.
-
used tires
Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much
friction. You could have
an air-out and a
serious accident. See “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
Underinflated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut,
punctured or broken by a sudden impact
- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If
your tread is badly worn, or if your tires have been damaged, replace them.
5-52

Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Certificationnire label, which is on the driver’s door
edge, above the door latch, shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they’re cold. “Cold” means
your vehicle has been sitting
for at least three hours
or driven no more than
1 mile (1.6 km).
Notice: Don’t let anyone tell you that underinflation
or overinflation
is all right. It’s not. If your tires
don’t have enough air (underinflation), you can get
the following:
0 Too much flexing
Too much heat
0 Tire overloading
Bad wear
0 Bad handling
0 Bad fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (overinflation), you
can get the following:
0 Unusual wear
0 Bad handling
0 Rough ride
Needless damage from road hazards
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Also, check the tire pressure of the spare tire.
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure
to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping
out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles (12 500 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires
as soon as possible and check wheel alignment.
Also
check for damaged tires or wheels. See When It Is Time
for New Tires
on page 5-55 and Wheel Replacement
on page 5-58 for more information.
Make sure the spare tire
is stored securely. Push, pull,
and then try
to rotate or turn the tire. If it moves,
use the wheel wrench to tighten the cable. See
Changing a Flat Tire on page 5-62.
5-53