2003 Oldsmobile Bravada trailer

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.
4-52

Trailer Wiring Harness
Your vehicle may be equipped with the seven-wire
trailer towing harness. This harness has a seven-pin
universal heavy-duty trailer connector that is attached to
a bracket on the hitch platform.
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
Dark Green: Right Stopnurn Signal
@ Brown: Running Lamps
White: Ground
Light Green: Back-up Lamps
Red: Battery Feed
Dark Blue: Electric Brakes
If you need to tow a light-duty trailer with a standard
four-way round pin connector, an adapter connector is
available from your dealer.
Your vehicle is also equipped with wiring for an electric
trailer brake controller. These wires are located inside the vehicle on the driver’s side under the
instrument panel. These wires should be connected to
an electric trailer brake controller by your dealer or
a qualified service center.
4-53

Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission 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
9 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
regularly
reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
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 every
100,000 miles (1 66 000 km).
service.
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 transmission.
Too much can mean that some
of the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine
part or exhaust system parts, starting
a fire.
Too little fluid could cause the transmission to
overheat.
Be sure to get an accurate reading if you
check your transmission fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission 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).
5-20

If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
Stean, ,;on, ,n c,,rheated engine L.. ,urn
you badly, even
if you just open the hood. Stay
away from the engine
if you see or hear steam
coming from
it. Just turn it off and get
CAUTION: (Continued)
U
everyone away from the vehicle until it cools
down. Wait until there is no
sign of steam or
coolant before you open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine
is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You
or others could be badly burned. Stop your
engine if
it overheats, and get out of the
vehicle
until the engine is cool.
Notice: If your engine catches fire because you
keep driving with
no coolant, your vehicle can
be badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when
you:
0 Climb a long hill on a hot day
Stop after high-speed driving
Idle for long periods in traffic
9 Tow a trailer
5-25

Engine Fan Noise
6. Start the engine and let it run until you can feel the
upper radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fan.
7. By this time, the coolant level inside the radiator
filler neck may be lower.
If the level is lower, add
more of the proper
DEX-COOL@ coolant mixture
through the filler neck until the level reaches
the base of the filler neck.
8. Then replace the pressure cap. At any time during
this procedure
if coolant begins to flow out of the
filler neck, reinstall the pressure cap. Be sure
the pressure cap is hand-tight. This vehicle has a clutched engine cooling
fan. When
the clutch is engaged, the fan spins faster to provide
more air to cool the engine. In most everyday driving
conditions the clutch is not engaged. This improves fuel
economy and reduces fan noise. Under heavy vehicle
loading, trailer towing, and/or high outside temperatures,
the fan speed increases when the clutch engages.
So
you may hear an increase in fan noise. This is
normal and should not be mistaken as the transmission
slipping or making extra shifts.
It is merely the cooling
system functioning properly. The fan will slow down
when additional cooling is not required and the clutch
disengages.
You may also hear this fan noise when you start the
engine.
It will go away as the fan clutch disengages.
5-32

Fuses
10
11 12
13 14
15 16
17
18
19
20
21 22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Usage
Powertrain Control Module B
Fog Lamps
Stop Lamp
Cigarette Lighter
Ignition Coils
Air Suspension Ride
TBD-Ignition
1
Crank
Air Bag
Electric Brake
Cooling Fan
Horn Ignition
E
Electronic Throttle Control
Instrument Panel Cluster, Driver
Information Center
Automatic Shift Lock Control System
Engine 1
Back-up Powertrain Control Module 1
Oxygen Sensor
Air Conditioning
Truck Body Controller
Fuses
32
33
34
35
36
50
51
52
Relays
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46 47
Usage
Trailer
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) Ignition A
Blower Motor Ignition B Passenger’s Side Trailer Turn
Driver’s Side Trailer Turn
Hazard Flashers
Usage
Blank Rear Window Washer
Fog Lamps
Horn Fuel Pump
Windshield WipersNasher
High-Beam Headlamp
Air Conditioning
Cooling Fan
Headlamp Driver Module
Starter
Miscellaneous Usage
48 Instrument Panel Battery
49 Fuse Puller
5-89

Fuses
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
Usage
Blank Heat Ventilation Air Conditioning B
Front Parking Lamps
Left Turn Signal Heat Ventilation Air Conditioning
1
Truck Body Controller 4
Radio
Trailer Park
Right Turn Signal
Heat Ventilation Air Conditioning
Fuses
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
Usage
Rear Fog Lamps
Auxiliary Power
1
Ignition 0
Four-wheel Drive
Blank
Truck Body Controller Ignition Brakes
Truck Body Controller Run
5-92

45,000 Miles (75 000 km)
0 Inspect engine air cleaner filter if you are driving in
dusty conditions. Replace filter
if necessary. An
Emission Control Service. (See footnote t.)
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
page 5-53 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
50,000 Miles (83 000 km)
0 Change automatic transmission fluid and filter if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these
conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90°F (32°C) or
higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
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).
0 Change transfer case fluid.
52,500 Miles (87 500 km)
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
page 5-53 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
0 Rotate tires. See Tire lnspection and Rotation on
60,000 Miles (100 000 km)
Ll Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
page 5-53 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
0 Replace fuel filter. An Emission Control Service. (See
U Replace engine air cleaner filter. An Emission
footnote
t.)
Control Service.
67,500 Miles
(1 12 500 km)
0 Check readfront axle fluid level and add fluid as
needed. Check constant velocity joints and axle seals
for leaking.
0 Rotate tires. See Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-53 for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.
(See footnote +.)
6-7