2003 Oldsmobile Bravada transmission

To turn the system on or
off, press the TAS OFF/ON
button located near the
shift lever.
If you used the
button to turn the system
off, the TRAC OFF light on
the button will come on
and stay on.
You can turn the system back on at any time by
pressing the button again. The TRAC OFF light on the
button should go off.
If desired, you can change the TAS automatic
engagement feature
so that the system will not come on
automatically when the engine is started. To do
so:
1.
Park the vehicle with the ignition off and the
2. Turn the ignition to RUN; do not start the engine.
3. Apply the brake pedal, press the accelerator
transmission in
PARK (P).
pedal
to the floor and then press the TAS OFF/ON
button and hold it down for at least six seconds.
4. Release the TAS button and both pedals. The next time you
start your vehicle, the TAS will not
automatically come on. You can restore the automatic
feature by using the same procedure. Whether the TAS
is set
to come on automatically or not, you can always
turn the system on or off by pressing the TAS on/off
button.
Locking Rear Axle
If your vehicle has this feature, your locking rear axle
can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice, sand
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of the
time, but when one
of the rear wheels has no traction
and the other does, this feature will allow the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
5. Turn off the ignition and wait a few seconds.
4-1 0

Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed
can cause an accident. There could be a
drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even another
vehicle. You could be seriously injured or
killed.
As you near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is
about to stall, and
I can’t make it up the hill?
A: If this happens, there are some things you should
do, and there are some things you must not do?
First, here’s what you should do:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep
it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking
brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the transmission
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R).
0 If your engine has stopped running, you’ll need to
restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the
parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to
PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then shift to REVERSE
(R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back down the hill as straight as possible
in
REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand
on the steering wheel at the
12 o’clock position.
This way you’ll be able to tell
if your wheels
are straight and maneuver as you back down. It’s
best that you back down the hill with your
wheels straight rather than in the left or right
direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or
right will increase the possibility of a rollover.
Here are some things you
must not do if you stall, or
are about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N) to “rev-up” the engine and regain
forward momentum. This won’t work. Your vehicle
will roll backwards very quickly and you could
go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle.
Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and
slowly back straight down.
0 Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall
when going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to stall
your vehicle, it’s steep enough to cause you to roll
over
if you turn around. If you can’t make it up the hill
you must back straight down the hill.
4-21

Q: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the
hill and decide
I just can’t do it. What
should
I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in
PARK (P) and turn
off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the uphill
side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would
take
if it rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you’ll want to
consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
What’s the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Boulders?
What’s at the bottom of the hill? Is there a there a
hidden creek bank or even a river bottom with
large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then
try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a
low gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes
and they won’t have
to do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
4-22
Heavy braki.., when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This
could cause
loss of control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
Q: Are there some things I should not do when
driving down
a hill?
A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore
them you could
lose control and have a serious
accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline
of the hill. A hill that’s not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over
if you don’t drive straight
down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free wheeling”. Your
brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. See
Operating
Your
All- Wheel-Drive Vehicle Off Paved Roads on
page 4-15 for information about driving off-road.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transmission. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to
a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on
a steep
downhill slope. Coasting downhill in
NEU ,‘RAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do
all the work of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Always
have your engine running and your vehicle
in
gear when you go downhill. ~
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
0 As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or
winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate
action.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
4-35

Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all
the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and
repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable from
the cold. But do
it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel
as long as you can.
To help keep warm, you can get out
of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice
or
Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you don’t want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as “rocking” can
help you get out when you’re stuck, but you must
use caution.
If
,-u let yo^. -..,s spin a’. ..igh speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be injured. And, the transmission or other parts
of
the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine compartment fire or other damage.
CAUTION: (Continued)
I 1
When you’re stuc , sp : wneels as little as
possible. Don’t spin the wheels above
35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
Notice: Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, see
Tire Chains on page 5-60.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels
as little as possible. Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission
is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle.
If that doesn’t get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
If you do need to be towed out, see Towing Your
Vehicle on page 4-4 1.
4-40

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.
4-46

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.
4-5 1

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