2003 Oldsmobile Bravada maintenance

Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped
Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag systems in several places
around your vehicle. Your dealer and the service
manual have information about servicing your vehicle
and the air bag systems.
To purchase a service manual,
see
Setvice Publications Ordering Information on
page 7- IO.
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is
turned
off and the battery is disconnected, an
air bag can
still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured
if you are close to
an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are probably part
of the air
bag system. Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you is qualified to
do so.
The air bag systems do not need regular maintenance.
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Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces.
If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does
not need regular maintenance.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
A crash can damage the restraint systems in
your vehicle.
A damaged restraint system may
not properly protect the person using it,
resulting in serious injury or even death in a
crash.
To help make sure your restraint
systems are working properly after a crash.
have them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts or LATCH
system parts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But
if the belts were stretched, as they would be if
worn during a more severe crash, then you need
new parts.
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This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK
ENGINE light comes on and a chime will sound
to
indicate that there is a problem and service is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the system
before any problem is apparent. This may prevent more
serious damage
to your vehicle. This system is also
designed to assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice: If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after a while, your emission controls
may not work as well, your fuel economy may not
be as good and your engine may not run as
smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs that may not be covered by your warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modifications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs
not covered by your warranty. This may
also result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test.
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This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is
not running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
0 Light Flashing - A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center
diagnosis and service may be required.
Light On Steady - An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady’’ following.

Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
may begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent you from getting a vehicle
registration.
Here are some things you need
to know to help your
vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection
if the SERVICE
ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light is on or not
working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection
if the OBD
(on-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is
designed to evaluate critical emission control systems
during normal driving. This may take several days
of routine driving.
If you have done this and your vehicle
still does not pass the inspection for lack
of OBD
system readiness, see your dealer or qualified service
center to prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Gage
United States Canada
The oil pressure gage shows the engine oil pressure in
psi (pounds per square inch) when the engine is
running. Canadian vehicles indicate pressure in kPa
(kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary with engine speed, outside
temperature and oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused
by a dangerously low oil level or other problems causing
low oil pressure.
3-38

Fuel Range Instant Fuel Economy
Press the fuel information button until RANGE appears
to display the remaining distance you can drive
without refueling. It’s based on fuel economy and the
fuel remaining in the tank. The display will show
LOW if
the fuel level is low.
The fuel economy data used to determine fuel range is
an average of recent driving conditions.
As your
driving conditions change, this data is gradually updated.
Fuel range cannot be reset.
Average Fuel Economy
Press the fuel information button until AVG appears in
the display. Average fuel economy is how many
miles per gallon your vehicle is getting based on current
and past driving conditions.
Press and hold the select button while AVG. ECON is
displayed to reset the average fuel economy. Average
fuel economy will then be calculated starting from
that point. If the average fuel economy is not reset, it
will be continually updated each time you drive. Press the fuel information button until INST appears
in
the display. Instant fuel economy is how many miles
per gallon your vehicle is at the particular moment
in time. The instant fuel economy cannot be reset.
GM Oil Life System
Press the fuel information button until ENGINE OIL LIFE
appears in the display. The GM Oil Life SystemTM
shows an estimate of the oil’s remaining useful life. It
will show
100% when the system is reset after an
oil change. It will alert you to change your oil on a
schedule consistent with your driving conditions.
Always reset the engine oil life after an
oil change. To
reset the Oil Life System press and hold the select
button while ENGINE
OIL LIFE is displayed.
The DIC does not replace the need to maintain your
vehicle as recommended in the Maintenance Schedule
in this manual. Also, the oil change reminder will not
detect dusty conditions or engine malfunctions that may
affect the oil. Also, the oil change reminder does not
measure how much oil you have in your engine.
So, be
sure to check your oil level often. See
Engine Oil on
page 5-13.
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Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance
and service work done. Check to make sure all
underbody shields (if
so equipped) are properly
attached.
Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully
inflated? Are the fluid levels up where they should be?
What are the local laws that apply to off-roading
where you’ll be driving?
If you don’t know, you should
check with law enforcement people in the area. Will you
be on someone’s private land? If
so, be sure to get
the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road
Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how to load your vehicle.
0 The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward
of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.
m
0 Largo on the load floor piled h.,.rer than
the seatbacks can be thrown forward during a sudden stop. You or your passengers could be injured. Keep cargo
below the top of the seatbacks.
Unsecured cargo on the load floor can be
tossed about when driving over rough
terrain. You or your passengers can be struck by flying objects. Secure the cargo
properly.
0 Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s
center
of gravity, making it more likely to
roll over. You can be seriously or fatally
injured
if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy
loads inside the cargo area, not on the
roof. Keep cargo in the cargo area
as far
forward and low as possible.
You’ll find other important information in this manual.
See
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-4 1, Luggage
Carrier on page 2-42 and Tires on page 5-52.
4-1 6

Driving in Water
Heavy rain can mean flash flooding, and flood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it.
If it’s deep enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles
or exhaust pipe, don’t try
it - you probably won’t
get through. Also, water that deep can damage your
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the water isn’t too deep, drive slowly through it. At
faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition system
and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur
if you
get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your
tailpipe
is under water, you’ll never be able to start your
engine. When you go through water, remember that
when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer
to stop.
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your vehicle
downstream and you and your passengers
CAUTION: (Continued)
1
coula arowr r it’s y snallo‘ Mater, can
still wash away the ground from under your
tires, and you could lose traction and roll the
vehicle over. Don’t drive through rushing
water.
See Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 4-28 for
more information on driving through water.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. Theses substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust
system for damage.
Also, check the fuel lines and
cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due
to
off-road use. Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
for additional information.
4-26

Towing a Trailer
If you don’t use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull
a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well
-- or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. Pull a trailer only if you have
followed all the steps in this section. Ask your
dealer for advice and information about towing
a trailer with your vehicle.
Notice: Pulling a trailer improperly can damage
your vehicle and result
in costly repairs not covered
by your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in
this part, and see your dealer for
important information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle. Additional rear axle maintenance
is required for a vehicle used to tow a trailer. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services’’
in the Index.
To identify the trailering capacity of your vehicle,
you should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer’’
that appears later in this section.
Trailering is different than just driving your vehicle by
itself. Trailering means changes in handling, durability
and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In
it are many time-testea,
important trailering
tips and safety rules. Many of
these are important for your safety and that of your
passengers.
So please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
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