1993 CADILLAC ELDORADO brake

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue
will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Follow
the manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety chains. \
Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow
safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s
brake system. If you do, both brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
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 so responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector, lights, 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 lights 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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
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
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green 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.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to around
45
mph (70 km/h) or less to reduce the possibility of engine and transaxle
overheating.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 Kg) and you have an
automatic transaxle with Overdrive, you may want to drive
in “3” instead
of Overdrive (or, as you need to, a lower gear). This will help your
transmission.
Parking 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.
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 “P” (Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then shift into “P” (Park) firmly and
apply your parking brake.
5. Release the regular brakes.
the
chocks absorb the load.
When You Are Ready to Leave Afier Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Be sure the parking brake has released.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need scrvice 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 transaxle fluid
(don’t overfill), engine
oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system, and brake
adjustment. 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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but be
sure the vehicles aren’t touching each other.
If they are, it could cause
a ground connection
you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to start
your Cadillac, and the bad grounding could damage the electrical
systems.
-
A CAUTION:
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the parking brake
firmly on each vehicle. Put an automatic transaxle in
“P”
‘”ark).
-
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all lights that aren’t
needed, and radios. This
will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. And it could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
A CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine is not running
and can injure you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood elc ric fan.
Find the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on each battery.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine r
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A CAUTION:
To help avoid injury to you or others:
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Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is being towed.
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has been lifted by the
tow truck.
Always use separate safety chains on each side when towing a
vehicle.
Never use
“J” hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key off. The steering
wheel should be clamped in
a straight-ahead position, with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s steering
column lock for this. The transaxle should be in Neutral and the parking
-
F brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the front wheels, unless you must.
If
the vehicle must be towed on the front wheels, don’t go more than 55
mph (88 km/h) or farther than 500 miles (804 lun) or your transaxle will
be damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the front wheels have
to. be supported on a dolly.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Put the cap back on
the coolant surge
tank.
5. Start the engine and as the engine runs the coolant will circulate
through the cooling system. Any air that was introduced while adding
coolant will purge itself and rise to the top of the surge tank.
If the
“ENGINE COOLANT LOW” message does not appear on the
Driver Information Center, coolant is at the proper
fill level. If an
“ENGINE COOLANT LOW” message does appear, repeat steps
1
through 4 or see your dealer.
IFA TIRE GOES FLAT
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out7’ while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain
your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely
to leak out slowly. But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a
few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
will create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake
to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like
a skid and may require
the same correction you’d use in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your
foot from the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by steering the
way you want the vehicle
to go. It may be very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently brake to
a stop, well off the road if possible.
If your tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use your jacking
equipment to change a flat tire safely.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CMGING A FLAT TIRE
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage by driving slowly to
a level place. Turn on your hazard warning flashers.
I
A CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle can slip off the
jack and roll over you or other people.
You and they could be
badly injured. Find
a level place to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Put the shift lever in "P" (Park).
2. Set the parking brake firmly.
3. Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move, you can put
chocks at the front and rear of the tire farthest
away from the
one being changed. That would be the tire on the other side of
the vehicle, at the opposite end.
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and change a tire.
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