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For the 1948 model, Cadillac 
introduced  the I 
which  set  the  trend  in automotive 
styling  €or  nearly two decades. 
This 
was followed by the 1949 model  with 
the  two  door  hardtop  Coupe  DeVille 
and  the  modern  overhead  valve, 
high compression V8 engine. 
Engineering  innovations,  con- 
veniences  and styling  dominated  the 
'50s and '60s.  Cruise  control,  auto- 
matic  climate  control, 
tilt and 
telescoping  steering  wheels,  twilight 
sentinel  and  four  door  hard  tops 
all 
debuted  in these  years.  In 1957 the 
Eldorado  Brougham  featured 
ad- 
vances  such as air  suspension,  mem- 
ory  seat,  automatic  electric  door 
locks,  transistor  radio, 
a brushed  stainless  steel 
roof and low profile 
tires. 
introduced 
in 
1953, was redesigned  for 1967 as the 
first  front  wheel  drive  personal  lux- 
ury  car.  The 
472 cu.  in. V8 engine 
used 
in all Cadillacs in 1968 and 
1969 was  enlarged  to 500 cu. in. €or 
all 1970  Eldorados. 
An Air Cushion  Restraint  Sys- 
tem  (airbag)  was available  for 
1974, 
1975  and 1976  Cadillacs. 
Analog  Electronic  Fuel  Injec- 
tion  was available,  on 
1975 Cadillacs 
and  was standard  on  the new  inter- 
national  size  1976  Seville. In 
1978, 
the  Trip  Computer  option  incor- 
porated  an  on-board  microprocessor.   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -I 
Take the simplest 
“vehicle.”  Suppose it’s 
just a seat on wheels. 
- Put  someone on it. 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -. 
How The Air Bag System Works 
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Where is the  air bag? 
The  driver’s  air bag  is in  the  middle  of the  steering  wheel. Your vehicle 
has a  front passenger air  bag, it is  located  in the  instrument  panel  on  the 
passenger’s side. 
When is an  air  bag  expected  to inflate? 
The air bag  is  designed  to inflate  in moderate  to  severe frontal  or 
near-frontal  crashes. The air bag  will  only  inflate 
if the velocity of the 
impact  is above  the designed  threshold  level. When impacting  straight 
into  a wall  that does  not  move or deform,  the threshold  level for most 
GM vehicles is between 9 and 14 mph (14 and 23 kmk).  However, this 
velocity  threshold  depends  on  the vehicle  design  and may  be several 
miles-per-hour  faster or slower.  In addition,  this threshold  velocity  will  be 
considerably higher  if the  vehicle  strikes an object such as a  parked  car 
which  will  move  and  deform on impact.  The air bag  is also  not designed 
to  inflate  in rollovers, side impacts,  or  rear impacts  where the inflation 
would  provide  no occupant  protection  benefit. 
In  any  particular  crash,  the determination 
of whether  the air bag  should 
have  inflated  cannot be based  solely on  the  level 
of damage  on  the 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine vehicle@).  Inflation is determined  by the  angle  of the  impact  and  the 
vehicle’s  deceleration,  of which  vehicle  damage  is  only one indication. 
Repair  cost is not  a  good indicator  of whether  an  air  bag should  have 
deployed. 2- 
_I What  makes  an  air bag inflate? 
In a  frontal  or near-frontal  impact  of sufficient severity,  sensors 
- strategically located  on  the  vehicle detect  that  the  vehicle is suddenly 
stopping  as a  result  of a crash.  These  sensors  complete  an  electrical 
circuit, triggering  a  chemical  reaction  of the  sodium  azide  sealed  in the 
inflator.  The reaction  produces  nitrogen  gas,  which inflates  a cloth bag. 
The  inflator,  cloth bag,  and  related  hardware  are all part  of the  air  bag 
inflator  modules  packed  inside the  steering  wheel and in the  instrument 
panel  in front 
of the  passenger. 
How does an air  bag restrain? 
In  moderate  to  severe  frontal  or  near-frontal  collisions, even belted 
occupants  can contact  the steering  wheel or  the  instrument  panel. The air 
bag  supplements  the protection  provided by safety belts.  Air bags 
distribute  the force  of the  impact  more evenly  over the occupant’s  upper 
body,  stopping  the occupant  more  gradually. But air bags  would  not 
provide  protection  in  many types of collisions, including rollovers  and 
rear  and  side impacts,  primarily  because  an  occupant’s motion is not 
toward  the air bag.  Air bags  should  never  be  regarded  as anything more 
and  near-frontal  collisions. 
What will you see after  an  air  bag inflation? 
__ than  a  supplement  to  safety belt protection  in moderate  to  severe  frontal 
After  the air  bag  has  inflated,  it will  then  quickly  deflate.  This  occurs 
so 
quickly that  some  people  may not even realize  that  the  air bag inflated. 
The  air bag  will 
not impede  the  driver’s  vision  or ability  to  steer  the 
vehicle,  nor will  it hinder  the  occupants  from  exiting the vehicle.  There 
will  be small  amounts  of smoke  coming  from  vents  in the  deflated  air 
bags.  Some  components  of the  air bag  module  in the  steering  wheel  hub 
may  be hot  for  a  short  time,  but  the portion  of the  bag  that  comes  into 
contact  with you  will  not  be  hot  to  the touch.  The nitrogen  gas used to 
inflate  the ‘air bag  will  have  vented  into  the passenger  compartment,  and 
the  bag  will be  deflated  within seconds  after  the  collision. Nitrogen  makes 
up  about 
80% of the  air we breathe  and  is not  hazardous. As the  nitrogen 
- 
-- for the  driver’s  air  bag or  the instrument  panel  for  the passenger’s bag 
31   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine vents from the bag,  small  particles  are also  vented  into  the passenger 
compartment. 
In  many  crashes severe  enough to inflate  an air  bag,  windshields  are 
broken  by vehicle  deformation.  Additional  windshield breakage may 
occur 
in vehicles  with  passenger air  bags because  the windshield  acts as a 
reaction  surface for  the inflating air bag. 
A CAUTION: 
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Don’t attach  anything  to  the  steering  wheel pad. It might 
injure  the  driver  if the  air bag  inflates. 
Don’t  set  anything  on or  attach  anything to the  instrument 
panel.  It might  injure  the  passenger  if the  air bag inflates. 
The  air bags  are designed  to  inflate  only  once.  After  they 
inflate,  you’ll  need  some new parts  for  your air bag  system. 
If 
you don’t  get them,  the  air bag system  won’t be there  to help 
protect  you in  another  crash. 
A new  system  will include  air 
bag modules  and possibly  other  parts 
Let  only  qualified  technicians  work on your  air bag  system. 
Improper  service can mean  that your  air bag  system  won’t 
work  properly.  See  your dealer  for  service. 
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you damage  the  cover for  the  right-front  passenger’s air bag, 
it  may  not work  properly.  You may  have  to replace  both  the  ai1 :.:...a:. .-_ , 
-. 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The  rear  doors of your  vehicle cannot be  opened  from the inside  when  this 
feature  is in  use. 
When  you want  to  open  a rear  door  when the security lock  is on: 
1. Unlock  the  door  from the inside. 
2. Then  open  the  door  from the outside. 
To  cancel  the  rear  door  lock: 
1. Unlock the  door  from  the  inside and  open  the  door  from  the  outside. 
2. Move the lever  all the  way  down. 
- 3. Do the same  for  the  other  rear  door. 
The  rear  door  locks  will  now work normally. 
THEFT 
Vehicle theft is  big  business,  especially  in  some cities.  Although  your 
Cadillac  has a number 
of theft deterrent  features, we  know  that nothing  we 
put  on  it can make it  impossible to steal.  However,  there  are ways  you can 
help. 
Key in  the  ignition: If you  walk  away  from your vehicle  with the keys 
inside,  it’s an easy  target  for  joy riders  or professional thieves 
-- so don’t 
do  it. 
When  you park  your  Cadillac  and  open  the driver’s door, you’ll  hear a 
chime  reminding  you to remove  your key from  the ignition  and take  it  with 
you.  Always  do this.  Your  steering wheel 
will be locked,  and so will  your 
ignition  and transmission.  And remember  to lock  the doors. 
Parking  at Night:  Park  in  a lighted  spot, close  all  windows  and lock  your 
vehicle.  Remember  to keep  your  valuables  out of sight.  Put them  in a 
storage  area,  or  take  them  with  you. 
Parking  Lots: If  you  park 
in a lot where someone will be watching  your 
vehicle,  it’s  best  to lock  it 
up and  take  your  keys.  But what  if  you  have to 
leave  your ignition  key?  What if you  have  to leave something  valuable  in 
your  vehicle? 
Put  your valuables in a storage  area, like your  trunk  or glove  box. 
Lock the glove  box. 
Lock  all the  doors  except the driver’s. 
0 Then  take the door  key with  you. 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine IGNITION KEY POSITIONS 
This lock  gives  you 
different  positions. five 
Before you put  the  key in, your ignition  will be in the  Lock position. This 
anti-theft  feature. 
- position  locks your ignition,  steering  wheel  and  transmission. It’s an 
The  other  positions let you  perform  these  functions: 
wipers  when the engine  is  off. 
To get into  “Acc”,  push in the  key  and  turn 
it  toward  you.  Your  steering wheel will remain  locked,  just  as it  was 
before  you inserted  the key. 
OFF: This  position  lets  you turn  off the  engine  but  still turn  the steering 
wheel.  It doesn’t  lock the steering  wheel like  “Lock.”  Use  “Off” 
if you 
car  is being  pushed). 
RUN This  is the  position  for driving. 
STARE This  starts  your engine. 
- ACC: Accessory  lets you  use things like  the radio  and  the  windshield 
- must have your car in  motion  while the engine is off (for  example, if your 
- 
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If your key seems  stuck  in  “Lock” and you  can’t  turn  it, be sure 
it  is  all  the  way in. 
If it is,  then  turn  the  steering  wheel left and 
right  while  you  turn  the key hard.  But turn  the key  only  with 
XI 
your  hand.  Using a tool  to force  it could  break  the  key or  the 
ignitior,  -w;tch. 
If none  of this  works,  then your  vehicle  needs 7 
service, 
STARTING YOUR ENGINE 
To start your V8 engine: 
1. Don’t push  the accelerator  pedal  before starting  your  engine.  In some 1: 
other  vehicles  you  might  need to do this,  but because of your  vehicle’s 
computer  systems,  you  don’t. 
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2. Turn your  ignition key to  “Start.”  When  the  engine  starts,  let  go of the 9 
key.  The idle speed  will  go  down  as  your  engine gets warm. 
- 
3. If it doesn’t  start within 3 seconds, push  the accelerator  pedal  about 
- 
one-third of the way  down,  while  you  hold  the ignition  key  in  “Start.” 
When  the engine  starts,  let 
go of the key  and  let up  on  the  accelerator 
8, 
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