1995 CADILLAC ELDORADO towing

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls.
0 Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1000 miles (1 600 km) your
new vehicle
is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts could be
damaged.
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.
Then, during the first SO0 miles (800 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t
0 Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer. Don’t drive faster
than the maximum posted speed for trailers (or no more
than 55 mph
(90 km/h)) to save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
Three important considerations have to
do with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 pounds
(450 kg) total, including
the load. But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude,
road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used
to
pull a trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any special
equipment that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice, or you
can write
us at: Cadillac Consumer Relations Center, Cadillac Motor Car
Division, 30009 Van Dyke,
PO. Box 9025, Warren, MI 48090-9025.
In Canada, write
to: General Motors of Canada Limited. Customer
Assistance Center,
1908 Colonel Sam Drive, Oshawa, Ontario LlH 8P7.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a Trailer
n 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 as responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform (and attachments),
safety chains, electrical connector, lamps, 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.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
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 lamps
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
che.ck 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking on Hills
c
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 do not shift into PARK (P).
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until
the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then shift into PARK (P) firmly and apply
5. Release the regular brakes.
your parking
brake.
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.
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 transaxle fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, belt, 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 n
c
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing service tow your
Cadillac. The usual towing equipment is:
W
W
W
W W
Sling Type
Wheel Lift
Car Carrier
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it was factory-new by
adding aftermarket items Iike fog lamps, aero skirting
or special tires and
wheels, these instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or rear with
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
0 If there was an accident, what was damaged.
sling-type
equipment.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator know that this
manual contains detailed
towing instructions and illustrations. The
operator may want to see them.
.. .. ..
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 (N) and the
parking 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 35 mph
(56 km/h) or farther than 25 miles (40 km) 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 ENGINE OKEMEATING
The Driver Information Center will display either ENGINE COOLANT
HOT-IDLE ENGINE or
STOP ENGINE ENGINE OVERHEATING.
In addition you will find the warning light about a hot engine on your
instrument panel on Canadian vehicles.
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
Should a low coolant condition exist and the message STOP ENGINE
ENGINE OVERHEATING is displayed, an overheat protection mode
which alternates firing groups of four cylinders helps prevent engine
damage. This operating
mode allows your vehicle to be driven to a safe
place
in an emergency; you may drive up to 50 miles (80 km). Towing a
trailer in the overheat protection mode should be avoided.
NOTICE:
After driving in the “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode,” to avoid engine damage, allow the engine
to cool before
attempting any repair. The engine oil may be severely degraded.
Change the oil and reset the
oil life indicator. See “Engine Oil,
When
to Change” in the Index.
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