
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A B
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded trailer
weight
(B). If you have a “weight-distributing” hitch,
the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12% of the total
loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the
recommended .pressure for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the Certification label at the rear
edge of the driver’s
door or see “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the Index. Then be sure you don’t go
over the GVW limit for your vehicle, including the
weight of
the trailer tongue.
4-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine nailer Wiring Harness
If your vehicle is equipped with the 3,000-lb.
(1 360 kg) trailer towing package option, you will have
a wiring harness located under the trunk
trim. The
harness is a five wire, with connector.
These trailer wiring harness color codes should be followed when connecting it to your trailer:
WHITE: Direct trailer ground for trailer lamps.
BROWN: Parking lamps.
YELLOW: Left turn and stoplamps.
GREEN: Right turn and stoplamps.
BLUE: Auxiliary circuit.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of expenence.
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 lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Cadillac dealer or a professional towing
service
tow your DeVille. See “Roadside Assistance” in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting or special tires and wheels, these
instructions
may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazara warning
flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged. Front Towing
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator know
that this manual contains towing instructions and
illustrations. The operator may want to see them.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine c
LI
c
c
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” 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, and 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 a tire goes flat, the next
part shows how to use your
jacking equipment
to change a flat tire safely.
Changing 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.
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 PARK (P).
2. Set the parking brake firmly.
3. lhrn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks
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.
5-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~~~ ~
~~ ~ NOTICE:
When
the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle.
Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels
or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage
your vehicle and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on
your
compact spare.
~ ~~ ~~~ ~
~~
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck
is 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.
A CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts
of the vehicle can
overheat. That could
cause an engine compartment
fire or other damage. When
you’re stuck, spin the
wheels
as little as possible. Don’t spin the wheels
above
35 mph (55 kdh) as shown on the
speedometer.
5-36 &
I
1
I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine P
I 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 transaxle back and
forth,
you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle, see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking your vehicle to get it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the
area around your front wheels. You should
1 your traction control system off. (See “Traction Control
1 System” in the Index.) Then shift back and forth
between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the
1 wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
~ while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when fie transaxle
is in gear. 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’’ in the Index.
5-37

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result
in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied
or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Free movement of brake calipers and proprely torqued
wheel nuts are necessary
to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect brake calipers
for movement, brake pads for wear, and evenly torque wheel nuts in the proper sequence to
GM Specifications.
Brake linings should always
be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with
or without the
vehicle moving,
your brakes adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modem vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to
be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle
is to have really good braking.
Vehicles
we design and test have top-quality GM brake
parts in them, as your Cadillac does when it is new.
When you replace
parts of your braking system -- for
example, when your brake linings wear down and you
have to have new ones put in
-- be sure you get new
genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your
brakes may no longer work properly. For example, if
someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for your
vehicle, the balance between your front and rear brakes
can change -- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change in many other ways if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake
parts.
--
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height,
or if there is a rapid increase in pedal
travel.
This could be a sign of brake trouble.
6-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tires
We don’t make tires. Your new Cadillac comes with
high-quality tires made by a leading tire manufacturer.
If you ever have questions about your tire warranty and
where to obtain service, see your Cadillac Warranty
booklet for details.
A CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are
dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause
overheating
as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle’’ in
the Index.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain
the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should
be checked
when your tires are cold.
CAUTION: (Continued)
Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by
a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires
at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
See “Inflation
-- Tire Pressure’’ in this section
for inflation pressure adjustment for higher
speed driving.
Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label which is located on
the rear edge of the driver’s door, shows the correct
inflation pressures for your tires when they’re cold.
“Cold” means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more
than a mile.
If you’ll be driving at speeds higher than
100 mph
(160 km/h) where it is legal, raise the cold inflation
pressure
of each tire to 35 psi (240 Wa). When you end
this very high-speed driving, reduce the cold inflation
6-36