1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO service

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift into
PARK (P).
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks
are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then shift into
PARK
(P) firmly and apply your parking brake.
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 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 Don’t let the other end of the negative (-) cable touch
anything until the next step. The other end of the
negative
(-) cable doesn’t go to the dead battery. It goes
to a heavy unpainted metal
part on the engine of the
vehicle with the dead battery.
10. Attach the cable at least
18 inches (45 cm) away
from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move. The electrical
connection is just as
good there, but the
chance of sparks getting
back to the battery
is
much less.
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
I
-
B
+
@
- +
C
11. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for awhile.
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. If it
won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
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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 Eldorado. 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 hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0 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.
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. Front Towing
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the front T-hook slots or
R-hooks inserted in the
rear R-hook slots.
Never use J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain
and suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned to the
OFF position. 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 drive wheels
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limitations must be exceeded, then the
drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for
a minute or so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Dial temperature control to the highest heat setting
and open the window, as necessary. If you no longer have me overheat warning, you can
drive.
Just
to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam,
you can idle the engine
for
two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see if
the warning stops. But then,
if you still have the
warning,
turn ofthe engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle
until it cools down. Also, see “Overheated
Engine Protection Operating Mode” listed previously
in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood
but to get service
help right away.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- OVERDRIVE (a) or THIRD (3).
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1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Engine damage if you keep running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by
your warranty.
See “Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode” in the Index.
If there seem to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fans are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fans should be running. If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant Surge
Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at the proper level
(2.5 inches (60 mm) below the
base
of the fill neck), add a 50/50 mixture of cleun
water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL TM
antifreeze at the coolant surge tank, but be sure the
cooling system, including the coolant surge tank
pressure cap, is cool before
you do it. (See “Engine
Coolant’’ in the Index for more information.)
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They are
under pressure, and if you turn the coolant surge
tank pressure cap
-- even a little -- they can come
out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the coolant surge tank
pressure cap,
is hot. Wait for the cooling system
and coolant surge tank pressure cap to
cool if you
ever have to turn the pressure cap.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ,-/Y -A-,
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your
Cadillac. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then it shows how to check important
fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical
information about your vehicle, and
a part devoted to its
appearance care.
Service
Your Cadillac dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to your
dealer for all your service needs. You’il get genuine GM
parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine
GM parts have one of these marks:
Doing Your Own Service Work
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Cadillac service manual. It tells
you much more about how to service your Cadillac than
this manual can. To order the proper service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications” in the Index.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Cadillac” in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and
list the mileage and the date of any service work
you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Maintenance
Schedule booklet.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
0 Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English’ and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused. If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall off. You could be hurt.
Fuel
Use premium unleaded gasoline rated at 91 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM
D4,814 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
i ~ developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for. better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the
AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared
to other
gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane for premium is at least 91. If
the octane is less than 91, you may get a heavy knocking
2
noise when you drive. (In an emergency, you may be
able to use
a lower octane -- as low as 87 -- if heavy
knocking does not occur.)
If you’re using 91 or higher
octane unleaded gasoline and you still hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label),
it is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications.
If such fuels are not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction inbcator lamp on
your instrument panel may
turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test.
If this occurs, return to your
authorized Cadillac dealer for diagnosis to determine the
cause
of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
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