1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO warning

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with new
DEX-COOL TM (orange-colored, silicate-free) engine
coolant. This coolant is designed to remain in your
vehicle for
5 years or 100,000 miles (166 000 km),
whichever occurs first.
The following explains your cooling system and how
to add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and the proper coolant for
your Cadillac will:
Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant it is important that you use
DEX-COOL (orange-colored, silicate-free)
coolant meeting
GM Specification 6277M.
If silicated coolant is added to the system,
premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze that meets GM Specification
6277M, which won’t damage aluminum parts. Use
GM Engine Coolant Supplement (sealer) (GM Part
No. 3634621) with any complete coolant change. If you
use this mixture, you don’t need to add anything else.
A special procedure is required for adding sealer; see the
Cadillac service manual.
(To order a service manual, see
“Service and Owner Publications” in the Index.)
6-19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set
for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned.
Use a 50/50 mix of clean
water
and DEX-COOL (orange-colored,
silicate-free) antifreeze.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mix, your engine
could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty.
Too much water in the mix can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
6-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level
in
the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake
fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal
brake lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason is that fluid
is
leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you should
have your brake system fixed, since a leak means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well, or won’t
work at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak.
If you add fluid
when your linings are
worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
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If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is
hot enough.
You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work
is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake fluid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come
on. See “Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
6-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your Cadillac has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are
worn and new pads are needed. The sound may come and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except
when you are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
The brake wear warning sound means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
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 properly 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
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.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, your brakes adjust for wear.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Uniform Tire Quality Grading
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.) The
grades are molded on the sidewalls
of most passenger
car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading system does
not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver
or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to
30 cm),
or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform
to Federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate
of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends
upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and
may depart significantly fi-om the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B
and C, and they represent the tire’s ability to stop on
wet pavement as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of asphalt
and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based
on braking (straightahead) traction tests and does not
include cornering (turning) traction.
6-41

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine pttraturt: -
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when t.ested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and
excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades
A and B represent higher levels of perfolmance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for
this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or
in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
I'ire Bala.--
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance. In
most cases, you will not need to have your wheels
aligned again. However,
if you notice unusual tire wear
or your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset. If you notice your
vehicle vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your
wheels may need to be rebalanced.
11 c
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded.
If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace
it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
Cadillac dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind
of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only
with new GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will
be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your
Cadillac model.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Chains
NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where legal and only when
you must. Use only
SAE Class “S” type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install
them on the front tires and tighten them
as
tightly as possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can hear the
chains contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten
them.
If the contact continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels
with chains on will damage your vehicle.
Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into flames
if you strike a
match or get them on
a hot part of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous
if you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When you use anything from
a container to clean your
Cadillac, be sure to follow
the manufxturer’s warnings and
instructions. And always open your doors
or
windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
0 Benzene
Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
0 Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
They can
all be hazardous -- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle too.
Don’t use any
of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage
your vehicle:
Alcohol
0 Laundry Soap
0 Bleach
Reducing Agents
6-44

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ........
Section 8 Index
. .
.
A/C Off For Engine Protection Message ............ 2-78
AirBag
....................................... 1-20
How Does it Restrain
.......................... 1-24
How it Works
................................ 1-22
Location
.................................... 1-22
Readiness Light
......................... 1.22. 2.64
Servicing
................................... 1-26
What Makes
it Inflate .......................... 1-24
What Will You See After it Inflates
............... 1-25
When Should it Inflate
......................... 1-24
Air Cleaner
.................................... 6- 13
Air Conditioning
................................ 3-9
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
................ 6.65. 6.66
Air Control. Climate Control System
............. 3.2. 3.6
Alarm. Theft-Deterrent
.......................... 2- 11
Alignment and Balance. Tire
...................... 6-42
Aluminum Wheels. Cleaning
...................... 6-50
Antenna. Power
................................ 3-36
Antifreeze
..................................... 6- 19
Anti-Lock
Brakes
...................................... 4-6
Brake System Warning Light
................ 2.67. 4.6
Anti-Lockout Feature
............................ 2-5
Anti.Theft. Radio
.............................. 3-33
Appearance Care
............................... 6-44
Appearance Care Materials Chart
.................. 6-52
Apply Brake to Shift Message
..................... 2-78 Arbitration Program
.............................. 7-8
Armrest. Storage ............................... 2-51
Ashtrays
...................................... 2-52
Assist Handles
................................. 2-54
Astroroof
..................................... 2-54
Audio Controls. Steering Wheel Touch Control
....... 3-33
Audio Equipment. Adding
........................ 3-34
Audio Systems
................................. 3-13
Automatic
DoorLocks
................................... 2-4
Overdrive
................................... 2-21
Pull-Down Feature
............................ 2-10
Shifting
..................................... 2-18
Transaxle Fluid
............................... 6-16
Transaxle Operation
........................... 2-18
Battery
...................................... 6-28
ChargeLight
................................ 2-65
Guard Storage
............................... 2-44
Inadvertent Power Saver
....................... 2-44
Jump Starting
................................. 5-3
Replacement. Keyless Entry
..................... 2-8
Volts High Message
........................... 2-79
Volts Low Message
........................... 2-79
Warnings
................................ 5-3. 5-5
No Charge Message ........................... 2-79
8-1
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