1996 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD ESP

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Chains Trailer Wiring Harness
You
should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your
trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
when loaded,
it needs to be equipped with adequate
brakes. Be sure to read and follow the instructions
for
the trailer brakes so you’ll be able to maintain
them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not
try to tap into
your vehicle hydraulic brake system.
If you do, both
brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
If your Fleetwood is equipped with the heavy duty
trailering option, a five-wire trailering harness is
located in the trunk. You may have to have it wired
to your vehicle.
These trailer harness color codes should be followed
when connecting to your trailer:
0 White: Direct Trailer Ground for Trailer Lamps
0 Brown: Parking Lamps
Yellow: Left Turn and Stoplamps
Dark Green: Right Turn and Stoplamps
Dark Blue: Auxiliary Circuit
Driving with a Trailer
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ’men 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
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.
Engine Cooling When Trailering
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions such as:
Climbing grades steeper than four percent at
temperatures above
90°F (32°C) with a loaded
vehicle and trailer.
Stopping after high-speed driving.
Idling for long periods in stop-and-go traffic.
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 transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, 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 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.
I
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. Turn 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~~
~ Automatic Transmission -Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every
50,000 miles
(83
000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
See "Scheduled Maintenance Services" in the Index.
regularly reaches
90°F (32"
C) or higher.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at your Cadillac dealership Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading on
the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall
on hot engine
parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission fluid level if you have been driving:
0 When outside temperatures are above 90°F (32" C).
0 At high speed for quite a while.
0 In heavy traffic -- especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the fluid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is
180 OF to 200 OF
(82°C to 93°C).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine How to Add Fluid Rear Axle
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants” in the Index.
Add fluid
only after checking the transmission fluid
HOT. (A COLD check is used only as a reference.) If
the fluid level is low, add only enough
of the proper
fluid to bring the level up to the
HOT area for a hot
check. It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than a
pint
(OSL). Don ’t overfiill. We recommend you use only
fluid labeled DEXRON@-III, because fluid with that
label is made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by fluid other than DEXRON-111 is not
covered
by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under “How to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way; then flip the handle
down to lock the dipstick in place.
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom of the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Use Axle Lubricant (GM Part No. 1052271) or
SAE 8OW-90 GL-5 gear lubricant.
6-19

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 from the norm due to variations
in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction -- A, B, C
The traction grades, kom 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Temperature -- A, B, C
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 tested under
controlled condtions 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
B and A represent higher levels of performance 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.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Plan Ahead When Possible
Whenever possible, schedule an appointment for your
vehicle’s warranty work. Your Cadillac dealer can then
prepare to meet your alternative transportation needs
and minimize inconveniences typically associated with
warranty repairs.
Owner Responsibilities
There are only two things which you will be responsible
for during the use of your courtesy vehicle.
You are
required to provide insurance coverage and replenish the
fuel used.
In many cases your own auto insurance policy may
provide primary coverage for the courtesy vehicle,
similar to rental car agreements. Please, check with your
insurance company to be certain what’s covered.
This service is provided to you under the terms of the
New Vehicle Warranty, therefore, it is imperative that
your vehicle be picked up from the dealership at the
completion of the warranty service. Vehicles not picked
up in a timely fashion may incur rental fees charged to
the customer.
GM Participation in BBB AUTO
LINE -- Alternative Dispute
Resolution Program*
*This program may not be available in all states,
depending on state law. Canadian owners refer
to your
Warranty and Owner Assistance Information booklet.
General Motors reserves the right to change eligibility
limitations and/or to discontinue its participation
in
this program.
Both Cadillac and your Cadillac dealer are committed to
making sure
you are completely satisfied with your new
vehicle. Our experience has shown that, if a situation
arises where you feel your concern has not been
adequately addressed, the Customer Satisfaction
Procedure described earlier in this section is
very successful.
There may be instances where an impartial third party
can assist in arriving at a solution to a disagreement
regarding vehicle repairs or interpretation of the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
To assist in resolving these
disagreements, Cadillac voluntarily participates
in BBB
AUTO
LINE.
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