1997 CADILLAC CATERA Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your Catera has a
Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI).
You have to fully apply the regular brakes
before you
can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition key is in
RUN. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure
on the shift lever -- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you wish. See
“Shifting Out of PARK
(P)” in this section.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging the transmission, see
“Stuck: In Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): The engine doesn’t connect with
the wheels when driving in NEUTRAL
(N). Use
NEUTRAL
(N) to restart your vehicle when you’re
already moving or when your vehicle is being towed.
I 1
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine
is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of
PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to the transmission caused by shifting
out of PARK
(P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine DRIVE (D): Use this for normal driving. If you need
more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than 35 mph (55 kmh), push the
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
The transmission will shift down to the next gear.
THIRD (3): Driving in THIRD (3) is not used for
normal driving.
It offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D).
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the
way down.
Here
are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of DRIVE (D):
0 When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): Driving in SECOND (2) gives you more
power. Use
it on hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want to use the brakes
off and on.
FIRST (1): This gives you even more power (but lower
fuel economy) than SECOND
(2). You can use it on
very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the shift
lever is put
in FIRST (l), the transmission won’t shift
into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If the rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to drive.
This might happen
if you were stuck in very deep
sand or mud or you were up against a solid
object. You could damage the transmission.
Also, if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there
with only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission. Use the brakes to hold your vehicle
in position on a hill.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Sport Mode Button
For a firmer shift
and increased
performance, you may
choose the sport mode.
This button lets you
change from a normal
driving mode to a
sport driving mode. It
is located
on the shift
lever handle.
rress the
"S" button once to select the sport feature.
Press it again to return to the normal driving mode. When you start
the engine, your vehicle will be
in
normal mode. For general driving conditions, use the
normal mode. It will remain in normal unless you select
the sport feature.
A telltale light on the
instrument panel will
come on when the
sport mode is selected.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Third-Gear Start
Press this button to
provide more traction when you are starting
on ice or other slippery
surfaces. It only
operates when the shift lever is in DRIVE (D).
The button is located next to the shift lever
on the console.
The transmission will be in THIRD
(3) when the vehicle
begins to move. After starting in THIRD
(3), the vehicle
will upshift normally. This
feature is for improved traction only when the road
surface is slippery and is not intended for continuous use
or when the vehicle is stuck in sand,
mud, ice, snow or
gravel. Drive as usual for normal road conditions.
This feature automatically turns off when
any of the
following conditions occur:
When the ignition is turned off.
If the shift lever is placed in PARK (P), THIRD (3),
SECOND (2) or FIRST (1).
If you press and hold the accelerator pedal past its
resistance point for more than two seconds.
When speed falls below 25 mph (40 km/h).
0 Once the vehicle reaches 67 mph (108 kdh).
To turn this feature off, press the button again.
Whenever you start your vehicle, the transmission is
in
the normal mode.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking Brake If you start to drive away with the parking brake set, the
BRAKE warning light stays on. See "Brake System
Warning Light" in the Index for more information.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down
with your foot and pull the parking brake lever up until
you
can press the end release button. Hold the release
button in as
you move the brake lever all the way down.
1 .. .
0
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause the
rear brakes to overheat. You may have to replace
them and you could also damage other parts
of
your vehicle.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your foot and pull
up on the parking brake
lever.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will come on. If you
are towing a trailer and
are parking on a hill, see
"Towing a Trailer" in the Index. This section shows
what to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shifting Into PARK (P)
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others could be
injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even
when you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see
“Towing
a Trailer” in the Index.
Console Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) like this:
..
3. Pull the button on the shift lever handle up and then
push the shift lever all the way toward the front of
your vehicle into PARK
(P). Release the button.
4. With your right foot still holding the brake pedal
down, set the parking brake.
5. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
6. Remove the ignition key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the key in your hand,
your vehicle is
in PARK (P).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine
running unless you have to.
L
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight
of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK
(P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK
(P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours
a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and the
parking brake is firmly set before you leave it. After
you’ve moved the shift lever into PARK
(P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the
shift lever away from PARK
(P) without first pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever
wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your Catera has a Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock
(BTSI). You have to fully apply the regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is
in RUN. See “Automatic Transmission” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you want. If you ever
hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift out of
PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF. Open and close the driver’s
door to
turn off the Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) feature.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 8.
3. With both hands, squeeze the base of the console
4. Pull the upper part of the base out first and then slide
shift lever
together (as shown).
out the lower part of the base.
5. Lift the shift lever cover up to get it out of your way.
2-27