1997 CADILLAC CATERA brake light

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check Oil Light Brake To Shift Light
This light shoula come on
briefly while you are
starting the engine. If the
light doesn’t come on,
have it repaired.
If the light
comes
on while starting and
stays on, the engine oil level
should be checked.
Prior to checking the oil level, be sure your vehicle has
been shut off for several minutes and
is on a level
surface. Check the oil level and bring it to the proper
level. See “Engine Oil” in the Index.
Note:
A false check oil light may be generated when
parking
on steep grades.
The oil level monitoring system only checks the oil
during the brief period between turning the key on and
engine start. It does not monitor the engine oil level
while the engine is running. Additionally,
an oil level
check is only performed
if the engine has been turned
off for a considerable amount of time allowing the oil
normally
in circulation to drain back into the oil pan. This
light will come on to
remind
you that you must
press the brake pedal to
shift out
of PARK (P).
BRAKE TO
SHIFT
I
Cruise Control Light
This light comes on
whenever you set your
vehicle’s cruise control.
CRUISE
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Leveling Indicator Light Brake Pad Wear Indicator Light
LEVELING
This light comes on steady
when the rear load level in
your vehicle changes. This light comes on when
the brake pads on your
vehicle have significantly
worn. The pads will have to
be replaced,
so have your
vehicle serviced soon.
Do not drive your vehicle when this light is on. The rear
of your vehicle is too low and part of the body or the
rear axle may
be damaged when driving over bumpy
roads. When the light goes out, leveling is complete.
This procedure is automatic
-- you don’t have to
do anything.
If the light comes on flashing, there may be a problem
with the leveling system. You should reduce your
vehicle speed and have your vehicle serviced soon.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy bralung. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot
of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you’re driving, brake
normally but don’t pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will
use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on, and you may even notice that your brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
ABS
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear the
anti-lock pump or motor operate, and feel the brake
pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Traction Control System
Your vehicle has a traction control system that limits
wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road
conditions. The system operates only if it senses that one
or both
of the rear wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction. When this happens, the system reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal. This
warning light will
come on to let you know if
there’s a problem with your
traction control system.
See “Traction Control System Warning Light” in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can
turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. (You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice
or snow. See “Rocking Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A LAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work
as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to
one side. You could lose control
of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you’re
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or
no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen if a lot of water
is standing on
the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles
or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens
at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
r
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.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3
brake fluid -- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM
Part No. 12377967). Use new brake fluid from a
sealed container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
0
With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause
a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
NOTICE:
0
0 Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put
in the
wrong kind of
fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake
fluid
on your vehicle. If you do, wash it
off immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
Your Catera has four-wheel disc brakes.
Your Catera has electronic wear sensors that let you
know when the front brake pads are significantly worn
and new pads are needed. The brake pad wear indicator
light will come
on and stay on when the brake pads are
worn and need
to be replaced. (See “Brake Pad Wear
Indicator Light”
in the Index.)
The brake pad wear indicator light means that
soon your brakes won’t work
well. That could
lead to
an accident. When the brake pad wear
indicator light comes on and stays on, have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Properly torqued wheel bolts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel
bolts in the proper sequence
to GM specifications.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection’’ in Section
7 of the
Maintenance Schedule booklet under Part
C “Periodic
Maintenance Inspections.”
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.
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.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. 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 approved 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.
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