1997 CADILLAC CATERA brake

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake System Warning Light
Your Catera’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two
parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can still
work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you need
both
parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
United States Canada
This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to
RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem. If
the light comes
on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully.
You may notice that the pedal is
harder
to push. Or, the pedal may go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Catera” in
the Index.)
I
/d CAZ
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when
you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on
if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully. If
it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Voltmeter
I6h
VOLTS
You can read battery
voltage on the voltmeter. If
it reads
less than 12 volts or
more than 16 volts while the
engine
is running, and it
stays there, you may have a
problem with the electrical
charging system.
Have it checked right away. Driving with the voltmeter
reading in the lower warning zone could drain
or
damage the battery. Driving with the voltmeter reading
in the upper warning zone could cause bulbs
to burn out
(especially headlamp bulbs), various vehicle modules to
shut down (due to overload protection) and the
possibility of a battery acid leak. If
you idle
the engine for a while, the voltmeter reading
might move into the red zone. If the reading stays in
the
red zone while you are driving, you may have a problem
with the electrical charging system. Have it checked.
While the voltmeter reads in the red zone, the battery
may not be able
to power certain electrical accessories,
like
ABS. (If this happens, the ABS light will come on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light” in
this section.)
If
you must drive a short distance with the voltmeter
reading in a warning zone, turn
off all the accessories,
including the comfort controls and the audio system.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ABS
With the anti-lock brake
system, the light(s) will
come on when you
start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
That’s normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again
to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving,
your Catera needs
service. If the regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also on, you
don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with
your regular brakes. See “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key
to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
2-66

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Traction Engaged
When your traction control system is limiting wheel
spin, the traction control system warning light will flash.
Slippery road conditions may exist if this warning light
is flashing,
so adjust your driving accordingly.
Traction Control System Warning Light
This warning light should
come on briefly as you start
the engine. If the warning
light doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there’s
a problem. The warning
light will flash when
the system senses a
traction change.
If it stays on, or comes on and stays on steady when
you’re driving, there may be a problem with your
traction control system and
your vehicle may need
service. When this warning light is
on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. The
traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn
off and the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period
of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.

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
2-73

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 L Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is:
Drive defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
Catera: Buckle up. (See “Safety Belts’’ in the Index.)
Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.”
On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means
“always expect the unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers
are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might
do. Be ready for their mistakes.
Rear-end collisions
are about the most preventable
of accidents. Yet they
are common. Allow enough
following distance. It’s the best defensive driving
maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never
know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake
or turn suddenly.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
. ~ - - ~~ = ~~~ ~~~
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in
3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph ( 100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And,
of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface
of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition
of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition
of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
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