1997 CADILLAC CATERA instrument panel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer
to come in contact with the
vehicle.
Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
1
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
lbrn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Catera dealer. The green arrows
on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps
will
also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer,
the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally
to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long
or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) or less to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating
You will find the warning light about a hot engine on the
instrument panel.
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
1.
4 CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even
if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from
it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until
it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign
of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out
of the vehicle until the
engine
is cool.
I NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with
no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
5-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you’re using fuel rated at the recommended octane
or higher and you still hear heavy knocking, your
engine needs service. But don’t worry if you hear a little
pinging noise when you’re accelerating or driving up a
hill. That’s normal, and you don’t have to buy a higher
octane fuel to get rid of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant
knock that means you have a problem.
IT your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label),
it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications.
If such fuels are not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Catera dealer for diagnosis to determine
the
cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadlenyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not this fuel
contains MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines. If fuels containing MMT are used, spark plug
life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may turn on. If this occurs, return
to your authorized
Catera dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and
fuel system, allowing your emission control system to
function properly. Therefore, you should not have to
add anything to the fuel. In addition, gasolines
containing oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to
help clean the air. General Motors recommends that
you
use these gasolines if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
I A CAUTION:
1
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don't smoke if you're near gasoline or refueling your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking materials away from gasoline.
To use this feature,
your vehicle must be in
PARK (P). Press the fuel
door unlock button located
on the.instrument panel
center console to unlock and
open the fuel door. You can
also press the fuel button on
the
RKE transmitter to
access the fuel cap. While
refueling, hang the tethered fuel cap inside the
fuel door as shown
by the arrow.
To take off the cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise).

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hood Release
Pull the lever inside the
vehicle to open the hood.
It
is located on the lower left
side of the instrument panel.
,I .,
Then go to the front of the vehicle and find the
secondary
hood release which is located above the front
grille. Lift up on the release lever as
you raise the hood.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Oil
If the low oil level light on
the instrument panel comes
on, it means you need
to
check your engine oil level
right away. For more
information, see “Low Oil
Level Light” in the Index.
You should check your
engine oil level regularly;
this
is an added reminder.
It’s a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground. The engine oil
dipstick is
located behind the radiator
hose on the driver’s side
of the engine.
The yellow
looped handle helps to
identify it.
Turn off the engine and give the oil a few minutes
to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don’t, the oil dipstick
might
not show the actual level.
6-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Checking Coolant
The surge tank is located behind the air cleaner on the
passenger's side of the engine.
The cooling system when hot is under a lot of pressure.
If the low coolant warning light on the instrument panel
appears,
you will need to add coolant.
6-21

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Combination Stains
Stains caused by candy, ice cream, mayonnaise, chili
sauce
and unknown stains can be removed as follows:
Cleaning Leather
1. Carefully scrape off excess stain.
2. Clean with cool water and allow to dry.
3. If a stain remains, clean it with solvent-type cleaner.
Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
Rub with a clean, damp cloth to remove dirt. You
may have to do it more than once.
Things like tar, asphalt and shoe polish will stain
if you don’t get them
off quickly. Use a clean
cloth and
a vinyueather cleaner. See your dealer for
this product. Use
a soft cloth with lukewarm water and a mild soap or
saddle soap and wipe dry with a soft cloth. Then, let the
leather dry naturally.
Do not use heat to dry.
0 For stubborn stains, use a leather cleaner. See your
dealer for this product.
0 Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive
cleaners, furniture polish or shoe polish on leather.
0 Soiled or stained leather should be cleaned
immediately. If dirt is allowed to work into the
finish,
it can harm the leather.
Cleaning the Top of the Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the top surfaces
of the instrument panel. Sprays containing silicones or
waxes may cause annoying reflections in the windshield
and even make
it difficult to see through the windshield
under certain conditions.
6-48