1998 CADILLAC CATERA Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can
damage your starter motor. Wait about 15 seconds
between each
try to help avoid draining your
battery
or damaging your starter.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START for about three seconds at a time until
your
engine starts. Wait about 15 seconds between each
try to help avoid draining your battery or damaging
your starter.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could
be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator
pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the
same thing.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the
part of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the
Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
ENGINE COOLANT
HEATER ELEC
AIR CLEANER
ASSEMBLY
HEADLAMP
COVER
In very cold weather, 0°F (- 18°C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum
of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The electrical cord for the engine coolant heater
is in
front of the air cleaner filter and under the headlamp
cover, on the passenger’s side
of the engine.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
A CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least
15 amps.
2-19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine
parts. If you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different
positions for the shift lever.
PARK (P): This position locks the transmission drive
shaft. It’s the best position
to use when you start the
engine because your vehicle can’t move easily.
It is 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.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
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, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine. Your
vehicle 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 ON.
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. 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.

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 km/h), push the
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal
about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
The transmission will shift down to the next gear.
THIRD (3): This position is not used for normal
driving. It offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD
(3)
instead of DRIVE (D):
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 this position gives you more
power than driving in THIRD
(3). 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 position gives you more power (Dut
lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use it
on very steep hills.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Sport Mode Button
For a firmer shft 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.
A telltale light on the
instrument panel will
come on when
the sport
mode is selected.
I
Third-Gear Start
Press 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. 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 km/h).
To turn this feature off, press the button again.
Whenever you start your vehicle, the transmission is in
the normal mode.
Parking Brake
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you start to drive 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.
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.
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.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
I
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.