1998 CADILLAC CATERA wheel

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There
is also technical infomation about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
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6-30 Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Filling a Portable Fuel Container
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transmission Fluid
Rear Axle
Engine Coolant
Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement 6-36
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6-64 Wiper
Blade Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Care of Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Aluminum
or Chrome Wheels
(If Equipped)
Underbody Maintenance
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Your vehicle 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.)
I A CAUTION: I
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.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
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 the Maintenance
Schedule booklet under
Part C “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections.”
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check the
tire pressure of the spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated at 5,000 miles (8 000 km) and
then every
10,000 miles (16 000 km) thereafter. Any
time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as soon
as possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When It’s Time
for New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information. The purpose
of regular rotation is to
achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Maintenance Schedule
booklet for scheduled rotation intervals.
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When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel bolts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Bolt Torque” in
the Index.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it
is fastened, can make wheel studs become loose
after a time. The wheel could come off
and cause
an accident. When
you change a wheel, remove
any
rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index.) When
It’s Time
for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less
of tread remaining.
You need a new tire
if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 YOU can see cord or fabric showing though the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The tire has a puncture, cut or other damage that
can’t be repaired well because of the size or location
of the damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at
the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when
it was new had
a Tire Performance Criteria Specification (TPC Spec)
number on each tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec number. That way
your vehicle will continue to have tires that are designed
to give proper endurance, handling, speed rating,
traction, ride and other things during normal service on
your vehicle.
If your tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC number will be followed by
an “MS”
(for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not having a
TPC Spec number, make sure they are the same size,
load range, speed rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted or radial) as your original tires. Mixing
tires could cause you to lose control while
driving.
If you mix tires of different sizes or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not
handle properly, and you could have
a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also cause
damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same
size and type tires on all wheels.
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after
many miles
of driving. A tire and/or wheel could
fail suddenly, causing
a crash. Use only radial-ply
tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and
excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade
C corresponds to a level of performance
which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup
and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel bolts keep corning loose, the wheel
and wheel bolts should be replaced. If the wheel leaks
air, replace it (except some aluminum wheels, which can
sometimes be repaired). See your dealer if any of these
conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have
the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
If you need to replace any of your wheels or wheel
bolts, replace them only with new
GM original
equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to have the
right wheel and wheel bolts for your Catera model.
A CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels and wheel
bolts on your vehicle can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of your vehicle,
make your tires lose
air and make you lose
control. You could have a collision in which you
or others could
be injured. Always use the correct
wheel and wheel bolts for reolacement.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See “Changing a Flat Tire”
in the Index for
more information.
I A CAUTIO1 I
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how
far it’s been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause an accident.
If you have to replace a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Chains
NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where legal and only when
you must. Use only
SAE Class “S” type chains
that are the proper size for your tires. Install
them on the rear tires and tighten them as tightly
as possible with the ends securely fastened. Drive
slowly and follow the chain manufacturer’s
instructions.
If you can hear the chains
contacting your vehicle, stop and retighten them.
If the contact continues, slow down until it stops.
Driving too fast or spinning the wheels with
chains on will damage your vehicle.
Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be hazardous. Some
are toxic. Others can burst into flame if you strike a
match or get them on a hot
part of the vehicle. Some are
dangerous if you breathe their fumes in a closed space.
When you use anything from a container to clean your
vehicle, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s warnings and instructions.
And always open your doors or
windows when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
Gasoline
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Benzene
Naphtha
Carbon Tetrachloride
Acetone
Paint Thinner
Turpentine
Lacquer Thinner
Nail Polish Remover
They can all be hazardous
-- some more than
others
-- and they can all damage your vehicle, too.
Don’t use any of these unless this manual says you can.
In many uses, these will damage your vehicle:
0 Alcohol
0 Laundry Soap
0 Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
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