1998 CADILLAC CATERA coolant temperature

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 Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
This light tells you that the
engine has overheated. If
this light comes on, you
should stop the vehicle and
turn the engine
off as soon
as possible.
A warning
chime should
also sound if
this light comes on.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
C gH
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature.
If the
gage pointer moves into
the red area, the engine is
too hot!
As a check, the light should come on for a few seconds
when
you start the engine. In the section “Problems on
the Road,” this manual explains what to do. See “Engine
Overheating”
in the Index. This
reading means the same thing as the warning
light
-- the engine coolant has overheated. You should
stop the car and turn the engine off as soon as possible.
The section “Problems on the
Road” in this manual
explains what
to do. See “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine In cold weather, when the system senses the need for
heat, airflow will be directed out of the floor outlets.
As
the interior temperature approaches a desired setting, the
blower speed will decrease. To maintain interior
comfort, the airflow may move to the instrument panel
air outlets and floor outlets (bi-level mode). On bright
sunny days in cold weather, the airflow may come out of
the air conditioning outlets
(AC mode) to maintain
comfort and prevent stuffiness.
If your vehicle is sitting out on a hot day and you have
the climate control system set for automatic operation,
the air will first flow out of the floor air outlets during
cool down. That
is normal. This is to expel hot air from
the air outlets.
As the air is cooled, the airflow will
move through the air conditioning outlets.
To avoid blowing cold air in cold weather, the system will
delay turning on the
fan until warm air is available. The
length of delay depends on the outside
air temperature,
engine coolant temperature or the time since the engine
'was last started.
As the coolant warms up, the blower fan
speed will gradually increase and
air will flow from the
heater outlets, with some airflow to the windshield to
prevent fogging under most normal conditions.
If you leave your vehicle, the system will remember the
control setting the next time you start your engine,
except for recirculation and rear defrost (heated
backlite). Each ignition cycle cancels recirculation.
Manual Operation
You may manually adjust the air delivery mode or
fan speed.
+d HEATElUDEFROST: This setting directs air to
the floor outlets and toward the windshield.
d AC: This setting directs airflow through the middle
instrument panel outlets.
!d BI-LEVEL: This setting directs air into your
vehicle in two ways. Cool air is directed to the upper
portion of your body through the middle instrument
panel outlets while warm air is directed to the floor.
+@ HEATER: This setting directs warm air through
the floor outlets. Some warm air is diverted to the
we
-bo
+e
windshield to minimize fogging.
DEFROST Press this button to quickly
remove fog or frost from the windshield (the blower
works in high-speed). This setting sends most
of the
airflow to the windshield with only
a small amount to
the floor outlets.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine # FAN SPEEDS: Press the driver’s side
TEMP/AUTO knob to set the fan speed for
AUTO. At
this setting, the fan speed is automatically controlled. If
it is cold outside, the blower may not run in the
maximum high fan speed right away. The system checks
the temperature of the engine coolant to assure it is
warm enough to provide heat. When the engine coolant
is warm, the controller allows the fan to gradually
increase to a higher speed. This prevents cold air from
blowing into the passenger compartment. If you want
the blower fan at a high speed, press the up arrow button
until you reach the highest position of the display. If you
want the blower fan at a low speed, press the down
arrow button until the lowest position is displayed.
ON/OFF: Press this button to turn the system off. Press
this button again to turn the system back on. Turning the
climate control system on
in this way will recall all
previous manually set mode settings.
If the system is
turned on by pushing the driver’s TEMP/AUTO knob
for automatic operation, all of
the previous manually set
mode settings will be changed back to the fully
automatic mode.
AC: Press this button to turn the air conditioning on and
off. The system will cool and dehumidify the air inside
the vehicle.
In the automatic operation mode, the display
will show AC
OFF when the air conditioning has been
turned off.
RECIRCULATION: Press this button to limit the
amount of fresh air entering your vehicle.
This is helpful
to limit odors entering your vehicle. In the automatic
operation mode, the system will use recirculation as
necessary to cool the air. Pressing the recirculation
button will change the operation to a manual mode and
the air will recirculate non-stop. Press this button again
to turn
off the recirculation feature.
If you notice the windows fogging, press the
recirculation button to exit the recirculation mode.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam, try this for a minute or
so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Dial temperature control to the highest heat setting
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
and open the windows, as necessary.
otherwise, shift
to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D) or THIRD (3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning,
you can drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes. If the warning doesn’t come back
on,
you can drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if
the warning stops. But then, if you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
Cooling System
When you decide it’s safe to lift the hood, here’s what
you’ll see:
A. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Cooling Fans

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants” in the Maintenance Schedule booklet.
Engine Coolant
The cooling s stem in your vehicle is filled with
DEX-COOL engine coolant.
This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for
5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 krnb whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX-COOL extended life coolant.
J
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have
a problem with
engine overheating, see “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of water and DEX-COOL’
coolant will:
a Give freezing protection down to -34°F (-37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265 OF (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you use
only
DEX-COOL@ (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to the
system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant
will require change sooner -- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs
first. Damage caused by the use
of coolant other than DEX-COOL@
is not
covered
by your new vehicle warranty.
6-20
-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper Dm-COOL@
coolant mixture at the surge tank, but only when the
engine is cool.
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol,
Surge Tank Pressure Cap
NOTICE:
The surge tank cap is a 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed to
prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage
from overheating.
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
GM cap is recommended. enough. Don’t spill coolant on a hot engine.
If the surge tank pressure cap needs to be replaced, a
Thermostat
When replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is tight.
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine coolant system. The thermostat stops the
flow of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches a preset temperature.
If the thermostat needs to be replaced, a GM thermostat
is recommended.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield washer fluid, be sure to read
the manufacturer’s instructions before use. If you will be
operating your vehicle in
an area where the temperature
may fall below freezing, use a fluid that has sufficient
protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
The windshield washer fluid
reservoir
is located behind
the front grille on the
driver’s side of the engine.
Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it. Add
washer fluid until the tank
is full.
NOTICE:
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0
0
e
When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions
for
adding water.
Don’t mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage your washer fluid tank and
other parts of the washer system. Also,
water doesn’t clean
as well as washer fluid.
Fill your washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when
it’s very cold. This
allows for expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank if
it is
completely full.
Don’t use engine coolant (antifreeze) in
your windshield washer.
It can damage
your washer system and paint.