1998 CADILLAC CATERA flat tire

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The 1998 Cadillac Catera Owner’s Manual
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8-1 Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts\
properly. It also explains the air bag system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfo\
rt controls and how to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road\
and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while dr\
iving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Cadillac for assistance \
and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” o\
n page 7- 12.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in th\
is manual. You can use it to quickly find
something you want to read.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do
not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense
of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your ve-hicle ready for a long trip?
If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs service, have it done before starting out.
Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Catera dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
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Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway
hypnosis”? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the
wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness,
or whatever.
There is something about
an easy stretch of road
with the same scenery, along with the hum
of the
tires on the road, the drone
of the engine, and the rush
of the wind against the vehicle that can make you
sleepy. Don’t let it happen to you!
If it does, your
vehicle can leave the road in
less than a second, and
you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can happen.
Then here
are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
0 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area
and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as
an emergency.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged.
You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do
it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Loading Your Vehicle
cm OCCUPANTS VEHICLE CAP. WT.
*
TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
FRT. CTR. RR. TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX. LOADING
& GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY WEIGHT
XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE SIZE SPEED PRESSURE
RTG PSVKPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA.
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PS1/28KPa
SEE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
, INFORMATION
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
found on the rear edge of the driver's door tells you the
proper size, speed rating and recommended inflation
pressures
for the tires on your vehicle. It also gives you
important information about the number of people that
can be in your vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle Capacity Weight
and includes the weight of
all occupants, cargo and all
options not installed at the factory.
4-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you have a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper.
If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You’ll find these numbers on the
Tire-Loading Information label at the rear edge of the
driver’s door or see “Loading Your Vehicle” in the Index.
Then be sure you don’t go over the
GVW limit for your
vehicle, including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
The rear bumper on your vehicle is not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. Use only a frame-mounted
hitch that does not attach to the bumper.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
4-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ,*e* -*a
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5-20 If a Tire Goes Flat 5-2 Other Warning Devices
5- 14 Cooling System
5-3 Jump Starting
5-3
1 If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, 5-7 Towing Your Vehicle
5-21 Changing a Flat Tire
5- 12 Engine Overheating Ice or Snow
5-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the pressure
cap is tight.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially
if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But
if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off
the accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like
a skid and may require the same correction you’d use in
a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
5-20

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place to change your tire.
To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
2. Set the parking brake firmly.
3. Thrn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
'
tire farthest away from the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
I
The following steps will tell you how to use the jack and
change a tire.
5-21