1998 CADILLAC ELDORADO brake

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer Brakes
Because you have anti-lock brakes, don’t try to tap
into your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system. If you do,
both brake systems won’t work well, or at all. If you
tow more than
1000 lbs. (450 kg), use trailer brakes. Be
sure to follow the instructions that
come with the trailer
or from brake manufacturer.
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you
are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle
is by itself. Before
you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets
you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid sithations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to
go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
4-36

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Backing Up Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
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
I 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.
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. When you tow
a trailer,
your vehicle may need a
different
turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Cadillac 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 kmh) or less to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transaxle overheating.
4-37

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking on Hills Shift into a gear; and
a Be sure the parking brake has released.
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on
a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start
to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever
have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to
do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift into
PARK (P).
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then shift into
5. Release the regular brakes.
PARK (P) firmly and apply your parking brake.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
4-38

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured
with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the front T-hook
slots or
R-hooks inserted in the rear R-hook
slots. Never
use J-hooks. They
will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned to
OFF. The steering wheel should be clamped in
a straight-ahead position, with a clamping device
designed for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s
steering column lock for this. The transaxle should be
in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels
unless
you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section
or your transaxle will be
damaged. If these limitations must be exceeded, then the
drive wheels have to be supported on
a dolly.
5-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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.
I A CAUTION:
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. lhrn 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.
5-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 9. Tighten the wheel nuts
firmly
in a crisscross
sequence as shown.
A CAUTION:
Incorrect wheel nuts or improperly tightened
wheel nuts can cause the wheel to become loose
and even come
off. This could lead to an accident.
Be sure to use the correct wheel nuts.
If you have
to replace them, be sure to get new
GM original
equipment wheel nuts.
Stop somewhere as soon as you can and have the
nuts tightened with a torque wrench to
100 Ib-ft
(140 Nom).
NOTICE:
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead to
brake pulsation and rotor damage.
To avoid
expensive brake repairs,
evenly tighten the wheel
nuts in the proper sequence and to the proper
torque specification.
Don’t try to put a wheel cover on your compac’ ~ pare
tire. It won’t fit. Store the wheel cover in
the trunk
until you have the flat tire repaired or replaced.
NOTICE:
-~
Wheel covers won’t fit on your compact spare. If
you try to put a wheel cover on your compact
spare, you could damage the cover.
or the
compact spare.
5-32

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 infomation,
and then it shows how
to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2
6-3
6-5
6-8
6-8
6-1 1
6- 15
6-18
6-22
6-26
6-28
6-3 1
6-32
6-38
6-3 8
6-47
6-47
6-49 Service
Fuel
Filling Your Tank
Filling a Portable Fuel Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes
Battery
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires Appearance Care
Cleaning the Inside
of Your Vehicle
Care
of Safety Belts 6-50
6-50
6-50
6-50
6-52
6-52
6-52
6-53
6-5
3
6-54
6-55
6-55
6-64
6-64
6-65
6-65 Cleaning
Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside of the Windshield and
Wiper Blades
Weatherstrips
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome Wheels
(If Equipped)
Cleaning Tires
Sheet Metal Damage
Underbody Maintenance
Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Electrical System
Replacement Bulbs Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
Normal Maintenance Replacement
Parts
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Filling a Portable Fuel Container
A CAUTION:
Never fill a portable fuel container while it is in
your vehicle. Static electricity discharge from the
container can ignite the gasoline vapor. You can
be badly burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs.
To help avoid injury to you and others:
Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
Do not fill a container while it is inside a
vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup bed or
on any surface other than the ground.
inside of the
fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.
Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
Don’t smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
A CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any
underhood electric fan.
A CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
6-8