1999 CADILLAC CATERA Owners Manual

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2-43
When the Twilight Sentinel is on and it's dark enough
outside, the high
-beam headlamps (at reduced intensity)
will change to low
-beam headlamps. When it's bright
enough outside, the regular lamps will go off, and the
high
-beam headlamps change to the reduced brightness
of DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the headlamps off, turn off the
Twilight Sentinel switch and shift the transmission into
PARK (P). Placing your vehicle in PARK (P) disables
the DRL. The DRL will stay off until you shift out of
PARK (P).
If you're not in PARK (P)
and the Twilight Sentinel
system is turned off (and it's
dark enough outside), the
DRL will remain active and
this light on the instrument
panel will appear.
This is a reminder that headlamps are required.The following conditions will override the DRL:

your vehicle's transmission is shifted back into
PARK (P) with the ignition in ON or START,

the low
-beam headlamps are turned on (using the
manual lamp control dial),

the wiper
-activated headlamps are in use (DRL will
come back on 20 seconds after wipers have
turned off),

using the flash
-to-pass feature and

turning on the Twilight Sentinel.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.

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2-44 Fog Lamps
Use the fog lamps for better
vision in foggy or misty
conditions. Press this button
to turn the fog lamps on and
press the button again to
turn the lamps off. (The fog
lamps only work when the
parking lamps or the
low
-beam headlamps are on
and the ignition is on.)
This light on the instrument
panel will come on when
the fog lamp button
is pressed.
If you turn on the high
-beam headlamps, the fog lamps
will turn off. They'll turn back on again when you
switch to low
-beam headlamps.
Cornering Lamps
The cornering lamps come on when the headlamps or
parking lamps are on and you signal a turn. They
provide more light for cornering.
Twilight Sentinel

This feature is below the
lamp control dial on the left
side of the instrument panel.
It automatically switches
the parking lamps and
low
-beam headlamps on
and off by sensing how dark
it is outside.
To operate the Twilight Sentinel, the ignition must be in
ON or START and the Twilight Sentinel must be turned
on by pressing the OFF button (an indicator light in the
button will be off when the Twilight Sentinel is
activated). If the system senses it is dark outside, the
lamps will turn on. The lamps turn off when the system
detects that it is bright outside.

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If you rotate the control dial all the way up, the lamps
will remain on for about three minutes after the ignition
has been turned to OFF or LOCK. If you rotate the
control dial all the way down, the lamps will go off
quickly. You can adjust the delay time from a few
seconds up to three minutes.
To turn the Twilight Sentinel off, press the OFF button
again. The indicator light in the button will be on. This
lets the driver know that the system has been turned off.
The Twilight Sentinel also turns off if the ignition is
turned to OFF or to LOCK.
This light in the instrument
panel will come on if the
ignition is on and:

the headlamps have not been manually turned on,

the Twilight Sentinel senses it is dark outside,

the Twilight Sentinel is OFF and

the transmission is not in PARK (P).Light Sensor
The light sensor for the
Twilight Sentinel is located
in the center of the front
defogger grille, near
the windshield.
If you cover the sensor, it will read ªdarkº and the
parking lamps and low
-beam headlamps will come on.

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Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
This control dial is located to the right of the fog lamp
button. As you rotate the control dial up, the instrument
panel lights will brighten.
Illuminated Entry
This system turns on the courtesy lamps (dome lamps
and door entry lamps) for about 20 seconds when any of
the following occur:

if you manually unlock your vehicle with the key,

if any door is opened,

if you press the unlock button on the remote keyless
entry transmitter, or

after the last door on your vehicle is closed.
Illuminated entry immediately ends when your vehicle's
ignition is turned to ON or START.
Rear Reading Lamps
The rear reading lamps are located above each rear door.
These lamps and the interior courtesy lamps come on
when any door is opened and it is dark outside.
Placing the button in the center position enables the
lamps to come on when any door is opened. Pressing the
button toward the rear of your vehicle disables the lamps
when any door is opened. With the button set toward the
front of the vehicle, the lamps will always be on.
If the reading lamps are left on, they automatically shut
off 10 minutes after the ignition has been turned off.

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2-47 Map Lamps
These lamps are located in the front overhead console
(near the windshield). Press either button to turn the
driver's or passenger's side lamp on and press the button
again to turn the lamp off.
These lamps also come on when any door is opened or
unlocked when it is dark outside.
Mirrors
Electrochromic Day/Night Rearview Mirror
This mirror automatically changes to reduce glare from
headlamps behind you. A photocell on the back of the
mirror senses when it is becoming dark outside. Another
photocell built into the mirror surface senses when
headlamps are behind you.

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At night, when the glare is too high, the mirror will
gradually darken to reduce glare (this change may take a
few seconds). The mirror will return to its clear daytime
state when the glare is reduced.
Cleaning Photocells
Use a cotton swab and glass cleaner to clean the front
and rear photocells that make the auto
-dimming
feature work.
Time Delay
This feature prevents rapid changing of the mirror from
the night mode to the day mode as you drive under
lights and through traffic.
Power Remote Control Mirror
Move the rocker switch to
the left to choose the
driver's side mirror or move
the switch to the right to
select the passenger's side
mirror. To adjust the mirror,
push the control pad in the
direction you want the
mirror to go. Adjust each
mirror so you can see the
side of your vehicle and the
area behind your vehicle.
Your vehicle's ignition must be in ON (II) for this
feature to work.

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2-49 Convex Outside Mirror
Your passenger's side mirror is convex. A convex
mirror's surface is curved so you can see more from the
driver's seat.
CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on your right. Check your
inside mirror or glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
Heated Rearview Mirrors
The manual folding outside rearview mirrors are heated.
To heat the mirrors, press the rear window defogger
button. See ºRear Window Defoggerº in the Index.
Manual Folding Outside Rearview Mirrors
The driver's and passenger's outside mirrors move
forward and rearward (ªbreak
-awayº) to help prevent
injury and/or damage to your vehicle.
Storage Compartments
Glove Box
The glove box is located in front of the passenger's seat.
To lock the glove box door, insert the key in the lock
cylinder and turn it clockwise. Turn the key
counterclockwise to unlock the door.
The glove box is air conditioned. This helps to keep
snack items cool while traveling. In order for cool air to
enter the glove box, the air conditioning must be turned
on. Use the slide control inside and at the rear of the
glove box to turn the air flow on and off. Moving the
slide control over the small hole turns the cool air off
and moving the control away from the hole turns the
cool air on.
Map Pockets
The map/storage pockets are located on each front door
as well as on the passenger's and driver's front
seatbacks. Also located on the driver's door map pocket
is a coin holder.

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2-50 Center Console Storage Area
The front storage area comes with a small storage bin
and a dual cupholder that unfolds for use. To open the
lid of the storage bin, press and hold the button under
the front edge of the storage lid and lift up. To use the
cupholders, lift them up and out of the storage area. Fold
them back down to return to the storage position.
Convenience Net
The convenience net is on the floor of the trunk. Put
small loads, like grocery bags, under the net. It can help
keep them from moving around during sharp turns or
quick starts and stops.
The net is not for larger, heavier loads. Store them in the
trunk as far forward as you can. When not using the net,
hook it to the metal loops, securing it to the floor.
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
The front ashtray is located below the radio. Press on the
cover and release to access it. To clean the ashtray, press
the black tab to the right of the tray to release it. Now
pull up on the tray to remove and clean it.
To replace the tray after cleaning, follow these steps.
1. Hold the cover (flap) on top of the tray down so it is
not in the way.
2. Insert the tray downward and forward into the
ashtray holder.
3. Press down on the tray to snap it into place.
To use the rear ashtray, lift the lid.