1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO check oil

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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 information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-11 Engine Oil
6
-16 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-23 Engine Coolant
6
-27 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-29 Brakes
6
-32 Battery
6
-33 Bulb Replacement
6
-39 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-40 Tires
6
-48 Appearance Care
6
-48 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-50 Care of Safety Belts6
-50 Cleaning Glass Surfaces
6
-50 Cleaning the Outside of the Windshield and
Wiper Blades
6
-50 Weatherstrips
6
-51 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-52 Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome-Plated
Wheels (If Equipped)
6
-52 Cleaning Tires
6
-52 Sheet Metal Damage
6
-53 Underbody Maintenance
6
-53 Chemical Paint Spotting
6
-54 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-55 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-55 Electrical System
6
-64 Replacement Bulbs
6
-65 Capacities and Specifications
6
-65 Air Conditioning Refrigerants
6
-66 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

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Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to
find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use of improper fuel wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you'll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you're going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Filling Your Tank
The cap is behind a hinged door on the driver's side of
your vehicle.

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Filling a Portable Fuel Container
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.

Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operating
the nozzle. Contact should be maintained
until the filling is complete.

Don't smoke while pumping gasoline.
Checking Things Under the Hood
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.
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.

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6-11 Underhood Lamp
Turn the parking lamps on to operate the underhood
lamp. The underhood lamp will come on when the hood
is opened.
Engine Oil
A CHECK OIL LEVEL message will appear when the
engine oil is approximately 1 quart (1L) low. If the
message is displayed, check the dipstick level and add
oil as needed.
It's a good idea to check your engine oil every time you
get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading, the oil must
be warm and the vehicle must be on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick is
located behind the radiator
on the driver's side of the
engine. The black handle
says ENGINE OIL on it.
Turn off the engine and give the oil several minutes to
drain back into the oil pan. If you don't, the oil dipstick
might not show the actual level.

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6-12 Checking Engine Oil
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD line, then you'll need
to add at least one quart of oil. But you must use the
right kind. This part explains what kind of oil to use. For
crankcase capacity, see ªCapacities and Specificationsº
in the Index.
NOTICE:
Don't add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the upper
mark that shows the proper operating range,
your engine could be damaged.
The engine oil fill cap is
located behind the radiator
on the passenger's side of
the engine. Turn the cap
counterclockwise to
remove it.
Be sure to fill it enough to put the level somewhere in
the proper operating range. Push the dipstick all the way
back in when you're through.

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How to Reset the Oil Life Indicator
After the oil has been changed, display the OIL LIFE
LEFT message by pressing the SKIP INFO button. Then
press and hold the NO INFO RESET button until the
display shows 100% ENGINE OIL LIFE. This resets the
oil life index. The message will remain off until the next
oil change is needed. The percentage of oil life
remaining may be checked at any time by pressing the
SKIP INFO button several times until the OIL LIFE
LEFT message appears. For more information on the Oil
Life feature, see ªOil Life Indicatorº in the Index.What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don't let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. (See
the manufacturer's warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free
-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don't ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.

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Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the fluid and filter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:

In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90F (32C) or higher.

In hilly or mountainous terrain.

When doing frequent trailer towing.

Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require change
until the message CHANGE TRANS FLUID appears on
the Driver Information Center.
See ªScheduled Maintenance Servicesº in the
Maintenance Schedule booklet.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at the dealership
service department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading
on the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transaxle. Too much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts
or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be sure to
get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle fluid.

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6-24 What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one
-half DEX-COOL
coolant which won't damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you
don't need to add anything else.
CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle's coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn't
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL
coolant.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can
freeze and crack the engine, radiator, heater core
and other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don't have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.