2000 CADILLAC CATERA Owners Manual

2-40
Resuming a Set Speed
Setting the cruise control at a desired speed and then
applying the brake will end the cruise function. Once
you're going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more, you
can press the RESUME/DECEL. button briefly to reset.
This returns you to your desired preset speed.
If you hold the SET/ACCEL. button in briefly, the
vehicle will accelerate until you release the button or
apply the brake. So unless you want to go faster,
don't hold the button in.Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:

Use the accelerator pedal to go to a higher speed.
Push the SET/ACCEL. button at the end of the lever
and then release the button and the accelerator pedal.
You'll now cruise at a higher speed.

Press the SET/ACCEL. button until the desired
speed is reached. The new speed is maintained when
the button is released. To increase your speed in
very small amounts, tap the SET/ACCEL. button
repeatedly. Each time you do this, your vehicle will
go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
The accelerate feature will only work after you
have set the cruise control speed by pushing the
SET/ACCEL. button.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:

Press the RESUME/DECEL. button at the end
of the lever until you reach a desired lower speed,
then release it.

To slow down in very small amounts, tap the
RESUME/DECEL. button repeatedly. Each time
you do this, you'll go 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.

2-41
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your speed. When going
downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake
takes you out of cruise control. Many drivers find this to
be too much trouble and don't use cruise control on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to end cruise control:

Step lightly on the brake pedal.

Press the OFF button at the end of the cruise lever.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed memory is erased when you
turn off the cruise control or the ignition.Exterior Lamps
These controls on the left side of the instrument panel
operate the following lamp systems:
Lamp control dial (operates all lamps except the
Twilight Sentinel, fog lamps and brightness control).
Pull this dial toward you to turn on the interior lamps
and push the dial back in to turn the lamps off.
Parking lamps, front and rear sidemarker
lamps, taillamps, license plate lamps, ashtray lamps,
backlighting to the radio controls and instrument
panel lights.

2-42
Headlamps.
Fog lamps.
Twilight Sentinel.
Turns the Twilight Sentinel system off.
Instrument panel brightness control.
Turn the lamp control dial clockwise (to the first
position) to turn on the parking lamps, front and rear
sidemarker lamps, taillamps, license plate lamps, ashtray
lamps, instrument panel lights and backlighting to the
center console controls. Turn the lamp control dial all
the way clockwise (to the second position) to turn on
the low
-beam headlamps.
Turn the lamp control dial counterclockwise to turn
the lamps off.
Headlamps
Turn the lamp control dial all the way to the right to turn
on the low
-beam headlamps.
To turn on the high
-beam headlamps, the low-beam
headlamps must already be on. Push the turn signal lever on
the left side of the steering wheel away from you to engage
the high
-beam headlamps. Pull the lever toward you to
return to the low
-beam headlamps. For more information,
see ªHeadlamp High/Low Beamº in the Index.
Turn the lamp control dial all the way to the left to turn
the headlamps off.
Please note that if the headlamps are activated while
driving and then you turn your vehicle's ignition off
while the lamp dial is still turned on, the headlamps will
turn off. If, however, you open the driver's door while
the lamp dial is still turned on, a warning chime will
sound reminding you to turn the lamp control dial to
OFF. This will stop the warning chime from sounding.
(If you want the headlamps to remain on, you must
manually turn the lamp control dial off and then back
on to the headlamp position. The headlamps will stay
on until manually turned off again.)

2-43
Your vehicle may be equipped with High Intensity
Discharge (HID) headlamps. Your headlamps come on at
a lower intensity and gradually increase to full brightness.
Wiper
-Activated Headlamps
This feature activates the low
-beam headlamps,
parking lamps, sidemarker lamps and taillamps after
the windshield wipers have been in use for about
20 seconds.
The wiper
-activated headlamps light the way in poor
weather and also make your vehicle more visible to
other drivers. If the wipers are on and the ignition switch
is turned off, the headlamps will immediately turn off.
The headlamps will also deactivate if the windshield
wipers have been turned off for about 20 seconds.
Perimeter Lighting
This feature turns on the low-beam headlamps,
parking lamps, sidemarker lamps and taillamps for
about 20 seconds after the unlock button on the
remote keyless entry transmitter is pressed. Perimeter
lighting immediately ends when your vehicle's ignition
is turned to ON or START.
Lamps On Reminder
You will hear a warning chime if you open the door
while leaving the lamps on, if the manual headlamp
control is activated. An exception to this is when
you're using the Twilight Sentinel

.
Daytime Running Lamps
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will make the high
-beam headlamps
come on at reduced brightness when:

your vehicle's ignition is in ON or START,

the low
-beam headlamps are off (the manual lamp
switch is in the off or park lamp position) and

your vehicle's transmission is shifted out of
PARK (P).
When DRL are on, only the high
-beam headlamps
(at reduced brightness) will be on. No other exterior
lamps such as the parking lamps, taillamps, etc. will be
on when the DRL are being used. The instrument panel
won't be lit up either.

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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 cluster 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.

2-45 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

The control for this feature
is located 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 enough
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 turn 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 turn 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 cluster will come on
if the ignition is on and:

the headlamps have not been manually turned on,

the Twilight Sentinel senses it is dark enough 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.
If you cover the sensor, it will read ªdarkº and the
parking lamps and low
-beam headlamps will come on.

2-47
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
This control dial is located to the right of the fog lamp
button. As you turn 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.