2000 CADILLAC ELDORADO Owners Manual

2-62
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Control System Warning Light
This warning light should
come on briefly as you start
the engine.
If the warning light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn you if there's a problem. If it stays on, or
comes on when you're driving, there may be a problem with
your traction control system and your vehicle may need
service. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following:

If there's a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system is affected by an
engine
-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
This light tells you that the
engine has overheated. You
should stop your vehicle
and turn the engine off as
soon as possible. A warning
chime should also sound if
this light comes on.
As a check, the light should come on for a few seconds
when you start your engine. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index.

2-63 Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into
the red area, the engine is
too hot.
That reading means the same thing as the warning
light
-- the engine coolant has overheated.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
Your vehicle is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.This system is called OBD II (On
-Board
Diagnostics
-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the
life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The SERVICE ENGINE SOON light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and service
is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.

2-64
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust or fuel system of your vehicle or the
replacement of the original tires with other than
those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light to come on. Modifications to these systems
could lead to costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. This may also result in a failure to pass
a required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:

Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.

2-65
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has been
left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel
cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly.
See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. It will take a
few driving trips to turn the light off.Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel
(see ªFuelº in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause
your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start
-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation
on acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.

2-66
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have
or may begin programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass
this inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
SERVICE ENGINE SOON light is on or not
working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on
-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen if
you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is designed
to evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This may take several days of routine
driving. If you have done this and your vehicle still does
not pass the inspection for lack of OBD system
readiness, see your dealer or qualified service center to
prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Light
This light tells you if there
could be a problem with
your engine oil pressure.
The light goes on when you turn your key to RUN or
START. It goes off once you start your engine. That's a
check to be sure the light works. If it doesn't come on,
be sure to have it fixed so it will be there to warn you if
something goes wrong.
When the light comes on and stays on, it means that oil
isn't flowing through your engine properly. You could
be low on oil and you might have some other
system problem.

2-67
CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
If you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage shows
approximately how much
fuel is in the tank. It works
only when the ignition is
in RUN.
Here are a few concerns some owners have had about
the fuel gage. All of these situations are normal and do
not indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage.

At the gas station the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads F.

It takes more (or less) gas to fill the tank than the
gage said. For example, the gage read half a tank,
but it took more (or less) than the tank's remaining
capacity to fill it.

The gage may change when you turn, stop or
speed up.

2-68 Fuel Data Display
Everything you need to know about the fuel economy
and how far you can travel with your vehicle's
remaining fuel is displayed. Fuel data can be obtained
by pressing the INFO (SKIP) button. See ªDIC Controls
and Displaysº later in this section.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
This display gives you the status of many of your
vehicle's systems. The DIC is also used to display driver
personalization features and warning/status messages.
DIC Controls and Displays
TRIP RESET (YES): By using this button, you can tell
how far you've gone since you last set the YES TRIP
RESET back to zero. To reset, press and hold this
button until zeros appear. If your vehicle is domestic,
the trip odometer will return to zero after 999.9 miles
(1 609 km). If your vehicle is Canadian, the
trip odometer will return to zero after
1 999.9 km (1,242 miles).
INFO RESET (NO): Pressing this button will reset the
MPG AVG, GAL FUEL USED, AVG MPH, TIMER,
OIL LIFE LEFT and ENGLISH/METRIC RESET.
Pressing NO INFO RESET when a non
-resettable
display appears will cause a ªrecallº mode to occur.
When this happens, all Driver Information Center (DIC)
warning messages that have been displayed since the
ignition key was turned to RUN will redisplay. If no
messages were displayed, a MONITORED SYSTEMS
OK message will appear.
INFO (SKIP): Pressing this button repeatedly will
display the RANGE, MPG AVG, MPG INST, GAL
FUEL USED, AVG MPH, TIMER, BATTERY VOLTS,
OIL LIFE LEFT, PHONE (if equipped) and
ENGLISH/METRIC RESET.

2-69
FUEL DOOR: Press this button to open the fuel door.
(This feature will work only when the shift lever is in
PARK (P) regardless of whether or not the vehicle
is running.)
TRUNK: Press this button to open the trunk.
(This feature will work only when the shift lever is in
PARK (P) regardless of whether or not the vehicle
is running.)
MPG AVG (Reset): Press the INFO (SKIP) button to
display the MPG AVG (Average Fuel Economy), then
press and hold the NO INFO RESET button until
0.0 MPG AVG is displayed.
GAL FUEL USED (Reset): Press the INFO (SKIP)
button to display the GAL FUEL USED on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), then press and hold the
INFO RESET (NO) button until 0.0 GAL FUEL
USED is displayed.
AVG MPH (Reset): Press the INFO (SKIP) button to
display the AVG MPH (Average Speed), then press and
hold the INFO RESET (NO) button until 0.0 AVG MPH
is displayed.TIMER: This feature is like a stopwatch, in that you can
clock the time it takes to get from one point to another.
To operate, press the INFO (SKIP) button to display
TIMER. Each of the fields for the hours, minutes and
seconds are two numeric digits.
Once TIMER OFF 00:00:00 is displayed, press the INFO
RESET (NO) button to start the timing feature. Press the
INFO RESET (NO) button again to stop it. If you will be
starting and stopping your vehicle
-- during a trip for
instance
-- the TIMER feature will automatically start
timing where it left off when you last stopped. To reset it,
press and hold the INFO RESET (NO) button until the
display reads TIMER 00:00:00. Press the INFO (SKIP)
button to exit from the TIMER function.
OIL LIFE LEFT (Reset): Press the INFO (SKIP)
button to display the OIL LIFE LEFT, then press and
hold the INFO RESET (NO) button until 100% OIL
LIFE LEFT is displayed. (This only needs to be reset
after you have had the oil changed.)
ENGLISH/METRIC (Reset): Press the INFO (SKIP)
button to display ENGLISH/METRIC RESET, then press
the INFO RESET (NO) button to select. The display will
change from English (miles) to metric (kilometers).