2001 CADILLAC CATERA oil

5-11
Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
A. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Fans
CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood can
start up even when the engine is not running and
can injure you. Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down.

5-14
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:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
So use the recommended coolant.
CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant on a hot engine.

5-25
8. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel bolts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if you need to, to get all the rust
or dirt off.
CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on wheel bolts. If you do,
the bolts might come loose. Your wheel could fall
off, causing a serious accident.
9. Place the spare wheel on the wheel-mounting surface.
10. Replace the wheel
bolts. Tighten each bolt
by hand until the wheel
is held against the hub.

6-
6-1
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
-15 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-19 Rear Axle
6
-20 Engine Coolant
6
-24 Surge Tank Pressure Cap
6
-24 Power Steering Fluid
6
-25 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-26 Brakes
6
-30 Battery6
-30 Bulb Replacement
6
-37 Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-38 Tires
6
-47 Appearance Care
6
-49 Care of Safety Belts
6
-50 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-52 Cleaning Aluminum or Chrome-Plated
Wheels (If Equipped)
6
-53 Underbody Maintenance
6
-54 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-55 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-55 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-56 Electrical System
6
-63 Replacement Bulbs
6
-63 Capacities and Specifications
6
-64 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-5
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don't use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn't
be covered under your warranty.
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.
Filling Your Tank
CAUTION:
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don't smoke if you're near gasoline or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from gasoline.
The cap is behind a hinged door on the passenger's side
of your vehicle.

6-8
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.

6-10 Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood, you'll see:
A. Coolant Fill Location
B. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
C. Passenger Compartment
Air FilterD. Engine Oil Fill Location
E. Engine Oil Dipstick Location
F. Windshield Washer FluidG. Brake Master Cylinder
H. Power Steering Fluid
I. Battery
Before closing the hood, be sure all filler caps are on properly. Then pull the hood down and close it firmly.

6-11
Engine Oil
If the low oil level light
appears on the instrument
panel, it means you need to
check your engine oil level
right away. For more
information, see ªCHECK
OIL Lightº in the Index.
You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
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
hose on the driver's side of
the engine. The yellow
looped handle helps to
identify it. See ªEngine
Compartment Overviewº in
the Index for more
information on location.
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.