2003 CADILLAC CTS fuel cap

2-93
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.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.

2-98
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage shows
approximately how much
fuel is in the tank. It works
only when the ignition is
in ON.
If the fuel supply gets low, the Fuel Level Low message
will appear on the DIC and a single chime will sound.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 full.

The gage may change when you turn, stop quickly or
accelerate quickly.

It takes a little more or less fuel to fill the tank than
the gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated that the tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than half the tank's capacity
to fill the tank.

4-30
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle
-- such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as ªdinghy
towingº (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on
the ground) and ªdolly towingº (towing your vehicle
with two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on a
device known as a ªdollyº).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See ªDinghy
Towingº and ªDolly Towing,º following.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:

What's the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer's
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.

Do you have the proper towing equipment? See your
dealer or trailering professional for additional advice
and equipment recommendations.

Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you would
prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you'll want to
make sure your vehicle is prepared to be towed. See
ªBefore Leaving on a Long Tripº in the Index.Dinghy Towing
NOTICE:
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground will damage drivetrain components.
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
you should use a dolly. See ªDolly Towingº later in this
section for more information.

4-33
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of the driver's door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle.
If you do have a heavy load, you should spread it out.
Don't carry more than 176 lbs. (80 kg) in the trunk.
CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in
a crash.

Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a
trunk, put them as far forward as you can.
Try to spread the weight evenly.

Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.

Don't leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.

When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.

Don't leave a seat folded down unless you
need to.

4-34
Towing a Trailer
CAUTION:
If you don't use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
You may also damage your vehicle; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your dealer for advice
and information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in ªWeight of the Trailerº
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That's the reason for this part. In it are many
time
-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load
-pulling components such as the engine,
transmission, rear axle, wheel assemblies and tires are
forced to work harder against the drag of the added
weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively
higher speeds and under greater loads, generating extra
heat. What's more, the trailer adds considerably to wind
resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.

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
-6 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-11 Engine Oil
6
-17 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-19 Passenger Compartment Air Filter
6
-20 Automatic Transmission Fluid
6
-21 Manual Transmission Fluid
6
-23 Hydraulic Clutch
6
-24 Rear Axle
6
-25 Engine Coolant
6
-28 Surge Tank Pressure Cap
6
-29 Power Steering Fluid
6
-30 Windshield Washer Fluid6
-31 Brakes
6
-34 Battery
6
-35 Bulb Replacement
6
-39 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-41 Tires
6
-49 Appearance Care
6
-50 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-53 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-57 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-58 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-58 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-59 Electrical System
6
-65 Removing the Rear Seat Cushion
6
-72 Replacement Bulbs
6
-72 Capacities and Specifications
6
-73 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-6
Filling Your Tank
CAUTION:
Fuel vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don't smoke if you're near fuel or refueling your
vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking
materials away from fuel.
The fuel cap is located
behind a hinged door
on the passenger's side
of the vehicle.To open the fuel door, push inward on the forward
edge of the fuel door until the rear edge can be
pulled outward.
While refueling, hang the
fuel cap by the tether from
the hook on the fuel door.
To remove the fuel cap, turn it slowly to the left
(counterclockwise). The fuel cap has a spring in it; if
you let go of the cap too soon, it will spring back to
the right.

6-7
CAUTION:
If you get fuel on yourself and then something
ignites it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can
spray out on you if you open the fuel cap too
quickly. This spray can happen if your tank is
nearly full, and is more likely in hot weather.
Open the fuel cap slowly and wait for any ªhissº
noise to stop. Then unscrew the cap all the way.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Clean fuel from painted
surfaces as soon as possible. See ªCleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicleº in the Index.
When you put the fuel cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound. Make sure
you fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed. This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See ªMalfunction Indicator Lampº in
the Index.The Check Gas Cap message will appear on the DIC
display if the fuel cap is not reinstalled properly. See
ªCheck Message, Gas Capº in the Index for more
information.
NOTICE:
If you need a new fuel cap, be sure to get the
right type. Your dealer can get one for you. If you
get the wrong type, it may not fit properly. This
may cause your malfunction indicator lamp to
light and may damage your fuel tank and
emissions system. See ªMalfunction Indicator
Lampº in the Index.