2004 CADILLAC XLR ESP

Notice:We recommend you use only ¯uid labeled
DEXRONž-III, because ¯uid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by ¯uid other than DEXRON
ž-III is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Change both the ¯uid and ®lter every 50,000 miles
(80 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one of
these conditions:
·In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or higher.
·In hilly or mountainous terrain.
·High performance operation.
If you do not use your vehicle under one of these
conditions, change the ¯uid and ®lter every
100,000 miles (166 000 km).
See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-4for the proper
service intervals for the transmission ¯uid and ®lter.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is ®lled with
DEX-COOLžengine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs ®rst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
žextended life coolant.The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see
Engine Overheating on
page 5-23.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
žcoolant will:
·Giving freezing protection down to-34É F-37É C.
·Give boiling protection up to 265É F (129É C).
·Protect against rust and corrosion.
·Help keep the proper engine temperature.
·Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOLžmay
cause premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant may
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs ®rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
ž(silicate-free) coolant in your vehicle.
5-20

Curb Weight:This means the weight of a motor
vehicle with standard and optional equipment including
the maximum capacity of fuel, oil and coolant, but
without passengers and cargo.
DOT Markings:A code molded into the sidewall of a
tire signifying that the tire is in compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation motor vehicle safety
standards. The DOT code includes the Tire Identi®cation
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric designator which can
also identify the tire manufacturer, production plant,
brand and date of production.
GVWR:Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, see
Loading
Your Vehicle on page 4-32.
GAWR FRT:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the front
axle, see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-32.
GAWR RR:Gross Axle Weight Rating for the rear axle,
see
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-32.
Intended Outboard Sidewall:The side of an
asymmetrical tire that must always face outward when
mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa):The metric unit for air pressure.
There are 6.9 kPa's to one psi.Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire:A tire used on light duty
trucks and some multipurpose passenger vehicles.
Load Index:An assigned number ranging from
1 to 279 that corresponds to the load carrying
capacity of a tire.
Maximum In¯ation Pressure:The maximum air
pressure to which a cold tire may be in¯ated. The
maximum air pressure is molded onto the sidewall.
Maximum Load Rating:The load rating for a tire at the
maximum permissible in¯ation pressure for that tire.
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight:The sum of curb
weight; accessory weight; vehicle capacity weight;
and production options weight.
Normal Occupant Weight:The number of occupants a
vehicle is designed to seat multiplied by 150 pounds
(68 kg). SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-32.
Occupant Distribution:Designated seating positions.
Outward Facing Sidewall:The side of a asymmetrical
tire that has a particular side that faces outward
when mounted on a vehicle. The side of the tire that
contains a whitewall, bears white lettering or bears
manufacturer, brand and or model name molding that is
higher or deeper than the same moldings on the
other sidewall of the tire.
5-54

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the
tire sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum
section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a speci®ed government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1.5) times as well on the government course as
a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart signi®cantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction ± AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability
to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on speci®ed government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
5-64

Temperature ± A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a speci®ed indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly in¯ated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underin¯ation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
5-65

3. Lift the vehicle with the jack, making sure the jack
spans at least two of the crossmember ribs (B).
For more information, see
Doing Your Own Service
Work on page 5-4.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It's unusual for a tire to ªblow outº while you're driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air
goes out of a tire, it's much more likely to leak out
slowly. See
Tires on page 5-50for additional
information.
Your vehicle, when new, had run-¯at tires. This type of
tire can operate effectively with no air pressure, so
you won't need to stop on the side of the road to change
a ¯at tire. You can just keep on driving. The shorter
the distance you drive and the slower the speed,
the greater the chance that the run-¯at tire will not have
to be replaced. Run-¯at tires perform so well without
any air that a Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) is used
to alert you if a tire has lost pressure. See
Run-Flat Tires
on page 5-56andTire Pressure Monitor System on
page 5-58.
5-73

Customer Assistance and
Information
Customer Satisfaction Procedure
Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to
your dealer and to Cadillac. Normally, any concerns
with the sales transaction or the operation of your
vehicle will be resolved by your dealer's sales or service
departments. Sometimes, however, despite the best
intentions of all concerned, misunderstandings can
occur. If your concern has not been resolved to your
satisfaction, the following steps should be taken:
STEP ONE:Discuss your concern with a member of
dealership management. Normally, concerns can
be quickly resolved at that level. If the matter has
already been reviewed with the sales, service or parts
manager, contact the owner of the dealership or
the general manager.STEP TWO:If after contacting a member of dealership
management, it appears your concern cannot be
resolved by the dealership without further help, contact
the Cadillac Customer Assistance Center, 24 hours
a day, by calling 1-800-458-8006. In Canada, contact
GM of Canada Customer Communication Centre
in Oshawa by calling 1-800-263-3777 (English) or
1-800-263-7854 (French).
We encourage you to call the toll-free number in order
to give your inquiry prompt attention. Please have
the following information available to give the Customer
Assistance Representative:
·Vehicle Identi®cation Number (This is available from
the vehicle registration or title, or the plate at the
top left of the instrument panel and visible through
the windshield.)
·Dealership name and location
·Vehicle delivery date and present mileage
When contacting Cadillac, please remember that your
concern will likely be resolved at a dealer's facility. That
is why we suggest you follow Step One ®rst if you
have a concern.
7-2

Courtesy Rental Vehicle
Your dealer may arrange to provide you with a courtesy
rental vehicle or reimburse you for a rental vehicle
you obtained if your vehicle is kept for a warranty repair.
Reimbursement will be limited to a maximum of $40 a
day and must be supported by receipts. This requires
that you sign and complete a rental agreement and meet
state, local and rental vehicle provider requirements.
Requirements vary and may include minimum age
requirements, insurance coverage, credit card, etc. You
are responsible for fuel usage charges and may also
be responsible for taxes, levies, usage fees, excessive
mileage, or rental usage beyond the completion of
the repair.
Generally it is not possible to provide a like-vehicle as a
courtesy rental.
Additional Program Information
Courtesy Transportation is available during the
Bumper-to-Bumper warranty coverage period, but itis
notpart of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. A
separate booklet entitledWarranty and Owner
Assistance Informationfurnished with each new vehicle
provides detailed warranty coverage information.
Courtesy Transportation is available only at participating
dealers and all program options, such as shuttle
service, may not be available at every dealer.Please contact your dealer for speci®c information about
availability. All Courtesy Transportation arrangements
will be administered by appropriate dealer personnel.
Canadian Vehicles:For warranty repairs during
the Complete Vehicle Coverage period of the General
Motors of Canada New Vehicle Limited Warranty,
alternative transportation may be available under the
Courtesy Transportation Program. Please consult
your dealer for details.
General Motors reserves the right to unilaterally modify,
change or discontinue Courtesy Transportation at
any time and to resolve all questions of claim eligibility
pursuant to the terms and conditions described
herein at its sole discretion.
Vehicle Data Collection and Event
Data Recorders
Your vehicle, like other modern motor vehicles, has a
number of sophisticated computer systems that monitor
and control several aspects of the vehicle's
performance. Your vehicle uses on-board vehicle
computers to monitor emission control components to
optimize fuel economy, to monitor conditions for air bag
deployment and, if so equipped, to provide anti-lock
braking and to help the driver control the vehicle
in difficult driving situations.
7-8

Some information may be stored during regular
operations to facilitate repair of detected malfunctions;
other information is stored only in a crash or near crash
event by computer systems commonly called event
data recorders (EDR).
In a crash or near crash event, computer systems, such
as the Air Bag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM)
in your vehicle may record information about the
condition of the vehicle and how it was operated, such
as engine speed, brake applications, throttle position,
vehicle speed, safety belt usage, air bag readiness, air
bag performance data, and the severity of a collision.
This information has been used to improve vehicle crash
performance and may be used to improve crash
performance of future vehicles and driving safety. Unlike
the data recorders on many airplanes, these on-board
systems do not record sounds, such as conversation of
vehicle occupants.
To read this information, special equipment is needed
and access to the vehicle or the SDM is required.
GM will not access information about a crash event or
share it with others other than
·with the consent of the vehicle owner or, if the
vehicle is leased, with the consent of the lessee,
·in response to an official request of police or similar
government office,
·as part of GM's defense of litigation through the
discovery process, or
·as required by law.
In addition, once GM collects or receives data, GM may
·use the data for GM research needs,
·make it available for research where appropriate
con®dentiality is to be maintained and need is
shown, or
·share summary data which is not tied to a speci®c
vehicle with non-GM organizations for research
purposes.
Others, such as law enforcement, may have access to
the special equipment that can read the information
if they have access to the vehicle or SDM.
If your vehicle is equipped with OnStar
ž, please check
the OnStaržsubscription service agreement or
manual for information on its operations and data
collection.
7-9