2004 CADILLAC XLR brakes

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Speci®cations....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under
the Hood....................................................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-18
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-19
Engine Coolant.............................................5-20
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-23
Engine Overheating.......................................5-23
Cooling System............................................5-26
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-32Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-33
Brakes........................................................5-35
Battery........................................................5-38
Jump Starting...............................................5-39
Rear Axle.......................................................5-45
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-46
Headlamp Vertical Aiming..............................5-47
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-49
Tires..............................................................5-50
Run-Flat Tires..............................................5-56
In¯ation - Tire Pressure.................................5-57
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-58
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-60
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-62
Buying New Tires.........................................5-63
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-64
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-65
Wheel Replacement......................................5-66
Tire Chains..................................................5-68
Lifting Your Vehicle.......................................5-69
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-73
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

A. Battery. SeeBattery on page 5-38.
B. Passenger Compartment Air Filter. See
Passenger
Compartment Air Filter on page 3-38.
C. Underhood Fuse Block. See
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 5-85.
D. Power Steering Fluid. See
Power Steering Fluid on
page 5-32.
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-18.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See
Engine Oil on page 5-13.
G. Engine Oil Dipstick. See
Engine Oil on page 5-13.
H. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See
Brakes
on page 5-35.
I. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap on page 5-23.
J. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
Windshield
Washer Fluid on page 5-33.
Engine Oil
If the LOW OIL LEVEL or LOW OIL PRESSURE
message on the Driver Information Center appears, it
means you need to check your engine oil level right
away. For more information, see ªLOW OIL LEVELº and
ªLOW OIL PRESSUREº under
DIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-57.You should check your engine oil level regularly; this is
an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It is 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 handle is a yellow loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
the location of the engine oil dipstick.
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.
Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper towel or
cloth, then push it back in all the way. Remove it again,
keeping the tip down, and check the level.
5-13

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is ®lled with DOT-3
brake ¯uid. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake ¯uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The ®rst is that the
brake ¯uid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the ¯uid level goes back up. The other reason is
that ¯uid is leaking out of the brake system.If it is, you should have your brake system ®xed, since a
leak means that sooner or later your brakes will not
work well, or will not work at all.
So, it is not a good idea to ªtop offº your brake ¯uid.
Adding brake ¯uid will not correct a leak. If you add ¯uid
when your linings are worn, then you will have too
much ¯uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake ¯uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake ¯uid, it can spill on
the engine. The ¯uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
¯uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system. See ªChecking Brake Fluidº
in this section.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check your brake ¯uid. See
Scheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4.
5-35

Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake ¯uid without taking off the cap.
Just look at the brake ¯uid reservoir. The ¯uid level
should be above the MIN mark on the reservoir. If it is
not, have your brake system checked to see if there
is a leak.
After work is done on the brake hydraulic system, make
sure the level is between the MIN and MAX marks.
What to Add
When you do need brake ¯uid, use only DOT-3 brake
¯uid. Refer toRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-11. Use new brake ¯uid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake ¯uid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help
keep dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of ¯uid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or
they may not even work at all. This could
cause a crash. Always use the proper
brake ¯uid.
Notice:
·Using the wrong ¯uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system
parts so badly that they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in the wrong kind
of ¯uid.
·If you spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle's painted
surfaces, the paint ®nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle. If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
Appearance
Care on page 5-75.
5-36

Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal ®rmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear the
brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are ®rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
As you make brake stops, your disc brakes
automatically adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its many
parts have to be of top quality and work well together if
the vehicle is to have really good braking. Your
vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality GM
brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system Ð for example, when your brake linings
wear down and you need new ones put in Ð be sure
you get new approved GM replacement parts. If you do
not, your brakes may no longer work properly. For
example, if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong
for your vehicle, the balance between your front and
rear brakes can change Ð for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change
in many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
5-37

Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. Be sure to follow the steps below to do it safely.
{CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous
because:
·They contain acid that can burn you.
·They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
·They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, some
or all of these things can hurt you.
Notice:If you try to start your vehicle by pushing
or pulling it, you could damage your vehicle. Do not
push or pull your vehicle to start it; instead, use
the jump starting procedure in this manual to start
your vehicle when the battery has run down.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Notice:If the other vehicle's system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles are not touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would not be able
to start your vehicle, and the bad grounding
could damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake ®rmly on both vehicles involved in
the jump start procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in PARK (P) or a manual transmission
in NEUTRAL before setting the parking brakes.
5-39

(A) P-Metric Tire:The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The letter ªPº as the
®rst character in the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to standards set by the U. S.
Tire and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width:The three-digit number indicates the
tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.
(C) Aspect Ratio:A two-digit number that indicates
the tire height-to-width measurements. For example, if
the tire size aspect ratio is ª70,º as shown in item ªCº of
the illustration, it would mean that the tire's sidewall is
70% as high as it is wide.
(D) Construction Code:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The letter
ªRº means radial ply construction; the letter ªDº means
diagonal or bias ply construction; and the letter ªBº
means belted-bias ply construction.
(E) Rim Diameter:Diameter of the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description:These characters represent
the load range and the speed rating of a tire. The
load range represents the load carrying capacity a tire is
certi®ed to carry. The load index can range from 1 to
279. The speed rating is the maximum speed a tire
is certi®ed to carry a load. Speed ratings range
from ªAº to ªZº.Tire Terminology and De®nitions
Air Pressure:The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air pressure
is expressed in pounds per square inch (psi) or
kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight:This means the combined weight
of optional accessories. Some examples of optional
accessories are, automatic transmission, power steering,
power brakes, power windows, power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio:The relationship of a tire's height to
its width.
Belt:A rubber coated layer of cords that is located
between the plies and the tread. Cords may be made
from steel or other reinforcing materials.
Bead:The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped by
steel cords that hold the tire onto the rim.
Bias Ply Tire:A pneumatic tire in which the plies are
laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread.
Cold In¯ation Pressure:The amount of air pressure in
a tire, measured in pounds per square inch (psi)
before a tire has built up heat from driving. See
In¯ation - Tire Pressure on page 5-57.
5-53

Used Replacement Wheels
{CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can't know how it's been used
or how far it's been driven. It could fail
suddenly and cause a crash. If you have to
replace a wheel, use a new GM original
equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
Don't use tire chains. There's not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of clearance can
cause damage to the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area damaged by the
tire chains could cause you to lose control of
your vehicle and you or others may be injured
in a crash. Use another type of traction device
only if its manufacturer recommends it for use
on your vehicle and tire size combination and
road conditions. Follow that manufacturer's
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust or remove the
device if it's contacting your vehicle, and don't
spin your wheels. If you do ®nd traction
devices that will ®t, install them on the
rear tires.
5-68