2006 CADILLAC XLR engine

Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in at or rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can
make your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all uid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system,
and transmission. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes could
get so hot that they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down
to let your engine assist your brakes on a
steep downhill slope.
{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will
have to do all the work of slowing down. They
could get so hot that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could crash.
Always have your engine running and your
vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
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Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you
go down a steep or long hill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your
engine and transmission, and you can climb the
hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide
or cut across the center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something in your lane, like a stalled
car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that
warn of special problems. Examples are long
grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling
rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert to these
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies
in your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 6-50.
5-27

If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and
your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
5-30

{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see it
or smell it, so you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from around the
base of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the wind. This will
help keep CO out.Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little
faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator
slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get
and it keeps the battery charged. You will need a
well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the
heater run for a while.
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.
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If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to spin your
wheels too fast. The method known as rocking can
help you get out when you are stuck, but you must
use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they
can explode, and you or others could be
injured. And, the transmission or other parts
of the vehicle can overheat. That could cause
an engine compartment re or other damage.
When you are stuck, spin the wheels as
little as possible. Do not spin the wheels
above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission
back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For more information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 6-70.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. You should
turn your traction control system off. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 5-9. Then shift back
and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is
in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed
out. If you do need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 5-37.
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Service............................................................6-3
Accessories and Modications..........................6-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................6-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................6-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle...........................................6-4
Fuel................................................................6-4
Gasoline Octane............................................6-5
Gasoline Specications....................................6-5
California Fuel...............................................6-5
Additives.......................................................6-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................6-6
Filling the Tank..............................................6-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................6-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................6-10
Hood Release..............................................6-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................6-12
Engine Oil...................................................6-15
Engine Oil Life System..................................6-18
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................6-20
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................6-21
Engine Coolant.............................................6-22
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................6-25
Engine Overheating.......................................6-25
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................6-27Cooling System............................................6-28
Power Steering Fluid.....................................6-33
Windshield Washer Fluid................................6-34
Brakes........................................................6-35
Battery........................................................6-38
Jump Starting...............................................6-39
Rear Axle.......................................................6-44
Headlamp Aiming...........................................6-45
Headlamp Vertical Aiming..............................6-46
Bulb Replacement..........................................6-48
Windshield Replacement.................................6-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............6-49
Tires..............................................................6-50
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................6-52
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................6-54
Run-Flat Tires..............................................6-56
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................6-58
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................6-59
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................6-62
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................6-63
Buying New Tires.........................................6-64
Different Size Tires and Wheels......................6-65
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................6-66
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................6-67
Wheel Replacement......................................6-67
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
6-1

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants you to
be happy with it. We hope you will go to your dealer
for all your service needs. You will get genuine GM parts
and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modications
When you add non-GM accessories to your vehicle
they can affect your vehicle’s performance and safety,
including such things as, airbags, braking, stability,
ride and handling, emissions systems, aerodynamics,
durability, and electronic systems like anti-lock brakes,
traction control and stability control. Some of these
accessories may even cause malfunction or damage
not covered by warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on your vehicle. Your
GM dealer can accessorize your vehicle using genuine
GM Accessories. When you go to your GM dealer
and ask for GM Accessories, you will know that
GM-trained and supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine GM Accessories.
California Proposition 65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one, contain and/or
emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive
harm. Engine exhaust, many parts and systems
(including some inside the vehicle), many uids, and
some component wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
6-3

Doing Your Own Service Work
{CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts,
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts,
and other fasteners. English and metric
fasteners can be easily confused. If you
use the wrong fasteners, parts can later
break or fall off. You could be hurt.
If you want to do some of your own service work,
you will want to use the proper service manual.
It tells you much more about how to service your
vehicle than this manual can. To order the proper
service manual, seeService Publications Ordering
Information on page 8-14.Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before attempting
to do your own service work, seeServicing Your
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 1-44.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and
list the mileage and the date of any service work
you perform. SeeMaintenance Record on page 7-15.
Adding Equipment to the Outside
of Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle
can affect the airow around it. This may cause
wind noise and affect windshield washer performance.
Check with your dealer before adding equipment to
the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
The 8th digit of your vehicle identication number (VIN)
shows the code letter or number that identies your
engine. You will nd the VIN at the top left of the
instrument panel. SeeVehicle Identication Number
(VIN) on page 6-85.
6-4