2007 CADILLAC DTS trailer

This light should come on, as a check to show
you it is working, when the ignition is on and
the engine is not running. If the light does
not come on, have it repaired. This light will also
come on during a malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has
been detected. A misre increases vehicle
emissions and may damage the emission
control system on your vehicle. Diagnosis
and service may be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control
system malfunction has been detected on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
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 possibleIf the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, 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 “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light is still ashing, follow the previous steps,
and see your dealer for service as soon as
possible.
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. SeeFilling the Tank on page 358.
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.
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Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle............................................ 302
Defensive Driving...................................... 302
Drunken Driving........................................ 303
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 306
Braking...................................................... 306
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 307
Braking in Emergencies............................. 309
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 309
Magnetic Ride Control............................... 310
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 311
Panic Brake Assist.................................... 312
Steering.................................................... 312
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 315
Passing..................................................... 315
Loss of Control.......................................... 317Driving at Night......................................... 318
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 320
City Driving............................................... 322
Freeway Driving........................................ 323
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 324
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 325
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 326
Winter Driving........................................... 328
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow................................. 332
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 333
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 333
Towing........................................................ 340
Towing Your Vehicle................................. 340
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 340
Towing a Trailer........................................ 342
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
301

Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” on your
vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver
and passengers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4. The resulting gure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals
1400 lbs and there will be ve 150 lb
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That
weight may not safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capacity calculated
in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how
this reduces the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
If your vehicle can tow a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” for important information on towing
a trailer, towing safety rules, and trailering tips.
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Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing
service if you need to have your disabled vehicle
towed. SeeRoadside Service on page 488.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another
vehicle for recreational purposes (such as behind
a motorhome), see Recreational Vehicle Towing
following.
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 “dinghy
towing” (towing your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground) and “dolly towing” (towing
your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See
“Dinghy Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.Here are some important things to consider before
you do recreational vehicle towing:
What is 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 will want to make sure your vehicle is
prepared to be towed. SeeBefore Leaving
on a Long Trip on page 324.
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Towing a Trailer
The Cadillac Professional Vehicle cannot tow
a trailer.
{CAUTION:
If you do not 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/retailer 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
the trailering capacity of your vehicle, you should
read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. 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 is 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, 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 is more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance,
increasing the pulling requirements.
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If You Do Decide To Pull a Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
There are many different laws, including speed
limit restrictions, having to do with trailering.
Make sure your rig will be legal, not only where
you live but also where you will be driving.
A good source for this information can be state
or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control. You can ask a
hitch dealer/retailer about sway controls.
Do not tow a trailer at all during the rst
1,000 miles (1 600 km) your new vehicle
is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts
could be damaged.
Then, during the rst 500 miles (800 km) that
you tow a trailer, do not drive over 50 mph
(80 km/h) and do not make starts at full
throttle. This helps your engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a
trailer. Do not drive faster than the maximum
posted speed for trailers, or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h), to save wear on your
vehicle’s parts.Three important considerations have to do
with weight:
The weight of the trailer
The weight of the trailer tongue
The total weight on your vehicle’s tires
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs
(454 kg). These are total maximum weights
including the load. But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to
pull a trailer are all important. It can also depend
on any special equipment that you have on
your vehicle, and the amount of tongue weight the
vehicle can carry. See “Weight of the Trailer
Tongue” later in this section for more information.
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Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming
only the driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all
the required trailering equipment. The weight
of additional optional equipment, passengers and
cargo in the tow vehicle must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
You can ask your dealer/retailer for our trailering
information or advice, or you can write us at
our Customer Assistance Offices. SeeCustomer
Assistance Offices on page 486for more
information.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total
or gross weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle
Weight (GVW) includes the curb weight of the
vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it, and
the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And if
you tow a trailer, you must add the tongue load
to the GVW because your vehicle will be carrying
that weight, too. SeeLoading Your Vehicle on
page 333for more information about your vehicle’s
maximum load capacity.If you are using a weight-carrying hitch or a
weight-distributing hitch, the trailer tongue (A)
should weigh 10 to 15 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight (B).
After you have loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer
and then the tongue, separately, to see if the
weights are proper. If they are not, you may be
able to get them right simply by moving some
items around in the trailer.
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Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You will nd these numbers on
the Tire and Loading Information Label. See
Loading Your Vehicle on page 333. Then be sure
you do not go over the GVW limit for your vehicle,
including the weight of the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It is important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough
roads are a few reasons why you will need the
right hitch. Here are some rules to follow:
The rear bumper on your vehicle is not
intended for hitches. Do not attach rental
hitches or other bumper-type hitches to it. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that does not
attach to the bumper.
Will you have to make any holes in the body
of your vehicle when you install a trailer
hitch? If you do, then be sure to seal the holes
later when you remove the hitch. If you do
not seal them, deadly carbon monoxide (CO)
from your exhaust can get into your vehicle.
SeeEngine Exhaust on page 130. Dirt
and water can, too.
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your
vehicle and your trailer. Cross the safety
chains under the tongue of the trailer so that the
tongue will not drop to the road if it becomes
separated from the hitch. Instructions about safety
chains may be provided by the hitch manufacturer
or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching
safety chains and do not attach them to the
bumper. Always leave just enough slack so you
can turn with your rig. And, never allow safety
chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Because your vehicle has anti-lock brakes, do not
try to tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic brake
system. If you do, both brake systems will not
work well, or at all.
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the
trailer brakes so you will be able to maintain
them properly.
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