2007 CADILLAC XLR V engine

{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.
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.
348

You can run the engine to keep warm, but be
careful.
{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.
352

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.
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 vehicle’s 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 the wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting
the transmission back and forth, you can
destroy the transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 435.
353

Service........................................................ 363
Accessories and Modications................... 363
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 364
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 364
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle................................................... 365
Fuel............................................................. 365
Gasoline Octane........................................ 366
Gasoline Specications.............................. 366
California Fuel........................................... 367
Additives................................................... 367
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 368
Filling the Tank......................................... 369
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 371
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 372
Hood Release........................................... 373
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 374
Engine Oil................................................. 377
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 380
Supercharger Oil....................................... 382
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 382
Automatic Transmission Fluid.................... 384
Engine Coolant.......................................... 385
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap.............. 388Engine Overheating................................... 388
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode..................................... 390
Cooling System......................................... 391
Power Steering Fluid ................................. 396
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 397
Brakes...................................................... 399
Battery...................................................... 402
Jump Starting............................................ 403
Rear Axle.................................................... 407
Headlamp Aiming........................................ 408
Headlamp Vertical Aiming.......................... 410
Bulb Replacement....................................... 412
Windshield Replacement............................ 412
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 412
Tires............................................................ 413
Winter Tires (XLR-V) ................................. 414
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 415
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 417
Run-Flat Tires........................................... 420
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 422
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 423
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 426
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
361

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.
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 497.
364

Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 58.
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 477.
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
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part
of the proper maintenance of your vehicle. To
help keep your engine clean and maintain optimum
vehicle performance, GM recommends the use
of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
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 451.
365

Gasoline Octane
If your vehicle has the 4.6L V8 engine (VIN
Code A), use premium unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 91 or higher. You may also
use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87
octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration
may be slightly reduced, and you may notice
a slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred
to as spark knock. If the octane is less than 87,
you may notice a heavy knocking noise when you
drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87
octane or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise,
you might damage your engine. If you are
using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher and
you hear heavy knocking, your engine needs
service.
If your vehicle has the 4.4L V8 engine (VIN
Code D), use premium unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 91 or higher. For best
performance, use premium unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane rating of 93. In an emergency,you can use regular unleaded gasoline with an
octane rating of 87 or higher. If 87 octane fuel is
used, do not perform any aggressive driving
maneuvers such as wide open throttle applications.
You may also hear audible spark knock during
acceleration. Rell your tank with premium fuel as
soon as possible to avoid damaging your
engine. If you are using gasoline rated at 91
octane or higher and you hear heavy knocking,
your engine needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specication D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). General Motors recommends against the
use of gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives
on page 367for additional information.
366

California Fuel
If your vehicle is certied to meet California
Emissions Standards, it is designed to operate on
fuels that meet California specications. See
the underhood emission control label. If this fuel is
not available in states adopting California
emissions standards, your vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp may turn on and your vehicle may
fail a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 196. If this occurs, return to
your authorized GM dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is caused by the type
of fuel used, repairs may not be covered by
your warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United
States are now required to contain additives
that will help prevent engine and fuel system
deposits from forming, allowing your emission
control system to work properly. In most cases,
you should not have to add anything to your fuel.
However, some gasolines contain only the
minimum amount of additive required to meet U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
To help keep fuel injectors and intake valves clean,
or if your vehicle experiences problems due to
dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline that is
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline. Also,
your dealer has additives that will help correct
and prevent most deposit-related problems.
367