2007 CADILLAC XLR V Owners Manual

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

When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 428
Buying New Tires...................................... 428
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 430
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 431
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 432
Wheel Replacement.................................. 432
Tire Chains............................................... 435
Lifting Your Vehicle................................... 435
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 440
Appearance Care........................................ 441
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 441
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 443
Leather...................................................... 444
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 444
Wood Panels............................................. 445
Speaker Covers........................................ 445
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 445
Weatherstrips............................................ 445
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 446
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 446
Finish Care............................................... 447Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 447
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 448
Tires......................................................... 449
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 449
Finish Damage.......................................... 449
Underbody Maintenance............................ 449
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 450
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 450
Vehicle Identication.................................. 451
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 451
Service Parts Identication Label............... 451
Electrical System........................................ 452
Add-On Electrical Equipment..................... 452
Windshield Wiper Fuses............................ 452
Power Windows and Other Power
Options.................................................. 452
Fuses and Circuit Breakers....................... 453
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..................... 453
Underhood Fuse Block.............................. 455
Capacities and Specications.................... 458
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
362

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.
363

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

Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers
and ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may
be available in your area. General Motors
recommends that you use these gasolines if they
comply with the specications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and other fuels
containing more than 10% ethanol must not be
used in vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.
Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for
fuel that contains methanol. Do not use
fuel containing methanol. It can corrode metal
parts in your fuel system and also damage
the plastic and rubber parts. That damage
would not be covered under your warranty.Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing
additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT); ask the attendant where you
buy gasoline whether the fuel contains MMT.
General Motors recommends against the use of
such gasolines. Fuels containing MMT can reduce
the life of spark plugs and the performance of
the emission control system may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp may turn on. If this
occurs, return to your dealer for service.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside
the United States or Canada, the proper fuel may
be hard to nd. Never use leaded gasoline or
any other fuel not recommended in the previous
text on fuel. Costly repairs caused by use of
improper fuel would not be covered by your
warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business
in the country where you will be driving.
368