2014 CADILLAC ELR brake fluid

Black plate (41,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
Instruments and Controls 5-41
Battery and Charging
Messages
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the 12-volt
battery voltage has dropped and
vehicle features are being disabled.
The 12-volt battery saver system
starts reducing certain features
trying to save the charge of the
12-volt battery. Turn off unnecessary
features to allow the battery to
recharge.
BATTERY TOO COLD, PLUG IN
TO WARM
This message displays during
extremely cold temperatures, when
the vehicle will not start until the
high voltage battery is warm
enough.
Plug the vehicle in and make sure
the vehicle is off to allow the
charging system to warm the high
voltage battery, then the vehicle can
be started.
CHARGE CORD CONNECTED
This message displays when the
charge cord is connected to the
vehicle. The vehicle cannot be
shifted out of P (Park) with the
charge cord connected.
CHARGE DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the
charge door is open and the vehicle
is shifted out of P (Park). The
charge door should be kept fully
closed when the vehicle is not
charging.
LOW BATTERY
This message displays when the
12-volt battery voltage is low. See
Battery on page 10-23.
SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a fault in the 12-volt battery
charging system. Take the vehicle to
your dealer for service.
SERVICE HIGH VOLTAGE
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the high voltage
charging system. See your dealer
for service.
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID LOW
This message is displayed when the
brake fluid level is low. SeeBrake
Fluid on page 10-21.
STEP ON BRAKE TO
RELEASE PARK BRAKE
This message is displayed if you
attempt to release the Electric
Parking Brake without the brake
pedal applied. See Electric Parking
Brake on page 9-30.
RELEASE PARKING BRAKE
This message is displayed if the
Electric Parking Brake is on while
the vehicle is in motion. See Electric
Parking Brake on page 9-30.

Black plate (6,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
9-6 Driving and Operating
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious—or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If propulsion is disabled while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. If the brakes are pumped,
the pedal could get harder to push
down. If propulsion stops, there will still be some power brake assist but
it will be used when the brake is
applied. Once the power assist is
used up, it can take longer to stop
and the brake pedal will be harder
to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
Driving and Operating 9-9
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10-42.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. See
“Mountain Mode” underDriver
Selected Operating Modes on
page 9-22. Tips for driving in these
conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
electric drive unit.
.Keep the vehicle in gear when
going down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the vehicle turned off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
the vehicle and could become too
hot. Hot brakes may not be able
(Continued)

Black plate (1,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-2
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Lifting the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-13
Cooling System (Engine) . . . 10-14
Cooling System (High Voltage Battery) . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Cooling System (Power Electronics and Charger
Modules) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16 Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-19
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Electric Drive Unit Shift Lock
Control Function Check . . . 10-25
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-25
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-27
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices andWiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29 Instrument Panel Fuse Block
(Left Side) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Instrument Panel Fuse Block (Right Side) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Rear Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-55
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58

Black plate (9,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
Vehicle Care 10-9
1. Engine Coolant Surge Tank andPressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10-16.
2. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10-13.
3. Engine Cover.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil on page 10-9.
5. High Voltage Battery Coolant Reservoir and Pressure Cap.
See Cooling System (Engine) on
page 10-14 orCooling System
(High Voltage Battery) on
page 10-15 orCooling System
(Power Electronics and Charger
Modules) on page 10-16.
6. Engine Cooling Fans. See Cooling System (Engine) on
page 10-14 orCooling System
(High Voltage Battery) on
page 10-15 orCooling System
(Power Electronics and Charger
Modules) on page 10-16.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10-9. 8. Power Electronics Coolant
Reservoir and Pressure Cap.
See Cooling System (Engine) on
page 10-14 orCooling System
(High Voltage Battery) on
page 10-15 orCooling System
(Power Electronics and Charger
Modules) on page 10-16.
9. High Voltage Cables (Orange Color).
10. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid” underBrakes on
page 10-20.
11. Power Electronics Module.
12. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10-19.
13. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10-29.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10-12.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
10-20 Vehicle Care
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview on
page 10-8 for reservoir location.
{Caution
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer instructions for
adding water.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for fluid
expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank
if it is completely full.
Brakes
This vehicle has 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 can come and go or be
heard all the time when the vehicle
is moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.
{Warning
The brake wear warning sound
means that soon the brakes will
not work well. That could lead to
a crash. When the brake wear
warning sound is heard, have the
vehicle serviced.
{Caution
Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly
brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates
can cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean
something is wrong with the brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are
necessary to help prevent brake
pulsation. When tires are rotated,
inspect brake pads for wear and
evenly tighten wheel nuts in the

Black plate (21,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
Vehicle Care 10-21
proper sequence to torque
specifications. SeeCapacities and
Specifications on page 12-2.
Brake pads should be replaced as
complete 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
that brake service might be
required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time the brakes are applied,
with or without the vehicle moving,
the brakes 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. The vehicle was designed
and tested with top-quality brake
parts. When parts of the braking
system are replaced, be sure to get new, approved replacement parts.
If this is not done, the brakes might
not work properly. For example,
installing disc brake pads that are
wrong for the vehicle, can change
the balance between the front and
rear brakes
—for the worse. The
braking performance expected can
change in many other ways if the
wrong replacement brake parts are
installed.
Brake Fluid
The brake master cylinder reservoir
is filled with DOT 3 brake fluid as
indicated on the reservoir cap. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10-8 for the location of the
reservoir. There are only two reasons why the
brake fluid level in the reservoir
might go down:
.The brake fluid level goes down
because of normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are
installed, the fluid level goes
back up.
.A fluid leak in the brake
hydraulic system can also cause
a low fluid level. Have the brake
hydraulic system fixed, since a
leak means that sooner or later
the brakes will not work well.
Do not top off the brake fluid.
Adding fluid does not correct a leak.
If fluid is added when the linings are
worn, there will be too much fluid
when new brake linings are
installed. Add or remove brake fluid,
as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac ELR Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6081525) -
2014 - Second Edition - 1/22/14
10-22 Vehicle Care
{Warning
If too much brake fluid is added, it
can spill on the engine and burn,
if the engine is hot enough. You
or others could be burned, and
the vehicle could be damaged.
Add brake fluid only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic
system.
When the brake fluid falls to a low
level, the brake warning light comes
on. See Brake System Warning
Light on page 5-20.
Checking Brake Fluid
Check brake fluid by looking at the
brake fluid reservoir. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10-8.
With the vehicle not running for at
least one minute, the maximum fluid
level (1) is at the top of the reservoir
body. With the vehicle running, the
fluid level should be in the proper
operating range (2) between the
MIN and MAX marks. If it is not,
have the brake hydraulic system
checked to see if there is a leak.
After work is done on the brake
hydraulic system, make sure the
level, with the vehicle running, is in
the proper operating range (2)
between the MIN and MAX marks. What to Add
Use only new DOT 3 brake fluid
from a sealed container. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11-12.
Always clean the brake fluid
reservoir cap and the area around
the cap before removing it. This
helps keep dirt from entering the
reservoir.{Warning
With the wrong kind of fluid in the
brake hydraulic system, the
brakes might not work well. This
could cause a crash. Always use
the proper brake fluid.