check engine CADILLAC CATERA 1998 1.G Workshop Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Change both the fluid and filter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
regularly
reaches
90” F (32” C) or higher.
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON@-m, because fluid with that label
is
made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage
caused by fluid other than DEXRON@-III
is not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Rear Axle
When to Check Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant. See “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections” and “Scheduled Maintenance Services” in
the Maintenance Schedule booklet.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the bottom of the filler plug hole,
you’ll need to add some lubricant. Add enough lubricant
to raise the level to the bottom of the filler plug hole.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean water (preferably
distilled) and one-half
DEX-COOL@ coolant which
won’t damage aluminum parts.
If you use this mixture,
you don’t need to add anything else.
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle’s coolant
warning system
is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn’t
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use
a 50/50 mixture of clean water and
DEX-COOL@ coolant.
NOTICE:
If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn’t be covered by your
warranty. Too much water
in the mixture can
freeze and crack the engine, radiator, heater core
and other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
NOTICE:
If you use the proper coolant, you don’t have to
add extra inhibitors or additives which claim to
improve the system. These can be harmful.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Checking Coolant
The surge tank is located behind the air cleaner on the
passenger’s side
of the engine.
The cooling system when hot is under a lot
of pressure.
If the low coolant warning light on the instrument panel
appears, you will need to add coolant.
= I
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam and
scalding liquids to blow out and burn you badly.
Never turn the surge tank pressure cap
-- even a
little
-- when the engine and radiator are hot.
When your engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
the KALTKOLD line (seam).
1
If the light comes on, it
means you’re low on
engine coolant.
]I I I
For more information, see “Low Coolant Light” in
the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid reservoir is located between
the battery and the brake master cylinder on the driver’s
side of the engine.
How To Check Power Steering Fluid
When the engine compartment is cool, wipe the cap and
the top
of the reservoir clean, then unscrew the cap and
wipe the dipstick with
a clean rag. Replace the cap and
completely tighten it. Then remove the cap again and
look at the fluid level on the dipstick.
The level should be at the full mark. There are two lines
on the dipstick. The top line is the “full” mark and th\
e
bottom line is the “add” mark (which means that fluid
should be added). If necessary, add only enough fluid to
bring the level up to the full mark.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to use, see
“Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in the
Maintenance Schedule booklet. Always use the proper
fluid. Failure to use the proper fluid can cause leaks and
damage hoses and seals.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
6-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Headlamp Aiming
Your vehicle has the composite headlamp system. These
headlamps have horizontal and vertical aim indicators.
The aim has been pre-set at the factory and should need
no further adjustment.
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident and the
headlamp aim seems to be affected, see your dealer.
Headlamps on damaged vehicles may require
recalibration of the horizontal aim by your dealer.
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0
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To check the aim, the vehicle should be properly
prepared as follows:
Place the vehicle on a level pad or surface.
The vehicle should not have any snow, ice or mud
attached to it.
The vehicle should be fully assembled and all other
work stopped while headlamp aiming is being done.
There should not be any cargo or loading of the
vehicle, except it should have a full tank of fuel and
one person or
160 lbs. (75 kg) on the driver's seat.
Tires should be properly inflated.
Rock the vehicle to stabilize the suspension.
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0
0
I NOTICE:
To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before
beginning. Failure to follow these instructions could cause damage to headlamp parts.
For the vertical adjustment, state inspection stations
generally will allow a reading of plus
0.76 degrees or
minus
0.76 degrees from the center of the bubble.
1 6-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine It is recommended that the upper limit not exceed plus
0.4 degrees from the center of the bubble. Other drivers
may flash their high beams at you
if your adjustment is
much above plus
0.4 degrees.
If you find that the headlamp aiming needs adjustment,
follow these steps:
1. With a screwdriver, unscrew the fastener on the
headlamp cover and then remove the cover to be able
to see the back of the headlamp assembly.
2. Check the vertical aim for each headlamp and adjust
it as necessary. The vertical aim adjustment screw is
located on the outboard side
of the headlamp
assembly. You can see the level through the
headlamp assembly.
Turn the vertical aiming screw
until the bubble in the level
is centered at 0 (zero).
3. If the horizontal aim needs adjusting, see
your dealer.
Adjustment screws can be turned with an
E8 Tom@
socket
or a T15 Torx screwdriver.
6-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. To reinstall the wiper blade assembly, slide it over
the wiper
arm to engage the “J” hooked end on the
wiper blade assembly. Pull up on the assembly to
lock it into place.
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service, see
your Catera Warranty booklet for details. Poorly maintained and improperly
used tires
are dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause overheating
as a result of too much friction. You could
have
an about and a serious accident. See
‘Zoading Your Vehicle’’ in the Index.
Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
cut, punctured or broken by
a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep
tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
See “Inflation
-- Tire Pressure’’ in this section
for inflation pressure adjustment for higher
speed driving.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be
6-37

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Also, check the
tire pressure of the spare tire.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure.
You can’t tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they’re underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on
the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated at 5,000 miles (8 000 km) and
then every
10,000 miles (16 000 km) thereafter. Any
time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as soon
as possible and check wheel alignment. Also check for
damaged tires or wheels. See “When It’s Time
for New
Tires” and “Wheel Replacement” later in this section for
more information. The purpose
of regular rotation is to
achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See “Scheduled
Maintenance Services” in the Maintenance Schedule
booklet for scheduled rotation intervals.
7-
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire-Loading
Information label. Make certain that all wheel bolts are
properly tightened. See “Wheel Bolt Torque” in
the Index.
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it
is fastened, can make wheel studs become loose
after a time. The wheel could come off
and cause
an accident. When
you change a wheel, remove
any
rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt
off. (See
“Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index.) When
It’s Time
for New Tires
One way to tell when it’s
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires have
only
1/16 inch (1.6 mm) or
less
of tread remaining.
You need a new tire
if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
0 YOU can see cord or fabric showing though the
tire’s rubber.
0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep
enough to show cord or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
6-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cleaning the Outside of the
Windshield and Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using the windshield
washer, or
if the wiper blade chatters when running, wax,
sap or other material may be on the blade or windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with GM
Windshield Cleaner, Bon Ami@ Powder (non-scratching
glass cleaning powder), GM Part
No. 1050011. The
windshield is clean
if beads do not form when you rinse
it with water.
Grime fkom
the windshield will stick to the wiper blades
and affect their performance. Clean the blade by wiping
vigorously with a cloth
soaked in full-strength windshield
washer solvent. Then rinse the blade with water.
Check the wiper blades and clean them as necessary;
replace blades that look worn.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply silicone
grease with a clean cloth at least every
six months. During
very cold, damp weather more fiquent application may be
required.
(See “Recommended Fluids and Lubricants” in
the Maintenance Schedule booklet.)
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
The paint finish on your vehicle provides beauty, depth
of color, gloss retention and durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The ‘best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep it
clean by washing
it often with lukewarm or cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays of the sun.
Don’t use strong soaps or chemical detergents. Use
liquid hand, dish or car washing (mild detergent) soaps.
You can get GM-approved cleaning products from your
dealer. (See “Appearance Care and Materials” in the
Index.) Don’t use cleaning agents that are petroleum
based, or that contain acid or abrasives. All cleaning
agents should be flushed promptly and not allowed to
dry on the surface, or they could stain. Dry the finish
with a soft, clean chamois or an all-cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause water to enter
your vehicle.
Cleaning Exterior LampsLenses
Use lukewarm or cold water, a soft cloth and a liquid
hand, dish or car washing
(mild detergent) soap to clean
exterior lamps and lenses. Follow instructions under
“Washing Your Vehicle.”