brakes CADILLAC CATERA 1998 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used on
an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BAlTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e e
TURN
FOG LAMPS
$0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and indicator lights:
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING I-1
BAllERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(0)
COOLANT a
ENGINE OIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(e)
BRAKES
Here are some other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
I
HORN b
SPEAKER
b
FUEL la

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine. Your
vehicle has a
Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI).
You have to fully apply the regular brakes
before you
can shift from PARK
(P) when the ignition key is in ON.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you wish. See
“Shifting Out
of PARK (P)” in this section.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging the transmission, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow” in the Index.
NEUTRAL (N): The engine doesn’t connect with the
wheels when driving in NEUTRAL
(N). Use
NEUTRAL
(N) to restart your vehicle when you’re
already moving or when your vehicle is being towed. Shifting
out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine
is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out of
PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while your engine is racing.
NOTICE:
Damage to the transmission caused by shifting
out of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the
engine racing isn’t covered by your warranty.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine DRIVE (D): Use this for normal driving. If you need
more power for passing, and you’re:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator pedal
about halfway down.
accelerator all the way down.
The transmission will shift down to the next gear.
THIRD (3): This position is not used for normal
driving. It offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD
(3)
instead of DRIVE (D):
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears.
When going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): Driving in this position gives you more
power than driving in THIRD
(3). Use it on hills. It can
help control your speed as you
go down steep mountain
roads, but then you would also want to use the brakes
off and on.
FIRST (1): This position gives you more power (Dut
lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use it
on very steep hills.
If the shift lever is put in FIRST (l),
the transmission won’t shift into first gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
NOTICE:
If the rear wheels can’t rotate, don’t try to drive.
This might happen if you were stuck in very deep
sand or mud or you were up against
a solid
object. You could damage the transmission.
Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don’t hold
your vehicle there with
only the accelerator
pedal. This could overheat and damage the
transmission. Use the brakes to hold your vehicle
in position on
a hill.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you start to drive with the parking brake set, the
BRAKE warning light stays on. See “Brake System
Warning Light” in the Index for more information.
To release the parking brake, hold the brake pedal down
with your
foot and pull the parking brake lever up until
you can press the end release button. Hold the release
button in
as you move the brake lever all the way down.
NOTICE:
Driving with the parking brake on can cause the
rear brakes to overheat. You may have to replace
them and you could also damage other parts of
your vehicle.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on a hill, see
“Towing a Trailer” in the Index. This section shows
what
to do first to keep the trailer from moving.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
I
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps that
follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
Console Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK
(P) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat.
To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so
you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a Brake-Transmission Shift Interlock
(BTSI). You have to fully apply the regular brakes
before you can shift from PARK (P) when the ignition is
in
ON. See “Automatic Transmission” in the Index.
If you cannot shift out
of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever
-- push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you want. If you ever
hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift out of
PARK
(P), try this:
1. Turn the ignition key to OFF. Open and close the
driver’s door to turn off the Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) feature.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 8.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cruise Control 1
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 kmk) or more without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. This can help on long trips. Cruise
control does not work at speeds below about
25 mph
(40 km/h).
Cruise control shuts off when you apply the brakes.
,
a
a Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can’t drive safely at
a steady speed. So,
don’t use your cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy trafEc.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes
in tire traction can cause needless wheel
spinning, and you could lose control. Don’t
use cruise control on slippery roads.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. (See “Traction
Control System” in the Index.) When road conditions
allow you
to safely use it again, you may turn the cruise
control back on.
2-36
-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Voltmeter
I6h
VOLTS
You can read battery
voltage on the voltmeter. If
it reads less than
12 volts or
more than 16 volts while the
engine
is running, and it
stays there, you may have a
problem with the electrical
charging system.
Have it checked right away. Driving with
the voltmeter
reading in the lower warning zone could drain
or
damage the battery. Driving with the voltmeter reading
in the upper warning zone could cause bulbs to burn out
(especially headlamp bulbs), various vehicle modules to
shut down (due to overload protection) and the
possibility
of a battery acid leak.
If you idle the engine for a while, the voltmeter reading
might move into the red zone. If the reading
stays in the
red zone while
you are driving, you may have a problem
with the electrical charging system. Have it checked.
While the voltmeter reads in the red zone, the battery
may not be able to power certain electrical accessories,
like ABS. (If this happens, the ABS light will come on.
See “Anti-Lock Brakes System Warning Light” in
this section.)
If you must drive a short distance with the voltmeter
reading in a warning zone, turn off all the accessories,
including the comfort controls and the audio system.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
ABS
With the anti-lock brake system, the light(s) will
come on when you start
your engine and may stay
on for several seconds.
That’s normal.
Traction Control System Warning Light
The warning light will flash
when the system senses
a
traction change.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to
OFF. Or, if the
light comes on when you’re driving, stop as soon as
possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving, your vehicle needs
service.
If the regular brake system warning light isn’t
on, you still have brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock
brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is also
on, you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a
problem with your regular brakes.
See “Brake System
Warning Light” earlier in this section.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to
ON. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem. If
it stays on,
or comes on and stays on steady when
you’re driving, there may be a problem with your
traction control system and your vehicle may need
service. When this warning light
is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following:
0 If there’s a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system will turn off and the warning light will come on.
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
If the traction control system is affected by an
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine lc"' -+a
Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you'll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We've also
included many other useful tips on driving.
4-2
4-3
4-6
4-6
4-7 4- 10
4- 12
4- 12
4-13
4-
15
Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control of a Vehicle
Braking
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Steering
Off-Road Recovery
Passing
Loss of Control
Driving at Night 4- 16
4-19
4-20
4-2
1
4-22 4-22
4-24
4-28
4-30 Driving in Rain and
on Wet
Roads
City Driving
Freeway Driving
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Highway Hypnosis
Hill and Mountain Roads
Winter Driving
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They
are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Average
reaction time is about 314 of a second. But
that’s only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight
all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration.
But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot
of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it’s pavement or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet,
dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.
Sometimes, as when you’re driving on snow or ice, it’s
easy
to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and reaction tim.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That’s
perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That’s
reaction time.