engine CADILLAC CATERA 1999 1.G Owner's Guide

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When the light comes on and stays on, it means that oil
isn't flowing through the engine properly. You could
be low on oil and you might have some other
system problem.
CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Check Oil Light
This light will come on for
a few seconds when the
ignition is turned on. If the
light doesn't come on, have
it repaired.
If the light comes on while starting and stays on for
about one minute or comes on while driving, the engine
oil level should be checked. Prior to checking the oil
level, be sure your vehicle has been shut off for several
minutes and is on a level surface. Check the oil level and
bring it to the proper level. See ªEngine Oilº in
the Index.
Brake To Shift Light
This light will come on to
remind you that you must
press the brake pedal to
shift out of PARK (P).

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Here are a few concerns some owners have had about
the fuel gage. All of these situations are normal and do
not indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage.

At the gas station the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads F.

The gage may change when you turn, stop or
speed up.
Low Fuel Light
If the fuel level is low,
approximately two gallons
(7.57 L) of fuel remaining
in the fuel tank, a light will
come on and stay on.
When the fuel level reaches one gallon (8.8 L), the light
will flash until fuel is added.
It will also come on for a few seconds when you first
turn on the ignition as a check to show it's working. If it
doesn't come on then, have it fixed.
Fuel Cap Indicator Light (If Equipped)
This light will come on
if the fuel cap has not
been fully tightened, is
missing or has been
improperly installed.
You should recheck your fuel cap to make sure it is
on tight.
If you continue to drive with a loose fuel cap, the
diagnostic system in your vehicle can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed. A
loose or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate
into the atmosphere. If this happens, the CHECK
ENGINE light may come on. For more information,
see ªMalfunction Indicator Lampº earlier in this section.

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In cold weather, when the system senses the need for
heat, airflow will be directed out of the floor outlets. As
the interior temperature approaches a desired setting, the
blower speed will decrease. To maintain interior
comfort, the airflow may move to the instrument panel
air outlets and floor outlets (bi
-level mode). On bright
sunny days in cold weather, the airflow may come out of
the air conditioning outlets (AC mode) to maintain
comfort and prevent stuffiness.
If your vehicle is sitting out on a hot day and you have
the climate control system set for automatic operation,
the air will first flow out of the floor air outlets during
cool down. That is normal. This is to remove hot air
from the air outlets. As the air is cooled, the airflow will
move through the air conditioning outlets.
To avoid blowing cold air in cold weather, the system
will delay turning on the fan until warm air is available.
The length of delay depends on the outside air
temperature, engine coolant temperature or the time
since the engine was last started. As the coolant warms
up, the blower fan speed will gradually increase and air
will flow from the heater outlets, with some airflow to
the windshield to prevent fogging under most
normal conditions.If you leave your vehicle, the system will remember the
control setting the next time you start your engine,
except for recirculation and rear defrost (heated
backlite). Each ignition cycle cancels recirculation.
Manual Operation
You may manually adjust the air delivery mode or
fan speed.
HEATER/DEFROST: This setting directs air to
the floor outlets and toward the windshield.
AC: This setting directs airflow through the middle
instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEVEL: This setting directs air into your
vehicle in two ways. Cool air is directed to the upper
portion of your body through the middle instrument
panel outlets while warm air is directed to the floor.
HEATER: This setting directs warm air through
the floor outlets. Some warm air is sent to the
windshield to minimize fogging.

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DEFROST: Press this button to quickly remove
fog or frost from the windshield (the blower works in
high
-speed). This setting sends most of the airflow to
the windshield with only a small amount to the
floor outlets.
FAN SPEEDS: Press the driver's side
TEMP/AUTO knob to set the fan speed for AUTO. At
this setting, the fan speed is automatically controlled. If
it is cold outside, the blower may not run in the
maximum high fan speed right away. The system checks
the temperature of the engine coolant to assure it is
warm enough to provide heat. When the engine coolant
is warm, the controller allows the fan to gradually
increase to a higher speed. This prevents cold air from
blowing into the passenger compartment. If you want
the blower fan at a high speed, press the up arrow button
until you reach the highest position of the display. If you
want the blower fan at a low speed, press the down
arrow button until the lowest position is displayed.ON/OFF: Press this button to turn the system off. Press
this button again to turn the system back on. Turning the
climate control system on in this way will recall all
previous manually set mode settings. If the system is
turned on by pushing the driver's TEMP/AUTO knob for
automatic operation, all of the previous manually set mode
settings will be changed back to the fully automatic mode.
AC: Press this button to turn the air conditioning on and
off. The system will cool and dehumidify the air inside
the vehicle. In the automatic operation mode, the display
will show AC OFF when the air conditioning has been
turned off.
RECIRCULATION: Press this button to limit the
amount of fresh air entering your vehicle. This is helpful
to limit odors entering your vehicle. In the automatic
operation mode, the system will use recirculation as
necessary to cool the air. Pressing the recirculation
button will change the operation to a manual mode and
the air will recirculate non
-stop. Press this button again
to turn off the recirculation feature.
If you notice the windows fogging, press the
recirculation button to exit the recirculation mode.

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3-7 Rear Window Defogger
The lines you see on the
rear window warm the
glass. With your vehicle's
engine running, press this
button to turn on the
rear defogger.
The rear window defogger heats the rear window and
both outside rearview mirrors. The system will
automatically shut off after about 15 minutes. If further
defogging is desired, press the button again.
Do not attach a temporary vehicle license, tape or decals
across the defogger grid on the rear window.NOTICE:
Do not try to clear frost or other material from
the inside of the rear window with a razor blade
or anything else that is sharp. This may damage
the rear defogger grid. The repairs wouldn't be
covered by your warranty.
Ventilation System
The ventilation system supplies outside air into the
vehicle when it is moving. Outside air will also enter the
vehicle when the heater or the air conditioning fan
is running.

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Audio Systems
Your Cadillac audio system has been designed to operate
easily and give years of listening pleasure. You will get
the most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself
with it first. Find out what your audio system can do and
how to operate all its controls, to be sure you're getting
the most out of the advanced engineering that went
into it.
Setting the Clock
Press and hold HR or MN until the time display begins
to change. Release the button as you get close to the
correct time. The time may be set anytime the clock is
displayed. There is a two
-second delay before the clock
goes into time
-set mode.
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
Playing the Radio
PWR/VOL: Press this knob lightly to turn the system
on. Press the knob again to turn the system off. To
increase volume, turn the knob clockwise. Turn it
counterclockwise to decrease volume. The volume level
will appear on the display.
HR or MN: Display the time with the ignition off by
pressing this button.
DSPL: Press this button to display the radio station
being played.

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To help avoid hearing loss or damage:

Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.

Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two
-way radio -- be sure you can
add what you want. If you can, it's very
important to do it properly. Added sound
equipment may interfere with the operation of
your vehicle's engine, radio or other systems, and
even damage them. Your vehicle's systems may
also interfere with the operation of sound
equipment that has been added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat. If they aren't, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN or
CLEAN TAPE to indicate that you have used your tape
player for 50 hours without resetting the tape clean
timer. If this message appears on the display, your
cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play
tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to
prevent damage to your tapes and player. If you notice a
reduction in sound quality, try a known good cassette to
see if it is the tape or the tape player at fault. If this other
cassette has no improvement in sound quality, clean the
tape player.
The recommended cleaning method for your cassette
tape player is the use of a scrubbing action,
non
-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn.
The recommended cleaning cassette is available through
your dealership (GM Part No. 12344789).

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Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti
-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on, and you may even notice that your brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there's a problem with the
anti
-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in
the Index.

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Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti
-lock brakes.
Using Anti
-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may hear the
anti
-lock pump or motor operate, and feel the brake
pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Traction Control System
Your vehicle has a traction control system that limits
wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road
conditions. The system operates only if it senses that one
or both of the rear wheels are spinning or beginning to
lose traction. When this happens, the system brakes the
spinning wheel and/or reduces engine power to limit
wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
This warning light will
come on to let you know if
there's a problem with your
traction control system.
See ªTraction Control System Warning Lightº in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. (You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See ªRocking Your Vehicleº
in the Index.)

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To turn the system off, press
the TCS OFF button located
next to the radio on the
center console.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
Speed Sensitive Steering (SSS)
This system varies the amount of steering effort in relation
to your vehicle speed. Steering is easier at a lower speed
for maneuvering and parking ease. As your vehicle speed
increases, the steering effort also increases. At highway
speeds, the amount of steering effort is increased to
provide manual
-like steering for maximum control and
stability. If your vehicle seems harder to steer than normal
when parking or driving slow, something may be wrong
with the speed sensitive steering system. You will still
have power steering, however, steering will be stiffer than
normal at low speeds.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here's why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there's no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction. If you've ever
tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you'll understand this.