check engine CADILLAC ELDORADO 1996 10.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Speed Limiter
This feature prevents the engine from operating at too
many revolutions per minute (rpm). When the engine
rpm’s are critically high, the fuel supply to the engine is
shut
off. When the engine speed slows, the fuel supply
will
come on again. This helps prevent damage to
the engine.
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may
be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury. Warning
lights come on when there may be or is
a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they’re working.
If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one
of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Your vehicle may also have a driver information system
that works along with the warning lights and gages. See
“Driver Information Center’’ in the Index.
2-63

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to RUN or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay
on
for about 20 seconds, then it
will flash for about 70
seconds. If the driver‘s belt
is already buckled, neither
the chime nor the light will
come
on.
Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells you
if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag”
in the Index.
AIR BAG
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition to RUN
or START. Then the light
should
go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays on, or comes
on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not
work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
2-64

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
This red light tells you that
the engine has overheated.
You should stop the car and
turn the engine
off as soon
as possible.
A warning
chime should also sound if
this light comes on. SERVICE
ENGINE
SOON
Your Cadillac is equipped
i with a computer which
monitors operation
of the
l fuel, ignition and emission
1 control systems.
As a check, the light should come on for a few seconds
when you start your engine.
In the section “Problems on
the Road,” this manual explains what to
do. See “Engine
Overheating”
in the Index. This
system is called
OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping
to produce a cleaner
environment. (In Canada, OBD
I1 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The SERVICE ENGINE
SOON
light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated
by the system before any problem is apparent, which
may prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
2-69

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run
as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition
is on and the engine is not
running.
If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0 Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reduce vehicle speed.
0 Avoid hard accelerations.
0 Avoid steep uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the amount of cargo being
hauled
as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when
it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Put your vehicle in PARK (P). Turn the
key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the engine.
If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On
Steady” following. If the light is still flashing follow the
previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your dealer or
qualified service center for service.
2-70

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light
off.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly.
It
will take a few driving trips to turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
Y0.u may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience this condition, change the fuel brand
you use. It will require at least one full tank of the
proper fuel to turn the light
off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical
or electrical
problems that may have developed.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Oil Pressure Light
This light tells you if there
could be a problem
with
your engine oil pressure.
The light goes on when you turn your key to RUN or
START. It goes off once you start your engine. That’s a
check to be sure the light works. If it doesn’t come on,
be sure to have it fixed so it will be there to warn you if
something goes wrong.
When the light
comes on and stays on, it means that
oil isn’t flowing through your engine properly. You
could be low on oil and you might have some other
system problem. 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
-1 vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
2-72

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine BATTERY NO CHARGE - 07: This message will
appear if the battery is not being charged. Have the
electrical system checked by your Cadillac dealership at
your earliest convenience.
BATTERY VOLTS HIGH - 08: This message shows
that the electrical charging system is overcharging (more
than 16 volts). To avoid being stranded, have the
electrical system checked by your Cadillac dealership.
You can reduce the charging overload by using the
accessories. Turn on the lamps and radio, set the climate
control on AUTO and the fan speed on
HI, and turn the
rear window defogger on. You can monitor battery
voltage on the DIC by pressing the INFORMATION
button. The normal range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts when the
engine
is running.
BATTERY VOLTS LOW - 06: This message will
appear when the electrical system is charging less than
10 volts or if the battery has been drained. If this
message appears immediately after starting,
it is possible
that the generator can still recharge the battery. The
battery should recharge after driving a few miles and the
message should go out. If this message appears while
driving or after starting your vehicle and stays on, have
it checked immediately to determine
the cause of this problem.
To help the generator recharge the battery
quickly you can reduce the load on the electrical system
by turning off the accessories. You can monitor battery
voltage on the DIC by pressing the INFORMATION
button. The normal range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
BRAKE VACUUM PROBLEM - 108: The circuit in
the brake booster vacuum has shorted or is loose when
this message appears. Your vehicle may lose power
brakes but you will still have the use of manual brakes.
The power brakes will not be affected if the problem is
caused by a failed sensor. Have your vehicle serviced
immediately at your Cadillac dealership.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL - 82: This means that the life
of the engine oil has expired and it should be changed
within
200 miles. See “Engine Oil” and “Filter
Recommendations’’ in the Maintenance Schedule. After
an oil change, the Oil Life Indicator must be reset. See
“Oil Life Indicator” in the Index on how to reset it.
CHANGE TRANS FLUID - 47: This message will
appear when
it is time to replace the transaxle fluid
(system has determined that the transaxle fluid has
reached
0%). See the Maintenance Schedule booklet for
the proper fluid and change intervals.
2-79
1 -

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CHECK BRAKE FLUID LEVEL - 37: This message
will display if the ignition
is in the RUN position to
inform the driver that the brake fluid level is low. Check
the brake reservoir level and add fluid as needed. Have
the brake system serviced by a Cadillac technician as
soon as possible. If the brake warning light is on, follow
the directions in that part.
CHECK COOLANT LEVEL - 02: This message will
appear when there is a low level of engine coolant. Have
the cooling system serviced by a Cadillac technician as
soon as possible.
CHECK FUEL GAGE - 39: This message will appear
when the
fuel supply is less than four gallons (I 5.2 L)
and the display is turned off (digital clusters only).
CHECK OIL LEVEL - 36: For correct operation of
the low oil sensing system, your vehicle should be on a
level surface.
A false CHECK OIL LEVEL message
may appear
if the vehicle is parked on grades. The oil
level sensing system does not check for actual oil level
if the engine has been off for a short period of time, and
the oil level is never sensed while the engine is running.
If the CHECK
OIL LEVEL message appears, and your
vehicle has been parked
on level ground with the engine
off for at least
30 minutes, the oil level should be checked
by observing the oil dipstick. Prior to checking
the oil level be sure
the engine has been off for five
minutes and your vehicle
is on a level surface. Then
check the dipstick and add oil if necessary. See “Engine
Oil”
in the Index.
CHECK WASHER FLUID - 25: This message will
appear for several seconds indicating that you need
washer solvent.
CRUISE ENGAGED - 43: This message will appear
for a few seconds when you select a speed at which
to cruise.
DOOR OPEN - 141: The passenger’s door is open or
ajar when this message appears. The vehicle’s engine
must be running and the transaxle
not in PARK (P) for
this message to display.
A chime will also sound when
the vehicle’s speed is greater than
5 mph (8.1 km/h).
DRIVER DOOR OPEN - 140: This message
will display when the vehicle is being shifted out of
PARK (P) with the engine running to signal that the
driver’s door
is open or ajar. A chime will also sound
when the vehicle’s speed is greater than 5 mph
(8.1 km/h).
2-80

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ENGINE COOLANT HOT-IDLE ENGINE - 44:
This message will appear when the engine coolant
temperature is over
248 OF (126°C). To avoid added
strain on a hot engine, turn off the climate control
system. Stop and allow your vehicle to idle until it cools
down or
the message is removed. If it does not cool
down, turn off the engine and have it serviced before
driving it again. Severe engine damage can result from
an overheated engine. See “Engine Overheating” in
the Index.
FUEL LEVEL VERY LOW - 11: This message serves
as a warning that the fuel level in the tank is critically
low. Stop for fuel immediately.
MONITORED SYSTEMS OK - 1: This message only
appears in the “recall” mode by pressing the RESET
button. It lets you know that no other messages are
stored or currently active.
PASS KEY NOT PROGRAMMED - 31: This
warning message displays when the PASS-Key pellet
information has not been programmed into your vehicle.
See your Cadillac dealership for service.
PCM FAULT - 110: The circuit in the Powertrain
Control Module (PCM) has shorted or is loose when this
message appears. Have your Cadillac serviced by your
dealership at once.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER - 41: This message
informs the driver that due to wheel slippage your
vehicle is reducing engine power to compensate for the
loss of traction. Accelerating too fast causing the tires to
spin is an example of when this message would display.
REMOVE KEY - 70: This message will appear when
the Personalized Automotive Security System
(PASS-Key
11) is unable to read the pellet on the
ignition key or an improper key pellet has been inserted.
Wait for the DIC to display STARTING DISABLED
DUE TO THEFT SYSTEM REMOVE IGNITION
KEY. The instrument panel cluster will then run a timer
and change the messages to WAIT
3 MINUTES, WAIT
2 MINUTES, WAIT 1 MINUTE and then START CAR.
When the REMOVE KEY message is displayed, remove
the ignition key. Check the ignition key for damage.
If it
is damaged, it may need to be replaced. If you see no
damage, clean the pellet contacts with a soft cloth or
2-81

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SERVICE RIDE CONTROL - 84: This message is
displayed to indicate that the suspension system
is not
operating properly. To correct this problem have your
vehicle serviced at your Cadillac dealership.
SERVICE TRANSMISSION - 100: If a problem is
detected with the transaxle, this message will appear.
Have your vehicle checked by your Cadillac dealership.
SPEED SENSOR FAULT - 109: A circuit problem
with the vehicle speed sensor will trigger this message
to appear. Have your Cadillac dealership service your
vehicle.
STARTING DISABLED DUE TO THEFT SYSTEM
REMOVE IGNITION KEY
- 33: This message will
appear when the Personalized Automotive Security
System (PASS-Key
11) senses that an improper ignition
key is being used to try to start the vehicle. Check the
ignition key for damage.
If it is damaged, it may need to
be replaced.
If you see no damage, clean the pellet
contacts with a soft cloth
or napkin. Remove the ignition
key and wait for the DIC to display WAIT
3 MINUTES.
The instrument panel cluster will then run a timer and
change
the messages to WAIT 2 MINUTES, WAIT
1 MINUTE and then START CAR. When the START
CAR message is displayed, try again to start the engine.
STOP ENGINE ENGINE OVERHEATED - 42: This
message will appear when the engine has overheated.
Stop and turn the engine
off immediately to avoid severe
engine damage. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
STOP ENGINE LOW OIL PRESSURE - 35: If this
message appears while the engine is running, stop the
engine and do not operate
it until the cause of low oil
pressure is corrected. Severe damage to the engine
can result.
THEFT SYSTEM PROBLEMKAR MAY NOT
RESTART
- 34: This message means there is a problem
in the Personalized Automotive Security System
(PASS-Key 11). A fault has been detected in the system
which means that the PASS-Key I1 system is disabled
and is not protecting the vehicle. The vehicle usually
restarts however, you may want to take your vehicle to
a
proper service center before turning off the engine.
TOP SPEED FUEL CUT-OFF - 111: This message
will appear when the PCM senses that the maximum
speed for your Cadillac has been reached. The speed of
your vehicle will decrease several mph as the fuel
supply is cutoff. This allows your vehicle to stay in a
stable operating range.
2-83
1