CADILLAC FLEETWOOD 1994 Owners Manual
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Trailer Wiring Harness
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If your Fleetwood is equipped with one of the heavy duty trailering
options, a
5 wire trailering harness is located in the trunk. You may have
to have it wired to your vehicle.
These trailer harness color codes should be followed when connecting to
your trailer:
White: Direct Trailer Ground for Trailer Lights
Brown: Park Lamps
Yellow: Left Turn and Stop Lamps
Dark Green: Right Tuh and Stop Lights
Dark Blue: Auxiliary Circuit
DRIFTNG WTHA TWLER
Safe trailer towing requires a certain amount of experience. Before
setting out
for the open road, you'll want to get to know your rig.
Acquaint-yourself with the feel
of handling and braking with the added
weight of the trailer. Always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving
is longer and not nearly as responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and safety chains, electrical
connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and apply the trailer brakes
by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This also checks your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure and
that the lights and trailer brakes are operating correctly.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
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Passing
You’ll need more passing distance ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
Because you’re longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move that hand to the left.
To move the trailer to
the right, move your hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do
this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument panel will
flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you
may think drivers behind you are seeing your signal when they are not.
It’s important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your
brakes
so much that they get hot and no longer work well.
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On a long uphill grade, shift down to a lower gear and reduce your speed
and reduce your speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than
2,000 pounds (908 kg), you should drive
in “D or 3” instead of Overdrive. This allows the torque convertor clutch
to engage and allowing the transmission to run cooler.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, and trailer on a hill. If something
goes wrong your rig could start to move. People can be injured and both
I your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
If you eve1 have to park your rig on a hill, here’s how to do it:
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “P7, (Park) yet.
I Have someone place chocks (tapered triangular blocks) under the
downhill side the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until
Reapply the regular brakes. Then shift into “P” (Park) and apply the
Release the regular brakes.
the
chocks absorb the load.
parking brake.
When You Are Ready to Leave Afier Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Be sure the parking brake has released.
2. Release the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
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4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
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Engine Cooling When Trailering
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during severe operating
conditions such as;
Climbing grades steeper than 4% at ambient temperatures above
90’Fahrenheit (32O Celsius)
with a loaded vehicle and trailer.
0 Stopping after high-speed driving.
0 Idling for long periods in stop and go traffic.
If the “TEMP” warning light comes on, pull
to the side of the road as
soon as it is safe to do
so. When the vehicle is at a complete stop, shift the
transmission selector to P (Park) and allow the engine to idle. If your
Electronic Climate Control system is on, shut it
off. Do not turn off the
engine or increase engine speed above a normal idle. Within
two or three
minutes the system should cool sufficiently to allow A/C operation to
resume. At that time resume driving at a reduced speed. Return to
normal driving after
10 minutes if the “TEMP” warning light is not
displayed.
Maintenance when Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re pulling a trailer.
See the Maintenance Schedule for details. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, engine drive belt, cooling system, and
brake adjustment. Each of these is covered in this manual. The Index will
help you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
these sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to
see that all hitch attaching nuts and bolts are tight.
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PROBLEMS ON THE ROAD
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ELUARD WMING FLASHERS
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They also let police
know you have a problem. Your front and rear turn signal lights will flash
on and off.
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make your front and
rear turn signal lights
flash on and off.
Your hazard warning flashers work no matter what position your key is in,
and even
if the key isn’t in.
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To turn off the
flashers,
pull out on
the collar. When the
hazard warning
flashers are on, your
turn signals won't
work.
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OTHER WNING DE'C.ICES
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at the side of the road
about
300 feet (100 ,m) behind your vehicle.
JUMP STARTING
If your battery has run down, you may want to use another vehicle and
some jumper cables to start your Cadillac. But please follow
the steps
below to do it safely.
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I r NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage to your
vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by your warranty.
ming to start. your Cadillac by pushing or pulling it won’t
work, and
it could damage your vehicle.
TO JUMP START YOUR CXDILLAC:
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative
ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a negative ground,
both vehicles can be damaged.
2. Get the vehicies close enough
so the jumper cables can reach, but be
sure the vehicles aren’t touching each other. If they are, it could cause
a ground connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to start
your Cadillac, and the bad grounding could damage the electrical
systems.
You could be injured
if the vehicles roll. Set the parking brake firmly
on each vehicle. Put
an automatic transmission in “P” (Park) or a
manual transmission in
“N” (Neutral).
needed, and radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. And it could save your radio!
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all lights that aren’t
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly damaged. The
repairs wouldn’t be covered
by your warranty.
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4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
Find the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on each battery.
5. Check that the jumper cables don't have loose or missing insulation. If
they do, you could get a shock. The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic things you should
know. Positive
(+) will go to positive (+) and negative (-) will go to
negative
(-) or a metal engine part. Don't connect (+) to (-) or you'll
get a short that would damage the battery and maybe other parts, too.
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6. Connect the red
positive
(+) cable
to the positive
(+)
terminal of the
vehicle with the
dead battery.
7. Don’t let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the positive (+)
terminal of the good battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black negative (-) cable to the good battery’s
negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything until the next step. The other
end of the negative cable doesn’t go to the dead battery. It goes to a
heavy unpainted metal part on the engine of the vehicle with the dead
battery.
battery, but not near engine parts that move. The electrical connection
is
just as good there, but the chance of sparks getting back to the
battery is much less.
9. Attach the cable at least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the dead
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