CADILLAC FLEETWOOD 1995 2.G Owners Manual
Page 181 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle is equipped with an Electronic Level
Control (ELC) feature. When hooking up a trailer
using a weight distributing hitch, always use the
following procedure:
a
a
a
a
0
Place the vehicle on a level surface without the
trailer hitched. With the ignition off, and all doors
closed, allow the vehicle to level automatically.
Disable the Electronic Level Control (ELC) by
pulling the LEVEL CTRL fuse from the underhood
electrical center located on the passenger-side wheel
housing in the engine compartment. Remove the
cover to gain access.
Attach the trailer to the vehicle. The trailer tongue
should weigh
12 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight.
Level the vehicle with the load-leveling spring
bars (equalizers).
Leave the fuse out while towing your trailer.
Once you have completed towing your trailer, be sure
to
reinstall the Electronic Level Control (ELC) fuse.
In Addlon
a
a
a
0
0
Use two friction sway controls if your trailer is over
5,000 lbs. (2 270 kg) loaded weight, and/or is over
24 feet (7.3 m) long.
Use at least one friction sway control if your
trailer is over
2,000 lbs. (900 kg) loaded weight,
and consider using one for trailers under
2,000 lbs.
(900 kg).
Trailers that weigh more than
1,000 lbs. (454 kg)
should be equipped with trailer brakes.
Surge brakes work with most weight-distributing
hitches as long as all the equipment is properly
installed. Check with the hitch manufacturer for
advice and installation instructions.
If a trailer is over 5,000 lbs. (2 270 kg), adjust
the vehicle's rear tire pressures to
35 psi (240 Pa)
(cold tire pressure).
4-36
Page 182 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Chains Trailer Wiring Harness
You
should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your
trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 lbs. (450 kg)
when loaded,
it needs to be equipped with adequate
brakes. Be sure to read and follow the instructions
for
the trailer brakes so you’ll be able to maintain
them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not
try to tap into
your vehicle hydraulic brake system.
If you do, both
brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
If your Fleetwood is equipped with the heavy duty
trailering option, a five-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:
0 White: Direct Trailer Ground for Trailer Lamps
0 Brown: Parking Lamps
Yellow: Left Turn and Stoplamps
Dark Green: Right Turn and Stoplamps
Dark Blue: Auxiliary Circuit
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer 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. And always keep
in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Page 183 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
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.
4-3s
Page 184 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring.
Check with your Cadillac dealer.
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the 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 would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade,
shift down to a lower gear 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 lbs. (900 kg), you
should drive in DRIVE
(D or 3) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (@). This allows the
torque convertor clutch to engage and the transmission
to run cooler.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
’
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do
it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
2. Have someone place chocks under the downhill side
PARK
(P) yet.
of the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then shift into
PARK (P) and apply the parking brake.
5. Release the regular brakes.
Page 185 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ’men You Are Ready to Leave After
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. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Engine Cooling When Trailering
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions such as:
Climbing grades steeper than four percent at
temperatures above
90°F (32°C) with a loaded
vehicle and trailer.
Stopping after high-speed driving.
Idling for long periods in stop-and-go traffic.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that
are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment. Each of these is covered in this
manual, and 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 nuts and bolts
are tight.
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Page 186 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine E- -=x
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that
can occur on the road.
Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police
know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off.
Press the button in
to make
your front
and rear turn
signal lamps flash on and off.
The hazard warning flashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the
key isn’t in.
5-1
Page 187 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
Page 188 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 vehicles 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. Shift into
PARK (P).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette lighter. Turn off all lamps that aren’t needed as well
as radios. This will avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. In addition, it could save your radio!
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
Find the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
5-3
Page 189 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
Page 190 of 306
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 7. Don’t let the other
end touch metal.
Connect it to the
positive
(+) terminal
of the good battery.
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.
5-5