brakes CADILLAC CATERA 1997 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 Q
CAUSTIC
BURNS AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,\I/,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
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 9
TURN
WARNING
A
HAZARD
FLASHER
RUNNING * 0
DAYTIME - 0
LAMPS '**
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING 1-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
R
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
Wb
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL B
vii

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your Catera 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
RUN. 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.
I 1
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.
2-20

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 kmh), push the
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
The transmission will shift down to the next gear.
THIRD (3): Driving in THIRD (3) is not used for
normal driving.
It offers more power and lower fuel
economy than DRIVE (D).
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
accelerator all the
way down.
Here
are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of DRIVE (D):
0 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 SECOND (2) gives you more
power. 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 gives you even more power (but lower
fuel economy) than SECOND
(2). You can use it on
very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. 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.
2-21
-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking Brake If you start to drive away 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.
1 .. .
0
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.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your foot and pull
up on the parking brake
lever.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will come on. 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.
2-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your Catera 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 RUN. 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 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.
3. With both hands, squeeze the base of the console
4. Pull the upper part of the base out first and then slide
shift lever
together (as shown).
out the lower part of the base.
5. Lift the shift lever cover up to get it out of your way.
2-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Cruise Control
1
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of about
25 mph (40 km/h) 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 or
when the
OFF button at the end of the cruise lever is
pressed.
I
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 traffic.
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.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
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.

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.
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 Catera 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 RUN. If the
light doesn’t come on then, have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you
if there is a problem.
2-66

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.
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 time.
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.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 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.
4-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 bralung. 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 “Anti-Lock Brake
ABS
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
4-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Here's how anti-lock works. Let's say the road is wet.
You're driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front
of you.
The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could.
The computer is
programmed to make the most of availablc tire and
road conditions.
You slam on the brakes. Here's what happens with
ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the
rear wheels. You
can steer around the obstacle while bralung hard. As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.