tow CADILLAC CATERA 1998 1.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Power Recliner
This feature is available on all driver’s seats and is
optional on passenger’s seats with leather interiors only.
Passenger’s Seatback Latch (Option)
The passenger’s seatback latch is available on cloth
seats only.
These controls are located on the side of each front
seatback closest to the
door. Press the control
forward or rearward to adjust the seatback. The
latch is located on
the side of the passenger’s
front seatback closest to the
door, above the manual
recliner and lumbar support
control. Lift the latch and
push the passenger’s
seatback toward the front of
the vehicle to provide extra
storage in your vehicle,
if needed.
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position
reduces the chance of
a neck injury in a crash. 1Wt-t could move
The head restraints tilt forward and rearward also. forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it
is locked.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The driver’s and right front passenger’s side impact air
bags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes involving a front door.
A side impact air bag
will inflate if the crash severity is above the system’s
designed “threshold level.” The threshold
level can
vary with specific vehicle design. Side impact air bags
are not designed to inflate in frontal or near-frontal
impacts, rollovers or rear impacts, because inflation
would not help the occupant.
A side impact air bag will
only deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
For frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle
of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For side impact air
bags, inflation is determined by the location of the
impact and how quickly the side of the vehicle deforms.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates
the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware
are all part of the air bag modules inside the steering
wheel, instrument panel and the side of the front
seatbacks closest to the door.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts.
Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But the frontal air
bags would not help you in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts, and side impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
the air bag. Side impact air bags would not help you in
many types of collisions, including frontal or near
frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts, primarily
because an occupant’s motion is not toward those air
bags. Air bags should never be regarded
as anything
more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in
moderate
to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions for
the driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal air bags,
and only in moderate to severe side collisions for the
driver’s and right front passenger’s side impact air bags.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Child Restraints
Every time infants and young children ride in
vehicles, they should have protection provided by
appropriate restraints.
@ What are the different types of add-on
child restraints?
A: Add-on child restraints are available in four
basic types. When selecting a child restraint, take
into consideration not only the child’s weight and
size, but also whether or not the restraint will be
compatible with the motor vehicle in which it
will be used.
An infant car bed (A) is a special bed made for
use in a motor vehicle. It’s an infant restraint
system designed to restrain
or position a child on
a continuous flat surface. With an infant car bed,
make sure that the infant’s head rests toward the
center of the vehicle.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear seat. But they need
to use the
safety belts properly.
Children who aren’t buckled up can be thrown out in
a crash.
Children who aren’t buckled up can strike other
people who
are.
4
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt. The
belt can’t properly spread the impact forces. In a
crash, the two children can be crushed together
and seriously injured.
A belt must be used by
only one person at a time.
&= What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is
so small that the shoulder belt is
very close to the child’s face or neck?
A: If the child is sitting in a seat next to a window,
move the child toward the center of the vehicle.
If
the child is sitting in the center rear seat passenger
position, move the child toward the safety belt
buckle. In either case, be sure that the shoulder belt
still is on the child’s shoulder,
so that in a crash the
child’s upper body would have the restraint that
belts provide.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine New Vehicle “Break-In”
NOTICE:
Your vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.” But
it will perform better in the long
run
if you follow these guidelines:
Don’t drive at any one speed -- fast or
slow
-- for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings aren’t yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
See “Towing a Trailer” in the Index
for
more information.
Avoid making hard stops for the first
Don’t tow a trailer during break-in.
Ignition Positions
I NOTICE:
~
If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you can’t
turn it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key hard. But turn the key only with your hand.
Using a tool to force
it could break the key or the
ignition switch.
If none of this works, then your
vehicle needs service.
Keep in mind that you may have to turn the steering
wheel as
you turn the key in order to rotate the ignition
switch from
LOCK to START -- this is normal. Using
extra effort to remove the key from the ignition switch,
as compared to other
GM vehicles that you may have
owned, is also normal.
If your key is stuck in the ignition switch and cannot be
turned back to
LOCK, your vehicle will need to be
repaired.
See your dealer for service.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1. Without pushing the accelerator pedal, turn your ignition key to START. When the engine starts, let
go of the key. The idle speed will go down as your
engine gets warm.
NOTICE:
Holding your key in START for longer than
15 seconds at a time will cause your battery to be
drained much sooner. And the excessive heat
can
damage your starter motor. Wait about 15 seconds
between each
try to help avoid draining your
battery
or damaging your starter.
2. If it doesn’t start right away, hold your key in
START for about three seconds at a time until
your
engine starts. Wait about 15 seconds between each
try to help avoid draining your battery or damaging
your starter.
3. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could
be flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator
pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the
same thing.
NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle.
If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer.
If you don’t,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed, see
the
part of this manual that tells how to do it
without damaging your vehicle. See “Towing
Your Vehicle” in the
Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine
parts. If you don’t, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different
positions for the shift lever.
PARK (P): This position locks the transmission drive
shaft. It’s the best position
to use when you start the
engine because your vehicle can’t move easily.
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You
or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range before
starting the engine. Your
vehicle 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 ON.
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. 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.

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

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you start to drive 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.
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.
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.
Shifting Into PARK (P)
I
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll. If
you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly.
You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, use the steps that
follow.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a
Trailer” in the Index.
Console Shift Lever
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot.