tow CADILLAC DEVILLE 1996 7.G Owner's Manual

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A CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and
injure people in
a sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash.
Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a
trunk, put them as far forward as you can.
Wy to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the
seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Towing a Trailer
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A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes
may not work well -- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed
all the
steps in this section. Ask your Cadillac dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly car! damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not .covered
by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Cadillac
dealer for important information
about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with
proper towing equipment.
To identify what the vehicle
trailering capacity
is for your vehicle, you should read
the information
in “Weight of the Trailer” that appears
later
in this section. But trailering is different than just
driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means changes
in handling, durability and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering takes correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In
it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such
as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced
to work harder
against the drag of
the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
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There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider
using a sway control if your trailer will
weigh
2,000 lbs. (900 kg) or less. You should always
use a sway control if your trailer will weigh more
than
2,000 lbs. (900 kg). You can ask a hitch dealer
about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
1 ,OOO miles
(1
600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle
or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 kmh) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
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Three important considerations have to do with weight: the trailer, the weight of the trailer tongue and the total
weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
If you have a DeVille without the optional h-ailer towing
package,
the maximum trailer weight is 1,OOO lbs. (450 kg).
If you have a DeVille Concours or a DeVille with the
optional trailer towing package, the maximum trailer weight should never be more than
3,900 lbs. (1 773 kg)
total including the load. But even that can be too heavy.
The optional trailer towing package. provides the
necessary oil cooler for the DeVille to
tow a trailer
heavier than 1,OOO lbs.
(450 kg). The Concours is
equipped with this cooler as standard equipment.
The maximum trailer weight for your vehicle can
be
determined from the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight
(GCVW). The GCVW
= curb weight + passenger’s
weight
+ cargo + trailer weight, should never weigh more
than
8,200 lbs. (3 727 kg) total loaded vehicle and trailer.
It depends
on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle
is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle, You
can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write
us at:
Cadillac Customer Assistance Center
Cadillac Motor Car Division
30009 Van Dyke
P.O. Box 9025
Warren,
MI 48090-9025
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight
to measure because it affects the total capacity
weight
of your vehicle. The capacity weight includes the
curb weight
of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it
and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And
if
you will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue load
from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading Your Vehicle”
in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine nailer Wiring Harness
If your vehicle is equipped with the 3,000-lb.
(1 360 kg) trailer towing package option, you will have
a wiring harness located under the trunk
trim. The
harness is a five wire, with connector.
These trailer wiring harness color codes should be followed when connecting it to your trailer:
WHITE: Direct trailer ground for trailer lamps.
BROWN: Parking lamps.
YELLOW: Left turn and stoplamps.
GREEN: Right turn and stoplamps.
BLUE: Auxiliary circuit.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of expenence.
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.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the trailer brake controller
by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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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.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
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 Thms
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.

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When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different
turn signal flasher and extra wiring. Check
with your Cadillac dealer. The green
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 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.
I€ 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 and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 b/h) or less to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transaxle overheating.
If your vehicle weighs more
than 1,OOO lbs. (450 kg),
you may want to drive in
THIRD (3) instead of
OVERDRIVE (@).
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, 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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Cadillac dealer or a professional towing
service
tow your DeVille. See “Roadside Assistance” in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting or special tires and wheels, these
instructions
may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazara warning
flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged. Front Towing
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator know
that this manual contains towing instructions and
illustrations. The operator may want to see them.
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Rear Towing
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A CAUTION:
To help avoid injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that
is
being towed.
Never tow faster than
safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not fully
secured.
Never get under your vehicle after
it has
been Iifted by the tow truck.
Always secure the vehicle
on each side with
separate safety chains when towing
it.
Never use J-hooks. Use only T-hooks in the
front T-hook slots and only
R-hooks in the
rear R-hook slots.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains
or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can
be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the front
T-hook slots or
R-hooks inserted in the rear R-hook slots. Never
use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned to
the OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this.
The transaxle
should
be in NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake
released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels
unless you
must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels,
be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limitations must be exceeded, then the
drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
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