towing CADILLAC DEVILLE 1997 7.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Try 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.
0 Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
Electronic Level Control
This feature keeps the rear of your vehicle level as the
load changes. It’s automatic
-- you don’t need to adjust
anything.
Towing a Trailer
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.
I NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer 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:
0
0
0
0
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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
1,000 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 km/h) 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.
4-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of 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?
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.
If you have a DeVille or a DeVille d’Elegance without
the optional trailer towing package, the maximum trailer
weight is
1,000 lbs. (450 kg).
If you have a DeVille Concours, DeVille or a DeVille
d’Elegance 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 or the DeVille
d’Elegance to tow a trailer heavier than
1,000 lbs.
(450 kg). The DeVille 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 weight + trailer weight. The GCVW
should never weigh more than
8,100 lbs. (3 677 kg) total
loaded vehicle and trailer.
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
4-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trailer- Wiring Harness
If your vehicle is equipped with the 3,666-&. (1 360 kg)
trailer towing package option, you will have a wiring
harness located under the trunk trim. The harness is a
five wire harness, with connector.
These trailer-wiring harness color codes should be
followed when connecting it to your trailer:
0 WHITE: Direct trailer ground for trailer lamps.
0 BROWN: Parking lamps.
0 YELLOW Left turn and stoplamps.
0 GREEN: Right turn and stoplamps.
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.
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.
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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 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.
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 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. 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 and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) or less to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 do not shift into
PARK (P).
2. Have someone place chocks under 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) firmly and apply your parking brakes.
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 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.
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.
4-39

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5-4 Other Warning Devices
5-4 Jump Starting
5-9 Towing
Your Vehicle
5- 15 Engine Overheating 5-25
5-25
5-35
5-36 If
a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. See “Roadside Service” 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 hazard
warning flashers.
When you call,
tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
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.
Front Towing
Rear Towing

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ,A CAUTION:
To help avoid injury to you or others:
e Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
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 lifted by the tow truck.
0 Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
0 Never use J-hooks. Use only T-hooks in the
front T-hook slots and only R-hooks in the
rear R-hook slots.
being
towed.
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.
5- 10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Front Towing
Tow Limits -- 35 mph (56 kph), 25 miles (40 km)
5-11