engine CADILLAC DEVILLE 2000 8.G Repair Manual

4-35
Towing a Trailer
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.
You may also damage your vehicle; the resulting
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your dealer for advice
and information about towing a trailer with
your vehicle.
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 ªWeight of the Trailerº
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.

4-36 If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:

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.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 should never weigh more than 2,000 lbs. (900 kg)
without the optional trailer towing package. If you have
the optional trailer towing package, the maximum trailer
weight should never be more than 3,000 lbs. (1 350 kg).
These are total maximum weights including the load.
But even that can be too heavy.
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.

4-41 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 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.
For some grade conditions, it may be better to drive in
THIRD (3) to lessen transaxle shifting. You may wish to
drive in THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D) while towing
a trailer.
On a long uphill grade, reduce your speed to around
45 mph (70 km/h) or less to reduce the possibility of
engine and transaxle overheating.

4-42 Parking on Hills
CAUTION:
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:

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.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you're
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule booklet
for more on this. Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don't
overfill), engine oil, drive belt, cooling system and brake
system. If you're trailering, it's a good idea to review
this information before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index.

5-
5-1
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
-3 Other Warning Devices
5
-3 Jump Starting
5
-8 Towing Your Vehicle
5
-9 Engine Overheating5
-12 Cooling System
5
-18 If a Tire Goes Flat
5
-19 Changing a Flat Tire
5
-30 Compact Spare Tire
5
-31 If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow

5-4
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 vehicle and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
NOTICE:
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set
the parking brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start procedure. Put an
automatic transaxle in PARK (P).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or accessory power outlets. 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 battery on the other
vehicle and the remote positive (+) terminal, located
on the passenger's side of the engine, on your
vehicle. (You will not see the battery under the hood
of your vehicle, since it is located under the rear seat
on the passenger's side.) Find the positive (+)
and negative (
-) terminals on the battery in the
other vehicle.
You do not need to access your battery for jump
starting. The remote positive (+) terminal, located on
the driver's side of the engine compartment, is for
this purpose.

5-5
CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
5. Lift and move the red
positive (+) terminal
cover away from the
relay center.
CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don't
need to add water to the ACDelco
battery
installed in every new GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid is there. If it is low, add water to take
care of that first. If you don't, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don't get it on you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.

5-6
6. Check that the jumper cables don't have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could also be damaged.
Before you connect the cables, here are some basic
things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) and negative (
-) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part. Don't connect
positive (+) to the negative (
-) or you will get a short
that would damage the battery and maybe other
parts, too. Also, don't connect the negative (
-) cable
to negative (
-) terminal on the dead battery because
this can cause sparks.
CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engine is running.
7. Connect the red
positive (+) cable to the
remote positive (+)
terminal of your vehicle.
8. Don't let the other end
of the positive (+) cable
touch metal. Now,
connect the red +
terminal to the red
positive (+) terminal of
the other vehicle's
battery. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.

5-7
9. Now connect the black
negative (
-) cable to
the good battery's
negative (
-) terminal.
Don't let the other end of the negative (
-) cable touch
anything until the next step. The other end of the
negative (
-) cable doesn't go to the dead battery.10. Your vehicle has a remote negative terminal,
marked ªGNDº, located near the power steering
fluid reservoir. Attach the cable to the remote
negative terminal provided.
11. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won't start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don't touch
each other or any other metal. Replace the red
positive (+) remote terminal cover to its
original position.

5-8
A. Remote Positive (+) Terminal
B. Good Battery
C. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part
Towing Your Vehicle
CAUTION:
To help avoid serious personal 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 lifted by the tow truck.

Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.

Use only the correct hooks.