CADILLAC DEVILLE 2003 8.G Owners Manual

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle doesn't need an elaborate
ªbreak-in.º But it will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
·Don't drive at any one speed Ð fast or
slow Ð for the ®rst 500 miles (805 km). Don't
make full-throttle starts.
·Avoid making hard stops for the ®rst 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.
·Don't tow a trailer during break-in. See ªTowing
a Trailerº in the Index for more information.
Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition switch, you can turn the key
to four different positions.
If you cannot start your vehicle and you are unable to
remove your key from the ignition, see ªShift Lock
Releaseº later in this section for more information.
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Notice:If your key seems stuck in OFF 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. Turn the key only with your hand. Using a
tool to force it could break the key or the ignition
switch. If none of these works, then your vehicle
needs service.
A (OFF):This is the only position in which you can
insert or remove the key. This position locks the ignition,
steering wheel and transaxle. It's a theft-deterrent
feature.
B (ACCESSORY):This position allows you to use
things like the radio and the windshield wipers when the
engine is off. This position will allow you to turn off
the engine, but still turn the steering wheel. If your
vehicle has a column shifter, you will still be able to
move the shift lever. Use ACCESSORY if you must have
your vehicle in motion while the engine is off (for
example, if your vehicle is being pushed or towed).
C (ON):This position is for driving. If your vehicle has a
console shifter and you turn off the engine, the
transaxle will lock. If you need to shift the transaxle out
of PARK (P), the ignition key has to be in ON.
D (START):This position starts the engine.Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
The following accessories on your vehicle may be used
for up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is turned
from ON to OFF:
·Cellular Telephone
·Radio
·Power Windows
·Audio Steering Wheel Controls
·Sunroof
Power to these accessories stops after 10 minutes or if
a door is opened. If you want power for another 10
minutes, close all the doors and turn the ignition key to
ON and then back to OFF. If the cellular phone is
being used while retained accessory power is active,
the timer is suspended to avoid interruption of the call.
The timer resets to 10 minutes at the end of the call.
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Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won't start in any other position ± that's a
safety feature. To restart when you're already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Don't try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
1. With your foot off 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 within 10 seconds, hold your key in
START for about 10 seconds at a time until your
engine starts. Wait about 15 seconds between each
try.
3. If your engine still won't start (or starts but then
stops), it could be ¯ooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
¯oor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
brie¯y 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.
Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may be equipped with an engine coolant
heater.
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A. Engine Oil Dipstick Location
B. Engine Coolant Heater Cord
C. Transaxle Dipstick/Fluid Fill LocationIn very cold weather, 0ÉF (-18ÉC) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm-up.
Usually, the coolant heater should be plugged in a
minimum of four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
At temperatures above 32ÉF (0ÉC), use of the coolant
heater is not required.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The electrical cord is located on the driver's side
of the engine, behind the transaxle dipstick/¯uid ®ll
location (C) and next to the engine.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
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{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a ®re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord
won't reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
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 Transaxle Operation
The automatic transaxle may have a shift lever located
either on the steering column or on the console
between the seats.
There are several different
positions for the shift lever.
Console Shifter
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PARK (P):This position locks the front wheels. It's the
best position to use when you start the engine
because your vehicle can't move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 ªShifting Into Park (P)º in the
Index. If you're pulling a trailer, see ªTowing a
Trailerº in the Index.
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle
shift lock control system. You have to fully apply
your regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
while 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) on
page 2-37. Column Shifter (Digital and Analog Cluster similar)
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REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
Also use this gear to rock your vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice or sand without damaging your
transaxle. See
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow on page 4-30for additional information.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, the engine doesn't
connect with the wheels. To restart when you're already
moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
ªracingº (running at high speed) is dangerous.
Unless your foot is ®rmly on the brake pedal,
your vehicle could move very rapidly. You
could lose control and hit people or objects.
Don't shift into a drive gear while your engine
is racing.
Notice:Damage to your transaxle caused by
shifting into a drive gear with the engine racing isn't
covered by your warranty.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X):This position is for
normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and
you're:
·Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
·Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
The transaxle will shift down to the next gear and have
more power.
Notice:If your vehicle seems to start up rather
slowly, or if it seems not to shift gears as you go
faster, something may be wrong with the transaxle
system sensor. If your drive very far that way,
your vehicle can be damaged. So, if this happens,
have your vehicle serviced right away. Until
then, you can use SECOND (2) when you are driving
less than 35 mph (55 km/h) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (
X) for higher speeds.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving,
however, it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X).
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Here are examples for using THIRD (3) instead of
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X).
·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):This position gives you more power. You
can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your
speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then
you would also want to use your brakes off and on.
Notice:Don't shift into SECOND (2) unless you are
going slower than 65 mph (105 km/h), or you can
damage your engine.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power
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
(1), the transaxle won't shift into ®rst gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.)
Notice:If your front wheels won't turn, don't try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle. Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don't hold your
vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal. This
could overheat and damage the transaxle. Use your
brakes to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
Performance Shifting (DTS Only)
When your vehicle detects a change in driving
conditions, it will automatically initiate the appropriate
performance shift mode. When this occurs, the
gear display on the instrument panel cluster will change
to indicate that the transaxle has shifted to a different
gear. For example, the gear display on the cluster may
indicate 3 or 2 even though the gearshift is still in
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
X). Once the performance
shift mode ends, the gear display on the instrument
panel cluster will return to normal.
Shift Lock Release
This vehicle is equipped with an electric shift lock
release system. The shift lock release is designed to do
the following:
·Prevent the ignition key from being removed unless
the shift lever is in PARK (P), and
·prevent movement of the console shift lever
(DTS only) out of PARK (P) unless the ignition is in
a position other than OFF. The shift lock release
is always functional except in the case of a
dead battery or low voltage (less than 9 V) battery.
The following procedure allows the ignition to be turned
to OFF and for ignition key removal in case of a
dead battery or low voltage battery for vehicles equipped
with a column shift lever.
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1. Verify that the shift lever is in PARK (P).
2. Locate the override
access slot underneath
the steering column
below the lock
cylinder.
3. Remove the override access slot cap.
4. Insert a tool into the access slot, press in and hold.
5. Turn the ignition key to OFF.
6. Remove the tool from the slot.
7. Remove the key from the ignition.
8. Reinstall the override access slot cap.The following procedure applies only to vehicles
equipped with the console shift lever and is used to shift
the transaxle out of PARK (P) in case of a dead
battery or low voltage battery.
The console shift lock
release is located on the
front of the center console.
To access the shift lock release, do the following:
1. Verify that the shift lever is in PARK (P).
2. Pull up the rubber mat located on the front of the
center console.
3. Remove the shift lock release hole cover by prying
it open with a small diameter tool.
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4. Press the shift lock
release toward the
front of the vehicle and
hold it there.
5. While applying the brakes, shift the transaxle from
PARK (P) as needed.
6. Reinstall the shift lock release hole cover and the
rubber mat.Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal is
located to the left of the
regular brake pedal,
near the driver's door.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot and push the parking brake
pedal down with your left foot.
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