warning light CADILLAC DEVILLE 2003 8.G User Guide

The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:
·If there's a brake system problem that is speci®cally
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come on.
·If the traction control system is affected by an
engine-related problem, the system will turn off and
the warning light will come on.
·If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
This light tells you that
your engine has
overheated. As a check,
the light should come
on for a few seconds when
you start your engine.
If this light comes on and stays on, you should stop
your vehicle and turn the engine off as soon as possible.
A warning chime should also sound if this light comes on.
See
Engine Overheating on page 5-27.
3-49

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the
engine coolant
temperature. If the gage
pointer moves into
the shaded area, the
engine is too hot.That reading means the same thing as the warning
light ± the engine coolant has overheated. See
Engine
Overheating on page 5-27.
.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Service Engine Soon Light in the
United States or Check Engine Light in
Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems. United States (Analog
Only)
Canada (Analog Only)
Digital Cluster
United StatesCanada
3-50

CHANGE ENGINE OIL ± 82:This means that the life
of the engine oil has expired and it should be changed
within 200 miles. After an oil change, the Oil Life
Indicator must be reset. See
Oil Life Indicator on
page 3-79. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-13.
CHANGE TRANS FLUID ± 47:This message will
appear when it is time to change the transaxle ¯uid. See
Part A: Scheduled Maintenance Services on page 6-4for the proper ¯uid and change intervals.
CHECK BRAKE FLUID ± 37:This message will
display if the ignition is in ON to inform the driver that
the brake ¯uid level is low. Have the brake system
serviced by a technician as soon as possible. See
Brake
System Warning and Parking Brake Indicator Light on
page 3-47
.
CHECK COOLANT LEVEL ± 2:This message will
appear when there is a low level of engine coolant. Have
the cooling system serviced by a technician as soon
as possible. See
Engine Coolant on page 5-24.
CHECK FUEL GAGE ± 50:(Analog Cluster) This
message will appear when the fuel supply is less than
5 gallons (18.9 L) and the display is turned off. A
single chime will also sound when this message is
displayed.
CHECK GAS CAP ± 61:This message will appear if
the gas cap has not been fully tightened. You should
recheck your gas cap to ensure that it's on properly.CHECK OIL LEVEL ± 36:For correct operation of the
low oil sensing system, your vehicle should be on a
level surface. A false CHECK OIL LEVEL message may
appear if the vehicle is parked on a grade. The oil
level sensing system does not check for actual oil level
if the engine has been off for a short period of time,
and the oil level is never checked while the engine is
running. If the CHECK OIL LEVEL message appears,
and your vehicle has been parked on level ground
with the engine off for at least 30 minutes, the oil level
should be checked by observing the oil dipstick. Prior to
checking the oil level, be sure the engine has been
off for a few minutes and your vehicle is on a level
surface. Then check the dipstick and add oil if
necessary. See
Engine Oil on page 5-13.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE ± 144:This message is
displayed when the Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) system
detects a low or high tire pressure condition in one or
more of the road tires. By pressing the INFO button up or
down, the DIC display will show which tire or tires do not
have the correct in¯ation pressure. A ªLOW TIREº
condition exists when the tire's air pressure is under
25 psi (172 kPa) and a ªHIGH TIREº condition exists
when the tire's air pressure is above 38 psi (262 kPa).
The system will display the air pressure, the tire location
(LF, RF, RR or LR) and if the air pressure is low or high.
The tire pressure information is available in English or
metric measurements. For example, a driver's side front
tire that is low may be shown as: 22 PSI LF TIRE LOW.
3-61

ENGINE COOLANT HOT, IDLE ENGINE ± 44:This
message will appear when the engine coolant
temperature is over 262ÉF (128ÉC). Stop and allow your
vehicle to idle in PARK (P) until it cools down and the
message is removed. Do not increase engine speed
above a normal idle. If it does not cool down, turn off the
engine and have it serviced before driving it again.
Severe engine damage can result from an overheated
engine. See
Engine Overheating on page 5-27.
ENGINE HOT±AC OFF ± 16:This message displays
when the engine coolant becomes hotter than the normal
operating temperature. To avoid added strain on a hot
engine, the air conditioning compressor is automatically
turned off. When the coolant temperature returns to
normal, the A/C operation will automatically resume. You
can continue to drive your vehicle. If this message
continues to appear, have the system repaired as soon
as possible to avoid compressor damage.
ENGINE OVERHEATED, STOP ENGINE ± 42:This
message will appear when the engine has overheated.
Stop and turn the engine off immediately to avoid severe
engine damage. See
Engine Overheating on page 5-27.
A multiple chime will also sound when this message is
displayed.
ENGINE POWER REDUCED ± 41:This message
informs you that the vehicle is reducing engine power
because the transaxle is being placed in gear under
conditions that may cause damage to the vehicle's
engine, transaxle or ability to accelerate.FUEL LEVEL LOW ± 11:This message serves as a
warning that the fuel level in the tank is critically
low. Stop for fuel soon. A single chime will sound when
this message is displayed.
HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED ± 23:If it's dark enough
outside and the headlamps and Twilight Sentinel
ž
controls are off, this message will display on the DIC.
This message informs the driver that turning on the
exterior lamps is recommended even though the DRL
are still illuminated. It has become dark enough outside
to require the headlamps and/or other exterior lamps.
This message will also appear if the optional
RainsenseŸ wiping feature is on and the Twilight
Sentinel
žis off.
ICE POSSIBLE ± 13:This message appears when the
outside air temperature is cold enough to create icy
road conditions.
LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR ± 142:The left rear door is
open or ajar when this message appears. The ignition
must be in ON and the transaxle not in PARK (P) for this
message to display. A chime will sound if the vehicle's
speed is greater than 3 mph (5 km/h).
OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP ENGINE ± 35:If this
message appears while the engine is running, stop the
engine and do not operate it until the cause of low oil
pressure is corrected. Severe damage to the engine can
result. A multiple chime will sound when this message is
displayed.
3-63

Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there's a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. See
Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-48
.
Let's say the road is wet and you're driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here's what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
4-7

Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle has a traction control system that limits
wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery
road conditions. The system operates only if it senses
that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system works the front brakes and reduces engine
power to limit wheel spin.
The TRACTION ENGAGED message will display on the
Driver Information Center when the traction control
system is limiting wheel spin. See
DIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-60. You may feel or hear the
system working, but this is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction
control system begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
reengage the cruise control. See ªCruise Controlº under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-8.This warning light will come on to let you know if there's
a problem with your traction control system.
See
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light on
page 3-48. When this warning light is on, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes
on whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to. You
should turn the system off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud or snow and rocking the vehicle is
required. See ªRocking Your Vehicle To Get It Outº
under
If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-30later in this section. United States
Canada
4-9

Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and
you're going fast enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn't happen often. But it can if
your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in
one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is
standing on the road. If you can see re¯ections
from trees, telephone poles or other vehicles, and
raindrops ªdimpleº the water's surface, there could be
hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn't a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice:If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come in
through your engine's air intake and badly damage
your engine. Never drive through water that is
slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle.
If you can't avoid deep puddles or standing
water, drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
{CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
If you try to drive through ¯owing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can
be carried away. As little as six inches of
¯owing water can carry away a smaller vehicle.
If this happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Don't ignore police
warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through ¯owing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
·Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you
pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear
room ahead, and be prepared to have your
view restricted by road spray.
·Have good tires with proper tread depth. SeeTires
on page 5-60
.
4-19

City DrivingOne of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You'll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
·Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into
an unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
·Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You'll save time and energy.
See the next part, ªFreeway Driving.º
·Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough
to need it. When a light turns green, and just before
you start to move, check both ways for vehicles
that have not cleared the intersection or may
be running the red light.
4-20

Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
·Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
·You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk.Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a
supply of windshield washer ¯uid, a rag, some winter
outer clothing, a small shovel, a ¯ashlight, a red
cloth and a couple of re¯ective warning triangles. And, if
you will be driving under severe conditions, include a
small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of
burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you
properly secure these items in your vehicle.
4-25

Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is ®lled with
DEX-COOLžengine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs ®rst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
žextended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem
with engine overheating, see
Engine Overheating on
page 5-27.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
žcoolant will:
·Giving freezing protection down to-34É F-37É C.
·Give boiling protection up to 265É F (129É C).
·Protect against rust and corrosion.
·Help keep the proper engine temperature.
·Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
Notice:When adding coolant, it is important that
you use only DEX-COOLž(silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOLžis added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the engine
coolant will require change sooner Ð at 30,000 miles
(50,000 km) or 24 months, whichever occurs ®rst.
Damage caused by the use of coolant other
than DEX-COOL
žis not covered by your new vehicle
warranty.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-halfclean, drinkable waterand
one-half DEX-COOLžcoolant which won't damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture,
you don't need to add anything else.
5-24