tow CADILLAC ELDORADO 1993 10.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Consider using a sway control.
You can ask a hitch dealer about sway controls.
0 Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles (800 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 kmih) and don’t make starts at full throttle.
This helps your engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
When towing a trailer, close all windows and set the Electronic
Climate Control System
to “ECON”, “AUTO”, “DEFOG” or
Defroster to assure that the fan is running.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
1. Weight of the nailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,000 pounds (450 kg). 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.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or advice, or
you can write
us at Cadillac.
In Canada, write to General Motors of Canada Limited, Customer
Assistance Center,
1908 Colonel Sam Drive, Oshawa, Ontario L1H
8P7.
2. Weight of the Trailer Tongue
When a trailer is connected to your vehicle, the trailer tongue adds
to the weight your vehicle is carrying.
So, remember to subtract the
weight of the trailer tongue from your vehicle’s capacity weight.
212

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue
will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Follow
the manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety chains. \
Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow
safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes? Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into your vehicle’s
brake system. If you do, both brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
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 so responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector, lights, 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 lights 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.
214

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
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 has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lights 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.
215

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need scrvice 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, axle lubricant, belts, 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.
217

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably neeas service.
13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent electrical shorting.
%ke care that they don’t touch each other or any other metal.
GENERATOE
BRACKET
GENERATOR
I r
-+
GOOD BATTERY
@
- +
DEAD BATTERY
LMOVE CABLES IN THIS ORDER
TOWING YOUR VEHICLE
Try to have a GM dcalcr or a professional towing service tow your
Cadillac. The
usual towing equipment is a sling-type or a wheel-lift or car
carrier tow truck.
227

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I SLING-TYPE
WHEEL LIFT
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it was factory-new by
adding aftermarket items like fog lamps, aero skirting, or spec\
ial tires and
wheels, these instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before
you do anything, turn on the hazard warning flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or rear with
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model, and year of your vehicle.
0 Whether you can still move the shift lever.
sling-type equipment,
0 If there
was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the
tow operator know that this
manual contains detailed towing instructions and illustrations. The
operator may want
to see them.
228

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A CAUTION:
To help avoid injury to you or others:
0
0
0
0
0
0
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 use separate safety chains on each side when towing a
vehicle.
Never use
“J” hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key off. 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 and the parking
-
F brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the front wheels, unless you must.
If
the vehicle must be towed on the front wheels, don’t go more than 55
mph (88 km/h) or farther than 500 miles (804 lun) or your transaxle will
be damaged.
If these limits must be exceeded, then the front wheels have
to. be supported on a dolly.
c
m
IC
229

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
-. .:
- .. .- .
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t prope secured.
Lis can cause a collision, serious personal injury and vehicle
damage. The vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
:.-
steel ca‘ - - ’ Iefore it is transported.~~--.l~~~~~:~~:. -: - *i.., >..- .,;.
Dodc auditUtes (ropes, leather s~~~ps’;’~anva~webLll~~-’.- , ~ 7. - , I
-
-L:.) that can be cut by sharp edg-- underneath the towed
vehic
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ENGINE OFERHEATING
You will find the warning light about a hot engine on your Cadillac
instrument panel (Export Only).
The driver information will display either “ENGINE COOLANT HOT
IDLE ENGINE” or
“STOP ENGINE ENGINE OVERHEATING.”
If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine:
230

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine you just open the hood. Stay away from the engine if you see or '.:,
hear steam coming from it. Just turn it off and get everyone '-i::::skT- -.
away from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until there is no ;'-?
&
. f,..: c
<.-+,.<-
in it :can catch fire. You.0.r otherscould-be badly burned. Stop
your engine if it overheats,-an.d get out of the vehicle until the
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1
NOTICh:
If your engine catches fire because you keep drivmg with no
coolant, your vehicle can be badly damaged. The costly repairs
lwuld not be covered
by your warranty.
I - ,. .
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine:
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no steam, the problem
may not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot
when you:
e Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high speed driving.
e Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign
of steam, try this for a
minute or
so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
23 1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 4. Put the cap back on
the coolant surge
tank.
5. Start the engine and as the engine runs the coolant will circulate
through the cooling system. Any air that was introduced while adding
coolant will purge itself and rise to the top of the surge tank.
If the
“ENGINE COOLANT LOW” message does not appear on the
Driver Information Center, coolant is at the proper
fill level. If an
“ENGINE COOLANT LOW” message does appear, repeat steps
1
through 4 or see your dealer.
IFA TIRE GOES FLAT
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out7’ while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain
your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely
to leak out slowly. But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a
few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire
will create a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake
to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like
a skid and may require
the same correction you’d use in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your
foot from the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by steering the
way you want the vehicle
to go. It may be very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently brake to
a stop, well off the road if possible.
If your tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use your jacking
equipment to change a flat tire safely.
246