oil change CADILLAC ELDORADO 2001 10.G Owners Manual

2-21
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 flooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. If the vehicle starts
briefly 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 (If Equipped)
A. Engine Oil Dipstick Location
B. Engine Coolant Heater Cord
C. Transaxle Dipstick/Fluid Fill Location

2-75
CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
If you do, your engine can become so hot that
it catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage shows
approximately how much
fuel is in the tank. It works
only when the ignition is
in RUN.
Here are a few concerns some owners have had about
the fuel gage. All of these situations are normal and do
not indicate that anything is wrong with the fuel gage.

At the gas station the gas pump shuts off before the
gage reads F.

It takes more (or less) gas to fill the tank than the
gage said. For example, the gage read half a tank, but
it took more (or less) than the tank's remaining
capacity to fill it.

The gage may change when you turn, stop or
speed up.

2-77
FUEL DOOR: Press this button to open the fuel
door. (This feature will work only when the shift lever
is in PARK (P) regardless of whether or not the vehicle
is running.)
TRUNK: Press this button to open the trunk.
(This feature will work only when the shift lever is
in PARK (P) regardless of whether or not the vehicle
is running.)
MPG AVG (Reset): Press the INFO (SKIP) button to
display the MPG AVG (Average Fuel Economy), then
press and hold the NO INFO RESET button until 0.0
MPG AVG is displayed.
GAL FUEL USED (Reset): Press the INFO (SKIP)
button to display the GAL FUEL USED on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), then press and hold the
INFO RESET (NO) button until 0.0 GAL FUEL USED
is displayed.
AVG MPH (Reset): Press the INFO (SKIP) button to
display the AVG MPH (Average Speed), then press and
hold the INFO RESET (NO) button until 0.0 AVG MPH
is displayed.TIMER: This feature is like a stopwatch, in that
you can clock the time it takes to get from one point
to another.
To operate, press the INFO (SKIP) button to display
TIMER. Each of the fields for the hours, minutes and
seconds are two numeric digits.
Once TIMER OFF 00:00:00 is displayed, press the INFO
RESET (NO) button to start the timing feature. Press the
INFO RESET (NO) button again to stop it. If you will be
starting and stopping your vehicle
-- during a trip for
instance
-- the TIMER feature will automatically start
timing where it left off when you last stopped. To reset it,
press and hold the INFO RESET (NO) button until the
display reads TIMER 00:00:00. Press the INFO (SKIP)
button to exit from the TIMER function.
OIL LIFE LEFT (Reset): Press the INFO (SKIP)
button to display the OIL LIFE LEFT, then press and
hold the INFO RESET (NO) button until 100% OIL
LIFE LEFT is displayed. (This only needs to be reset
after you have had the oil changed.)
ENGLISH/METRIC (Reset): Press the INFO
(SKIP) button to display ENGLISH/METRIC RESET,
then press the INFO RESET (NO) button to select.
The display will change from English (miles) to
metric (kilometers).

2-79
If this message appears and stays on while driving or
after starting your vehicle, have it checked immediately
to determine the cause of this problem. To help the
generator recharge the battery quickly, you can reduce
the load on the electrical system by turning off the
accessories. You can monitor battery voltage on the
DIC by pressing the INFO (SKIP) button. The normal
range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL
- 82: This means that the
life of the engine oil has expired and it should be
changed within 200 miles (322 km). See ªEngine Oilº
and ªFilter Recommendationsº in the Maintenance
Schedule booklet. After an oil change, the Oil Life
Indicator must be reset. See ªOil Life Indicator, How to
Resetº in the Index.
CHANGE TRANS FLUID
- 47: This message will
appear when it is time to replace the transaxle fluid. See
the Maintenance Schedule booklet for the proper fluid
and change intervals.
CHECK BRAKE FLUID LEVEL
- 37: This message
will display if the ignition is in RUN to inform the
driver that the brake fluid level is low. Have the brake
system serviced by a technician as soon as possible.
See ªBrake System Warning Lightº in the Index.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.
CHECK FUEL GAUGE
- 39: This message will
appear when the fuel supply is less than 3.5 gallons
(13.2 L) remaining. 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 fully tightened.
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 grades. 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 sensed 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
five minutes and your vehicle is on a level surface. Then
check the dipstick and add oil if necessary. See ªEngine
Oilº in the Index.

2-91 Oil Life Indicator
This feature lets you know when to change the engine
oil. It's based on the engine oil temperatures and your
driving patterns. To see the display, press the SKIP
INFO button several times until XX OIL LIFE LEFT
appears. If you see 99% OIL LIFE LEFT, 99 percent of
your current oil life remains.
The Driver Information Center (DIC) may display a
CHANGE ENGINE OIL message. Always keep a
written record of the mileage and date when you
changed your oil. For more information, see the
Maintenance Schedule booklet. If you see CHANGE
ENGINE OIL, it means that you have no oil life left and
you should change your engine oil right away.
When the oil is changed, you'll need to reset the system.
See ªOil Life Indicator, How to Resetº in the Index.

5-9
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
other vehicle.
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your vehicle towed. See ªRoadside
Assistanceº in the Index.
Engine Overheating
You will find an ENGINE COOLANT HOT, IDLE
ENGINE message or an ENGINE OVERHEATED,
STOP ENGINE message on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). You will also hear a chime. There is also
an engine temperature warning light and/or gage on the
instrument panel. See ªEngine Coolant Temperature
Warning Lightº or ªEngine Coolant Temperature Gageº
in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
Should an overheated engine condition exist and the
message ENGINE OVERHEATED, STOP ENGINE is
displayed, an overheat protection mode which alternates
firing groups of cylinders helps prevent engine damage.
In this mode, you will notice a loss in power and engine
performance. This operating mode allows your vehicle
to be driven to a safe place in an emergency; you may
drive up to 50 miles (80 km). Towing a trailer in the
overheat protection mode should be avoided.
NOTICE:
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil will be severely degraded.
Repair the cause of coolant loss, change the oil
and reset the oil life indicator. See ªEngine Oilº
in the Index.

5-24
7. Remove any rust or dirt
from the wheel bolts,
mounting surfaces and
spare wheel.
CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on the wheel, or on the parts to
which it is fastened, can make the wheel nuts
become loose after a time. The wheel could come
off and cause an accident. When you change a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from the places
where the wheel attaches to the vehicle. In an
emergency, you can use a cloth or a paper towel
to do this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire
brush later, if you need to, to get all the rust
or dirt off.
CAUTION:
Never use oil or grease on studs or nuts. If you
do, the nuts might come loose. Your wheel could
fall off, causing a serious accident.
8. Place the spare on the
wheel
-mounting surface.

6-13 What Kind of Engine Oil to Use
Oils recommended for your vehicle can be identified by
looking for the starburst symbol.
This symbol indicates that the oil has been certified by
the American Petroleum Institute (API). Do not use any
oil which does not carry this starburst symbol.
If you change your own oil,
be sure you use oil that has
the starburst symbol on the
front of the oil container. If
you have your oil changed
for you, be sure the oil put
into your engine is
American Petroleum
Institute certified for
gasoline engines.
You should also use the proper viscosity oil for your
vehicle, as shown in the following chart:

6-14
As in the chart shown previously, SAE 5W-30 is best for
your vehicle. However, you can use SAE 10W
-30 if it's
going to be 0F (
-18C) or above. These numbers on an
oil container show its viscosity, or thickness. Do not use
other viscosity oils, such as SAE 20W
-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified For Gasoline Engines
starburst symbol. Failure to use the
recommended oil can result in engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
GM Goodwrench
oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area where the temperature falls below
-20F (-29C), consider using either an SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an SAE 0W
-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don't add anything to your oil. The recommended oils
with the starburst symbol are all you will need for good
performance and engine protection.
When to Change Engine Oil
Your vehicle has a computer that lets you know when to
change your engine oil. This is not based on mileage, but
on engine revolutions and engine operating temperature.
When the computer has calculated that the oil needs
changing, the GM Oil Life System will indicate that a
change is necessary. The mileage between oil and filter
changes will vary depending on how you drive your
vehicle
-- usually between 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and
10,000 miles (16 000 km) since your last oil and filter
change. Under severe conditions, the system may come on
before 3,000 miles (5 000 km). Never drive your vehicle
more than 10,000 miles (16 000 km) 12,500 miles
(20 000 km) or 12 months (whichever occurs first) without
an oil change.
The system won't detect dust in the oil. So, if you drive
in a dusty area, be sure to change your oil and filter
every 3,000 miles (5 000 km) or sooner. Remember to
reset the Oil Life Indicator whenever the oil is changed.

6-15
How to Reset the Oil Life Indicator
1. After the oil has been changed, display the OIL LIFE
LEFT message by pressing the SKIP INFO button.
2. Then press and hold the NO INFO RESET button
until the display shows 100% ENGINE OIL LIFE.
This resets the oil life index.
The message will remain off until the next oil change
is needed. The percentage of oil life remaining may
be checked at any time by pressing the SKIP INFO
button several times until the OIL LIFE LEFT
message appears.
For more information on the Oil Life feature, see
ªOil Life Indicatorº in the Index.What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer? Don't let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine oil. See
the manufacturer's warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all free
-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don't ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle it by taking it to a place that collects used oil.
If you have a problem properly disposing of your used
oil, ask your dealer, a service station or a local recycling
center for help.