towing CADILLAC SEVILLE 1997 4.G User Guide

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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 “Weight of the Trailer”
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.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
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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. You can
ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first
1,000 miles
(1 600 krn) 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 Wh) 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine IOU 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. Instructions
about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them
to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains
to drag on the ground.
Because you have anti-lock brakes, don’t try to tap into
your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system.
If you do, both
brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for
the trailer
brakes
so you’ll be able to install, adjust and maintain
them properly.
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 as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, 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 lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
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.
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.
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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.
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Cadillac dealer. The green 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 green arrows on your
instrulnent panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned
out. Thus, you may think drivers NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with t,he
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
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.
making very sharp turns while trailering.
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
When you’re turning with
a trailer, make wider turns down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. they would get hot and no longer work well.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal weil
in advance. 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.

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Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
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5-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5-4 Other Warning Devices
5-4 Jump Starting
5-9 Towing Your Vehicle
5-16 Engine Overheating 5-26
5-26
5-36
5-37
If a
Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow

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13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
ic
Try to have a Cadillac dealer or a professional towing
service tow your Seville.
See “Roadside Service” in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new
by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting or special tires and wheels, these
instructions may not be correct.
Before
you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains towing instructions and
illustrations. The operator may want
to see them.

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Rear Towing
A CAUTION:
To help avoid 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.
Never
use J-hooks. Use only T-hooks in the
front
T-hook slots and only R-hooks in the
rear R-hook slots.

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A CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car-carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it
is transported.
Don’t
use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the front T-hook
slots or
R-hooks inserted in the rear R-hook slots. Never
use J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key turned to the
OFF position. 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 (N) and the parking
brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed
on the drive wheels
unless
you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limitations must be exceeded, then the
drive wheels have to be supported
on a dolly.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tow Limits -- 35 nzplz (56 kph), 25 miles (40 knz) NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling type equipment or
fascia/fog lamp damage will occur. Use wheel-lift
or car-carrier equipment. Additional ramping
may be required for car-carrier equipment. Use
safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing
a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from
vehicle to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift
equipment.
To help avoid damage, install a
towing dolly and raise the vehicle until adequate
clearance
is obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components when using car-carrier
equipment. Always use T-hooks inserted in
the T-hook slots.
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Tow Limits -- 35 mph (56 kph), 25 miles (40 knz) NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling type equipment or rear
bumper valance damage will occur. Use wheel-lift
or car-carrier equipment. Additional ramping
may be required for car-carrier equipment. Use
safety chains and wheel straps.
Towing
a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from
vehicle to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift
equipment. To help avoid damage, install
a
towing dolly and raise the vehicle until adequate
clearance is obtained between the ground and/or
wheel-lift equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components when using car-carrier
equipment. Always use
R-hooks inserted in
the R-hook slots.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You will find an ENGINE COOLANT HOT-IDLE
ENGINE message or a STOP ENGINE ENGINE
OVERHEATED message
on the Driver Information
Center
(DIC). There is also an engine temperature
warning light and/or gage on the instrument panel.
See “Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light”
or “Engine Coolant Temperature Gage” in the Index
Should a low coolant condition exist and the message
STOP ENGINE ENGINE OVERI-IEATED is displayed,
an overheat protection mode which alternates firing
groups of four 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. Kcpair
the cause
of coolant loss, change the oil and reset
the
oil life indicator. See “Engine Oil, lli’hcn to
Change” in the Index.