check engine CADILLAC SEVILLE 2003 5.G Owner's Guide

How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice:Too much or too little ¯uid can damage
your transaxle. Too much can mean that some of the
¯uid could come out and fall on hot engine or
exhaust system parts, starting a ®re. Too little ¯uid
could cause the transaxle to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle ¯uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
¯uid level if you have been driving:
·When outside temperatures are above 90ÉF (32ÉC).
·At high speed for quite a while.
·In heavy traffic ± especially in hot weather.
·While pulling a trailer.To get the right reading, the ¯uid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180É F to 200É F
(82É C to 93É C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above
50É F (10É C). If it's colder than 50ÉF (10ÉC), you may
have to drive longer.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare your vehicle as follows:
·Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
·With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in PARK (P).
·With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position the shift
lever in PARK (P).
·Let the engine run at idle for three to ®ve minutes.
5-22

Then, without shutting off the engine, follow these steps:
The transaxle ¯uid cap is
located next to the radiator
hose and below the
engine air cleaner/®lter
assembly in the engine
compartment on the
driver's side of the vehicle.
See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 5-12
for more information
on location.
1. After removing the engine air cleaner/®lter assembly
to reach the transaxle ¯uid cap, turn the cap
counterclockwise to remove. Pull out the dipstick
and wipe it with a clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the
lower level. The ¯uid level must be in the
cross-hatched area.
4. If the ¯uid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way and turn the handle
clockwise. Reinstall the engine air cleaner/®lter
assembly.
5-23

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle ¯uid to use. SeePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-15.
If the ¯uid level is low, add only enough of the proper
¯uid to bring the level into the cross-hatched area on the
dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough ¯uid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn't take much ¯uid, generally less than one
pint (0.5 L). Don't over®ll.
Notice:We recommend you use only ¯uid labeled
DEXRONž±III, because ¯uid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by ¯uid other than DEXRON
ž±III is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
3. After adding ¯uid, recheck the ¯uid level as
described under
How to Check.
4. When the correct ¯uid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way and turn the handle
clockwise. Reinstall the engine air cleaner/®lter
assembly.
How to Reset the Transaxle Fluid
Change Indicator
Once the transaxle ¯uid has been changed, the
transaxle ¯uid change indicator must be reset. Use the
following steps to reset the indicator:
1. Press the INFO button on the Driver Information
Center (DIC) until TRANS FLUID LIFE is displayed.
2. Press and hold the INFO RESET button until 100%
is displayed.
The indicator is now reset. The percentage of transaxle
¯uid life remaining may be checked at any time by
pressing the INFO button several times until the TRANS
FLUID LIFE message appears.
5-24

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.
{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle's coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you would not get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch ®re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
žcoolant.
Notice:If you use an improper coolant mixture,
your engine could overheat and be badly damaged.
The repair cost wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Too much water in the mixture can freeze
and crack the engine, radiator, heater core and
other parts.
If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use the proper coolant, you don't
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
5-26

Checking Coolant
The engine coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment on the driver's side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for more
information on location.
{CAUTION:
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap Ð even a little Ð when the engine and
radiator are hot.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the FULL
COLD mark, which is at or above the ®ll mark at the
forward edge of the surge tank.
If the CHECK COOLANT LEVEL message comes on
and stays on, it means you're low on engine coolant.
5-27

A low coolant level should be indicated by a CHECK
COOLANT LEVEL message on the Driver Information
Center. If it is, you may have a leak at the pressure cap
or in the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Do not touch them. If
you do, you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine ®re, and you could be
burned. Get any leak ®xed before you drive the
vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see if the electric engine cooling fans are running.
If the engine is overheating, both fans should be
running. If they aren't, your vehicle needs service.
5-32

Notice:Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn't covered by your warranty.
See ªOverheated Engine Protection Operating
Modeº in the Index for information on driving to a
safe place in an emergency.
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.
How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven't found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level isn't at or above the ®ll mark at the
forward edge of the surge tank, add a 50/50 mixture
of
clean, drinkable waterand DEX-COOLžcoolant at the
coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool
before you do it. See
Engine Coolant on page 5-25for more information.
5-33

4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start
the engine and let it run until you can feel the upper
radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fans.
By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower. If the level is lower, add
more of the proper mixture to the coolant surge tank
until the level reaches at or above the ®ll mark at
the forward edge of the surge tank.5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the
pressure cap is hand-tight and fully seated.
Start the engine and allow it to warm up. If the CHECK
COOLANT LEVEL message does not appear on the
Driver Information Center, coolant is at the proper
®ll level. If a CHECK COOLANT LEVEL message does
appear, repeat Steps 1 to 3 and reinstall the pressure
cap or see your dealer.
5-37

Power Steering Fluid
The power steering ¯uid reservoir is located next to the
underhood fuse block on the passenger's side of the
vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for more information on location.
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering ¯uid
unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A ¯uid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering Fluid
Turn the key off, let the engine compartment cool down,
wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean, then
unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.
Replace the cap and completely tighten it. Then
remove the cap again and look at the ¯uid level on the
dipstick.
The level should be at the FULL COLD mark. If
necessary, add only enough ¯uid to bring the level up to
the mark.
What to Use
To determine what kind of ¯uid to use, seePart D:
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-15.
Always use the proper ¯uid. Failure to use the proper
¯uid can cause leaks and damage hoses and seals.
5-38

Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield washer ¯uid, be sure to read
the manufacturer's instructions before use. If you will
be operating your vehicle in an area where the
temperature may fall below freezing, use a ¯uid that has
sufficient protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
When your vehicle's windshield washer ¯uid level
becomes low, a CHECK WASHER FLUID message will
appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC). You
will need to add ¯uid soon.
The windshield washer
¯uid reservoir is located
next to the underhood fuse
block on the passenger's
side of the vehicle.
See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
reservoir location.
Open the cap with the washer symbol on it. Add washer
¯uid until the tank is full.
Notice:
·When using concentrated washer ¯uid,
follow the manufacturer's instructions for
adding water.
·Don't mix water with ready-to-use washer ¯uid.
Water can cause the solution to freeze and
damage your washer ¯uid tank and other parts
of the washer system. Also, water doesn't
clean as well as washer ¯uid.
·Fill your washer ¯uid tank only three-quarters
full when it's very cold. This allows for
expansion if freezing occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is completely full.
·Don't use engine coolant (antifreeze) in your
windshield washer. It can damage your
washer system and paint.
5-39