Motor CADILLAC DEVILLE 2002 8.G User Guide
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4-3
Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a national tragedy. It's the number one contributor to
the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive
a vehicle:
Judgment
Muscular Coordination
Vision
Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half of all motor
vehicle
-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, about 16,000 annual motor
vehicle
-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it's
against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws.The obvious way to solve the leading highway safety
problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then
drive. But what if people do? How much is ªtoo muchº
if the driver plans to drive? It's a lot less than many
might think. Although it depends on each person
and situation, here is some general information on
the problem.
The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who is drinking depends upon four things:
The amount of alcohol consumed
The drinker's body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
According to the American Medical Association, a
180
-lb. (82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4
-ounce (120 ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1
-1/2 ounces
(45 ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
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4-7
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
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 ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in
the Index.
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4-9
Remember: Anti-lock doesn't change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won't have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have
anti
-lock brakes.
Using Anti
-Lock
Don't pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let anti
-lock work for you. You may hear the
anti
-lock pump or motor operate, and feel the brake
pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
Traction Control System
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 ªDriver Information
Center Messagesº in the Index. 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 in
the Index.
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4-30
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle
-- such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as ªdinghy
towingº (towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground) and ªdolly towingº (towing your vehicle with
two wheels on the ground and two wheels up on a
device known as a ªdollyº).With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See ªDinghy
Towingº and ªDolly Towing,º following.
Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What's the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle
manufacturer's recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment? See your
dealer or trailering professional for additional advice
and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you would
prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you'll want to
make sure your vehicle is prepared to be towed. See
ªBefore Leaving on a Long Tripº in the Index.
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4-36
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at:
Cadillac Customer Assistance Center
Cadillac Motor Car Division
P.O. Box 33169
Detroit, MI 48232
-5169
In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre, 163
-005
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total or gross
weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo you may carry in it, and the people who will be
riding in the vehicle. And if you tow a trailer, you must
add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle
will be carrying that weight, too. See ªLoading Your
Vehicleº in the Index for more information about your
vehicle's maximum load capacity.If you're using a weight-carrying hitch or a
weight
-distributing hitch, the trailer tongue (A)
should weigh 10
-15 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight (B).
After you've loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren't, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
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5-10
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
ªRoadside Assistanceº in the Index. If you want to tow
your vehicle behind another vehicle for recreational
purposes (such as behind a motorhome), see
ªRecreational Vehicle Towingº in the Index.
Engine Overheating
You will find an ENGINE COOLANT HOT, IDLE
ENGINE message or an ENGINE OVERHEATED,
STOP ENGINE message displayed in 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 cluster. See ªEngine
Coolant Temperature Warning Lightº or ªEngine
Coolant Temperature Gageº in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
If an overheated engine condition exists 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). Driving extended miles
(km) and/or 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 system. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.
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6-5 Additives
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane
-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may be
affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer
for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent engine and fuel system deposits from forming,
allowing your emission control system to work properly.
You should not have to add anything to your fuel.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines may be available in
your area to contribute to clean air. General Motors
recommends that you use these gasolines, particularly if
they comply with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don't use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your
fuel system and also damage plastic and rubber
parts. That damage wouldn't be covered under
your warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to
find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use of improper fuel wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you'll be driving.
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6-55 Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder and maximum section
width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
(This applies only to vehicles sold in the United States.)
The grades are molded on the sidewalls of most
passenger car tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading
system does not apply to deep tread, winter
-type snow
tires, space
-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with
nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm),
or to some limited
-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors passenger
cars and light trucks may vary with respect to these
grades, they must also conform to federal safety
requirements and additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) standards.Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on
the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a
half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course
as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service practices and
differences in road characteristics and climate.
Traction
-- AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A,
B, and C. Those grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor
traction performance. Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on straight
-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction characteristics.
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Temperature -- A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life,
and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires must meet
under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underinflation, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired). See your
dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
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Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don't add anything electrical to your vehicle
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Some add
-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your vehicle, see ªServicing
Your Air Bag
-Equipped Vehicleº in the Index.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp wiring system has four individual fuses,
LF low, RF low, LF high and RF high. An electrical
overload will cause the lamps to go on and off, or in
some cases to remain off. If this happens, have the
headlamp wiring checked right away.
Windshield Wiper Fuses
The windshield wiper motor is protected by an internal
circuit breaker. If the wiper motor overheats due to
heavy snow, the wipers will stop until the motor cools
and will then restart.
A MiniFuse
powers the wiper motor. If the MiniFuse
blows, there is an electrical problem. Be sure to have
it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
Circuit breakers protect the power windows and power
seats. When the current load is too heavy, the circuit
breaker opens and closes, protecting the circuit until the
problem is fixed or goes away.