traction control CADILLAC DTS PROFESSIONAL 2007 1.G Owner's Manual

Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as
well because your tire-to-road traction is not as
good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have
much tread left, you will get even less traction. It is
always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain
starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reexes are tuned for
driving on dry pavement.The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even
if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see
road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings,
the edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment
in good shape and keep your windshield washer
uid reservoir lled with washer uid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on the windshield,
or when strips of rubber start to separate from
the inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They
may not work as well in a quick stop and
may cause pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car wash, apply the brake pedal
lightly until the brakes work normally.
320

Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires
meet the road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires
and the road, you can have a very slippery
situation. You will have a lot less traction, or grip,
and will need to be very careful.What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on.
But wet ice can be even more trouble because it
may offer the least traction of all. You can get
wet ice when it is about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and
freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed,
blowing, or loose snow — drive with caution.
Traction control improves your ability to accelerate
when driving on a slippery road. Even though
your vehicle has the Traction Control System
(TCS), you will want to slow down and adjust your
driving to the road conditions. Under certain
conditions, you may want to turn the TCS off, such
as when driving through deep snow and loose
gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion at
lower speeds. SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 309.
329

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels.
You should turn the traction control system
off. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 309. Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the
wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is
in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions, you will cause a
rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If
that does not get your vehicle out after a few tries,
it may need to be towed out. If your vehicle
does need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 340.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label and the Certication label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
333

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you will go
to your dealer for all your service needs. You will
get genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your
GM vehicle all GM. Genuine GM parts
have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modications
When you add non-GM accessories to your
vehicle they can affect your vehicle’s performance
and safety, including such things as, airbags,
braking, stability, ride and handling, emissions
systems, aerodynamics, durability, and electronic
systems like anti-lock brakes, traction control
and stability control. Some of these accessories
may even cause malfunction or damage not
covered by warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement
and function with other systems on your vehicle.
Your GM dealer/retailer can accessorize your
vehicle using genuine GM Accessories. When you
go to your GM dealer/retailer and ask for GM
Accessories, you will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will perform the work
using genuine GM Accessories.
353

Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specic tires for
your vehicle. The original equipment tires
installed on your vehicle, when it was new, were
designed to meet General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria Specication (TPC spec)
system rating. If you need replacement tires, GM
strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed to
give the same performance and vehicle safety,
during normal use, as the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over
a dozen critical specications that impact the
overall performance of your vehicle, including
brake system performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure monitoring
performance. GM’s TPC Spec number is molded
onto the tire’s sidewall by the tire manufacturer.
If the tires have an all-season tread design,
the TPC spec number will be followed by an MS
for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling
on page 403for additional information.{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose
control of your vehicle while driving. If you
mix tires of different sizes, brands, or types
(radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle
may not handle properly, and you could
have a crash. Using tires of different sizes,
brands, or types may also cause damage to
your vehicle. Be sure to use the correct
size, brand, and type of tires on all wheels.
Your vehicle may have a compact spare
tire and wheel assembly. If the vehicle has
a compact spare tire and wheel, they have
the same overall diameter as your vehicle’s
full-size tires and wheels. Because they
were designed and developed for use on
your vehicle, it is all right to drive your
vehicle with the compact spare installed
properly. Compact spare tires are designed
for temporary use only. SeeSpare Tire on
page 438.
420

Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size
than your original equipment wheels and tires,
this may affect the way your vehicle performs,
including its braking, ride and handling
characteristics, stability, and resistance to rollover.
Additionally, if your vehicle has electronic
systems such as, anti-lock brakes, traction control,
and electronic stability control, the performance
of these systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your
vehicle may not provide an acceptable
level of performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are
selected. You may increase the chance
that you will crash and suffer serious
injury. Only use GM specic wheel and
tire systems developed for your vehicle,
and have them properly installed by a
GM certied technician.SeeBuying New Tires on page 420and
Accessories and Modications on page 353for
additional information.
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 (NHTSA), 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 (UTQG)
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.
422

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 specied
government test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half (1.5) 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 signicantly 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 specied 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.
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
specied 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 inated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underination, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
423

Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
Do not use tire chains. There is not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a vehicle
without the proper amount of clearance
can cause damage to the brakes,
suspension or other vehicle parts. The area
damaged by the tire chains could cause
you to lose control of your vehicle and you
or others may be injured in a crash.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Use another type of traction device only if
its manufacturer recommends it for use
on your vehicle and tire size combination
and road conditions. Follow that
manufacturer’s instructions. To help avoid
damage to your vehicle, drive slowly,
readjust or remove the device if it is
contacting your vehicle, and do not spin
your vehicle’s wheels. If you do nd
traction devices that will t, install them
on the front tires.
426

L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall................................. 403
Lamps
Cornering................................................. 199
Courtesy.................................................. 199
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver................. 199
Inadvertent Power Battery Saver.............. 202
Reading................................................... 200
LATCH System
Child Restraints......................................... 55
Light
Airbag Readiness..................................... 226
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning............. 230
Brake System Warning............................. 229
Charging System..................................... 229
Cruise Control.......................................... 238
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning....... 233
Fog Lamp................................................ 238
Highbeam On.......................................... 238
Lights On Reminder................................. 238
Low Tire Pressure Warning Light............. 231
Malfunction Indicator................................ 234
Oil Pressure............................................. 237
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator............ 227Light (cont.)
Passenger Safety Belt Reminder.............. 225
Safety Belt Reminder............................... 225
Security................................................... 237
StabiliTrak
®Indicator................................ 232
TCS Warning Light.................................. 232
Traction Control System (TCS) Warning..... 232
Lighting
Entry........................................................ 200
Parade Dimming...................................... 200
Lights
Exterior Lamps......................................... 193
Flash-to-Pass........................................... 172
High/Low Beam Changer ......................... 167
On Reminder........................................... 197
Loading Your Vehicle................................... 333
Lockout Protection....................................... 105
Locks
Central Door Unlocking System................ 103
Door........................................................ 102
Lockout Protection................................... 105
Power Door............................................. 103
Programmable Automatic Door Locks....... 104
Rear Door Security Locks........................ 104
Loss of Control........................................... 317
510

Tires (cont.)
Pressure Monitor System......................... 414
Removing the Flat Tire............................. 431
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools......... 429
Spare Tire................................................ 438
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools..... 437
Tire Sidewall Labeling.............................. 403
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 408
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.................... 422
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance........... 424
Wheel Replacement................................. 424
When It Is Time for New Tires................. 419
Towing
Recreational Vehicle................................. 340
Towing a Trailer....................................... 342
Your Vehicle............................................. 340
Traction
Control System (TCS).............................. 309
Control System Warning Light.................. 232
Magnetic Ride Control.............................. 310
StabiliTrak
®System................................. 311
Trunk.......................................................... 106
Turn and Lane-Change Signals................... 167
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.................... 166
U
Ultrasonic Front and Rear Parking
Assist (UFRPA)........................................ 202
Understanding Radio Reception................... 298
Uniform Tire Quality Grading....................... 422
Universal Home Remote System................. 144
Operation........................................144, 148
System Identication................................ 143
V
Valet Lockout Switch................................... 112
Vehicle
Control..................................................... 306
Damage Warnings....................................... 5
Loading.................................................... 333
Symbols...................................................... 5
Vehicle Customization, DIC......................... 259
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy............ 500
Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN).......................................... 450
Service Parts Identication Label.............. 450
Ventilation Adjustment.................................. 217
Visors.......................................................... 111
517