steering wheel CADILLAC DEVILLE 1994 7.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the accelerator
pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of
course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road
conditions. Under less favorable conditions you’ll want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before
you enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a
reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the
curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and find a truck stopped in your lane, or a
car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right
in front of you. You can avoid these problems
by braking
-- if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t
room. That’s the time for evasive action
-- steering around the problem.
Your Cadillac can perform
very well in emergencies like these. First apply
your brakes. It is better to remove as much speed as yowan from a
possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision. If
you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended
9 and 3 o’clock
positions, you can turn it a full
180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly
straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object. r
186

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ........
The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good
reason to practice defensive driving at
all times and wear safety belts
properly. - -.
OFF=ROAD l2ECO’VE.Y
You may find sometime that your right wheels have dropped off the edge
of a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery
should
be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing
in the way,
steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can turn the steering wheel up to 114 turn until the right front tire
contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight
down the roadway.
187

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine LOSS OF CONTROL
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek
an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by
not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your Cadillac’s three control
systems. In the braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling. In the steering or
cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip
and lose cornering force. And in
the acceleration skid too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
If you have the traction control system, remember: It helps avoid only the
acceleration skid.
If you do not have traction control, then an acceleration skid is also best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and
quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to
go. If you start steering
quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if
it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety, you’ll want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down
on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
c-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Following Distance
--
>-
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.
Passing
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.
Bucking Up
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.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do
this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal
well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument panel
will
flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument panel
will
flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you
may think drivers 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. -
21 1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator know that this
manual contains detailed towing instructions and illustrations. The
operator may want to see them.
A CAUTION:
To he@ avoid injury to you or others:
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key off. 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 and the parking
brake released.
224

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine IFA TIRE GOES FLAT
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving, especially if you
maintain your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire, it’s much more likely
to leak out slowly. But
if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a
few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that pulls
the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot
off the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to maintain lane position, then gently brake
to a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a skid and may
require the same correction you’d use
in a skid. In any rear blowout,
remove your foot from the accelerator pedal. Get
the vehicle under
control by steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very
bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently brake to a stop, well off
the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next section shows how to use your jacking
equipment to change a flat tire safely.
ro
t-
236

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine - IF YOU’RE STUCK: IN SAND, MUD, ICE OR
SNOW
- What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is to spin your
wheels.
The method known as “rocking” can help you get out when
you’re stuck, but you must use caution.
-
.---
NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well
as the tires. If you spin the wheels too fast while shifting your
transaxle back and forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
Rocking your vehicle to get
it out:
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area
around your front wheels. Then shift back and forth between
“R’
(Reverse) 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. If that doesn’t get you out
after a few tries, you may need to be towed out. If you do need to be
towed out, see “Towing Your Cadillac”
in the Index.
247

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Rubber bushings are used at the lower control arm pivots. The upper end
of the strut is isolated by a rubber mount which contains a bearing to
allow for wheel turning. The Speed Sensing Suspension automatically
controls the damping rate
of the struts.
The lower end
of the steering knuckle pivots on a ball joint riveted to the
control arm. The ball joint
is connected ,to the steering knuckle with a
castellated nut and cotter pin.
ShortlLong Arm Suspension (SLA)
Your vehicle uses an independent short/long arm rear suspension. All the
rear suspension components are mounted
on a suspension support which
is attached to the body at four points and is
fully isolated with bushings
and insulators to minimize road noise. Each rear wheel is connected to
the suspension support through the suspension knuckle using
an upper
and lower control arm and
toe link. --

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The control arms and toe link are attached to the suspension support on
the inboard side, and to a suspension knuckle on the outboard side. The
hub and bearing assembly is mounted to the knuckle and
is a single,
non-serviceable unit which eliminates the need for wheel bearing
adjustment. The load leveling
(ELC) shock absorbers are attached to the
lower control arm, with
the upper end of the shock attached to the
suspension support. The springs are held in position between the lower
control arms and a pocket in the suspension support.
The suspension system also incorporates a
new damping system known as
Speed Sensing Suspension. This system controls the damping forces
in
the shock absorbers and struts, in response to various road and driving
conditions. The systems are capable of making these damping changes
extremely fast.
A computer receives inputs from vertical acceleration sensors, wheel to
body position sensors, vehicle speed sensor,
lift and dive signals. This
computer evaluates the input from these sensors, to control the damping
of each
of the struts and shocks independently to provide varied levels of
suspension control.
The system also has
the capability of providing Speed Sensitive Steering
control. This system changes your steering effort based on your vehicle
speed.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Speed Sensitive Steering
This system varies the amount of steering effort proportionate to your
vehicle speed. Steering is easier at a lower speed for increased
maneuverability and parking ease.
As your vehicle speed increases, the
steering effort is also increased to provide a manual
like steering feel for
maximum control and enhanced vehicle stability.
The power rack and pinion steering system has a rotary spool valve which
directs hydraulic fluid coming from the power steering pump to one side
or the other side
of the rack piston. The integral rack piston is attached to
the rack. The rack piston converts hydraulic pressure to a linear force
which moves the rack left or right. The force is
then transmitted through
the inner and outer tie rods to the steering knuckles, which turn the
wheels
If hydraulic assist is not available, manual control is maintained. However
under these conditions more steering effort
is required.