brake CADILLAC DEVILLE 1994 7.G Owner's Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to. 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.
STEEMNG
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is
not functioning, you can steer but it
will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news
happen on curves. Here’s why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each
of us is subject to the same laws of
physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going
in the same direction. If you’ve ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice,
you’ll understand this.
The traction you can get
in a curve depends on the condition of your tires
and
the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your
speed. While you’re in a curve, speed is the one factor
you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly
accelerate. Both control systems
-- steering and acceleration -- have to do
their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration
can demand too much
of those places. You can lose control.
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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
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine - Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re
awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces
your area
of vision, especially if you’re following a larger vehicle. Also,
you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or
stops. Keep back a reasonable distance.
0 When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start to accelerate
but stay in the right lane and don’t get too close. Time your move
so
you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other
lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a “running start” that
more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back.
And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need
only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity.
- -- If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But
take care that someone isn’t trying to pass you as you pull out to pass
the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
0 Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane
change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you
are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to
see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back
into the right lane. (Remember that your right outside mirror is
convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to
be farther away from
you than it really is.)
0 Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to
turn.
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If you’re being passed, make.it easy for the following driver to get
ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.

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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some
car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes.
Try to avoid puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit
them.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine HILL AND MOUNTMN ROADS
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or
rolling terrain.
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re planning to visit there,
here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transaxle. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this:
let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear
when you go down a steep or long hill.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What’s 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’s about
freezing
(32’F; O°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.
If you have the traction control system, it will improve your ability to
accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even though your vehicle has
a traction control system, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your
driving to the road conditions. See “Traction Control System” in the
Index.
If you don’t have the traction control system, accelerate gently. Try not to
break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will
spin and polish the surface under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
want to begin stopping sooner than you would
on dry pavement. See
“Anti-lock” in the Index.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine __ Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hit a spot
that’s covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may
appear in shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around clumps
of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a
curve or an overpass may remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear.
If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on
it.
Try not to brake while you’re actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a serious situation. You
should probably stay with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
to do to summon help and keep yourself and your passengers safe: Turn
on your hazard flashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
around you. If you have
no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor mats
-- anything you
can wrap .around yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
_-_ are near help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some things
- -_ you’ve been stopped by the snow. Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine when you remove the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your vehicle (see
Index under “Carbon Monoxide”). Dirt and water can, too.
attach rental hitches or other bumper-type hitches to them.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do not
Safety Chains
You 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. Follow
the manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety chains. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow
safety chains to drag
on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes so you’ll
be able to install, adjust and maintain them properly.
Driving with a Trailer
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
so responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector, lights, 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 lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your
brakes
so much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
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.
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 Kg) and you have an
automatic transaxle with Overdrive, you may want to drive in “3” instead
of Overdrive.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer attached, on a hill.
If something goes wrong, your rig could start to move. People can be
injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s how to do it:
Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift into “P” (Park).
0 Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until
Reapply the regular brakes. Then shift into “P” (Park) firmly and
the
chocks absorb the load.
apply your parking brakes.
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave Afier Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Be sure the parking brake has released.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
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