steering wheel CADILLAC DEVILLE 1995 7.G Owners Manual

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For the 1948 model, Cadillac stainless steel roof and low profile
tires.
which set the rrend in automotive
styling
for nearly two decades. This
was followed by the 1949 model with
the two door hardtop Coupe DeVilIe
and the modern overhead valve,
high compression V8 engine.
.. ...
Engineering innovations, con-
veniences and styling dominated the
'50s and '60s. Cruise control, auto-
matic climate control,
tilt and
telescoping steering wheels, twilight
sentinel and four door hard tops
all
debuted in these years. In 1957 the
Eldorado Brougham featured
ad-
vances such as air suspension, mem-
ory seat, automatic electric door
locks, transistor radio,
a brushed
r- 19.53, was redesigned for 1967 as the
first front wheel drive personal lux-
ury car.
The 472 cu. in. V8 engine
used in all Cadillacs in 1968 and
1969 was enlarged to 500 cu. in. for
all 1970 Eldorados.
An Air Cushion Restraint
Sys-
tem (airbag) was available for 1974,
1975 and 1976 Cadillacs.
Analog Electronic Fuel Injec-
tion was available, on 1975 Cadillacs
and was standard on
the new inter-
national size
1976 Seville. In 1978,
the Trip Computer option incor-
porated an on-board microprocessor.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Where is the air bag?
The driver's air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel. The right front
passsngor's air baq L. is in the instrument panel 011 the passenger's side.
When should an air bag inflate?
The air bag is designed to inflatc in moderate to scverc frontal or
newfrontal crashes. Thc air bag will inflate only if the impact speed is
above tllc system's dcsigned "threshold Icvzl." If your vehicle goes
straight
into a wall that docsn't nwvc' or deform. thc thresl~old level is
about
0 to 15 mph (14 to 24 km/h). The threshold level czm vav, however,
with spccific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above ;r below
this range.
If your vehicle strikes something that will move or deform,
such as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The air hag is not
designed to inflate in rollovers? side impacts, 01- rear impacts, because
inflation
would not help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air bag should have
inflated simply because
of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the
repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and
the vehicle's deceleration. Vchicle damage
c. *is only one indication of this.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity. the air bag
sensing system detects that the vehicle
is suddenly stopping as a result of a
crash. The sensing system triggers a chemical reaction of the sodium azide
sealed in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen gas, which intlates
the air
bag. The inflator, air bag, and related hardware are all part of the
air bag modules packed inside the steering wheel and in the instrument
panel
in front of the right front passenger.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions: even belted
occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel.
The air
bag supplements the protection provided by safcty belts. Air bags
distribute the force of the Impact more cvcnly over the occupant's upper
body, stopping the occupani. more gradually. But air bags would not help
you in. many types of collisions. including rotlovers and rear and side
impacts. primarily beca.use an. occupant's 1not.iorr is not toward the air bag-
Air bags c. should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement: to
sa.t.'ety belts. and, then ody ill nloderate 1.0 wwrt lronta! or nt';lr-trot?tal
collisions.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine HORN
To sound the horn just press a corner of the air bag located in the center
of the steering wheel.
TILT WHEEL
A tilt steering wheel allows you to adjust the steering wheel before you
drive.
You can also raise the steering wheel to the highest level to give your legs
more room when
you exit and enter the vehicle.
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To tilt the wheel hold
the steering wheel
and
pull the lever. Move
the steering wheel
to a
comfortable level, then
release the lever
to
lock the wheel in place.
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To turn the system off, press the button labeled TRAC OFF located inside
of
the glove box. The TRACTION OFF message will display on the
Driver Information Center.
If the system is limiting wheel spin when you
press the button, the system won’t iurn off right away. It will wait until
there’s no longer a current need to limit wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing the button again.
The TRACTION ON nmsage will display briefly on thc Driver
Information Center.
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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 nlanv cmergencics. 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.
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Steering Tips
The traction vou can get in a CUI-VC depcnds on the condition of your tires
and the roaddsurfacc, the angle at which thc cun~ is banked, and your
speed. Whilc
you'rc in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you're steering
through c a sharp curve. Then you suddenly
accelerate.
Both control systems -- stccring and acceleration -- have to do
their work where the tircs meet the road. Unless you have traction control
and the system is on, adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
muck of those places. You can lose control.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 you can from a
possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, td 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 renmving
either hand.
But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly
straighten the wheel once
you have avoided the object,
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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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
You mav find sometime that your right wheels have dropped off the edge
of a rmd onto the shoulder while you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pave.ment, recovery
should
be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing
in the way, steer so that vour vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
You can turn the steering wheel up to 1/4 turn until the right front tire
contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight
down the roadway.
PASSING
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits
for
just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead,
then goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a
potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same
lane
as oncoming traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in
judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put
the passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents -- the
head-on collision.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Don't overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lamps are not flashing,
it may be slowing down or starting to turn,
0 If you're being passed, make it easv for the following driver to get
ahead
of you. Perhaps you can easi a little to the right.
LOSS OF CONTROL
Let's review what driving experts sav about what happens when the three
control svstems (brakes, steering an> 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.
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.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid only the acceleration skid.
If your traction control system
is off? 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 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 Ilandling and braking with the added weight of
the trailer. And always keep in mind that thc vehicle you are driving is
now a good deal longer and not nearly as responsivs as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check thc trailer hitch
and platform (and attachments),
safety chains, electrical connector, lamps, tires
and mirror adjustment. If
the trailer has electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controlier by hand
to be sure the brakes are
working.
This lets you check your electrical connection at the same time.
During \Tour trip, check occasionally to
be sure that the load is secure, and
that the’lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
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, havc someone guide you.
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