brakes CADILLAC DEVILLE 1996 7.G User Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Brakes
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). 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.
ANTI -
LOCK
If there’s a problem with the
anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on. See “Anti-Lock Brake
System
Warning Light” in
the Index.
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Here's how anti-lock works. Let's say the road is wet.
You're driving safely. Suddenly
an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here's what happens with
ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about
to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at the
rear wheels. The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster
than any driver could. The computer is programmed to
make the
most of available tire and road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
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.
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 ACTIVE message will display on the
Driver Information Center when the traction control system is limiting wheel spin.
See “Driver Information
Center Messages”
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
re-engage the cruise control. (See “Cruise Control”
in the Index.)
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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. Unless your traction control system is on, adding the sudden acceleration can demand too much
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.
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. (See “Braking
in
Emergencies’’ earlier in this section.) It is better to
remove as much speed as you can
from a possible
collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space available.
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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.)
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
lamps are not flashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
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.
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 comering 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.
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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.
A CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work
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 your brake pedal lightly until
your brakes work normally.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
0 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.
I /I CAUTION:
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your
engine assist your brakes on
a steep downhill
slope.
A CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous, Your brakes will have to
do
all the work of slowing down, They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor braking or even none going down
a hill.
You could crash, Always have your engine running
and your vehicle in gear when you
go downhill.
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Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transaxie, and you can climb the
hill better.
Stay
in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on
mountains that warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a
falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
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Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you 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.
0 Allow greater following distance on any slippery
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.
road.
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 are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to
do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers.

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A CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike and
injure people in
a sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash.
Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a
trunk, put them as far forward as you can.
Wy to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the
seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Towing a Trailer
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A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes
may not work well -- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull a trailer only if you have followed
all the
steps in this section. Ask your Cadillac dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly car! damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not .covered
by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Cadillac
dealer for important information
about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hitches
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons
why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
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. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and
do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag
on the ground.
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0 If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more
than 2,000 lbs. (900 kg), be sure to use
a properly mounted, weight-distributing hitch and sway control of the proper size. This equipment is
very important for proper vehicle loading and good
handling when you’re driving.
0 Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide”
in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended
for hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use’only
a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
Trailer Brakes
Because you have anti-lock brakes, don’t try to tap into
your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system. If you do, both
brake systems won’t work well, or at all.
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes
so you’ll be able to maintain them properly.
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