warning CADILLAC DEVILLE 1998 7.G Owner's Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Avoid needless’heavy braking. Some people drive in Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
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 Your
vehicle has anti-lock brakes
(ABS). ABS is an
,advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
do a lot of heavy braking.
If you keep pace with the
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,.
traffic and
allow realistic. following distances, you will
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may
eliminate a lot
of unnecessary braking. That means
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
better braking and longer brake life.
is going on, and you ‘may even notice that your brake
If your engine ever stops while,you’re driving, brake pedal moves a
little. This is normal.
no-&mlly 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
’ If there’s a problem with the
1 anti-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See “Anti-Lock Brake
System -Warning Light” in
the Index. ~
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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
firmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear the
anti-lock pump or motor operate, and
1 1 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
ENGAGED 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
reengage the cruise control. (See “Cruise Control” in
the Index.)
TRACTION
CONTROL
This warning light will come on to let you know if
there’s a problem with your
traction control system.
See “Traction Control System Warning Light” in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should always leave the system
on. But you can turn the
traction control system
off if you ever need to. (You
should turn the system
off if your vehicle ever gets stuck
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See ‘.‘Rocking Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
If you have Stabilitrak, you may see the STABILITY
ENGAGED message on the Driver Information Center. See “Stability Engaged Message” in the Index.
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.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or
braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires
to
slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until
your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues
-- such as enough water, ice or packed snow on
the road to make a “mirrored surface”
-- and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system
(ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One
reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired -- by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine City Driving Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get
a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
One
of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount
of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the comer is busy enough to
need it. When
a light turns green, and just before you
start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk. Include an ice scraper,
a small brush or broom,
a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight,
a red cloth and a
couple
of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece
of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 5 Probler--. on the R -lad
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5-3 Other Warning Devices
5-3 Jump Starting
5-8 Towing Your Vehicle
5- 15 Engine Overheating
5-24
5-24
5-34
5-35
If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
5-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning flashers let you warn others. They
also let police
know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will flash on and off. Press the button in to make
lamps flash on and off,
A
the front and rear turn signal
This light on the instrument
panel will flash, indicating
that the hazard warning
flashers
are on.
The hazard warning flashers will
work once the button
is pressed
in regardless of the key position.
5-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Pull out on the collar to turn the flashers off. When the
hazard warning flashers are on, the turn signals won’t
work since they are already flashing.
I 011- Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to
start your
vehicle. Please follow the steps below to do it safely.
I because: I
They contain acid that can burn you.
0 They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
0 They contain enough electricity to
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you. burn you.
5-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other
or any other metal.
/-c+I
A. Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. See “Roadside Service” in
the Index.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket items like fog
lamps, aero skirting or special tires and wheels, these
instructions may not be correct.
Before you
do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains towing instructions and
illustrations. The onerator may want to see them.
5-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating
You will find an ENGINE COOLANT HOT, IDLE
ENGINE message or an ENGINE
OVERHEATED
STOP, ENGINE message on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). You will
also hear a chime. There is also
an engine temperature warning light andor gage on the
instrument panel. See “Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light” or “Engine Coolant Temperature Gage”
in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
NOTICE:
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause of coolant loss, change the oil and reset
the oil life indicator. See “Engine Oil, When to
Change” in the Index.
Should an overheated engine condition exist and the
message ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP ENGINE is
displayed, an overheat protection mode which alternates
firing groups
of four cylinders helps prevent engine
damage.
In this mode, you will notice a loss in power
and engine performance. This operating mode allows
your vehicle to be driven to a safe place in
an
emergency; you may drive up to 50 miles (80 lun).
Towing a trailer in the overheat protection mode should
be avoided.
5-15