brakes CADILLAC DTS 2009 1.G User Guide

Your vehicle will not reach the set speed until the
system determines there is not a vehicle in front of you.
At that point, your vehicle speed will increase to the
set speed.
Decreasing Set Speed While Using ACC
Press the SET– button until you reach the lower speed
desired, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, briey press the
SET– button. Each time this is done, the set speed
decreases by 1 mph (1 km/h) slower.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose the ACC is set at a desired speed and then
the brakes are applied. This will turn off the ACC.
But it does not need to be reset.
Once the vehicle speed reaches about 25 mph (40 km/h)
or more, press the +RES button. ACC will be engaged
with the previously chosen set speed.
Selecting the Follow Distance (GAP)
When the system detects a slower moving vehicle, it will
adjust your vehicle’s speed and maintain the follow
distance (gap) you select.
Use the plus and minus buttons on the steering wheel
to adjust the follow distance.
Press the plus button to increase the distance or the
minus button to decrease the distance. The rst button
press shows the current follow distance setting on
the DIC. The current follow distance setting will be
maintained until it is changed.
There are six follow distances to choose from.
The follow distance selection ranges from near to far
(one second to two seconds follow time). The distance
maintained for a selected follow distance will vary based
on vehicle speed. The faster the vehicle speed the further
back your vehicle will follow. Consider traffic and weather
conditions when selecting the follow distance. The range
of selectable distances may not be appropriate for all
drivers and driving conditions. If you prefer to travel at
a follow distance farther than ACC allows, disengage
the system and drive manually.
3-23

Alerting the Driver
The ACC alert symbol is
located on the display at
the top of the instrument
panel to the right of the
driver.
The alert symbol ashes and a warning beep sounds
when driver action may be required. If ACC is engaged,
the alert symbol will ash when:
ACC cannot apply sufficient braking because you
are approaching a vehicle too rapidly.
The vehicle speed drops below about
20 mph (32 km/h).
A temporary condition prohibits ACC from operating.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-73for
more information.
A malfunction is detected in the system. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-73for more
information.
SeeDefensive Driving on page 4-2.
{CAUTION:
Adaptive Cruise Control has only limited braking
ability to slow your vehicle. In some cases, Adaptive
Cruise Control may not have time to slow your
vehicle enough to avoid a collision. Be ready to
take action and apply the brakes yourself.
SeeDefensive Driving on page 4-2.
Approaching and Following a Vehicle
The vehicle ahead symbol
is located on the top of the
instrument panel to the
right of the driver.
The vehicle ahead symbol only appears when a vehicle
is detected in your path.
If this symbol does not appear, or disappears briey,
ACC will not respond to vehicles you may see ahead.
3-24

{CAUTION:
When the Adaptive Cruise Control radar is blocked
by snow, ice, or dirt, it may not detect a vehicle
ahead. Adaptive Cruise Control may not have time
to slow your vehicle enough to avoid a collision.
Do not use Adaptive Cruise Control when the
radar is blocked by snow, ice, or dirt. Keep your
radar clean. See “Cleaning the System” later in
this section.
ACC automatically slows your vehicle down when
approaching a slower moving vehicle. It then adjusts
your vehicle speed to follow the vehicle in front at the
selected follow distance. Your vehicle speed increases
or decreases to follow the vehicle in front of you, but will
not exceed the set speed. It may apply limited braking,
if necessary. When braking is active, your brake lights will
come on. Braking may feel or sound different than if you
were applying the brakes yourself. This is normal.
Stationary or Very Slow-Moving Objects
{CAUTION:
Adaptive Cruise Control may not detect and
react to stationary or slow-moving vehicles or
other objects ahead of you. You could crash into
an object ahead of you. Do not use Adaptive
Cruise Control when approaching stationary
or slow-moving vehicles or other objects.
{CAUTION:
Adaptive Cruise Control may not detect and react
to stationary or slow-moving vehicles or other
objects ahead of you. Your vehicle may accelerate
toward objects, such as a stopped vehicle that
suddenly appears after the lead vehicle changes
lanes. Your complete attention is always required
while driving and you should be ready to take
action and apply the brakes.
3-25

Low-Speed Deactivation
If your vehicle speed falls below 20 mph (32 km/h) while
following a vehicle ahead, ACC will begin to disengage.
The Driver Alert symbol will ash and the warning beep
will sound. The driver must take action since ACC will not
slow the vehicle to a stop.
Passing a Vehicle/ACC Override
To increase speed to pass a vehicle, use the
accelerator pedal. While you are doing this, the system
will not automatically apply the brakes. A message will
appear on the DIC. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-73. Once you remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal, ACC will return to normal operation
and be able to apply the brakes, if needed.
{CAUTION:
If you rest your foot on the accelerator pedal,
the system will not automatically apply the brakes.
You could crash into a vehicle ahead of you.
Do not rest your foot on the accelerator pedal
when using Adaptive Cruise Control.
Curves in the Road
{CAUTION:
Due to Adaptive Cruise Control limitations in
curves, it may respond to a vehicle in another
lane, or may not have time to react to a vehicle in
your lane. You could crash into a vehicle ahead
of you, or lose control of your vehicle. Give extra
attention in curves and be ready to use the brakes
if necessary. Select an appropriate speed while
driving in curves.
ACC may operate differently in a sharp curve. It may
reduce your vehicle speed if the curve is too sharp.
3-26

When following a vehicle and entering a curve, ACC
could lose track of the vehicle in your lane and accelerate
your vehicle. When this happens the Vehicle Ahead
symbol will not appear.ACC may detect a vehicle that is not in your lane and
apply the brakes.
ACC may, occasionally, provide a driver alert and/or
braking that you consider unnecessary. It could respond
to signs, guardrails, and other stationary objects when
entering or exiting a curve. This is normal operation.
Your vehicle does not need service.
3-27

Highway Exit Ramps
{CAUTION:
Adaptive Cruise Control may lose track of the
vehicle ahead and accelerate up to your set
speed while entering or on highway exit ramps.
You could be startled by this acceleration and
even lose control of the vehicle. Disengage
Adaptive Cruise Control before entering a highway
exit ramp. Do not use Adaptive Cruise Control
while entering or on exit ramps.
Other Vehicle Lane Changes
If another vehicle enters the same lane as you, ACC will
not detect the vehicle until it is completely in the lane.
Be ready to take action and apply the brakes yourself.
Using ACC on Hills and When Towing a
Trailer
How well ACC will work on hills and when towing a
trailer depends on your vehicle’s speed, vehicle load,
traffic conditions and the steepness of the hills. It may
not detect a vehicle in your lane while driving on hills.
When going up steep hills, you may want to use the
accelerator pedal to maintain your vehicle’s speed. When
going downhill, especially when towing a trailer, you may
want to brake to keep your speed down. Applying the
brake disengages the system. You may choose not to
use ACC on steep hills, especially when towing a trailer.
Disengaging ACC
To turn off the system, apply the brake pedal, press the
cancel button, or press the ACC button.
3-28

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light also comes on when the parking brake is set.
The light will stay on if the parking brake does
not release fully. If it stays on after the parking brake
is fully released, it means there is a brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving, pull off the road
and stop carefully. The pedal may be harder to push,
or the pedal may go closer to the oor. It may take longer
to stop. If the light is still on, have the vehicle towed for
service. SeeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-26.
{CAUTION:
The brake system might not be working properly if
the brake system warning light is on. Driving with
the brake system warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for service.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
For vehicles with
the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light
comes on briey when
the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer. If the system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off. If the
light comes on while driving, stop as soon as it is safely
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the ABS light stays on, or
comes on again while driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning light is not on, the
vehicle still has brakes, but not antilock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on, the vehicle
does not have antilock brakes and there is a problem with
the regular brakes. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 3-56.
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC),
seeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-73for
all brake related DIC messages.
3-57

SERVICE A/C SYSTEM
This message displays when the air delivery mode door
or the electronic sensors that control the air conditioning
and heating systems are no longer working. Have the
climate control system serviced by your dealer/retailer
if you notice a drop in heating and air conditioning
efficiency.
SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING
SYSTEM
This message displays when a problem with the
charging system has been detected. The charging
system light also displays on the instrument panel
cluster. SeeCharging System Light on page 3-56
for more information. Have your vehicle serviced by
your dealer/retailer.
SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST
This message displays if there is a problem with the
brake system. The brake system warning light and
the antilock brake system warning light may also be
displayed on the instrument panel cluster. SeeBrake
System Warning Light on page 3-56andAntilock BrakeSystem (ABS) Warning Light on page 3-57for more
information. If this happens, stop as soon as possible and
turn off the vehicle. Restart the vehicle and check for the
message on the DIC display. If the message is displayed
or appears again when you begin driving, the brake
system needs service. See your dealer/retailer as soon
as possible. SeeBrakes on page 5-33for more
information.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays if the ignition is on to inform the
driver that the brake uid level is low. Have the brake
system serviced by your dealer/retailer as soon as
possible.
SERVICE LANE DEPARTURE SYSTEM
If your vehicle has the Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
system, this message may display to indicate that the
LDW system is not working properly. If this message
remains on after continued driving, the system needs
service. See your dealer/retailer. SeeLane Departure
Warning (LDW) on page 2-49for more information.
3-80

Drunk Driving
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your
reexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol.
You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision
if you drive after drinking. Do not drink and drive or
ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home
in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and
attentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, more than 17,000 annual
motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with about 250,000 people injured.For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control the vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator.
At times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and road can
provide. Meaning, you can lose control of the vehicle.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
4-3

Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-56.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
the vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force
applied.
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. The brakes might not have time to cool between
hard stops. The brakes will wear out much faster with alot of heavy braking. Keeping pace with the traffic and
allowing realistic following distances eliminates a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is being driven,
brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If the brakes
are pumped, the pedal could get harder to push down.
If the engine stops, there will still be some power brake
assist but it will be used when the brake is applied. Once
the power assist is used up, it can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that helps prevent a
braking skid.
When the engine is started and the vehicle begins to
drive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor
or clicking noise might be heard while this test is going
on, and it might even be noticed that the brake pedal
moves a little. This is normal.
4-4