CADILLAC ELDORADO 1993 10.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice, it's easy to ask more of
those control systems than the tires and road can provide. Tha\
t means
you can lose control of your vehicle.
BRAKING
Braking action involves p- and reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That's perception
time. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That's reaction time.
Average reaction time
is about 3/4 of a second. But that's 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
3/4 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 your vehicle and others is
important.
And,
of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of
the road (whether it's pavement or gravel); the condition of the road
(wet, dry, icy); tire tread; and the condition
of your brakes.
Most drivers treat their brakes with care. Some, however, overwork the
braking system with poor driving habits.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts -- heavy
acceleration followed by heavy braking
-- rather than keeping pace
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. a
0 Don’t “ride’’ the brakes by letting your left foot rest lightly on the
brake pedal while driving.
8
r
. . ... ..
A CAUTION:
I
“Riding” your brakes can cause them to overheat to the point
that they won’t work well.
You might not be able to stop your
vehicle in time to avoid an accident.
If you “ride” your brakes,
they
will get so hot they will require a lot of pedal force to slc
you down. Avoid “riding” the brakes.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 (ABS)
Your Cadillac has an advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent skidding.
This light on the
instrument panel
will
go on when you start
your vehicle.
hear a
Once the vehicle speed reaches about
5 mph (8 km/h), you may
momentary motor or c1,icking noise and you may
even notice that your
brake pedal moves a little
while this is going on. This is the ABS system
testing itself.
If there’s a problem with the anti-lock brake system, the
anti-lock brake system 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 C I I
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. The computer
separately works the brakes at each front wheel and at the re\
ar 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 I
A CAUTION:
Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need to get your foot up to
the brake pedal. 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.
I
To Use 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.
Disc Brake Wear Indicators
Your Cadillac has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound may come and
go or be heard all the time your vehicle is
moving (except when you
are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
UJTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that sooner or later YL-,
brakes won’t work well. That could lead to an accident. When
you hear the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
NOTICE:
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake squeal when the
brakes are first applied or lightly applied. This does not mean something
is wrong with your brakes.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to normal height, or if
there is a rapid increase in pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake
trouble.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you make a moderate brake stop, your disc brakes adjust for
wear.
If you rarely make a moderate or heavier stop, then your brakes might
not adjust correctly. If you drive
in that way, then -- very carefully -- make
a few moderate brake stops about every
1000 miles (1600 km), so your
brakes
will adjust properly.
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.
STEERING
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system
fails to function, you can steer but it
will take much more effort.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Those two control systems -- steering and acceleration -- can overwhelm
those places where the tires meet the road and make you lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Let 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.
When you drive into a curve at night, it’s harder to see the road ahead of
you because it bends away from the straight beams of your lights. This is
one good reason
to drive slower.
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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,
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. You must then be
prepared to steer back to your original lane and then brake to a
controlled stop.
Depending on your speed, this can be rather violent for an unprepared
driver. This
is one of the reasons driving experts recommend that you use
your
safety belts and keep both hands on the steering wheel.
The fact that such emergency situations are always possible
is a good
reason to practice defensive driving at all times.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine OFF-ROAD RECOWRY
You may find sometime that your right wheels have dropped off the edge
of a road onto the shoulder while you’re driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery
should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing
in the way, steer
so that your 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.
If the shoulder appears to be about four inches
(100 mm) or more below
the pavement, this difference can cause problems. If there is not enough
room to pull entirely onto the shoulder and stop, then follow the same
procedures. But if the right front tire scrubs against the side
of the
pavement, do
NOT steer more sharply. With too much steering angle, the
vehicle may jump back onto the road with
so much steering input that it
crosses over into the oncoming traffic before you can bring it back under
control.
Instead, ease
off again on the accelerator and steering input, straddle the
pavement once more, then try again.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
So here are some tips for passing:
“Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides, and to crossroads
for situations that might affect your passing patterns.
If you have any
doubt whatsoever about making
a successful pass, wait for a better
time.
Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and lines. If you can see a
sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your
pass.
A broken center line usually indicates it’s all right to pass
(providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross
a solid line on your
side
of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of
approaching traffic.
If you suspect that the driver of the vehicle you want to pass isn’t
Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re
aware
of your presence, tap the horn
a couple of times before passing.
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.
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.
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