CADILLAC SEVILLE 1997 4.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you‘re
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or
no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning doesn‘t happen often. But
it can if your
tires do not have much tread
or if the pressure in one or
more
is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on
the road. If you can see reflections from trees, telephone
poles or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the
water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when
it is raining.
Driving Throug
I NOTICE:
~~
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine’s air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you
can’t avoid deep puddles
or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Besides slowing clown, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when
you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See
“Tires” in the Index.)
--
-.
d

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
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
traffk signals. Here
are ways to increase your safety in city driving:
0
0
e
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 fieeways that rim and crisscross most
large cities. You’ll save time and energy. (See the
next
part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light
as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because
the corner 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving
is: Keep
up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most
of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or
too-slow driving breaks
a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane
on a freeway as a passing lane. At
the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway.
If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance
ramp, you should begin to
check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to
blend with the flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to
the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check
your
mirrors and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it’s slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
B.efore changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave, the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
Once you are moving
on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want
to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit,
do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine c
II
c
L.
L-
P
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense
of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Make sure you‘re ready. Try to
be well rested. If you
must
start when you’re not fresh -- such as after a day‘s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to
go. If it needs
service. have it done before starting out.
Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Cadillac dealerships all across North America. They’ll
be ready and willing to help if you need
it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
0
0
0
e
0
0
e
Wirzdshield Wcsher Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper- Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lcrmps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should
you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
hlcps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Is there actually such a condition as “highway hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it
highway hypnosis, lack
of awareness, or whatever.
There
is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum
of the tires on the
road, the drone
of the engine, and the rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don’t let it
happen to you!
If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road
in less than a second, and you could crash and
be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that it can happen.
Then here are
some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors and your
instruments frequently.
0 If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency. Driving
on steep hills or mountains
is different from
driving
in flat or rolling terrain.
P
I
I
I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine c
c
c
c
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.
0 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.
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.
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.
~
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.
I’ou could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
~~~~~ ~~ ~~~
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to 0
a
e
e
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and
transaxle, and you can chb 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
a

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine P
P
r
i
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have
good traction.
However, if there is snow
or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a
lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow
or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because
it may offer the
least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it’s about
freezing
(32°F; O*C) and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews
can
get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 road.
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.
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:
0 Turn on your hazard flashers.
4-28

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine r 1
F
1
1”
r
r
i
r
@ Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow.
@ Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators
from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor
mats
-- anything you can wrap around yourself or
tuck under your clothing
to keep warm.
A CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can
cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO
could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it, so you might not
know
it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that
is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to
be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side
of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This
will help
keep
CO out.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.