Page 205 of 398

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Just as your headlights should be checked regularly for proper aim, so
should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and aren’t even aware of it.
DRn/lNG IN THE RAIN
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road you can’t
stop, accelerate or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction isn’t as
good
as on dry roads. And, if your tires don’t have much tread left, you’ll
get even less traction.
It’s always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you
are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your windshield wiper
blades are
in good shape, a heavy rain can makc it harder to see road
signs and traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge
of the road, and
even people walking. Road spray can often be worse for vision than rain,
especially
if it comes from a dirty road.
So it is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your
windshield washer tank filled. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield,
or
when strips of rubber start to separate from the inserts.
191
Page 206 of 398

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
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,
apyiX7 your brake pedal lightly until yol’p brakes work normally.
Hydroplaning
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.
You might not be aware
of hydroplaning. You could drive along for some
time without realizing your tires aren’t
in constant contact with the road.
192
Page 207 of 398

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine You could find out the hard way: when you have to slow, turn, move out
to pass
-- or if you get hit by a gust of wind. You could suddenly find
yourself out
of control.
Hydroplaning doesn’t happen often. But it can
if your tires haven’t 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, and be careful.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
0
0
0
0
0
Turn on your headlights -- not just your parking lights -- to help make
you more visible to others.
Look
for hard-to-see vehicles coming from behind. You may want to
use your headlights even in daytime
if it’s raining hard.
Besides slowing down, 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.
If the road spray is so heavy you are actually blinded, drop
back. Don’t pass until conditions improve. Going more slowly is better
than having an accident.
Use your defogger if it helps.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
193
Page 214 of 398

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0
0
0
0
Lights: 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?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
ON THE ROAD
Unless you are the only driver, it is good to share the driving task with
others. Limit turns behind the wheel
to about 100 miles (160 km) or two
hours at a sitting. Then, either change drivers or stop for some
refreshment like
coffee, tea or soft drinks and some limbering up. But do
stop and move around. Eat lightly along the way. Heavier meals tend to
make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided multilane highways that do not have
controlled access, you’ll want
to watch for some situations not usually
found on freeways. Examples are: stop signs and signals, shopping centers
with direct access to the highway,
no passing zones and school zones,
vehicles turning left and right
off the road, pedestrians, cyclists, parked
vehicles, and even animals.
HIGWAY mPlVOSIS
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
What
can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen. and
you could crash and be injured.
200
Page 216 of 398

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.
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. Don’t make your brakes
do it all. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill.
That way, you
will slow down without excessive use of your brakes.
<
A CAUTION: .r S<*.
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 stef downhil’ lope.
- - i. .*$
Coasting downhill in “N” (Neutral) 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
could crash. Always have your engine running and your vehicle
in gear when you
go downhill.
0 Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine and transaxle, 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. That way, you won’t
be surprised by a vehicle coming toward
you in the same lane.
202
Page 218 of 398
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Another part of this manual tells how to use your parking brake (see
“Parking Brake” in the Index). But
on a mountain or steep hill, you can
do one more thing. You can turn your front wheels to keep your vehicle
from rolling downhill or out into traffic.
Here’s how:
Parking Downhill
I
Turn your wheels to
the right.
You don’t have to jam
your tires against the
curb,
if there is a curb.
A gentle contact is all
you need.
Parking Uphill
If there is a curb, turn
your wheels to the left
if the curb is at the
right side
of your
vehicle.
204
Page 220 of 398
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If “torque lock” does occur, you may need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some
of the pressure from the transaxle, so
you can pull the shift lever out of “P” (Park).
WINTER DRZVTNG
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your Cadillac in good shape for winter. Be sure your engine
0 Snow tires can help in loose snow, but they may give you less traction
on ice than regular tires.
If you do not expect to be driving in deep
snow, but may have to travel over ice, you may not want
to switch to
snow tires at all.
coolant
mix is correct.
0 You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your trunk.
Page 221 of 398
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine h
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.
Driving on Snow or Ice
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.
207