1993 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD tires

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 braking system
(ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid. Steer the way you want to go.
DRMNG 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. --
I_ Here are some tips on night driving.
0 Drive defensively. Remember, this is the most dangerous time.
0 Don’t drink and drive. (See “Drunken Driving” in the Index for more
on this problem.)

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine DMNG IN THE MN
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 yc.u II
are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reflexes are
tuned for driving on dry pavement.
n
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your windshield wiper
blades are in good shape, a heavy rain can make 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some
car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes.
them.
--- Try to avoid puddles. But if you can’t, try to slow down before you hit
-I
I A CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won’t work well in a quick
I stop and may cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
I After driving through a large puddle of water or a car wash,
apply your brake pedal lightly until your 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.
_I
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.
189

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
Turn on your headlights -- not just your parlung lights -- to help make
you more visible to others.
0 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. I
L1
I
Use your defogger if it helps.
0 Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
-
Y
190 I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine - Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
0 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
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.
- others. Limit turns behind the wheel to about 100 miles (160 km) or two
- ._
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 HYPNOSIS
c_
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.
happen.
__
- What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can work
hard on mountain roads.
0 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.
I_ I
I
I A CAUTION:
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 steep downhill slope.
I
A CAUTION:
- 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.
I
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can
e.-- 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.

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
Parking Uphill
t -I
d
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.
If there is a curb, turn
your wheels to the left
if the curb is at the
right side of your
vehicle.
201

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine r
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 transmission, so
you can pull the shift lever out of “P” (Park).
WINTER DRWTNG
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your Cadillac in good shape for winter. Be sure your engine
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.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your trunk.
203