Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine time and flash your brake lights (in addition to your turn signal) as extra
warning that you are about to slow down and exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
-.
U t I! 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. For example,
40 mph (65 h/h) might seem like only 20 mph c_?
(30 km/h). Obviously, this could lead to serious trouble on a ramp
designed for
20 mph (30 kmih)!
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DRIVTNG A LONG DISTANCE
Although most long trips today are made on freeways, there are still
many made on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and regular highways is the same in
some ways. The trip has
to be planned and the vehicle prepared, you
drive at higher-than-city speeds, and there are longer turns behind the
wheel. You’ll enjoy your trip more if you and your vehicle are in good
shape. Here are some tips for a successful long trip.
BEFORE LEAWNG ONA LONG TRlP
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.
.3
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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
7
willing to help if you need it. -1
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
0 Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels?
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 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
I
If you’re going uphill
on a one-way street
and you’re parking on
the left side, your
wheels should point to
the right.
If there is no curb
when you’re parking
uphill, turn the wheels
to the right.
Q
Q
If there is no curb when you’re parking uphill on the left side of a
one-way street, your wheels should be turned to the left.
Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your transmission into “P”
(Park) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too much force on the
parking pawl in the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the shift
lever out of “P” (Park). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque
lock, always be sure to shift into “P’, (Park) properly before you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, see “Shifting Into ‘P’ (Park)” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
- 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
(320F; OOC) 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 or loose snow --
- drive with caution. If your traction control system is disabled, accelerate
gently.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too fast
when your traction control system is disabled, the drive wheels will spin
and polish the surface under the tires even more.
Your traction control system improves your ability to accelerate
when
driving on a slippery road. Even though your vehicle has a traction
control system, you’ll want to slow down and adjust your driving to the
road conditions. See “Traction Control System” in the Index.
-
-
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a hard stop on a
want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-lock’’ in the Index.
7 slippery road. Even though you have the anti-lock braking system, you’ll
T Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
e 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
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine *_
safety and that of your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transmission, wheel
assemblies, and tires are forced to work harder against the drag
of the
added weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the trailer
adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.
All of that means changes in:
0 Handling
0 Durability
Fuel economy
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
0
0
0
0
0
0
There are many different laws having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but also where you’ll be
driving.
A good source for this information can be state or provincial
police.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer will weigh
2,000 pounds
(900 kg) or less. You should always use a sway control if your trailer
will
weigh more than 2,000 pounds (900 kg).
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles
(800 km) your new
vehicle is driven. Your engine, axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
1,000 miles (1600 km) that you tow a trailer, don’t
drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and don’t make starts at full throttle. This
helps your engine and other parts of your vehicle wear in at the heavier
loads. Avoid continuous operation
in mountainous areas that have
grades greater than
2% and are longer than 5 miles.
Change axle
oil annually or every 6,000 miles (9654 km) of trailer towing,
whichever comes first.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
1. Weight of the nailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? It should never weigh more than
2,000 pounds (907 kg). But, if you have the optional Trailer Towing
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine - Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations
- that require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
I_
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer, you’ll need to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
-
Backing Up
_- Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move that hand to the left.
To move the trailer to
the right, move your hand
to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
- possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do
this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
1urn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up, the
trailer lights will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn, -
- change lanes or stop.
213
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument panel will
flash for turns even
if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you
may think drivers behind you are seeing your signal when they are not.
It’s important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working. p__-_.
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your
brakes
so much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to around 45
mph (70 kmih) to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission
overheating.
19 1
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n 1, ia
and you have an automatic transmission with Overdrive, you may prefer
to drive in
“D” instead of Overdrive
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer attached, on a hill. -
If something goes wrong, your rig could start to move. People can be
injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged. <-
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into “P” (Park) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then shift into “P” (Park) firmly and
apply your parking brake.
5. Release the regular brakes.
the
chocks absorb the load.
When You Are Ready to Leave After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
0 Be sure the parking brake has released.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4.
Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
r .t
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