Page 45 of 386

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine vehicle@).  Inflation is determined  by the  angle  of the  impact  and  the 
vehicle’s  deceleration,  of which  vehicle  damage  is  only one indication. 
Repair  cost is not  a  good indicator  of whether  an  air  bag should  have 
deployed. 2- 
_I What  makes  an  air bag inflate? 
In a  frontal  or near-frontal  impact  of sufficient severity,  sensors 
- strategically located  on  the  vehicle detect  that  the  vehicle is suddenly 
stopping  as a  result  of a crash.  These  sensors  complete  an  electrical 
circuit, triggering  a  chemical  reaction  of the  sodium  azide  sealed  in the 
inflator.  The reaction  produces  nitrogen  gas,  which inflates  a cloth bag. 
The  inflator,  cloth bag,  and  related  hardware  are all part  of the  air  bag 
inflator  modules  packed  inside the  steering  wheel and in the  instrument 
panel  in front 
of the  passenger. 
How does an air  bag restrain? 
In  moderate  to  severe  frontal  or  near-frontal  collisions, even belted 
occupants  can contact  the steering  wheel or  the  instrument  panel. The air 
bag  supplements  the protection  provided by safety belts.  Air bags 
distribute  the force  of the  impact  more evenly  over the occupant’s  upper 
body,  stopping  the occupant  more  gradually. But air bags  would  not 
provide  protection  in  many types of collisions, including rollovers  and 
rear  and  side impacts,  primarily  because  an  occupant’s motion is not 
toward  the air bag.  Air bags  should  never  be  regarded  as anything more 
and  near-frontal  collisions. 
What will you see after  an  air  bag inflation? 
__ than  a  supplement  to  safety belt protection  in moderate  to  severe  frontal 
After  the air  bag  has  inflated,  it will  then  quickly  deflate.  This  occurs 
so 
quickly that  some  people  may not even realize  that  the  air bag inflated. 
The  air bag  will 
not impede  the  driver’s  vision  or ability  to  steer  the 
vehicle,  nor will  it hinder  the  occupants  from  exiting the vehicle.  There 
will  be small  amounts  of smoke  coming  from  vents  in the  deflated  air 
bags.  Some  components  of the  air bag  module  in the  steering  wheel  hub 
may  be hot  for  a  short  time,  but  the portion  of the  bag  that  comes  into 
contact  with you  will  not  be  hot  to  the touch.  The nitrogen  gas used to 
inflate  the ‘air bag  will  have  vented  into  the passenger  compartment,  and 
the  bag  will be  deflated  within seconds  after  the  collision. Nitrogen  makes 
up  about 
80% of the  air we breathe  and  is not  hazardous. As the  nitrogen 
- 
-- for the  driver’s  air  bag or  the instrument  panel  for  the passenger’s bag 
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        Page 73 of 386
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION: 
Never do this. 
I 
Here  two children  are wearing  the  same  belt. The belt can’t 
properly  spread  the  impact  forces. In a crash,  the 
two children 
can  be crushed  together  and seriously  injured. 
A belt must  be 
used  by only  one person  at 
a time. 
Q: What if a child is wearing  a  lap-shoulder  belt, but  the  child is so 
small that  the  shoulder  belt is very  close  to  the child’s  face or neck? 
A: Move  the child toward  the  center of the vehicle,  but  be  sure  that  the 
shoulder  belt still is on  the  child’s  shoulder, 
so that in a crash  the 
child’s  upper body would  have the restraint  that belts provide. 
If the 
child  is so small  that  the  shoulder  belt is still  very  close to  the  child’s 
face 
or neck, you might  want to place the child  in  the  center  seat 
position,  the  one  that  has only  a lap  belt. 
59   
     
        
        Page 93 of 386
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine IGNITION KEY POSITIONS 
This lock  gives  you 
different  positions. five 
Before you put  the  key in, your ignition  will be in the  Lock position. This 
anti-theft  feature. 
- position  locks your ignition,  steering  wheel  and  transmission. It’s an 
The  other  positions let you  perform  these  functions: 
wipers  when the engine  is  off. 
To get into  “Acc”,  push in the  key  and  turn 
it  toward  you.  Your  steering wheel will remain  locked,  just  as it  was 
before  you inserted  the key. 
OFF: This  position  lets  you turn  off the  engine  but  still turn  the steering 
wheel.  It doesn’t  lock the steering  wheel like  “Lock.”  Use  “Off” 
if you 
car  is being  pushed). 
RUN This  is the  position  for driving. 
STARE This  starts  your engine. 
- ACC: Accessory  lets you  use things like  the radio  and  the  windshield 
- must have your car in  motion  while the engine is off (for  example, if your 
- 
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        Page 98 of 386

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION: 
It can  be dangerous  to get  out  of your  vehicle  if the  shift  lever is 
not  fully 
in “P” (Park)  with the  parking  brake  firmly set. Your 
vehicle  can roll. 
Don’t  leave  your vehicle  when  the engine  is running  unless 
you 
have to. If you have  left  the engine  running,  the  vehicle can 
move  suddenly.  You or  others  could  be injured. 
To be sure  your 
vehicle  won’t  move,  when  you’re  on fairly level  ground, 
always 
set your  parking  brake  and  move the  shift  lever to “P” (Park). 
See “Shifting  Into ’P’ (Park)” in the  Index. If you  are parking 
on 
a hill,  or if  you’re  pulling a  trailer,  also  see “Parking  on 
Hills’’  or “Towing  a Railer”  in the  Index. 
Ensure  the  shift lever  is  fully  in  “P” (Park)  range  before  starting the 
engine.  Your Cadillac has  a brake-transmission shift interlock.  You have 
to  fully  apply your regular brakes  before you can shift 
from “P” (Park) 
when  the ignition  key 
is in the  “Run”  position. If you cannot shift out of 
“P”  (Park),  ease  pressure  on  the shift lever 
-- push  the shift  lever  all  the 
way  into  “P”  (Park) as you  maintain  brake application.  Then move  the 
shift lever  into  the  gear  you  wish. See “Shifting  Out of 
‘P’ (Park)”  in this 
part. 
R  (Reverse) 
Use  this gear  to back  up. 
I 
ha 
1 UI 
r 
.i 
I 4 
84 
‘- I   
     
        
        Page 99 of 386

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine r To rock your vehicle  back  and  forth  to get out  of snow,  ice  or sand 
without damaging your transmission,  see 
“If You’re Stuck: In  Sand,  Mud, 
Ice 
or Snow”  in  the Index. 
N (Neutral) 
In  this position, your  engine doesn’t  connect  with the wheels. 
To 
restart  when you’re  already  moving,  use “N” (Neutral)  only.  Also,  use 
“N” when your  vehicle is being towed. 
A CAUTION: 
Shifting  out of “P” (Park) or “N”  (Neutral)  while your engine  is 
“racing”  (running  at  high speed)  is  dangerous.  Unless your foot 
is  firmly  on  the  brake  pedal, your vehicle  could  move  very 
rapidly.  You could  lose control  and  hit  people or objects.  Don’t 
shift  out of 
“P” (Park)  or “N” (Neutral)  while your engine  is 
racing. 
c 
c- 
r 
@ (Automatic Overdrive) 
This  position  is for  normal  driving. 
If you need  more  power for 
passing,  and you’re: 
- Going  less than  about 35 mph (60 kmih), push your  accelerator 
- Going  about 35 mph (60 km/h) or more,  push the accelerator  all 
You’ll  shift down  to  the  next gear  and  have more  power. 
pedal  about 
halfway down 
the  way  down. 
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        Page 100 of 386

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine D (Third  Gear) 
This  is like 
@, but  you  never  go into  Overdrive. 
Here  are  some times  you  might  choose 
“D” instead of “a”: 
- When driving  on hilly,  winding  roads 
- When towing  a trailer, so there  is  less  shifting between  gears 
- When going  down  a steep  hill 
2 (Second  Gear) 
P 
bl ia 
This position  gives  you more power  but lower fuel economy.  You can - 
use 2 on hills.  It can  help  control  your speed  as  you  go  down  steep 
mountain  roads,  but  then  you  would also want to use your  brakes 
off 
and on. 
cc 97 ,> 
NOTICE: 
Don’t  drive in “2” (Second  Gear)  for  more  than 5 miles (8 km), 
or  at speeds  over 55 mph (88 km/h), or you  can  damage  your 
transmission.  Use  “D” or  as much 
as possible. 
Don’t  shift  into 
“2” u  are going  slower  than 65 mph 
(105 km/h),  or you  can  damage  your engine. 
1 (First  Gear) 
I- 
This position  gives  you even more  power  (but lower  fuel economy) r 
than “2.” You can use  it on very steep  hills, or in deep snow or mud. If I 
the  selector  lever is put  in “1,” the transmission  won’t  shift into first 
gear  until  the vehicle  is  going  slowly  enough. 
- I, 
U 
-. 
L. 
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        Page 103 of 386
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If vou are on a hill: See “Parking on Hills” in  the  Index.  That section 
shows  how  to  turn your front  wheels. 
If  you  are towing  a  trailer  and  are  parking  on  any  hill: See “Towing  a 
Trailer” 
in the  Index.  That section  shows  what to do first  to  keep  the 
trailer  from  moving. 
SHIFTING  INTO “P” (PARK) 
I A CAUTION: 
It can  be dangerous  to  get out  of your  vehicle  if the  shift  lever is 
not  fully  in 
“P” (Park)  with the  parking  brake  firmly set. Your 
vehicle  can roll. 
If you  have  left the engine  running,  the  vehicle can move 
suddenly.  You or  others  could be injured.  To be sure  your  vehicle 
won’t  move,  when  you’re  on fairly  level ground,  use the  steps 
that  follow. 
If you are parking  on  a  hill, or if  you’re  pulling a 
trailer,  also  see “Parking  On  Hills”  or  “Towing a Trailer”  in  the 
~ Index. 
Steering Column Shift Lever 
1. Hold  the  brake  pedal down  with your right foot. 
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        Page 104 of 386
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Move the shift lever  into “P” (Park)  position like  this: 
0 Pull the lever 
toward  you. 
Move the lever 
up  as 
far as it 
will go. 
n 
W 
3. With your right  foot still holding  the brake  pedal  down, set the 
4. Move  the ignition  key to “Lock.” 
parking  brake. 
5. Remove  the key and take  it with you, If you can  walk  away from your 
vehicle 
with the  ignition  key  in your hand,  your vehicle is in “P7’ 
(Park). 
90