1994 CADILLAC ELDORADO brake

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
r
i .’
r
r
L
r
i
r I
Your vehicle has traction control system that limits wheel spin. This is
especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system operates only
if
it senses that one or both of the front wheels are spinning or- beginning to
lose traction. When .this happens, the system works the front brakes and
reduces engine power (by shutting
off fuel injectors) to limit wheel spin.
The “TRACTION ACTIVE” message will display on the Driver
Information Center when the traction control system is limiting wheel
spin. See “Driver Information Center Messages” in the Index. You may
feel the system working, or you may notice some noise, but this
is nomal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the traction control system begins
to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When
road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may
turn the cruise
control back on. (See “Cruise Control” in the Index.)
The “TRACTION DISABLED” message
will display on the Driver
Information Center
if there’s a problem with your traction control system.
See “D,river Information Center Messages” in the Index. When. this
message is displayed, the system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your
driving accordingly.
Braking in Emergencies
Use your anti-lock braking system when you need to. With anti-lock, you
can steer and brake at the same time. In many emergencies, steering can
help you more than even the very best braking.
179

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ‘I
r td
r
r
!
-
I- t>
Try to adjust your speed so you can ‘‘d&xCY through.thecurve. Maintain a
reasonable,. steady speed, Wait to .accelerate until you are out of the
curve,
and then accelerate-gently into the straightaway.
.. .:r 5.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering canbe more effective.than braking. For
example, you. come over a hill and, find a truck stopped
in your lane, .or a
car suddenly pulls. out from nowhere, ox a child darts out €rm betwe parked cars and stops right in front of
you. You can avoid these pxoblems
by braking.
-- if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can’t; there isn’t
room. That’s the time for evasive action
-- steering around the problem.
Your Cadillac can perform verywell
in. emergencies like these. First apply
your brakes. It
is better to remove as much speed as you can from a,
possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left orright
depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision. If
you. are holding the steering wheel’ at the recommended Pand-3’o’clock
positions, you can turn
it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing
either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just aslquickly
straighten the wheel once
you have avoided-:the object.
The fact that such emergency situations are always possible
is a.good
reason to practice defensive driving at all times. and wear safety belts
properly.
r c
181.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
Don’t overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the
brake lights are not flashing, it may be slowing down or starting to
turn.
If you’re being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get
ahead
of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right.
LOSS OF CONTROL
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens whe\
n the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t ha\
ve enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked.
In any emergency, don’t give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek
an escape route or area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid
most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by
not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond
to your Cadillac’s three control
systems. In the braking skid your wheels aren’t rolling.
In the steering or
cornering skid, too much speed or steering
in a curve causes tires to slip
and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and
quickly steer the way you want the vehicle
to go. If you start steering
quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced
when water, snow, ice, gravel, or other
material is on the road. For safety, you’ll want
to slow down .md adjust
your driving
to these conditions. It is important to slow dowr on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
184

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.
Try to avoid puddles. But if you can't, try to slow down before you hit
them.
-

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine HILL AND MOUNTMN ROADS
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or
rolling terrain.
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 a\
lso 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.
194

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the:roaa 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; 0 C) and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving
on wet ice untihalt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever the condition -=smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow
--
drive with caution.
If you have the traction control system, it will improve 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
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.
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. Oman otherwise clear road, ice patc\
hes 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.
198

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do
not attach rental hitches or other bumper-type hitches to them.\
-
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue
will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Follow
the manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety chains. Alwa\
ys
leave
just enough slack so you can turn with your rig. And, never allow
safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer brakes so you’ll -
be able to install, adjust and maintain them properly. L:
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting
out for the open road, you’ll want to get to know your rig. Acquaint
yourself with the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of
the trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is
now a good deal longer and not nearly
so responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This
lets you check your electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working.
204

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 km/h) or less to reduce the possibility of engine and transaxle
overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds (450 Kg) and you have an
automatic transaxle with Overdrive, you may want
to drive in “3” 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:
Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift into “P’, (Park).
Have someone place chocks-under the- trailer wheels.
When. the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until
the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. THen shift into “P7, (Park) firmly and
apply your parking brake.
Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave Afler 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.
L
c
206
i