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WMING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS
This section describes the warning lights that are on your vehicle. The
pictures will help you locate them.
Warning lights can signal that something is wrong before it bec0me.s
serious enough to cause an expensive repair or replacement. Paying
attention to your warning lights could also save you or others from injury.
Warning lights go on when there may be or is a problem with one
of your
vehicle’s functions.
As you will see in the details on the next few pages,
some warning lights come on briefly when you turn the ignition key just to
let you know they’re working.
If you are familiar with this section, you
should not be alarmed when this happens.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on when you are
driving, check the section that tells you what to do about it. Please follow
the manual’s advice. Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights. They’re a big help.
Brake System Warning Light
Your Cadillac’s hydraulic brake system is divided into two parts. If one
part isn’t working, the other part can still work and stop you. For good
braking, though, you need both parts working well.
If the warning light
comes on, there could
be a brake problem.
Have your brake
system inspected right
away.
This light should come on as you start the vehicle.
If it doesn’t come on
then, have it fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
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If the light stays on, turn the ignition off. Or, if the light comes on when
you’re driving, stop as soon as possible and turn the ignition off. Then
start the engine again to reset the system. If the light still stays on, or
comes on again while you’re driving, your Cadillac needs service.
If the
regular brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have brakes, but you
don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the regular brake system warning light is
also on,
you don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with your
regular brakes. See “Brake System Warning Light” earlier
in this part.
The anti-lock brake system warning light may also come on when you are
driving with
a compact spare tire. If this happens, the light means you
won’t have anti-lock until you replace the compact spare with a full-size
tire. If the warning light stays
on after you replace the compact spare with
a full-size tire, or if it comes on again when you’re driving, your Cadillac
needs service.
Traction Control System Lights
Traction Engaged
This light will go on as
a bulb check when you
start your engine. It
will also come on when
the traction control
system is active.
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Traction Disabled
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TRACTION
CONTROL
This light will come on
when you first start
your vehicle or when
you turn
off the system.
If it ever comes
on and
stays
on, it means that
your traction control
system
is not working,
and you should have it
serviced as soon as
possible.
These lights are deleted on Coach Builder limousines and funeral coach
packages.
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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you’re
awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces
your area
of vision, especially if you’re following a larger vehicle. Also,
you won’t have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or
stops. Keep b.ack a reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start to accelerate
but stay in the right lane and don’t get too close. Time your move
so
you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other
lane. If the- way is clear to pass, you will have a “running start” that
more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back.
And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need
only slow down and drop back.again and wait for another opportunity.
take care thatsomeone isn’t trying
to pass you as you pull out to pass
the slow vehicle. Remember to.glance over your shoulder and check
the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and start your left lane
change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you
are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal. and move back
into the right lane. (Remember that your. right outside mirror is
convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from
you than it really is.)
If other cars are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads.
Reconsider before passing the next vehicle.
0 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.
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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.
DRZWNG 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.
Here are some tips on night driving.
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Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlights
behind you.
Since you can’t see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more
space between you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your headlights can light
up only
so much road ahead.
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0 In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older
these differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice
as much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For
example, if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear
sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if
you’re driving, don’t wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlights, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching lights. It can take a
second or
two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the
dark. When you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who doesn’t
lower the high beams,
or a vehicle with misaimed headlights), slow down
a little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching lights.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean
-- inside and
out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the
inside
of the glass can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would, making the pupils
of
your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlights light up far less
of a roadway when you
are in
a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick
out dimly lighted objects. 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.
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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.
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.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
0 Turn on your low-beam headlights -- not just your parking lights -- to
help make you more visible to others.
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.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
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Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a
reasonable following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in
advance.
If you miss your exit do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
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.
BEFORE LEAWNG ONA LONG TMP
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.
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
willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, EnEine Oil. Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels?
Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
inside
and outside?
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?
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