1995 CADILLAC ELDORADO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine LOSS OF CONTROL
Let’s review what driving experts say about what happens when the three
control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) don’t have 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 casing your foot off the accelerator
pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid only the acceleration
skid.
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 and adjust your
driving to these conditions.
It is important to slow down on slippery 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 brake system (ABS) helps avoid only the
braking skid.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 3RIWNG 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.
Drive defensively.
Don’t drink and drive.
Adjust
your inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps
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 headlamps can
light up only
so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you’re tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older
these differences increase.
A SO-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
headlamps, 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 headlamps), 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 headlamps light up
far less of a roadway when you
are
in a turn or curve. Keep your cyes moving; that way, it’s easier to pick
out dimly lighted objects. Just as your headlamps 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine DMNG IN THE RAIN
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 you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when
your reflexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
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.
It’s 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.
Try to avoid puddles. But if you can't, try to slow down before you hit
them.
I A CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They won't work well in a quick
stop and may cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through
a large puddle of water or a car wash,
apply your brake pedal lightly until your brakes work normally.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
Turn on your low-beam headlamps -- not just your parking lamps -- to
help make you more visible to others.
0 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.
0 Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See “Tires” in the Index.)
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on
them. You’ll want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and
pay attention
to traffic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety
in city driving:
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Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and
plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross-country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next part, “Freeway Driving.”)
Treat a green light
as a warning signal. A traffic light is there because
the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just
before you start to tnove, check both ways €or vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the red light.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine c
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways, parkways, expressways,
turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest
of all roads. But they have
their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and
keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most
of the other drivers are
driving. Too-fast
or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat
the left lane
on a freeway as a passing lane.
At the entrance there is usually
a ramp that leads to the freeway. If you
have a clear view
of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you
should begin to check traffic.
Try to determine where you expect to blend
with the
flow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed.
Switch
on your turn signal, check your mirrors and glance over your
shoulder as often as necessary.
Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Once
you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or
to the prevailing rate if it's slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want
to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use your turn signal.
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