1995 CADILLAC ELDORADO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make
sure there
isn’t anothcr vehicle in your “blind” spot.
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 LEAVTNG 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.
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:
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WindshieEd Wusher Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
Wiper. Blades: Are they in good shape‘?
Fzd, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels?
Lnmnps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along your route?
0 Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Should you delay your
trip a short time
to avoid a major storm system?
HIGWAY HITNOSIS
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.
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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.
What can
you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can
happen.
Then here are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool
interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check
your rearview mirrors
and your instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area
and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness
on the highway as an emergency.
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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.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also 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.
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Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear.
The lower gears help cool your engine and transaxle, and you can
climb the hill better.
Stay in your
own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or
mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut across the center
of the road.
Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in
your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs
on mountains that warn of special
problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a
falling rocks area, or winding roads.
Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine WINTER DRIVTNG
Here are some tips for winter driving:
0 Have your
Cadillac in
good
shape for winter.
Be sure your
engine coolant mix
is correct.
You may want to
put winter
emergency
supplies in your
trunk.
Include an ice scraper,
a small brush or broom, a supply of windshield
washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel,
a
flashlight, a red cloth, and a couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if
you will be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a
piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be
sure you properly secure these items in your vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the road 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.
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What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold sn ow 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 until salt and sand crews can get there.
Whatever
the condition -- smooth ice, packed, blowing or loose snow --
drive with caution.
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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches 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.
You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a serious situation. You
should probably stay with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through
the snow. Here are some things to
do to summon help and keep yourself and your passengers safe: Turn on
your hazard flashers. Tie
a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow. Put on extra clothing
or wrap a blanket
around you.
If you have no blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor mats
-- anything you
can wrap around yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I
You can run the
engine to keep warm,
but be careful.
Run your engine only as long as
you must. This saves fuel. When you run
the engine, make it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it
keeps the battery charged. You
will need a well-charged battery to restart
the vehicle, and possibly
for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let
the heater run
for awhile.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all the way to
preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do it as little as possible.
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