1996 CADILLAC SEVILLE steering

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Braking in Emergencies .
Us& ptxr 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.
Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.
MAGNASTEER (STS Only)
Your vehicle may be equipped with GM MAGNASTEER,
a system that continuously adjusts the effort you feel when
steering at
all vehicle speeds. It provides ease when
parking yet
a fm, solid feel at highway speeds.
Speed Sensitive Steering (SSS) (SLS Only)
This system varies the amount of steering effort
proportionate to your vehicle speed. Steering
is easier at
a lower speed for maneuvering and parking ease‘.
As
your vehicle speed increases, the steering effort also
increases.
At highway speeds, the amount of steering
effort is increased to provide manual-like steering for
maximum control and stability.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It’s important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here’s
why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The
traction
of the tires against the road surface makes it
possible for the vehicle to change its
path when you turn
the front wheels. If there’s no traction, inertia will keep
the vehicle going in the same direction.
If you’ve ever
tried
to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you’ll understand this.
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The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition
of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked and your speed. While you’re
in a curve, speed
is the one factor you can control.
Suppose you’re steering through a sharp curve. Then you
suddenly accelerate. Both control systems
-- steering and
acceleration
-- have to do their work where the tires meet
the road. Unless your traction control system is on, adding
the sudden acceleration can demand
too much of those
places. You can lose control.
What should you
do if this ever happens? Ease up on the
accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it
to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should
adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are
based on good weather and road conditions. Under less
favorable conditions you’ll want to
go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve,
while your front
wheels are straight ahead. Try to
adjust your speed
so you can “drive” through
the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be 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,
or a child darts out from between
parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can
avoid these problems 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 very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See “Braking in
Emergencies” earlier in this section.)
It is better to
remove as much speed as
you can from a possible
collision.
Then steer around the problem, to the left or
right depending on the space available.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine An emergency like this requires close attention and a
quick decision.
If you are holding the steering wheel at
the recommended
9 and 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 as quickly 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.
Off-Road Recovery
You may find sometime that your right wheels have
dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder. while
you’re driving.
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY
r// edge ot paved surtace
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should
be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then,
if there is nothing in the way, steer so
that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You
can
turn the steering wheel up, to one-quarter turn until the
right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then
tum your
steering wheel
to go straight down the roadway.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 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.)
0 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 lamps 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 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 easing your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid
only the acceleration skid.
If your traction control system is off. then an
acceleration skid is also 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. .. Y
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine c.
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.
Driving at Night
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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.
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Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle's stability
when you 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
0 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.
road.
If 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help
you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re
a good deal
longer, you’ll need
to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then,
to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back
up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Thrns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns
while trailering.
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When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky
or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~ A CAUTION:
A vehicle
can fa11 from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains
or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can
be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in
the front T-hook slots or
R-hooks inserted in the rear R-hook slots. Never
use J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain
and
suspension components. When
your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition key
turned to the
OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock
for this. The transaxle
should
be in NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake
released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the drive wheels
unless you must. If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed
and .distance
restrictions later
in this section or your transaxle will be
damaged. If these limitations
must be exceeded, then the
drive wheels have to be supported on
a dolly.