1997 CADILLAC DEVILLE lock

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Remember: Anti-lock doesn’t change the time you need
to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance.
If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you won’t have time to apply your brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop,
even though you have
anti-lock brakes.
Using
Anti-Lock
Don’t pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
and let anti-lock work for you. You may hear the
anti-lock pump or motor operate, and feel
the brake
pedal pulsate, but this is normal.
Traction Control System
Your vehicle has a 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 to limit wheel spin.
The TRACTION ENGAGED 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 or hear the
system working, but this
is normal. 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
reengage the cruise control. (See “Cruise Control” in the
Index.)
TRACTION CONTROL
This warning light will
come on to let you know if
there’s a problem with your
traction control system.
See “Traction Control System Warning Light”
in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel spin,
especially in slippery road conditions,
you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if
you ever need to. (You
should turn the system off
if your vehicle ever gets stuck
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine in sand, mud, ice or snow. See “Rocking Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
To turn the system off, press
the TRAC
OFF button
located inside
of the
glove box.
The TRACTION
OFF message will display on the DIC.
If the system is limiting wheel spin when you press
the button, the TRACTION
OFF message will
display
-- but the system won’t turn off right away.
It will wait until there’s no longer a current need to limit
wheel spin.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The TRACTION READY message
should display briefly on the Driver Information Center.
Braking in Emergencies
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”
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 firm, solid feel at
highway speeds.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
If you have the DeVille Concours, you may see the
STABILITY
SYS ENGAGED message on the Driver
Information Center. See “Stability Engaged Message’’ in
the Index.
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 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 road.
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.
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 0 Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you’ve been stopped by the snow.
0 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.
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see
it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time,to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hitches Safety Char I
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. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
It’s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here
are
some rules to follow:
e
e
e
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to
the bumper.
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more than
2,000 lbs. (900 kg), be sure to use a
properly mounted, weight-distributing hitch and sway control of the proper size. This equipment
is
very important for proper vehicle loading and good
handling when you’re driving.
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you install
a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch. If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide” in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
Trailer Brakes
Because you have anti-lock brakes, don’t try to tap into
your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system.
If you do, both
brake systems won’t work well,
or at all.
Be sure to read and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes
so you’ll be able to maintain them properly.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Front Towing
Tow Limits -- 35 mph (56 kph), 25 miles (40 km)
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