1999 CADILLAC DEVILLE brakes

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2-71 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
Digital Cluster Analog Cluster
With the anti
-lock brake system, the light(s) will come
on when you start your engine and may stay on for
several seconds. That's normal.If the light stays on, turn the ignition to 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 vehicle 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 ªBrake System
Warning Lightº earlier in this section.
The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.

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2-83
BATTERY VOLTAGE HIGH - 8: This message
shows that the electrical charging system is
overcharging (more than 16 volts). To avoid being
stranded, have the electrical system checked by your
dealership. You can reduce the charging overload by
using the accessories. Turn on the lamps and radio, set
the climate control on AUTO and the fan speed on HI,
and turn the rear window defogger on. You can
monitor battery voltage on the DIC by pressing
the INFORMATION SKIP (SKIP INFO) button.
The normal range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts when the engine
is running.
BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW
- 6: This message will
appear when the electrical system is charging less than
10 volts or if the battery has been drained. If this
message appears immediately after starting, it is possible
that the generator can still recharge the battery. The
battery should recharge and may take a few hours to do
so. Consider using an auxiliary charger to boost the
battery after returning home or to a final destination. (Be
sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions when
recharging the battery.)If this message appears while driving or after starting
your vehicle and stays on, have it checked immediately
to determine the cause of this problem. To help the
generator recharge the battery quickly, you can reduce
the load on the electrical system by turning off the
accessories. You can monitor battery voltage on the DIC
by pressing the INFORMATION SKIP (SKIP INFO)
button. The normal range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
BRAKE VACUUM PROBLEM
-108: The circuit in
the brake booster vacuum has shorted or is loose when
this message appears. Your vehicle may lose power
brakes but you will still have the use of manual brakes.
The power brakes will not be affected if the problem is
caused by a failed sensor. Have your vehicle serviced
immediately at your dealership.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL
- 82: This means that the life
of the engine oil has expired and it should be changed
within 200 miles (322 km). See ªEngine Oilº and ªFilter
Recommendationsº in the Maintenance Schedule
booklet. After an oil change, the Oil Life Indicator must
be reset. For more information, see ªOil Life Indicator,
How to Resetº in the Index.

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2-89
TRACTION ENGAGED - 91 : When your traction
control system is limiting wheel spin, the TRACTION
ENGAGED message will be displayed. Slippery road
conditions may exist if this message is displayed, so
adjust your driving accordingly. This message will stay
on for a few seconds after the traction control system
stops limiting wheel spin.
TRACTION OFF
- 89: This message will be displayed
after the traction control has been turned off.
TRACTION READY
- 90: This message informs the
driver that the traction control system is available. This
occurs when the traction on/off button in the glove box
has been returned to an on position (pressing the button
once turns the traction control system off: pressing the
button again turns the system back on). This message
also self
-cancels after five seconds.
TRACTION SUSPENDED
- 56: This message
displays when the traction control system has been
temporarily shut off because your vehicle's brakes have
overheated. This message does not indicate a problem
with your vehicle's traction control system. After a
few minutes, the traction control system will be
available again and the TRACTION READY
message will appear.TRANS FLUID RESET
- 48: With the engine not
running and the ignition on, press and hold the OFF
and rear defog buttons until the TRANS FLUID
RESET message appears on the DIC (between five
and 20 seconds).
TRANS HOT IDLE ENG
- 112: This messages
indicates that the transaxle fluid in your vehicle is too
hot. Stop and allow your vehicle to idle until it cools
down or until this message is removed.
TRUNK OPEN
- 24: This message indicates that the
trunk is open when your vehicle's ignition is in RUN.
TURN SIGNAL ON
- 20: This message is a reminder,
after driving about 1 mile (1.6 km/h), that you have the
turn signal on. A multiple chime will also sound when
this message is displayed.
VEHICLE OVERSPEED
- 52: A failure in the
suspension control system has occurred when this
message appears. The PCM determines the speed your
vehicle is limited to. Have your vehicle serviced if this
message appears.
VEHICLE SPEED LIMITED TO XXX MPH
(KM/H)
- 113: A failure in the suspension control system
has occurred when this message appears. The PCM
determines the speed your vehicle is limited to. Have your
vehicle serviced if this message appears. The XXX will
indicate the speed your vehicle will be limited to.

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4-6
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work
at the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you're driving on snow or ice, it's
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control
of your vehicle.
Braking
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That's perception time. Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That's reaction time.
Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But
that's only an average. It might be less with one driver
and as long as two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination
and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and
frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle
moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m).
That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and others
is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road (whether it's pavement or
gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire
tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the
vehicle and the amount of brake force applied.

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4-7
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following
distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary
braking. That means better braking and longer
brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti
-lock brake system will check itself. You may
hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on, and you may even notice that your brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there's a problem with the
anti
-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in
the Index.

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4-8
Here's how anti-lock works. Let's say the road is wet.
You're driving safely. Suddenly an animal jumps out in
front of you.
You slam on the brakes. Here's what happens with ABS.
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one
of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will
separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at
both rear wheels.The anti
-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and
road conditions.
You can steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.

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4-9
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
firmly 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 ªDriver Information
Center Messagesº 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 ªCruise Controlº in
the Index.)
This warning light will
come on to let you know if
there's a problem with your
traction control system.
See ªTraction Control System Warning Lightº 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
in sand, mud, ice or snow. See ªRocking Your Vehicleº
in the Index.)

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4-11
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. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much of those places. You can lose control. Refer to
ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index.
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.
If you have Stabilitrak

, you may see the STABILITY
ENGAGED message on the Driver Information Center.
See ªStability Engaged Messageº in the Index.
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 ªdriveº 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 vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like
these. First apply your brakes. (See ªBraking in
Emergenciesº 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.