2002 CADILLAC ELDORADO steering

2-86
STABILITY ENGAGED - 55: You may see
the STABILITY ENGAGED message on the
Driver Information Center. It means that an advanced,
computer
-controlled system has come on to help
your vehicle continue to go in the direction in which
you're steering. This stability enhancement system
activates when the computer senses that your vehicle is
just starting to spin, as it might if you hit a patch of ice
or other slippery spot on the road. When the system is
on, you may hear a noise or feel a vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal.
When the STABILITY ENGAGED message is on,
you should continue to steer in the direction you want
to go. The system is designed to help you in bad
weather or other difficult driving situations by making
the most of whatever road conditions will permit. If the
STABILITY ENGAGED message comes on, you'll
know that something has caused your vehicle to start to
spin, so you should consider slowing down.STARTING DISABLED REMOVE KEY
- 33: This
message will appear when the PASS
-Key
II system
senses that an improper ignition key is being used to try
to start the vehicle. Check the ignition key for damage.
If it is damaged, it may need to be replaced. If you see
no damage, clean the pellet contacts with a soft cloth or
napkin. Remove the ignition key and wait for the DIC
to display WAIT 3 MINUTES. The instrument panel
cluster will then run a timer and change the messages
to WAIT 2 MINUTES, WAIT 1 MINUTE and then
START CAR. When the START CAR message is
displayed, try again to start the engine.
THEFT SYSTEM PROBLEM, CAR MAY NOT
RESTART
- 34: This message means there is a problem
in the PASS
-Key
II system. A fault has been detected
in the system which means that the PASS
-Key
II
system is disabled and is not protecting the vehicle.
The vehicle usually restarts, however, you may want to
take your vehicle to a proper service center before
turning off the engine.

3-
3-1
Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you'll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your vehicle.
Be sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3
-2 Comfort Controls
3
-2 Climate Control Panel
3
-6 Electronic Solar Sensor
3
-7 Air Conditioning
3
-7 Heating
3
-7 Defogging and Defrosting
3
-8 Rear Window Defogger
3
-8 Ventilation System
3
-10 HVAC Steering Wheel Controls
3
-10 Climate Control Personalization (If Equipped)
3
-10 Audio Systems
3
-10 Setting the Clock
3
-11 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player
3
-15 CD Adapter Kits
3
-16 AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape and
Compact Disc Player with Radio Data
Systems (RDS) and Digital Signal
Processing (DPS) (If Equipped)3
-26 Radio Data Systems (RDS) Program
Type (PTY) Selections
3
-27 Trunk Mounted CD Changer (Option)
3
-31 Radio Personalization with Home and
Away Feature (If Equipped)
3
-31 Theft-Deterrent Feature
3
-32 Audio Steering Wheel Controls
3
-32 Understanding Radio Reception
3
-33 Tips About Your Audio System
3
-34 Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
3
-35 Care of Your Compact Discs
3
-35 Care of Your Compact Disc Player
3
-36 Power Antenna Mast Care

3-10 HVAC Steering Wheel Controls
Some heating and cooling
controls can be adjusted at
the steering wheel. Other
touch controls operate some
audio controls. See ªAudio
Steering Wheel Controlsº
in the Index.
(Fan): Press the up arrow lever to increase the fan
speed and the down arrow lever to decrease fan speed.
TEMP: Press the up arrow lever to increase
the temperature and the down arrow lever to
decrease temperature.
Climate Control Personalization (If Equipped)
This feature allows both drivers (driver 1 or 2 depending
on the number on the back of your remote keyless entry
transmitter) to personalize their own climate control
settings. For more information, see ªMemory and
Personalization Featuresº in the Index.
Audio Systems
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and give years of listening pleasure. You will get the
most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it
first. Find out what your audio system can do and how
to operate all of its controls to be sure you're getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, you can play your audio
system even after the ignition is turned off.
See ªRetained Accessory Powerº in the Index.
Setting the Clock
Press and hold HR or MN until the time display begins
to change. Release the button as you get close to the
correct time. The time may be set anytime the clock is
displayed. There is a two
-second delay before the clock
goes into time
-set mode.

3-32 Audio Steering Wheel Controls
Some audio controls can be adjusted at the steering
wheel. They include the following:
VOLUME : Push the
lever up or down to increase
or decrease volume.
SELECT: When listening to the radio, push the lever
up or down to tune to the next or previous preset radio
station. (If your vehicle is equipped with the AM
-FM
Stereo with Cassette Tape Player, factory presets which
have not been reprogrammed with your stations will be
ignored). When listening to a cassette tape, the SELECT
lever can be used to SEEK forward and rearward
through the tape. Pressing the SELECT lever when
listening to a CD will cause the player to go to the next
or previous track. When in Radio Data Systems (RDS) Program Type
(PTY) mode, the SELECT lever can be used to perform
a PTY preset seek. PSEEK will appear on the display
while the PTY preset seek is performed. The radio will
seek all of the PTYs stored in presets, except for the
PTY Any.
Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km).
Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals,
causing the sound to come and go.
Weather Band (If Equipped)
Weather band is restricted to speech and the audio
quality is not as good as with the AM or FM bands.
Depending on location, the radio should receive
one or two channels.

4-
4-1
Section 4 Your Driving and the Road
Here you'll find information about driving on different kinds of roads and in varying weather conditions. We've also
included many other useful tips on driving.
4
-2 Defensive Driving
4
-3 Drunken Driving
4
-6 Control of a Vehicle
4
-6 Braking
4
-9 Traction Control System
4
-11 Steering
4
-13 Off-Road Recovery
4
-13 Passing
4
-15 Loss of Control
4
-16 Driving at Night4
-18 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
4
-21 City Driving
4
-22 Freeway Driving
4
-23 Before Leaving on a Long Trip
4
-24 Highway Hypnosis
4
-24 Hill and Mountain Roads
4
-26 Winter Driving
4
-30 Recreational Vehicle Towing
4
-32 Loading Your Vehicle
4
-34 Towing a Trailer

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. Also see ªTraction Control Systemº
in the Index.
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.

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.
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.
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.

4-11
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.
Magnetic Speed Variable Assist Steering
This system 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.
Steering Tips
Driving on Curves
It's important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the ªdriver lost controlº 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.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
SYS ENGAGED message on the Driver Information
Center. See ªStability Sys 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.