2003 CADILLAC DEVILLE ABS

Assist Handles
A handle above each door can be used when getting
out of your vehicle.
Garment Hooks
Your vehicle is equipped with ¯ip-out garment hooks.
They are located above the rear doors, behind the rear
assist handles. Return to the stowed position when
not in use.
Umbrella Holder
The driver's and passenger's front seat cushions are
equipped with an umbrella holder. Gently slide the
umbrella into the slot located under the front portion of
the driver's or passenger's seat cushion.
Floor Mats
Your vehicle is equipped with rubber-backed front and
rear ¯oor mats. Keep them clean by vacuuming and using
a spot cleaner, if necessary. Do not machine wash.
Rear Storage Area
Your vehicle is equipped with a rear seat armrest which
includes an open storage compartment and a dual
cupholder. To open, release the latch at the front edge.
Rear Storage Door Trim Armrest
Your vehicle may be equipped with a rear storage door
trim armrest. The storage area is located in the rear
door trim under the switch plate lid and includes
an accessory power outlet.
Convenience Net
Your vehicle may be equipped with a convenience net.
The convenience net attaches to the ¯oor of the
trunk. Put small loads, like grocery bags, behind the net.
The net is not for larger, heavier loads. Store them in the
trunk as far forward as you can. When not using the net,
hook the net to the tabs securing it to the sill plate.
2-53

To access the passenger compartment air ®lter, do the
following:
1. Use a tool to gently pry the cover up. (If your vehicle
has tabs that allow you to unlatch the cover with your
®ngers, you will not need a tool for this step.)2. Then, insert a tool behind the push pin located on
the inboard side of the air ®lter compartment to
carefully pry the pin out.
3-37

Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. 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
Anti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-48
.
Let's say the road is wet and you're driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. 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.
4-7

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
ªoverdrivingº those conditions. But skids are always
possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle'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 Stabilitrak
ž, you may see the STABILITY
SYS ENGAGED message on the Driver Information
Center. See ªStability Sys Engaged Messageº under
DIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-60.
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 Ð such as enough water, ice or packed snow
on the road to make a ªmirrored surfaceº Ð and slow
down when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
4-15

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal ¯asher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your dealer. The arrows on your instrument
panel will ¯ash whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
¯ash, telling other drivers you're about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will ¯ash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It's
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On long uphill grades, reduce speed to 45 to 50 mph
(70 to 90 km/h) and avoid prolonged use of SECOND (2)
gear and engine speeds above 3800 rpm.
Climbing grades steeper than four percent at
temperatures above 90É F (32É C) with a loaded vehicle
and trailer is not recommended. The cooling system
may temporarily overheat. See
Engine Overheating on
page 5-27.
Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here's
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but do not shift into
PARK (P).
2. Have someone place chocks behind the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then shift into PARK
(P) ®rmly and apply your parking brake.
5. Release the regular brakes.
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Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
location of engine air cleaner/®lter.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/®lter every 15, 000 miles
(25 000 km) and replace every 30, 000 miles
(50 000 km). If you are driving in dusty/dirty conditions,
inspect the ®lter at each oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/®lter, remove the ®lter from
the vehicle and lightly shake the ®lter to release
loose dust and dirt. If the ®lter remains caked with dirt, a
new ®lter is required.
To inspect or replace the ®lter, do the following:1. Loosen and remove both wing screws on the top of
the engine air cleaner/®lter cover.
2. Lift up the outboard side of the cover at an angle
while pulling toward you. This is necessary due to
the three tabs located on the rear of the cover.
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3. Remove the engine air cleaner/®lter element and
any loose debris that may be found in the air
cleaner base.
4. Replace the air ®lter element.
Follow these steps to reinstall the cover to the engine
air cleaner/®lter housing:
1. Align the three tabs located on the back of the
cover with the three slots on the back of the
housing.2. Push the cover slightly down and towards the
engine to engage the tabs in the slots and align the
two wing screws.
3. Engage and tighten the two wing screws on the top
of the engine air cleaner/®lter housing cover.
{CAUTION:
Operating the engine with the air cleaner/®lter
off can cause you or others to be burned. The
air cleaner not only cleans the air, it helps to
stop ¯ame if the engine back®res. If it isn't there
and the engine back®res, you could be burned.
Don't drive with it off, and be careful working on
the engine with the air cleaner/®lter off.
Notice:If the air cleaner/®lter is off, a back®re can
cause a damaging engine ®re. And, dirt can
easily get into your engine, which will damage it.
Always have the air cleaner/®lter in place when
you're driving.
5-20

Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses and circuit
breakers. This greatly reduces the chance of ®res
caused by electrical problems.
Look at the silver-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical
size and rating. If a fuse should blow, see your dealer
for service immediately.
If you ever have a problem on the road and don't have
a spare fuse, you can ªborrowº one that has the
same amperage. Pick some feature of your vehicle that
you can get along without ± like the radio or cigarette
lighter ± and use its fuse, if it is the correct amperage.
Replace it as soon as you can.
The fuses are located in two fuse blocks, one located in
the engine compartment on the passenger's side and
the other under the rear seat on the driver's side.
If a fuse should blow, have your vehicle serviced by
your dealer immediately.
Underhood Fuse Block
The underhood fuse block
is located next to the
engine on the passenger's
side of the vehicle. For
more information on
location, see
Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 5-12
.
To access the fuses, push in the two tabs located at
each end of the fuse block cover. Then lift the cover off.
Fuse 22 or 23 can be moved to the outer position to
enable the accessory power outlets or cigarette lighter
when the ignition is not on. See your dealer for
additional assistance, if needed.
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