2007 CADILLAC CTS V light

Remember: ABS does not 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 will not
have time to apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough
room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly 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 ABS, 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 (TCS)
(CTS)
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 rear wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this happens,
the system brakes the spinning wheel(s) and/or
reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
This warning light will
come on to let you
know if there is
a problem with your
traction control system.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) Warning Light
on page 206. When this warning light is on, the
system will not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
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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 or snow and
rocking the vehicle is required. Additionally,
turning the traction control system off on some
surfaces, such as deep snow and loose gravel,
will assist vehicle motion at lower speeds.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on
page 321for more information. See alsoWinter
Driving on page 316for information on using TCS
when driving in snowy or icy conditions.
You can turn the system
off by pressing the
TC (traction control)
button located in
the glove box.If you press the TC button once, the traction
control system will turn off and the traction control
system warning light will come on. Press the
TC button again to turn the system back on. If you
press and hold the TC button for ve seconds,
the StabiliTrak
®system will turn off. Press the
TC button again to turn StabiliTrak®back on.
For more information, seeStabiliTrak®System
on page 297.
You can program your steering wheel controls
and/or the buttons on the Base audio system to
turn the TCS on or off. SeeRecongurable
Steering Wheel Controls (SWC) (CTS) on
page 169and/or “Congurable Radio Display
Keys” underRadio with CD on page 260for
programming instructions.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 332for more information.
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Traction Control System (TCS)
(CTS-V)
Your vehicle has a Traction Control System (TCS)
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 rear wheels are
spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, the system brakes the spinning wheel(s)
and/or reduces engine power to limit wheel spin.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
This warning light will
come on to let you
know if there’s a
problem with your
traction control system.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) Warning Light
on page 206. 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 or snow and rocking
the vehicle is required. Additionally, turning the
traction control system off on some surfaces, such
as deep snow and loose gravel, will assist vehicle
motion at lower speeds. SeeRocking Your Vehicle
to Get It Out on page 321andIf Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 320for
more information. See alsoWinter Driving on
page 316for information on using TCS when
driving in snowy or icy conditions.
You can turn the system
off by pressing the
TC (traction control)
button located on
the steering wheel.
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If you press the TC button once, the traction
control system will turn off and the TCS warning
light will come on. If you press the TC button again
within ve seconds, the traction control system
will remain off, the warning light will stay on, and
the stability system will enter Competitive
Driving Mode. Competitive Driving will be displayed
on the Driver Information Center (DIC). See
Competitive Driving Mode (CTS-V) on page 296
and “Driver Information Center (DIC)” in the
Navigation Supplement for more information.
Press the TC button again to turn the system back
on. If you press and hold the TC button for
ve seconds, the StabiliTrak
®and Traction Control
systems will turn off. Press the TC button again
to turn StabiliTrak
®and Traction Control back on.
For more information, seeStabiliTrak®System
on page 297.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 332for more information.
Competitive Driving Mode (CTS-V)
The driver can select this optional handling
mode by pressing the Traction Control (TC) button
on the steering wheel twice within ve seconds.
COMPETITIVE DRIVING will be displayed in
the DIC. Competitive driving mode allows
the driver to have control of the power applied to
the rear wheels, while the StabiliTrak
®system
helps steer the vehicle by selective brake
application. In competitive mode, the levels at
which StabiliTrak
®is engaged have been modied
to better suit a performance driving environment.
When the traction control warning light is on,
the Traction Control System will not be operating.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
When you press the TC button again, or turn
the ignition to ACCESSORY, the TCS will
be on. The traction engaged symbol will be
displayed temporarily in the DIC and a chime
will be heard.
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Off-Road Recovery
You may nd that your vehicle’s right wheels have
dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder
while you are driving.
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 turn the steering
wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple
maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a
two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move,
since the passing vehicle occupies the same
lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief
surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly
put the passing driver face to face with the worst
of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision.
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Driving at Night
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.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need
to slow down and keep more space between
you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a
20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the
day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear
sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble
adjusting to night. But if you are driving, do not
wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlamps, but they also make a
lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or
even several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust
to the dark. When you are faced with severe glare,
as from a driver who does not lower the high
beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps,
slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into
the approaching headlamps.
305

Keep the windshield and all the glass on your
vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is
made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even
the inside of the glass can build up a lm caused
by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and
ash more than clean glass would, making the
pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of
a roadway when you are in a turn or curve.
Keep your eyes moving; that way, it is easier to
pick out dimly lighted objects. Just as the
headlamps should be checked regularly for proper
aim, so should your eyes be examined regularly.
Some drivers suffer from night blindness — the
inability to see in dim light — and are not even
aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble.
On a wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn
as well because your tire-to-road traction is not as
good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have
much tread left, you will get even less traction.
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It is always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain
starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reexes are tuned for
driving on dry pavement.
The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see.
Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see
road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings,
the edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your windshield wiping equipment
in good shape and keep your windshield washer
uid reservoir lled with washer uid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs
of streaking or missing areas on the windshield,
or when strips of rubber start to separate from
the inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They
may not work as well in a quick stop and
may cause pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car wash, apply the brake pedal
lightly until the brakes work normally.
Driving too fast through large water puddles or
even going through some car washes can
cause problems, too. The water may affect your
brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot,
try to slow down before you hit them.
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