2007 CADILLAC SRX brake

Magnetic Ride Control
Your vehicle may have Magnetic Ride Control
that automatically adjusts the ride of your vehicle.
Automatic ride control is achieved through a
computer used to control and monitor the
suspension system. The controller receives input
from various sensors to determine the proper
system response. If the controller detects a
problem within the system, the DIC will display a
SERVICE SUSPENSION SYS message. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 220
for more information. See your dealer for service.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Your vehicle may have this feature. A limited-slip
rear axle can give you additional traction on
snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It works like a
standard axle most of the time, but when one of
the rear wheels has no traction and the other does,
this feature will allow the wheel with traction to
move the vehicle.
StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle is equipped with a vehicle stability
enhancement system called StabiliTrak®.It
is an advanced computer controlled system that
assists you with directional control of the vehicle in
difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak
®activates when the computer senses
a discrepancy between your intended path
and the direction the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak
®selectively applies braking pressure
at any one of the vehicle’s brakes to help steer the
vehicle in the direction which you are steering.
When the stability control system activates,
the traction control system and StabiliTrak
®light
will ash on the instrument panel cluster. This also
occurs when traction control is activated. You
may also hear a noise or feel vibration in the brake
pedal. This is normal. Continue to steer the
vehicle in the direction you want it to go.
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If there is a problem detected with StabiliTrak®,a
SERVICE STABILITRAK message will be
displayed on the Driver Information Center. See
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 220. When
this message is displayed, the system is not
operational. Driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
StabiliTrak
®comes on automatically whenever you
start your vehicle. To help assist you with
directional control of the vehicle, you should
always leave the system on. You can turn
StabiliTrak
®off if you ever need to through the TC
(traction control) on/off button. A STABILITRAK
OFF message will appear in the DIC when it has
been turned off. SeeTraction Control System
(TCS) on page 281.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the
StabiliTrak
®activates, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, you may reengage
the cruise control. SeeCruise Control on
page 174for more information.
Panic Brake Assist
Your vehicle has a panic brake assist system that
monitors the intention of the driver while braking.
If the system senses that the driver has applied
hard/fast pressure to the brake pedal, the system
will generate additional pressure, making it
easier for the driver to maintain brake application.
When this happens the brake pedal will feel
easier to push. Just hold the brake pedal down
rmly and let the system work for you. You
may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice
some noise but this is normal. The brakes
will return to normal operation after the brake
pedal has been released.
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System
If your vehicle is equipped with this feature, engine
power is sent to all four wheels all the time. This
is like four-wheel drive, but it is fully automatic.
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Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
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.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 347.
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more
effective than braking. For example, you come
over a hill and nd 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 cannot; there is not room. That
is the time for evasive action — steering around
the problem.
Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies
like these. First, apply the brakes. SeeBraking
on page 278. 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.
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Check your vehicle’s mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and start your left lane change
signal before moving out of the right lane to
pass. When you are far enough ahead of
the passed vehicle to see its front in
your vehicle’s inside mirror, activate the right
lane change signal and move back into
the right lane. Remember that, if your vehicle’s
passenger side outside mirror is convex, the
vehicle you just passed may seem to be
farther away from you than it really is.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a
time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before
passing the next vehicle.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too
rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are
not ashing, it may be slowing down or starting
to turn.
If you are being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps
you can ease a little to the right.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or
area of less danger.
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
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
your wheels are not 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.
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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.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you will 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 reducing vehicle speed 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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Sound the horn as you approach the top of
the hill to let opposing traffic know you are
there.
Use your headlamps, even during the day.
They make you more visible to oncoming
traffic.
{CAUTION:
Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full
speed can cause an accident. There could
be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be seriously
injured or killed. As you near the top of a
hill, slow down and stay alert.
Q:What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is
about to stall, and I cannot make it up
the hill?
A:If this happens, there are some things you
should do, and there are some things you
must not do. First, here is what youshoulddo:
Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle
and keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply
the parking brake.
If your engine is still running, shift the
transmission to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in
REVERSE (R).
If your engine has stopped running, you will
need to restart it. With the brake pedal
pressed and the parking brake still applied,
shift the transmission to PARK (P) and restart
the engine. Then shift to REVERSE (R),
release the parking brake, and slowly back
down the hill as straight as possible in
REVERSE (R).
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As you are backing down the hill, put your left
hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock
position. This way you will be able to tell if your
wheels are straight and maneuver as you
back down. It is best that you back down the
hill with your wheels straight rather than in
the left or right direction. Turning the wheel too
far to the left or right will increase the
possibility of a rollover.
Here are some things youmust notdo if you stall,
or are about to stall, when going up a hill.
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting
into NEUTRAL (N) to rev-up the engine
and regain forward momentum. This will not
work. Your vehicle will roll backwards
very quickly and you could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop
the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake.
Shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking
brake, and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are about
to stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep
enough to cause you to roll over if you turn
around. If you cannot make it up the hill, you
must back straight down the hill.
Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide I just cannot do it. What
should I do?
A:Set the parking brake, put the transmission in
PARK (P), and turn off the engine. Leave the
vehicle and go get some help. Exit on the
uphill side and stay clear of the path the
vehicle would take if it rolled downhill.
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Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want
to consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a
hidden creek bank or even a river bottom
with large rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then
try to keep your vehicle headed straight down, and
use a low gear. This way, engine drag can help
the brakes and they will not have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle
under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the brakes lightly
when descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed under control.
Q:Are there some things I should not do
when driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because, if you
ignore them, you could lose control and have a
serious accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too
steep to drive down may be too steep to drive
across. You could roll over if you do not drive
straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free wheeling.”
The brakes will have to do all the work and
could overheat and fade.
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