2007 CADILLAC XLR brake

Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different
from driving in at or rolling terrain.If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that
can make your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check
all uid levels and also the brakes, tires,
cooling system, and transmission. These parts
can work hard on mountain roads.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, your brakes
could get so hot that they would not work
well. You would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let your engine assist
your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
347

{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes
will have to do all the work of slowing
down. They could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would then have
poor braking or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Always have your
engine running and your vehicle in gear
when you go downhill.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when
you go down a steep or long hill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift
down to a lower gear. The lower gears help
cool your engine and transmission, and you can
climb the hill better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide
or cut across the center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There
could be something in your lane, like a stalled
car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that
warn of special problems. Examples are long
grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling
rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert to these
and take appropriate action.
348

The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you have ABS,
you will want to begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System (ABS) on page 327.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
ne until you hit a spot that is covered with
ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches
may appear in shaded areas where the
sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of
trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the
surrounding roads are clear. If you see a
patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are on it. Try not to brake while you are
actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering
maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay
with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you
are near help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do to summon
help and keep yourself and your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police
that you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket
around you. If you do not have blankets or
extra clothing, make body insulators from
newspapers, burlap bags, rags, oor
mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to
keep warm.
351

Service........................................................ 363
Accessories and Modications................... 363
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 364
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 364
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle................................................... 365
Fuel............................................................. 365
Gasoline Octane........................................ 366
Gasoline Specications.............................. 366
California Fuel........................................... 367
Additives................................................... 367
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 368
Filling the Tank......................................... 369
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 371
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 372
Hood Release........................................... 373
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 374
Engine Oil................................................. 377
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 380
Supercharger Oil....................................... 382
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 382
Automatic Transmission Fluid.................... 384
Engine Coolant.......................................... 385
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap.............. 388Engine Overheating................................... 388
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode..................................... 390
Cooling System......................................... 391
Power Steering Fluid ................................. 396
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 397
Brakes...................................................... 399
Battery...................................................... 402
Jump Starting............................................ 403
Rear Axle.................................................... 407
Headlamp Aiming........................................ 408
Headlamp Vertical Aiming.......................... 410
Bulb Replacement....................................... 412
Windshield Replacement............................ 412
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 412
Tires............................................................ 413
Winter Tires (XLR-V) ................................. 414
Tire Sidewall Labeling............................... 415
Tire Terminology and Denitions............... 417
Run-Flat Tires........................................... 420
Ination - Tire Pressure............................. 422
Tire Pressure Monitor System................... 423
Tire Inspection and Rotation...................... 426
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
361

Service
Your dealer knows your vehicle best and wants
you to be happy with it. We hope you will go
to your dealer for all your service needs. You will
get genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
We hope you will want to keep your GM vehicle
all GM. Genuine GM parts have one of these
marks:
Accessories and Modications
When you add non-GM accessories to your vehicle
they can affect your vehicle’s performance and
safety, including such things as, airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems
like anti-lock brakes, traction control and
stability control. Some of these accessories may
even cause malfunction or damage not covered by
warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on your vehicle.
Your GM dealer can accessorize your vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories. When you go to
your GM dealer and ask for GM Accessories,
you will know that GM-trained and supported
service technicians will perform the work using
genuine GM Accessories.
363

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine
parts and start a re. These include
liquids like fuel, oil, coolant, brake uid,
windshield washer and other uids, and
plastic or rubber. You or others could be
burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
372

A. Battery. SeeBattery on page 402.
B. Passenger Compartment Air Filter. See
Passenger Compartment Air Filter on page 184.
C. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood
Fuse Block on page 455.
D. Power Steering Fluid. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 396.
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 382.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine
Oil” underEngine Oil on page 377.G. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 377.
H. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake
Fluid” underBrakes on page 399.
I. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.
SeeCoolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap on
page 388.
J. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
“Adding Washer Fluid” underWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 397.
375

A. Battery. SeeBattery on page 402.
B. Passenger Compartment Air Filter. See
Passenger Compartment Air Filter on page 184.
C. Underhood Fuse Block. SeeUnderhood
Fuse Block on page 455.
D. Power Steering Fluid. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 396.
E. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 382.
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When to Add Engine
Oil” underEngine Oil on page 377.
G. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil”
underEngine Oil on page 377.
H. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake
Fluid” underBrakes on page 399.
I. Engine Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap.
SeeCoolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap on
page 388.
J. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See
“Adding Washer Fluid” underWindshield
Washer Fluid on page 397.Engine Oil
If the LOW OIL LEVEL or LOW OIL PRESSURE
message on the Driver Information Center
(DIC) appears, it means you need to check the
engine oil level right away. For more information,
see LOW OIL LEVEL and LOW OIL PRESSURE
underDIC Warnings and Messages on page 206.
You should check the engine oil level regularly;
this is an added reminder.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine oil every time
you get fuel. In order to get an accurate reading,
the oil must be warm and the vehicle must be
on level ground.
The engine oil dipstick handle is a yellow loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 374
for the location of the engine oil dipstick.
1. Turn off the engine and give the oil several
minutes to drain back into the oil pan. If you
do not do this, the oil dipstick might not
show the actual level.
2. Pull out the dipstick and clean it with a paper
towel or cloth, then push it back in all the
way. Remove it again, keeping the tip down,
and check the level.
377