2007 CADILLAC XLR V wheel

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.
Off-Road Recovery
You may nd that your 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 your
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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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.
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.
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Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all inated to the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as highway
hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the
wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of
awareness, or whatever.
There is something about an easy stretch of road
with the same scenery, along with the hum of the
tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind against the vehicle that can makeyou sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does,
your vehicle can leave the road in less than a
second, and you could crash and be injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First,
be aware that it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with
a comfortably cool interior.
Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead
and to the sides. Check your rearview mirrors
and your instruments frequently.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest,
service, or parking area and take a nap, get
some exercise, or both. For safety, treat
drowsiness on the highway as an emergency.
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You will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with
your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window
almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start
the engine again and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as
little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as
you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you
will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or
others could be injured. And, the
transmission or other parts of the vehicle
can overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment re or other damage. When
you are stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Do not spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
Notice:Spinning the wheels can destroy parts
of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting
the transmission back and forth, you can
destroy the transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 435.
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Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels.
You should turn the traction control system
off. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 329. Then shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the
wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission
is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions, you will cause
a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If
that does not get your vehicle out after a few tries,
it may need to be towed out. If your vehicle
does need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 359.
Loading Your Vehicle
It is very important to know how much weight your
vehicle can carry. This weight is called the vehicle
capacity weight and includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all nonfactory-installed
options. Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry, the Tire and Loading
Information label and the Certication label.
{CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.
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{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can
strike and injure people in a sudden stop
or turn, or in a crash.
Put things in the rear area of your
vehicle. Try to spread the weight
evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like
suitcases, inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above the tops of
the seats.
Do not leave an unsecured child
restraint in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing
service if you need to have your disabled vehicle
towed. SeeRoadside Service on page 487.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle — such as behind
a motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as “dinghy
towing”, towing your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground, and “dolly towing”, towing your
vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”.
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed
with any of its wheels on the ground. If your
vehicle must be towed, see “Towing Your Vehicle”
earlier in this section.
Towing a Trailer
Your XLR is neither designed nor intended to tow
a trailer.
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When It Is Time for New Tires.................. 428
Buying New Tires...................................... 428
Different Size Tires and Wheels................ 430
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..................... 431
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance............ 432
Wheel Replacement.................................. 432
Tire Chains............................................... 435
Lifting Your Vehicle................................... 435
If a Tire Goes Flat.................................... 440
Appearance Care........................................ 441
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle.......... 441
Fabric/Carpet............................................. 443
Leather...................................................... 444
Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other
Plastic Surfaces..................................... 444
Wood Panels............................................. 445
Speaker Covers........................................ 445
Care of Safety Belts.................................. 445
Weatherstrips............................................ 445
Washing Your Vehicle............................... 446
Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses................ 446
Finish Care............................................... 447Windshield and Wiper Blades.................... 447
Aluminum or Chrome-Plated Wheels......... 448
Tires......................................................... 449
Sheet Metal Damage................................. 449
Finish Damage.......................................... 449
Underbody Maintenance............................ 449
Chemical Paint Spotting............................ 450
Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials............ 450
Vehicle Identication.................................. 451
Vehicle Identication Number (VIN)........... 451
Service Parts Identication Label............... 451
Electrical System........................................ 452
Add-On Electrical Equipment..................... 452
Windshield Wiper Fuses............................ 452
Power Windows and Other Power
Options.................................................. 452
Fuses and Circuit Breakers....................... 453
Instrument Panel Fuse Block..................... 453
Underhood Fuse Block.............................. 455
Capacities and Specications.................... 458
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
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Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that
make a high-pitched warning sound when the
brake pads are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound may come and go or be heard all
the time your vehicle is moving, except when you
are pushing on the brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon the brakes will not work well. That
could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your
vehicle serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out
brake pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause
a brake squeal when the brakes are rst applied or
lightly applied. This does not mean something is
wrong with your brakes.
Brake linings should always be replaced as
complete axle sets.
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return
to normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
Brake Adjustment
As you make brake stops, your disc brakes
automatically adjust for wear.
Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good
braking. Your vehicle was designed and tested with
top-quality GM brake parts. When you replace parts
of your braking system — for example, when your
brake linings wear down and you need new ones
put in — be sure you get new approved GM
replacement parts. If you do not, your brakes may
no longer work properly. For example, if someone
puts in brake linings that are wrong for your vehicle,
the balance between your front and rear brakes can
change — for the worse. The braking performance
you have come to expect can change in many other
ways if someone puts in the wrong replacement
brake parts.
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