Owner's Manual Cadillac BLS - IFS Europe BV

460_OM_MY09.book Page 146 Wednesday, April 2, 2008 10:32 AM
146 Starting and driving
Braking
It is good practice to try your brakes periodically
while driving. This is particularly
important when driving in heavy rain, on
roads with a lot of surface water, in snow or
in salty slush. In such conditions a slight
delay in the braking effect may be noticed.
To minimise this delay, dry the brakes by
applying them lightly now and again. This
should also be done after the car has been
washed, and in extremely damp weather.
To avoid the brakes becoming overheated,
such as when negotiating long descents
with a drop of several hundred metres,
select a low gear to utilise the braking effect
of the engine. If the car has automatic transmission,
select 1st or 2nd gear.
You can help to prolong the life of the brakes
by thinking ahead and braking harder over
short periods, rather than braking more
moderately over long stretches.
WARNING
The brake pressure required when the
engine is off, such as when the car is on
tow, is roughly four times the normal
pedal force required. The pedal will feel
hard and unresponsive. The steering will
also be very heavy.
We advise against using wheels with
large ventilation slots in winter, as the
brake components are then more
exposed to slush, road salt and grit.
Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
ABS brakes
WARNING
No ABS system can set aside the laws of
physics. The additional safety afforded by
the system is not designed to allow
drivers to drive faster but to make normal
driving safer.
In order to achieve as short a stopping
distance as possible with better handling
on dry, wet and slippery road surfaces,
depress the brake pedal with full force,
declutch and if necessary steer to
safety.
The Antilock Braking System (ABS) modulates
the brake pressure to each wheel. The
pressure is automatically reduced just
before the wheel locks up and then
increases again to the point at which the
wheel is just about to lock. The wheel sensors
send information to the brake system’s
electronic control module for every decimetre
that the car rolls. This information is
processed continuously to ensure that the
adjustment of the brake pressure will be as
exact as possible. Adjustment takes place
up to 12 times per second.