Hill And Mountain Roads; Winter Driving - Cadillac XT4 2023 Owner's Manual

174 Driving and Operating
Aquaplaning
Aquaplaning is dangerous. Water can build
up under the vehicle's tyres so they actually
ride on the water. This can happen if the
road is wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is aquaplaning, it
has little or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
aquaplaning. The best advice is to slow
down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet weather
driving tips include:
Allow extra following distance.
Overtake with caution.
Keep windscreen wiping equipment in
good condition.
Keep the windscreen washer fluid
reservoir filled.
Have good tyres with proper tread depth.
See Tyres 0 286.
Turn off cruise control.
Activate All-Wheel Drive (AWD) mode. See
Driver Mode Control 0 199.

Hill and Mountain Roads

Driving on steep hills or through mountains
is different than driving on flat or rolling
terrain. Tips include:
Keep the vehicle serviced and in good
shape.
Check all fluid levels and brakes, tyres,
cooling system, and transmission.
Shift to a lower gear when going down
steep or long hills.
Warning
Using the brakes to slow the vehicle on a
long downhill slope can cause brake
overheating, can reduce brake
performance, and could result in a loss of
braking. Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the brakes
on a steep downhill slope.
Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. This can
cause overheating of the brakes and loss
of steering assist. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear.
Drive at speeds that keep the vehicle in
its own lane. Do not swing wide or cross
the centre line.
Be alert on top of hills; something could
be in your lane (e.g. stalled car, crash).
Pay attention to special road signs (e.g.,
falling rocks area, winding roads, long
gradients, overtaking or no-overtaking
zones) and take appropriate action.
Select All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Mode. See
Driver Mode Control 0 199 and
All-Wheel Drive 0 195.

Winter Driving

Driving on Snow or Ice
Caution
To avoid damage to the wheels and
brake components, always clear snow and
ice from inside the wheels and
underneath the vehicle before driving.
Snow or ice between the tyres and the road
creates less traction or grip, so drive
carefully. Wet ice can occur at about 0 °C
(32 °F) when freezing rain begins to fall.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.