Cadillac 2004 Escalade ESV Automobile User Manual


 
What is the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer
the least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is
about freezing (32°F; 0°C) and freezing rain begins
to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand
crews can get there.
Whatever the condition smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow drive with caution.
Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction. If
you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more. See
Stabilitrak
®
System on page 4-9 and “Rocking Your
Vehicle” under If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or
Snow on page 4-44.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your vehicle’s stability
when you make a hard stop on a slippery road.
Even though you have an anti-lock braking system, you
will want to begin stopping sooner than you would on
dry pavement. See Braking on page 4-6.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
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 can not reach:
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.
4-41