2004 CADILLAC XLR automatic transmission

Keys...............................................................2-2
Keyless Access System...................................2-3
Keyless Access System Operation....................2-4
Doors and Locks.............................................2-8
Door Locks....................................................2-8
Power Door Locks........................................2-10
Programmable Automatic Door Locks..............2-10
Lockout Protection........................................2-11
Leaving Your Vehicle....................................2-11
Trunk..........................................................2-11
Windows........................................................2-14
Power Windows............................................2-15
Sun Visors...................................................2-16
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-17
Theft-Deterrent System..................................2-17
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-19
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-19
Ignition Positions..........................................2-19
Starting Your Engine.....................................2-20
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-21
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-23
Parking Brake..............................................2-26
Shifting Into Park (P).....................................2-28
Shifting Out of Park (P).................................2-30
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-31Engine Exhaust............................................2-31
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked. . . .2-32
Mirrors...........................................................2-33
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror
with OnStar
ž............................................2-33
Outside Power Heated Mirrors........................2-33
Outside Automatic Dimming Mirror..................2-34
Outside Curb View Assist Mirror.....................2-34
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-34
OnStar
žSystem.............................................2-35
HomeLinkžTransmitter...................................2-37
Programming the HomeLinkžTransmitter.........2-37
Storage Areas................................................2-41
Glove Box...................................................2-41
Cupholder(s)................................................2-41
Center Console Storage Area.........................2-41
Map Pocket.................................................2-42
Floor Mats...................................................2-42
Rear Storage Area........................................2-43
Convenience Net..........................................2-43
Retractable Hardtop........................................2-44
Lowering the Retractable Hardtop...................2-44
Raising the Retractable Hardtop......................2-45
Vehicle Personalization...................................2-53
Memory Seat, Mirrors and Steering Wheel.......2-53
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels. It is
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake ®rmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on
page 2-28
.
Be sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control system.
2-23

You have to fully apply your regular brakes before you
can shift from PARK (P) when the vehicle is running.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure
on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way
into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application. Then
move the shift lever into the gear you wish. See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-30.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage the transmission.
The repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission,
see If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-31.
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does not
connect with the wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed is dangerous. Unless
your foot is ®rmly on the brake pedal, your
vehicle could move very rapidly. You could
lose control and hit people or objects. Do not
shift into a drive gear while your engine is
running at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)
with the engine running at high speed may damage
the transmission. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting your vehicle.
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):This position is
for normal driving.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator
pedal may damage the transmission. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill,
use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
Maximum engine speed is limited to protect driveline
components from improper operation.
2-24

Driver Shift Control
The driver shift control feature gives you more manual
control over the operation of the transmission.
To use this feature, move
the shift lever from the
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(D) position to the left
and into the driver
shift control gate.
A plus symbol will also appear on the shift console
above the AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) indicator and
minus symbol will appear below the indicator.
To request an upshift, brie¯y move the shift lever up
toward the plus symbol. To request a downshift, brie¯y
move the shift lever down toward the minus symbol.
The Head-Up Display (HUD) will display the change in
gear range, though the actual upshift or downshift
may be delayed until the engine speed is correct for the
requested gear range.The currently selected gear will be remembered as the
selected gear range and will be displayed in the
HUD. SeeHead-Up Display (HUD) on page 3-27.
The gear range indicated in the HUD is only a requested
range of available gears. It does not indicate that the
vehicle will operate only in that speci®c gear. The actual
gear the vehicle will choose depends on a combination
of the driver-requested gear range, vehicle speed
and throttle position.
If you do not upshift as the engine approaches the
redline engine rpm for the selected gear range,
an engine speed limiter will prevent over-revving by
limiting the engine rpm available. No automatic upshift
will occur until you request it. Operating the engine
for extended periods of time against the speed limiter is
not recommended.
Not all manual downshift requests will be accepted by
the transmission. To prevent over-revving the engine,
each gear range has a maximum vehicle speed
associated with it. Any downshift request above this
speed will be ignored by the transmission.
2-25

Some automatic downshifts may occur to maintain
minimum engine speed. This will only occur if you leave
the vehicle in too high of a gear range for the speed
the vehicle is traveling. For example, if you have been
driving in ®fth gear range and come to a stop without
manually downshifting, ®fth gear range will continue to
display in the HUD. The transmission will automatically
downshift to second gear. As you begin to drive
and accelerate, the transmission will automatically
upshift as quickly as possible to the selected ®fth
gear range.
In higher gear ranges, an automatic downshift will occur
if you press the accelerator pedal to the ¯oor. This
feature provides you with adequate acceleration
capabilities if you forget to downshift manually.
Automatic upshifts and downshifts will not display in
the HUD.
Driver shift control is available while the cruise control is
engaged. The shift behavior of the transmission will
react differently than when cruise control is not engaged.
This is not a malfunction and is necessary to allow
proper operation of the cruise control.
To return to fully automatic operation, move the shift
lever to the right and back into the AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (D) position.Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal is
located to the left of the
regular brake pedal,
near the driver's door.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot and push the parking brake
pedal down with your left foot.
If the ignition is running, the parking brake indicator light
on the instrument panel cluster should come on. If it
does not, you need to have your vehicle serviced.
2-26

Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply your regular
brake before you can shift from PARK (P) when
the vehicle is running. See
Automatic Transmission
Operation on page 2-23.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever ± push the shift lever all the way into
PARK (P) and release the shift lever button as
you maintain brake application. Then press the shift
lever button and move the shift lever into the gear
you wish.If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still cannot
shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Press the ACCESSORY button twice to place the
ignition in accessory mode.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the engine and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have your vehicle inspected by your dealer as soon
as possible.
2-30

4. Make sure that nothing or no one is on or around
the top. Make sure the trunk cargo cover is in
place with nothing on top or in front of the cargo
cover. See
Rear Storage Area on page 2-43for more information. Also, make sure the valet
lockout switch is off.
5. Push and hold the
bottom of the
retractable hardtop
button located on the
console behind the
shifter lever. The
windows will
automatically lower and
the top will
automatically lower into
the storage area. A
chime will sound when
the top has lowered
completely.
If your radio is on, you may also notice a brief mute in
sound. This is normal due to a new audio system
equalization being loaded for the vehicle with the top
lowered.
Under certain conditions, the Driver Information Center
(DIC) may display a message regarding the retractable
hardtop. If this happens, see
DIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-57for more information.
Raising the Retractable Hardtop
1. Park on a level surface. Shift the transmission
into PARK (P).
2. The vehicle must be running or in
ACCESSORY mode.
3. Lower both sun visors.
Notice:Raising or lowering the top while the
vehicle is in motion can cause damage to the top or
top mechanism. Make sure the vehicle is in
PARK (P) to lower or raise the top.
4. Make sure nothing or no one is on or around the
top. Make sure the trunk cargo cover is in place
with no cargo on top of or in front of the cargo
cover. See
Rear Storage Area on page 2-43for
more information. Also, be sure the valet lockout
switch is off.
2-45

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A. Head-Up Display (HUD) Controls/Instrument Panel
Brightness Controls. See
Head-Up Display (HUD) on
page 3-27or ªInstrument Panel Brightnessº underInterior Lamps on page 3-25.
B. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. See
Turn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-5.
C. Instrument Panel Cluster. See
Instrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-40.
D. Windshield Wiper/Washer Lever. See ªWindshield
Wipersº under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-5.
E. Driver Information Center (DIC) Controls/Interior
Lamps. See
DIC Controls and Displays on
page 3-55.
F. Air Outlets. See
Outlet Adjustment on page 3-38.
G. Hazard Warning Flasher Button. See
Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 3-4.
H. Voice Commands/Audio Controls. See
OnStarž
System on page 2-35orAudio Steering Wheel
Controls on page 3-71.
I. Adaptive Cruise Controls. See ªAdaptive Cruise
Control (ACC)º under
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-5.J. Horn. See
Horn on page 3-5.
K. Audio Steering Wheel Controls. See
Audio Steering
Wheel Controls on page 3-71.
L. Ignition Switch. See
Ignition Positions on page 2-19.
M. Shift Lever. See
Automatic Transmission Operation
on page 2-23.
N. Traction Control Button. See
Traction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
O. Passenger Air Bag Off Indicator. See
Air Bag Off
Light on page 3-43.
P. Retractable Hardtop Button. See
Retractable
Hardtop on page 2-44.
Q. Cupholders. See
Cupholder(s) on page 2-41.
R. Cigarette Lighter. See
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter
on page 3-33.
S. Climate Controls. See
Dual Climate Control System
on page 3-33.
T. Audio/Navigation System. See
Navigation/Radio
System on page 3-71.
U. Glove Box. See
Glove Box on page 2-41.
3-3