2005 CADILLAC SRX tow

This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is
not running. If the light does not come on, have it
repaired. This light will also come on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system on
your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possibleIf the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still
ashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
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Problem Recommended Action
The auxiliary source is
running but there is no
picture or sound.Press the MODE button to
change from the DVD
player mode to the
auxiliary source mode.
Check to make sure that
the auxiliary source is
connected to the inputs
properly.
My disc is stuck in the
player. The Load/Eject
button does not work.Press the eject/load
button on the DVD
player.
Turn the power off, then
on again, then press the
eject/load button on the
DVD player.
Do not attempt to forcibly
remove the disc from the
DVD player. This could
permanently damage the
disc and the DVD player.
Sometimes the wireless
headphone audio cuts
out or buzzes.This could be caused by
interference from cellular
telephone towers or by
using your cellular
telephone in the vehicle.
I lost the remote and/or
the headphones.See your dealer for
assistance.DVD Distortion
There may be an experience with audio distortion in the
wireless headphones when operating cellular phones,
scanners, CB radios, Global Positioning Systems
(GPS)*, two-way radios, mobile fax, or walkie talkies.
It may be necessary to turn off the DVD player when
operating one of these devices in or near the vehicle.
* Excludes the OnStar
®System.
Cleaning the DVD Player
When cleaning the outside DVD faceplate and buttons,
use only a clean cloth dampened with clean water.
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Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-6
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-8
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Magnetic Ride Control...................................4-10
Limited-Slip Rear Axle...................................4-10
StabiliTrak
®System......................................4-11
Panic Brake Assist........................................4-11
Steering......................................................4-12
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-14
Passing.......................................................4-14
Loss of Control.............................................4-16
Operating Your All-Wheel-Drive Vehicle
Off Paved Roads.......................................4-17
Driving at Night............................................4-30Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-32
City Driving..................................................4-34
Freeway Driving...........................................4-35
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-36
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-37
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-37
Winter Driving..............................................4-39
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-43
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-44
Recovery Hook.............................................4-44
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-45
Towing..........................................................4-50
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-50
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-50
Level Control...............................................4-51
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-52
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will clear
the area around your front wheels. If your vehicle has the
StabiliTrak
®System, turn the system off by pressing and
holding the Traction button so that the STABILITY SYS
DISABLED message and the traction off light are
illuminated on the instrument panel cluster. 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 your wheels in the forward and
reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion that
may free your vehicle. If that does not get you out after a
few tries, you may need to be towed out. Or, you can use
your recovery hook if your vehicle has one. If you do need
to be towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-50.
Recovery Hook
Your vehicle may be equipped with a recovery hook.
The recovery hook is provided in the jack storage area.
The hook can be installed either at the front of the
vehicle on the passenger side or at the rear of
the vehicle on the driver side. At either location, remove
the access cap from the vehicle trim and screw the
hook into position. You may need to use the hook if you
are stuck off-road and need to be pulled to some
place where you can continue driving.
{CAUTION:
The recovery hook, when used, is under a lot
of force. Always pull the vehicle straight out.
Never pull on the hook at a sideways angle.
The hook could break off and you or others
could be injured from the chain or cable
snapping back.
Notice:Never use the recovery hook to tow the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged and it would
not be covered by warranty.
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The Tire and Loading Information label also shows the
size of the original equipment tires (C) and the
recommended cold tire ination pressures (D). For more
information on tires and ination seeTires on page 5-51
andInation - Tire Pressure on page 5-58.
There is also important loading information on the
vehicle Certication/Tire label. It tells you the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the front and rear axle.
See “Certication/Tire Label” later in this section.
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX pounds” on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kilograms or XXX pounds.4. The resulting gure equals the available amount of
cargo and luggage load capacity. For example, if
the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs and there will be
ve 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and
cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That weight
may not safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, the load from
your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle.
Consult this manual to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load capacity of
your vehicle.
If your vehicle can tow a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 4-52for important information on towing a
trailer, towing safety rules, and trailering tips.
4-46

Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Service on page 7-6.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see Recreational Vehicle Towing following.
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”).
With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.Here are some important things to consider before you
do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing vehicle?
Be sure you read the tow vehicle manufacturer’s
recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional for
additional advice and equipment recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as you
would prepare your vehicle for a long trip, you’ll
want to make sure your vehicle is prepared to be
towed. SeeBefore Leaving on a Long Trip on
page 4-36.
Dinghy Towing
Notice:If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground, the drivetrain components could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not tow your vehicle with all
four wheels on the ground.
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
see “Dolly Towing” following for more information.
4-50

Dolly TowingIf your vehicle is a rear-wheel drive, it can be towed
using a dolly. If you have an All-Wheel-Drive (AWD)
vehicle, it can only be towed on a at-bed trailer. To tow
your vehicle using a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the rear wheels on the dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead
position with a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.
Level Control
This feature keeps the rear of your vehicle level as the
load changes. It’s automatic — you don’t need to
adjust anything.
4-51

Towing a Trailer
{CAUTION:
If you do not use the correct equipment and
drive properly, you can lose control when you
pull a trailer. For example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work well — or even
at all. You and your passengers could be
seriously injured. You may also damage your
vehicle; the resulting repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Pull a trailer only if
you have followed all the steps in this section.
Ask your dealer for advice and information
about towing a trailer with your vehicle.Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what
the vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer” that
appears later in this section. But trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself. Trailering means
changes in handling, acceleration, braking, durability
and fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it are many time-tested,
important trailering tips and safety rules. Many of
these are important for your safety and that of your
passengers. So please read this section carefully before
you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine,
transmission, rear axle, wheel assemblies and tires are
forced to work harder against the drag of the added
weight. The engine is required to operate at relatively
higher speeds and under greater loads, generating extra
heat. What’s more, the trailer adds considerably to
wind resistance, increasing the pulling requirements.
4-52