2005 CADILLAC XLR Owners Manual

Curves in the Road
{CAUTION:
Due to Adaptive Cruise Control limitations in
curves, it may respond to a vehicle in another
lane, or may not have time to react to a vehicle
in your lane. You could crash into a vehicle
ahead of you, or lose control of your vehicle.
Give extra attention in curves and be ready to
use the brakes if necessary. Select an
appropriate speed while driving in curves.
Adaptive Cruise Control may operate differently in a
sharp curve.
The system may reduce your speed in a curve if the
curve is too sharp. The TIGHT CURVE message will also
display on the HUD. SeeHead-Up Display (HUD) on
page 3-34for more information.When following a vehicle and entering a curve, Adaptive
Cruise Control could lose track of the vehicle in your
lane and accelerate your vehicle. When this happens,
the vehicle ahead symbol will not appear on the HUD.
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Adaptive Cruise Control may detect a vehicle that is not
in your lane and apply the brakes.
Adaptive Cruise Control may, occasionally, provide a
driver alert and/or braking that you consider unnecessary.
It could respond to signs, guardrails and other stationary
objects when entering or exiting a curve. This is normal
operation. Your vehicle does not need service.
Highway Exit Ramps
{CAUTION:
Adaptive Cruise Control may lose track of the
vehicle ahead and accelerate up to your set
speed while entering or on highway exit
ramps. You could be startled by this
acceleration and even lose control of the
vehicle. Disengage Adaptive Cruise Control
before entering a highway exit ramp. Do not
use Adaptive Cruise Control on exit ramps.
3-26

Other Vehicle Lane Changes
If another vehicle enters the same lane as you, Adaptive
Cruise Control will not detect the vehicle until it is
completely in the lane. Be ready to take action and apply
the brakes yourself.
Using Adaptive Cruise Control on Hills
How well Adaptive Cruise Control will work on hills
depends on your speed, vehicle load, traffic conditions
and the steepness of the hills. It may not detect a
vehicle in your lane while driving on hills. When going
up steep hills, you may want to use the accelerator
pedal to maintain your speed.When going downhill, you may have to brake to keep
your speed down. Applying the brake disengages
the system. You may choose not to use Adaptive Cruise
Control on steep hills.
Disengaging Adaptive Cruise Control
To disengage the system, apply the brake pedal or
move the Adaptive Cruise Control switch to off. Adaptive
Cruise Control information will not appear on the HUD
when the system is not engaged.
Erasing Set Speed Memory
When you turn the Adaptive Cruise Control switch or
the ignition off, the set speed memory is erased.
Other Messages
There are three messages that may appear in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). They are SERVICE
RADAR CRUISE, CRUISE NOT READY and CLEAN
RADAR CRUISE. These messages will only appear
to indicate a problem if Adaptive Cruise Control is active.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-64for
more information.
You may also see CRUISE SPEED LIMITED displayed
in the HUD. SeeHead-Up Display (HUD) on page 3-34
for more information.
3-27

Cleaning the System
The radar can become blocked by snow, ice or dirt. If so,
you may need to turn off the engine and clean the lens.
The lens is located on the driver’s side of the front fascia.
Clean the surface with a 50/50 mixture of isopropyl
alcohol and water on a dampened cloth. After cleaning
the fascia lens, try to engage Adaptive Cruise Control. If
this does not x the problem, you may have to remove
the fascia lens and clean the inside of the fascia lens and
radar lens.To clean the inside of the fascia lens and radar lens,
insert a screwdriver or similar object into one of the small
slots on the inboard side of the lens and pop the lens out.
Clean the surface with a 50/50 mixture of isopropyl
alcohol and water on a dampened cloth. After cleaning
the lens, set the lens back in place and press until it
snaps in.
Exterior Lamps
The exterior lamp control is located to the left of the
steering wheel on the multifunction lever.
O(Exterior Lamp Control):Turn the band with this
symbol on it to operate the exterior lamps.
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The exterior lamp band has four positions:
O(Off):Turning the band to this position turns off
all lamps.
AUTO (Automatic):Turning the band to this position
sets the exterior lamps in automatic mode. AUTO mode
will turn the exterior lamps on and off depending on
how much light is available outside the vehicle.
To override AUTO mode, turn the control to off.
To reset to AUTO mode turn the control to exterior
lamps and then back to AUTO. Automatic mode will also
reset when your vehicle is turned off and then back
on again when the control is left in the AUTO position.
;(Parking Lamp):Turning the band to this position
turns on the parking lamps together with the following:
Sidemarker Lamps
Taillamps
License Plate Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
The parking brake indicator light will come on and stay
on when the parking lamps are on with the engine
off and the ignition to ACC.
5(Headlamps):Turning the control to this position
turns on the headlamps, together with the previously
listed lamps and lights.
Wiper Activated Headlamps
This feature activates the headlamps and parking lamps
after the windshield wipers have been in use for
approximately six seconds.
When the exterior lamp control has been turned off or is
in the parking lamp position and the wiper control is
on delay, low speed or high speed, the HEADLAMPS
SUGGESTED message will appear on the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
When the ignition is turned off, the wiper-activated
headlamps will immediately turn off.
Headlamps on Reminder
A warning chime will sound if the exterior lamp control
is left on in either the headlamp or parking lamp position
and the driver’s door is opened with the ignition off.
3-29

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the
day. DRL can be helpful in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the short
periods after dawn and before sunset. Fully functional
daytime running lamps are required on all vehicles
rst sold in Canada.
The DRL system will make the front turn signal lamps
come on when the following conditions are met:
It is still daylight and the ignition is on,
the exterior lamp control is in the off position and
the transmission is not in PARK (P).
When DRL are on, only the front turn signal lamps will
be on. No other exterior lamps such as the parking
lamps, taillamps, etc. will be on when the DRL are being
used. Your instrument panel will not be lit up either.
When it is dark enough outside, the front turn signal
lamps will turn off and normal low-beam headlamps will
turn on.When it is bright enough outside, the regular lamps will
go off, and the front turn signal lamps will take over.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
knob is in the full bright position. SeeInstrument
Panel Brightness on page 3-32for more information.
If it is dark enough outside and the exterior lamp control
is off, a HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message will
display on the Driver’s Information Center (DIC). This
message informs the driver that turning on the exterior
lamps is recommended.
Turning the exterior lamp control to off a second time,
or turning on the headlamps will remove the
HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message. If the parking
lamps or the fog lamps were turned on instead,
the HEADLAMPS SUGGESTED message will continue
to be displayed.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
3-30

Fog Lamps
Use fog lamps for better vision in foggy or misty
conditions.
The fog lamps control is located on the multifunction
lever next to the exterior lamp control.
-(Fog Lamps):Turning the band to this position will
turn the fog lamps on.
When you turn the fog lamps on, the fog lamp light will
appear on the instrument panel cluster to indicate
that the fog lamps and the parking lamps are on.
If you turn the high-beam headlamps on, the fog lamps
will turn off. They will turn on again when you switch
to low-beam headlamps.
The ignition must be on for the fog lamps to operate.
Twilight Sentinel®
Twilight Sentinel®can turn your lamps on and off for you.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel makes the
Twilight Sentinel
®work, so be sure it is not covered.
With Twilight Sentinel
®you will see the following
happen:
When it is dark enough outside, the front turn signal
lamps (DRL) will go off, and the headlamps and
parking lamps will come on. The other lamps
that come on with headlamps will also come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps
will go off, and the front turn signal lamps (DRL)
will come on, as long as the exterior lamp switch is
in the AUTO position.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once
you leave the garage, it will take approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside. During that delay,
your instrument panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure your instrument panel brightness
control is in full bright position. SeeInstrument Panel
Brightness on page 3-33for more information.
3-31

You can idle the vehicle with the lamps off, even when
it is dark outside. After starting the vehicle, turn the
exterior lamp control band to off, then release it.
The lamps will remain off until you turn the control band
to off again.
Twilight Sentinel
®also provides exterior illumination as
you leave the vehicle. If Twilight Sentinel®has turned
on the lamps when you turn off the ignition, your lamps
will remain on until:
The exterior lamp switch is moved from OFF to the
parking lamp position, or
a delay time that you select has elapsed.
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-61to
select the delay time that you want. You can also select
no delay time.
If you turn off the ignition with the exterior lamp switch
in the parking lamp or headlamp position, the Twilight
Sentinel
®delay will not occur. The lamps will turn off as
soon as the switch is turned off.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver
If the manual parking lamps or headlamps have been left
on, the exterior lamps will turn off as soon as the ignition
is turned off or RAP is active. This protects against
draining the battery in case you have accidentally left the
headlamps or parking lamps on. The battery saver does
not work if the headlamps are turned on after the ignition
switch is turned to off.
If you need to leave the lamps on, use the exterior lamp
control to turn the lamps back on.
Instrument Panel Brightness
The button for this feature is located on the instrument
panel to the left of the steering column.
+
!- (Brightness):Press this button to change the
brightness of the instrument panel lights.
Press the DIMMER button until PANEL DIMMING
appears on the Driver Information Center (DIC). Then
use the brightness button to adjust the instrument panel
brightness. Press the top of the button to brighten the
lights or the bottom of the button to dim the lights.
SeeHead-Up Display (HUD) on page 3-34for more
information.
Be sure not to have the brightness turned all the way
down with the lamps on during the day. Your DIC
may not be visible.
3-32